Best hotels in South Africa

This luxurious lodge is located in the game-rich Sabi Sand Reserve in the northeastern corner of South Africa. Built around the enormous boulder for which it is named, the lodge lies on the banks of the Sand River. No expense has been spared here: the lodge has been sympathetically built of wood, stone and thatch to blend with the environment, and incorporates modern and traditional influences in its design. It's a wonderful place to enjoy excellent service, accommodation, food, views and, most of all, diverse wildlife. Meet the stars of the show, the Big Five, particularly leopard.

Morukuru River House, one of three exclusive-use lodges in the Morukuru collection, lies apart from its counterparts in a private area within the large Madikwe Game Reserve. It has its own distinctive style (read glamorous, chic and super-comfortable), own safari vehicles, staff and attractions. River House lies on the banks of the Marico River, and the sounds of the water bubbling past are soporific – you'll sleep like a baby. This is Big Five country, and your private ranger knows the bushveld and its occupants like the back of his hand.

A vlei is a natural pool of water, and this small and intimate lodge located centrally in the Phinda Private Game Reserve stands on the edge of a wetland. Nearby is a sand forest, an increasingly rare ecosystem. Animal viewing is constant, birding is varied and rewarding (look out for the pretty narina trogon), and the stilted lodge provides pampering comfort, good food, smiley staff, knowledgeable guides and lush accommodation. The wildlife ranges from the largest to the smallest, but the star of the show is definitely cheetah, which were reintroduced to the reserve after an absence of 50-odd years.

At Africa's southern tip, where the Atlantic and Indian oceans meet in a churning embrace, is a coastline edged with ancient mountains and rolling hills of fynbos. And that's the sight that greets visitors to the Grootbos Private Nature Reserve, a 2500-hectare preserve of unsullied milkwood trees and indigenous flora, with sweeping views across Walker Bay. Grootbos Villa is one of three places to stay in the reserve. Completely private, its six elegant suites sleep up to 12 guests. So if you're looking for a family getaway that offers unadulterated luxury, with your own guide, chef and butler, you've found it!

Hamiltons Tented Camp overlooks the seasonal Nwaswitsontso River, within one of the original private concessions in the western Kruger Park. This unique camp harks back to turn-of-the-century colonial safaris, and gets the balance of vintage elegance and modern comforts just right. Predator sightings are a feature in this region, with excellent all-round game viewing across scenically diverse landscapes. Guided bush walks, plus special treats like champagne breakfasts, bush dinners and spa treatments offer a well rounded safari experience with fine hospitality and a generous helping of luxury.

A tranquil mountain hideaway with a colonial air, Camp Figtree lies the folds of the Zuurberg mountains and overlooks Addo Elephant National Park, home to the world's highest density of elephants. This pretty setting allows for a dynamic experience of South Africa's Eastern Cape Province, with its highly underrated wilderness areas – and no concerns about malaria. With refined hospitality, great cuisine, rooms with every comfort, big views, and flawless attention to detail, Camp Fig Tree is a treat-yourself destination that will not disappoint.

Ant's Nest Lodge is situated on a private game reserve in the malaria-free Waterberg region. The owners renovated an old ranch house to create Ant’s Nest using local stone and thatch that blend into the surroundings. It is an excellent bush getaway for couples, honeymooners and families alike. The lodge can be booked on an exclusive basis. Ant’s Nest not only enjoys lovely views of the valley but is also surrounded by open plains where rhino and other game graze frequently at close range. The team at Ant’s Nest is exceptionally hospitable and will make your stay memorable.

Dating back to 1936, when this remote part of the central Drakensberg was almost inaccessible, Cathedral Peak Hotel is now a beloved family-friendly hotel renowned as a maker of great holidays. Within its beautiful setting beneath the mountains' blue-grey jagged peaks, the hotel is at the heart of all sorts of outdoor adventures, including some of the country's best hiking and mountaineering. The four-star hotel offers accommodation for everyone, good buffet-style food and warm service.

Wonderful exclusivity in the wilderness

Modern life has deemed it normal to always rush from one place to the next. At Royal Malewane Lodge, you'll learn the opposite. It's not only the luxuries, plush interiors and personal service that remind one of a bygone era, but also the pace of life. Its location in the Greater Kruger National Park makes this a truly remarkable place to see wildlife, and the highly qualified guides will take you out in search of the Big 5, cheetah and wild dog. This exclusive lodge is a meeting of modern facilities and old-fashioned hospitality.

Tucked into the unfenced wilderness of Manyeleti, one of Greater Kruger's best-kept secrets, Khoka Moya lives up to its Shangaan name – 'Capture the Spirit'. And capture it you will. This is a camp that wears its heart on its sleeve: corrugated iron structures nodding to gold-rush pioneers, canvas tents open to the night sounds, and elephants wandering through to drink from the pool (yes, really). What sets it apart? The fact that children of any age can join game drives – a genuine rarity in this neck of the woods. With Big Five sightings pretty much guaranteed and a laid-back, sociable atmosphere, it's the sort of place where first-timers and seasoned safari-goers alike feel immediately at home.

Sitting on a small baobab-studded ridge near the Luvuvhu River, the private Baobab Hill Bush House is the stuff wild dreams are made of. It's surrounded by the 24,000-hectare Makuleke Concession, arguably home to more animal and plant species than anywhere else in Kruger. And with five different vegetation types: acacia veld, mopane woodland, sandveld, flood plain, riverine forests, all intersected with meandering rivers, there's certainly plenty to see. The house, once the ranger's quarters, has been renovated to become a stylish and comfortable property that's ideal for private family getaways incorporating equal measures of leisure and adventure.

Perched on the banks of the Olifants River in Balule Private Nature Reserve, Pondoro is the kind of place that makes you wonder why anyone would stay anywhere else. This family-run lodge, owned by Robbie and Lize Prehn since 1997, has racked up a trophy cabinet's worth of accolades – including a World Luxury Hotel Award for Best Safari Retreat – yet retains the warmth of a well-loved home. With just eight rooms accommodating a maximum of 16 guests, the atmosphere is refreshingly intimate. Expect Big Five encounters on open-topped game drives, an award-winning wine cellar, and the chance to sleep out in a treehouse overlooking a spotlit waterhole. It's proper safari romance done right.