Best Hotels & Lodges

The traditional-style stone buildings of Mala Lodge huddle in the Annapurna lowlands amongst rice terraces, near to a quaint bee-keeping village. Getting here is an hour’s drive from Pokhara to Lumle, followed by a ninety minutes hike on a winding trail through a picturesque forest, past rice terraces and perfect panoramas.

Perched at 4,620 feet on the edge of Majhgaon village, this accessible gem channels the atmospheric charm of an old tea plantation through its collection of traditional Gurung houses dotted around delightfully manicured gardens. The journey here involves a short drive from Pokhara to the nearest road head followed by an hour's climb that serves as the perfect appetite-builder for what awaits. The real attraction lies in those amazing views of surrounding peaks and valleys that unfold from this elevated perch, creating a setting where mountain hospitality and spectacular scenery combine to deliver one of the finest lodge experiences in the region.

Perched like a well-kept secret on the mountainside, this lodge has mastered the art of making the extraordinary feel wonderfully intimate. When the weather gods are feeling generous, the Phedi and Mardi Valleys stretch out below like a verdant carpet, whilst the Annapurna range - including the theatrical Machhapuchhare (better known as Fishtail Mountain) - provides a backdrop so dramatic it borders on the ridiculous. The lodge itself is refreshingly unpretentious: a collection of thoughtfully placed buildings that seem to have grown organically from the hillside, complete with a grassy terrace that serves as both social hub and front-row seat to one of nature's greatest shows.

Located in Morondava, Chez Maggie is a Romantic Hide-Away in a Secluded Garden Setting and is the ideal starting point for tours to the Tsingy de Bemaraha, a World Heritage Site.

Tucked away in a quiet corner of Bushmans Kloof's 7,500-hectare wilderness reserve, Koro Lodge is a renovated farmhouse turned private sanctuary. Named after the San word for 'open vistas' – and you'll soon see why – this is an all-inclusive family retreat with its own dedicated chef, host and wilderness guide. The Cederberg Mountains provide the backdrop: rust-red sandstone formations, 755 species of fynbos plants and over 130 ancient rock art sites daubed by the San thousands of years ago. It's a place where kids can roam free (the reserve is predator-free), and where the only agenda is the one you set yourself.