Best Hotels & Lodges

A luxurious perch on one of Sicily's most captivating coastlines where two worlds - and two star ratings - collide in spectacular fashion. Nestled in the Caldura bay just a stone's throw from Cefalù's UNESCO-protected historic centre, this boutique resort has been beguiling visitors for over half a century. The Mediterranean architecture follows the natural contours of the coastline, with whitewashed buildings that tumble down the rocky slopes towards the crystalline waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Kwandwe Fort House is one of five lodges within the Eastern Cape’s Kwandwe Private Game Reserve. With its three exclusive-use villas, Kwandwe taps into the popular family safari market, and rightly so – being malaria-free and only 160km from Port Elizabeth, the 30,000 hectare reserve is a very realistic option for a family wilderness trip, and ideal as an add-on to Cape Town and the Garden Route. With sweeping views of the Great Fish River Valley, Kwandwe Fort House is a hybrid between a (rather posh) modern home and a safari lodge – including private staff to keep everyone happy.

Timelessly elegant and deeply inviting, Black Rhino offers a private sanctuary to gather with loved ones and immerse yourself in a truly authentic Cape safari experience, set against the sweeping valleys and mountain vistas of Gondwana Game Reserve.

Embraced by 180-degree views of the majestic Outeniqua mountain range, Black Rhino is poised above a vast valley blanketed in fynbos. This exclusive villa accommodates up to six guests and is fully serviced with its own chef and private field guide. Your time here unfolds entirely to your rhythm, creating the ease and comfort of a second home in the wild.

Hotel L’Archipel and its fragrant hillside gardens lie in north-eastern section of Praslin, the second-largest island in the Seychelles. Beneath the lodge is Anse Gouvernement, a secluded beach reserved for the hotel's guests only. Think of all the tropical words you can, and you'll be describing this location, with its wide white sands, rustling palms, loungers for sun-soaking, and turquoise sea that is perfect for swimming, snorkelling and, for an edge-of-your-seat Ernest Hemingway adventure, deep-sea fishing. Meander back to the hotel and your cool room through mature gardens filled with palms, hibiscus, fragrant frangipani and bougainvillea. Heavenly!

Located in the heart of the historic San Diego neighborhood of the Walled City of Cartagena, the Hotel Bantú by Faranda Boutique, a member of Radisson Individuals, offers spaces full of color and textures set with the architecture of the eighteenth century. As you walk through the hotel you will find patios, terraces and a rooftop terrace that evoke the history and African culture of the Colombian Caribbean. Surrounded by lush vegetation and furniture to relax on, you'll experience tranquility while enjoying a cocktail or delicious Caribbean meal in the El Cabildo Restaurant.

Springing up from a rocky ridge overlooking the lush Ewaso Narok River Valley and Laikipia Plateau, Siruai was built to frame the view and the wildlife that inhabits it. Its name alone alludes to this, translating to mean 'eland' in the Maa language and gazing out from your tent, you'll likely see these shy, regal animals around camp. Activities-wise, there is plenty of choice when it comes to exploring the surrounds, whether it's hiking up escarpments, canoeing down crystal-clear rivers, or spotting elephant, reticulated giraffe and Grevy's zebra on a game drive. Whichever it is, there'll be something worth toasting when you arrive back at camp.

Nestling among the trees and surrounded by waving papyrus grass, Baines' Lodge is properly remote. It lies in the private Stanley Concession, an unspoiled wilderness of 1300-plus square kilometres containing only two camps. Baines' Lodge has been beautifully crafted from wood and canvas topped with local thatch for cooling and to camouflage the buildings, all of which have been constructed on raised wooden platforms above the Boro River, one of the main channels draining the Okavango Delta. Beds with wheels mean that you can spend the night gazing at stars and sleeping under the moon.

Londolozi (a Zulu word meaning "protector of living things") is a private game reserve in the heart of the larger Sabi Sand Reserve, and is run by the Varty family, well known in the field of conservation pioneering. Of its five camps, child-friendly and elegantly comfortable Londolozi Founders is tucked beneath ancient ebony and matumi trees on the banks of the Sand River. Imagine waking to the evocative call of the African fish eagle before setting off on a private game drive to explore this enormous wilderness filled with the Big Five, especially cats, antelope, zebra and hundreds of birds.

Along the historic ramparts of Galle Fort, this restored Dutch merchant's home stands as a testament to colonial splendour. Idyllically positioned along Rampart Street, this refined sanctuary offers privileged views of 17th-century fort walls from elegant living spaces.

As one of the fort's few luxury boutique properties with a private pool, centuries worth of heritage is preserved while offering contemporary comfort. Each thoughtfully curated space echoes stories of merchant glory within this UNESCO World Heritage haven.