Best Hotels & Lodges

Jaci's Tree Lodge is closed for refurbishment, opening 1 July 2026.

Jaci's Tree Lodge, built high above the ground on wooden stilts, is a unique treetop safari experience consisting of eight stunning tree house rooms decorated in vibrant colours. The rooms are connected by wooden walkways which blend into the surrounding tree canopy and have great views of the Groot Marico River. Each room consists of an open plan, en-suite bathroom with an enormous stone bath and an outdoor shower. Guests can relax on the deck in front of their rooms, on the loungers surrounding the swimming pool or in the vibrant main lodge when not on safari.

Few hotels have a history quite like the Grand Hotel Timeo. Opened in 1873, it was Taormina's first hotel and still occupies its original clifftop spot, right beside the third-century Greek theatre. Mount Etna smokes gently to the south, the turquoise Ionian Sea glitters below, and the view alone has attracted artists, writers, emperors and Hollywood royalty for well over a century. Add six acres of terraced gardens, Michelin-starred dining and a Dior spa, and you might find yourself lingering for considerably longer than planned...

Established in 1972 in the Lewa Conservancy in Northern Kenya, Lewa Wilderness is one of the country's oldest safari camps where you can see the Big Five in unaffected and authentic comfort. Found inside 62,000 acres of conserved land, the camp is surrounded by well maintained gardens and views stretching over the valley and towards the hills. Here conservation and respect for the wildlife work hand in hand with a passionate team dedicated to creating an unpretentious and memorable guest experience. In the words of the owners grandfather, "Always make room for wildlife"

Established by Moorish and Jewish communities in the 15th century, Chefchaouen is a once-sleepy town that has grown into the maze of blue streets and souks that it is today. Nestled into a fold in the foothills of the Rif Mountains, Chefchaouen has all the allure of a Moroccan Medina - did someone say Berber textiles and spiced street food? Set above the cascading alleyways, Lina Ryad has fantastic views of the medina and its mountain backdrop, with pristine, stylish decors. Mint tea and home-baked biscuits are constantly on-hand, best enjoyed after a dip in the Grecian, indoor pool or on the rooftop terrace.

Located in Entebbe, directly on the shore of Lake Victoria, Protea Hotel lies just six kilometres from the airport, so it's the ideal place to start or end your visit to this lovely country. Once the scene of great drama, Entebbe is now a pretty and peaceful contrast to the surge and heave of humanity in the capital, Kampala. The tranquil atmosphere extends to the hotel, where the service is streamlined, the accommodation is modern and comfortable and the food is very good.

This eco-designed luxury lodge, one of the world's first, is centrally positioned in Phinda Private Game Reserve in northern KwaZulu-Natal. Each of &Beyond's lodges in Phinda have been positioned in a different type of location. Phinda Rock Lodge, for example, is built into a cliff; Vlei Lodge overlooks a wetland. At Phinda Forest Lodge, the setting is a tranquil sand forest. Raised off the ground, with wooden decks and huge floor-to-ceiling windows, the lodge offers incredible views of the torchwood trees and other delights hidden in this unique ecosystem. Expect enthusiastic guiding, lion, rhino, cheetah and excellent birding.

Towering imperiously over the rippling tea plantations of north-eastern Tanzania, Mount Kilimanjaro is worthy of just about every superlative imaginable. The highest mountain in Africa, and the highest freestanding mountain in the world, it can actually be climbed without a great deal of technical know-how and is open to most people with a relative level of fitness. For the ultimate bucket list trip, scale the slopes of Kili before flying to the Serengeti or the beaches of Zanzibar for a dose of iconic Africa… and a very well-deserved reward!

In the countryside beyond Fasano, where silvery olive trees stretch toward the horizon, sits this exquisitely renovated 16th-century masseria. The thoughtful redesign by Olga Polizzi brings together cool stone floors and whitewashed walls with chic contemporary elements, creating an atmosphere that feels both authentically Pugliese and utterly luxurious. The property's historical character provides the perfect backdrop for leisurely afternoons by the pool or romantic sunset cocktails on the rooftop, while the surrounding countryside beckons with opportunities for golf, hiking or horseback riding. When the Adriatic calls, a short shuttle whisks you to the private beach club for a day of Mediterranean bliss.

Deep in the Kiso Valley, a centuries-old farmhouse perches on a hillside above rice paddies and thick forest, looking much as it has since samurai walked the trails below. This is Zenagi, Japan's first 'expedition hotel', and it operates on a beautiful, simple premise: one group at a time, with a private chef, butler and guide dedicated entirely to you. The restored kominka is filled with black lacquer floors, washi-paper walls and furniture carved by locals, turning the whole place into a living gallery of Kiso craftsmanship. By day, former Olympic athletes lead you through gorges, along ancient samurai trails and into forests that are otherwise off-limits. It's deeply personal, wildly adventurous and utterly unlike anything else in Japan.