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TTH, there have been a couple of threads on this very topic. Do a search and find them. It seems a 50/50 dead heat at the moment.
JCHB

We have not heard anything but good about both places.

Flip a coin and you will be happy either way.

I just returned from a South Africa safari. Africa Sky got my wife and I through customs and immigration, as well as through the firearms importation and permit process. After the safari, we were heading back to the airport from camp when my PH realized that we'd be back quite early, and would have to wait much of the day at the airport. The people at Africa Sky offered to have us hang at the guest house for several hours, have lunch, and they then brought us to the airport, and helped with getting our luggage and firearms onto the plane home. The guest house is very impressive, and I was impressed with the professionalism of all of the Africa Sky employees. Hope that helps.

Have stayed at Afton several times. I have had pleasant stays on all occasions however i will share my observations if you care to read on.
On two occasions I paid the money and sent them all details so they could assist with rifles coming into country. On both occasions pick up was late and I sorted the whole lot out myself and was waiting with rifles and luggage when they arrived for pick up. After that I did it myself.
Rooms are clean and comfortable and food is good.
Watch out for the son in-law who will offer you a steak dinner and then afterwards put his hand out for $25.00. My last visit was in 2012 so this may not be the case now.
If you are like me and after 14 or so days you are tired of red meat then don't be afraid to ask to be taken to the local Mac Donnald's for a chicken or fish burger, the ladies were happy to assist and it was a nice change.
I do enjoy the meal times as there is a lot of very excited hunters coming in or going out and it is great to listen to their stories or their anticipation of a future adventure.
Cheers Stu

I've stayed at both and prefer Africa Sky due to better menu at meals.

Both are nice and relaxing. The hotel at the Joburg airport is also very nice-and close.

I've stayed at both. I'll be staying at the African Sky Guest House henceforth.

Never stayed at Afton, but was at Africa Sky this past April. Couldn't ask for more....pickup and return in timely manner, SAPS clearing, great steak dinner, great breakfast, clean, nice comfy rooms, I'd stay there again in a heartbeat, and will......next year. A++ professional service all the way around. Oh, and they have a USA bank account (Bank of America) in which you can directly deposit your money into to avoid sending cc#'s, Swift transfers, etc. Too easy.

Africa Sky. Excellent service, rooms and menu. The lamb chops were great. Honor system bar on the veranda. Safe and relaxing.

I will use them again.

Thanks for the advice

They are all excellent

Only been over the pond to Africa once, with Namibia being our destination. ( May 2013)
My wife and I stayed at Africa Sky and they did the Gun Permit, Airport pickup and return, lovely room, Fantastic diner and breakfast. Could not have asked for more. GREAT people!!!
My son-in-law and grandson stayed with them the year before and had nothing but great things to say about them.
If I'm lucky enough to hunt Africa again, Africa Sky will get my business.

MauserK98

We stayed at the ASGH on our way to the BVC in 2013, pictures in the report below. It was great.

Guys,
I just don't understand why you would want to leave the airport, stay in a guest house room have limited food options[and expensive] and then drive back the next morning when there is great accommodation and food all within the airport complex.
The gun permit thing is dead easy to do yourself, can't see whats so difficult, just print out the SAPS 520 on line and fill it in, there are even sights that explain which sections to fill in.
You can stay at City Lodge for $120 a night or if you want luxury stay at the Intercontinental. Is dead easy and makes the transiting of SA a simple process.

cheers

Nick

quote:

Originally posted by nickh:
Guys,
I just don't understand why you would want to leave the airport, stay in a guest house room have limited food options[and expensive] and then drive back the next morning when there is great accommodation and food all within the airport complex.
The gun permit thing is dead easy to do yourself, can't see whats so difficult, just print out the SAPS 520 on line and fill it in, there are even sights that explain which sections to fill in.
You can stay at City Lodge for $120 a night or if you want luxury stay at the Intercontinental. Is dead easy and makes the transiting of SA a simple process.

cheers

Nick

I stayed at City Lodge in May 2014. Nice place, great breakfast. One thing I did not like was walking around a relatively empty feeling airport looking for airport food. After a 15 hour flight, I really enjoyed walking around the grounds of Africa Sky, eating a fantastic steak dinner, and drinking a few Castle's around a fire pit with other hunters.

I've also heard that the SAPS deal is easy, but when stuff goes wrong, it's nice to have an ally on your side to sort things out. This past April, we happened to enter the SAPS office at a shift change. Being Africa, nobody had a clue where our rifles were. I went with the Africa Sky rep to another office or two to verify that our rifles were in fact in the airport somewhere, which they were, but since the shift workers didn't really give a ratsazz about our rifles (more concerned with leaving), the rifles were left somewhere in "the back" and obviously the new shift workers didn't give a crap either. The AS rep grabbed one of the SAPS guys and they went in the back somewhere for about 15 minutes and got my rifle. I have no clue what would have happened in that instance if I had tried it solo.

I felt the $290 for room and board, SAPS, airport shuttle, beef filet steak dinner, 3 or 4 beers, and a hot cooked to order breakfast was worth every penny personally.

I've stayed at all four places-City Lodge, Intercontinental, Africa Sky, Afton House a number of times and enjoyed them all. In addition to the evening meals at AS and AH, both the IC and CL have very nice dinner and breakfast buffets, negating the need to search for food in the airport. There's usually a number of hunters at each to enjoy conversation with.

I have stayed at both Afton House and AfricaSky. I prefer the ambience, food and overall setup of AfricaSky. I haven't stayed at any of the areas within the airport but for me I like getting away from the airport and being outside. It's nice to sit by the fire and also if you wake early it is nice to walk the grounds and listen to the birds.

I have stayed at just one....African Sky

I have no reason to ever try anything else.

Large clean comfortable room with a large courtyard.

The meet and greet with pre approved gun permit and shuttled to the guest house then back through all the airport rigamaroo the next day.

Great meals and kind people.

African Sky Guesthouse

Africa Sky.

I have seen enough airport hotels in my life, getting out and seeing something, anything, is better.

Having a local get you on your outbound plane helps too. The Air Botswana clerk seemed clueless, but Godfrey basically told her how to do her job and walked her (and me) through the process.

Hunting in Africa is expensive and can be stressful. An extra $100 or so to smooth out the bumps on end of a 16 hour flight and a 10-20K+ trip is just background noise.

YMMV.

I've stayed at both, and prefer the ASGH. Professional, relaxing, friendly. If I stay with them, I also have them assist with the SAPS 520.

If the flight has a late arrival, however, stay at one of the hotels attached to the airport.

I stayed at Afton house about five years ago, and it was fine, but at that time, for me, they didnt help at all with my guns or the SAPS 520.

I met the after I had guns in hand and had cleared everything. (Which went luckily went fine with no problems.)