Best Hotels & Lodges

In a city that's practically reinvented itself in the space of three decades, this 4-star hotel feels refreshingly straightforward about what it offers: proper comfort, reliable service, and a location that couldn't be more central if it tried. Planted firmly in the Kiyovu district, you're a stone's throw from the Presidential Palace and major government buildings, yet the real draw is how effortlessly it connects you to a capital that's buzzing with energy and optimism. With 161 contemporary rooms spread across various categories, it's clearly designed for the business traveller who appreciates a bit of style with their efficiency, though leisure guests will find plenty to appreciate too.

Step back to 1765 as you cross the threshold of this splendid boutique hotel, once the stately residence of a Bourbon-era judge who later became a Marquis. Built during Palermo's renaissance when the city was flourishing with new energy and ambition, the palazzo has retained its aristocratic bones while embracing contemporary luxury. Here, velvets and cushions mingle with shaved cotton linens in a masterful display of refined elegance. The intimate scale belies the grandeur of the building's heritage, creating a hideaway that feels both exclusive and welcoming. You're perfectly positioned in the bustling heart of the city, with its vibrant markets, Norman architecture and Arab influences just waiting to be explored.

Lokuthula (meaning, "place of peace") has large grounds and comfortable accommodation options, offering a restful mid-range retreat within easy walking distance of the world renowned Victoria Falls. The lodge is surrounded by indigenous bush, allowing you to enjoy some decent wildlife viewing and a wide variety of birds directly from your doorstep. Two and three-bedroom chalets, set amongst lush, treed gardens, can be booked on a self-catering or a bed and breakfast basis. There are some good in-house activities to keep you interested while you're not busy with the many other things to do in and around town, but the best feature of the lodge is without doubt its three-tiered palm-fringed swimming pool looking over a magnificent waterhole that attracts wildlife from far and wide.

Perched on the eastern rim of the legendary Ngorongoro Crater, Lion's Paw enjoys the kind of location that leaves seasoned safari-goers speechless. 15 luxury suites sit amongst a gathering of red-thorn acacia trees and the views across the crater - or should we say, one of Africa's most spectacular wildlife amphitheatres - are sensational. What really sets Lion's Paw apart, however, is its proximity to the crater entrance. A ten-minute drive will take you to the park gates, meaning you're almost always the first onto the crater floor each morning. Add attentive Maasai team and an elephant called John who pops round for teatime, and you've got total crater magic.

A chic safari camp in an exclusive concession in the Delta

At the end of 2017, Wilderness Safaris welcomed another stylish camp to their portfolio: Qorokwe Camp. Located in the exclusive Qorokwe Concession, bordering the renowned Moremi Game Reserve in the south-eastern part of the Okavango Delta, the location certainly ticks quite a few boxes. The remote landscape is rather special too, with crystal-clear waterways, jewel-like islands dotted with palm trees, and dense riverine forests opening out onto wide plains. Wildlife is equally as diverse, and highlights include cheetah, leopard, large prides of lion, even bigger herds of buffalo, elephant and lechwe. So, all the ingredients for a fantastic safari - and the camp certainly doesn't let the side down either!

When Singita's founder, Luke Bailes, started out, he might not have known that his own grandfather's family home will eventually be converted into a spectacular lodge. But because this beautiful, lived-in farmhouse now hosts paying guests, a small number of travellers get to experience this private game reserve as a 'member of the family'. The 45 000 acres are explored exclusively by Singita, and private game drives create the feeling of truly living here, and not just visiting. Visits to the community makes this a safari lodge entirely integrated with its surroundings.