Paarl

TripAdvisor lists accommodation rated by guests, but as much as we love peer reviews, they don’t offer a comparative voice – so how do we know No. 1 is really the best? Pippa de Bruyn, who has reviewed accommodation for 20 years for the likes of Frommer’s and The Telegraph , scours TripAdvisor and other online accommodation sites when researching a destination. For Paarl, she created a longlist of 21 to inspect. The following made the final cut.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?

• Self-catering on a wine farm (pg 68)

• Family fun on a farm (pg 68)

• A wild Winelands sanctuary (pg 69)

• Mountain views (pg 69)

• Quirky and a bargain (pg 70)

• Five-star country comfort (pg 70)

• Luxurious boutique suites (pg 71)

WHAT I FOUND ABOUT ACCOMMODATION HERE

• With the Winelands triumvirate usually dominated by Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, unsung Paarl offers unexpectedly varied stock, much of it relatively good value.

Online research wasn’t easy – Palmiet Valley Estate, one were not as reliable as usual. Ultimately I found most useful, not least as it divides listings between ‘in town’ and ‘out of town’.