Best hotels in Namibia

Picture Wes Anderson directing a film in the Namib and you're halfway to understanding The Desert Grace. The 24 bungalows sit somewhere between Solitaire and Sesriem in the heart of Namibia's enormous Namib Desert, all blush-pink accents and mid-century charm. Built entirely from sandbags filled with Namib sand (yes, really), each room has its own plunge pool for desert-gazing, and there are two family tents if you're coming with the kids. Activities-wise, choose between dawn excursions to Sossusvlei's towering red dunes, morning and afternoon game drives, and a selection of walking safaris - or simply nurse a signature pink gin on your private terrace...

Forget everything you know about safari camps - Camp Doros strips things back to what really matters. An intimate six-tent retreat in Namibia's Damaraland, it exists for one glorious purpose: getting you in the vicinity of desert-adapted black rhino alongside the expert rangers. Perched above a usually-dry riverbed, it proudly boasts Namibia's smallest environmental footprint whilst delivering big on personalised service. Days revolve around rhino tracking adventures, nature walks through ancient landscapes, and evenings spent stargazing around the campfire. It's deliberately unpretentious, utterly sustainable, and completely unforgettable - exactly what Ultimate Safaris intended when they opened this conservation-focused gem.

Set against a backdrop of rugged ridges, dry riverbeds and gorges, Sandfontein's Lodge with its 5 intimately designed suites and a nearby hilltop villa, offer one of Africa's most strikingly secluded settings. With exclusive use of the entire Nature Reserve and private access to the Lodge, guests can choose to stay in Sandfontein’s Suites and/or the Lost Poet Villa.