The Windsor Hotel Hermanus named Best B&B in Africa at the2026 Haute Grandeur Global Excellence Awards
The Windsor Hotel, Hermanus has taken home four titles at the 2026 Haute Grandeur Global Excellence Awards, including Best Bed and Breakfast Hotel in Africa. It’s a clean sweep that confirms what generations of guests already know: this Walker Bay landmark does hospitality differently.
The full haul:
- Best Bed and Breakfast Hotel in Africa
- Best Historical Hotel in South Africa
- Best Prime Location Hotel in South Africa
- Best Small Hotel in South Africa
Why this award matters
Haute Grandeur winners are decided by verified guest feedback rather than public votes or a judging panel, so the result reflects what people actually experienced during their stay. For a hotel built on personal service, that distinction counts.
General Manager Leoni McFarlane put it simply: “These remarkable accolades are a celebration of the people, passion, and heritage that make The Windsor Hotel truly special.” She credited the team’s commitment to “genuine hospitality and preserving our rich history” for the results.
A hotel with 130 years behind it
The Best Historical Hotel title isn’t just a category; it’s the truth of the building. TheWindsor started life in 1896 as a sanatorium, drawing visitors to Hermanus for its sea air long before whale watching put the town on the map. It became a hotel in 1931, took its name from the RMS Windsor Castle, and has been run by the same family, the Clark-Browns, since 1980. Two generations on, that heritage still shapes the guest experience: the lounges, the bar, the billiards room, the courtyard garden, all part of a building that has welcomed travellers for well over a century.
Right on Walker Bay
The Prime Location award recognises what every guest notices on arrival: The Windsors is directly on Walker Bay, one of the best land-based whale watching spots on earth. Southern right whales move through these waters close enough to see from the hotel itself, alongside easy access to Fernkloof Nature Reserve and the rest of Hermanus’s coastline. Small and historical doesn’t mean out of the way. It means the location was never an afterthought.
What it means for your stay
Four national and continental titles in one year is a strong signal for anyone weighing up where to stay in Hermanus. It says the intimacy of a small, family-run hotel and the polish of an award-winning property aren’t a trade-off here; you get both. If whale season, heritage architecture, or a genuinely personal welcome is what you’re after, this is the kind of recognition that’s hard to manufacture and easy to trust.
FAQs: Haute Grandeur Awards
What awards did The Windsor Hotel win in 2026?
The Windsor Hotel, Hermanus won four titles at the 2026 Haute Grandeur Global Excellence Awards: Best Bed and Breakfast Hotel in Africa, Best Historical Hotel in South Africa, Best Prime Location Hotel in South Africa, and Best Small Hotel in South Africa.
How are Haute Grandeur Award winners chosen?
Winners are determined by guest feedback rather than public voting or a judging panel, which is intended to keep results unbiased and reflective of actual guest experience.
How old is The Windsor Hotel?
The building dates to 1896, originally opening as a sanatorium. It became The Windsor Hotel in 1931 and has been owned by the Clark-Brown family since 1980.
Where is The Windsor Hotel located?
On Walker Bay in Hermanus, South Africa, known for some of the best land-based whalewatching in the world, and close to Fernkloof Nature Reserve.
