Best Hotels & Lodges

Taking the Governors' tried, tested and truly excellent formula to the next level, Il Moran is the one for honeymooners, couples and anyone looking for a little piece of secluded privacy. In a quintessential and wonderfully romantic Mara picture, the 10 tents wind their way down a bend of the Mara River in the beautiful Musiara Sector of the reserve, shaded by the branches of ancient fig trees. With handsome Victorian bathtubs to fall into at the end of an active day and long, lazy candlelit dinners under a starry sky to look forward to, you might find yourself never wanting to leave.

Cross Hotel Kyoto sits right on the Takase River in the thick of downtown, a five minute walk from the action on Gion's doorstep and close to some of the city's best restaurants and late night bars. The design throughout channels traditional Japanese craftsmanship with a playful modern edge, and the concierge team runs one of the better local experience programmes we've seen, connecting guests with Kyoto's artisan workshops and hidden neighbourhood gems.

Saruni Mara Camp and its sister tented camp, Saruni Wild, lie in the Mara North Conservancy, a private wilderness covering more than 30,000 hectares outside the Masai Mara Reserve. The sanctuary is a partnership between conservationists, investors and 800-plus Masai landowners, for whom this is the first time they have received income from wildlife. The camps lie in the path of the Great Migration (July to November) and the less well-known Loita Hills migration (December to May), which sees thousands of wildebeest arriving at the conservancy. So there's plenty to see and, to top it all, this boutique lodge offers top-quality service.

Although located in Shijo Kawaramachi, one of Kyoto’s busiest areas, this building offers guests a space surrounded by greenery and nature. Additionally, it uses virtually 100% renewable energy, making it an environmentally conscious choice with minimal impact. The hotel is thoroughly committed to guest wellness and the environment through cutting-edge sustainable tourism.

The annual cyclical migration of two million wildebeest, zebra and antelope is one of the most dramatic spectacles on the planet. Compelled by their ever-constant search for food, these herbivores trace a migratory path through northern Tanzania's Serengeti, while braving crocodile-infested rivers and the constant threat of skulking predators. Nyasi Migrational Camp positions itself to witness the best of this great migration from mid-July to November. To keep things quaint and personal, there are just eight tents, ensuring quality hospitality and loads of peace and quiet. You'll be shown the ways of the wilderness by a private guide so every safari is at your own pace!

Tucked into a quiet corner of the Mara North Conservancy, Acacia House is your very own country house in the bush. A charming three-bedroom house, it’s perfectly positioned looking out over a busy waterhole and those iconic Mara plains, with nothing but birdsong, warthog grunts and the occasional lion roar to disturb the peace. With a dedicated team, your own guide and vehicle, and a wonderfully relaxed, do-as-you-please rhythm, it’s made for families and friends who like their freedom – and a good dollop of wildlife, too.

An exclusive luxury hotel surrounded by nature with only 25 rooms, offering a peaceful and intimate stay in Kyoto. Extraordinary dining and luxurious stays await you at the new Garrya Nijo Castle Kyoto hotel, where scenic UNESCO World Heritage Site attractions are within your reach. Travel back in time to the period between the end of the Samurai and the dawn of a new era.

Chitabe Lediba is the smaller of two sister camps situated in the private Chitabe Reserve on the eastern side of the Okavango Delta. The camp is an independent four-room counterpart to the nearby eight-room Chitabe Main Camp. Its smaller size increases the intimacy and exclusivity. Mostly a dry camp with sporadic seasonal flooding, this family-friendly, well appointed tented camp is known for its broad range of habitats and species, as well as exceptional service and its wild dog population.