Best Hotels & Lodges

Serondella Game Lodge, one of 12 lodges in the Thornybush Luxury Game Lodge Collection, lies within the 14,000-hectare Thornybush Private Game Reserve. A mere four suites accommodating a maximum of eight guests give Serondella a highly exclusive edge, while the pool and boma make it a great destination for a small group or a family. There are other plusses too – the near-perfect climate year round means you can visit at any time; its proximity to Johannesburg (it's an easy five-hour drive); and now that the fences between Thornybush and neighbouring Kruger have been removed, great sightings are almost guaranteed!

Tintswalo Manor House on the banks of the seasonal Nwaswitsontso River is the perfect choice for families or a group of friends travelling together. Situated within the Manyeleti concession which borders the Greater Kruger Park, guests can look forward to world class game viewing in this exclusive private reserve. This home-style safari villa is fully catered for up to ten guests, with dedicated staff and its own game viewing vehicle, so you'll have total flexibility when planning your adventures. Understated luxury and plenty of space makes you feel completely at home, right from the start.

Situated in the renowned Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, Simbavati Amani Safari Camp is a sanctuary of calm, offering an immersive safari experience with a touch of understated elegance. With only a handful of guests at a time, it promises exclusive game drives and intimate wildlife moments. The camp’s stylish blend of rustic charm and modern comfort creates an inviting retreat, perfect for couples, families, or groups looking for privacy. You can look forward to uninterrupted views, excellent cuisine, and personal touches that make the stay memorable.

The Karongwe Game Reserve in Limpopo is blessed with a rich abundance of birds and wildlife, thanks to the four rivers that give life to its 21 000 acres of dense vegetation. A perfect habitat for Africa's big cat species, Chisomo Safari camp is tucked away in thick bush, with a series of spacious canvas tents overlooking the Makhutsi River. Warm and inviting Chisomo takes camping to another level, with charming tents on stilts and an atmospheric outdoor boma with a 'braai'. Its prime location near the Kruger National Park and Blyde River Canyon is an added bonus.

Perched on the banks of the Olifants River in Balule Private Nature Reserve, Pondoro is the kind of place that makes you wonder why anyone would stay anywhere else. This family-run lodge, owned by Robbie and Lize Prehn since 1997, has racked up a trophy cabinet's worth of accolades – including a World Luxury Hotel Award for Best Safari Retreat – yet retains the warmth of a well-loved home. With just eight rooms accommodating a maximum of 16 guests, the atmosphere is refreshingly intimate. Expect Big Five encounters on open-topped game drives, an award-winning wine cellar, and the chance to sleep out in a treehouse overlooking a spotlit waterhole. It's proper safari romance done right.

Makakatana Bay Lodge lies along the shores of Lake St. Lucia, deep within the iSimangaliso Wetland Park – a pristine World Heritage Site on the eastern coastline of South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province. It's one of the country’s most ecologically diverse regions, with a mix of coastal dune forest, rolling grasslands and lush wetlands stretching across to the untouched Indian Ocean shoreline. This intimate lodge – with just six rooms and two family suites – is a fabulous spot to relax for a few days and explore this magnificent landscape on game drives, guided walks, boat cruises and beach safaris.

A three-hour drive from Cape Town, through some of most picturesque winelands imaginable, the brand-new Morukuru Beach Lodge lies in the 36,000-hectare De Hoop Nature Reserve, a pristine coastal fynbos region with World Heritage Site status. Not only is this unique region near South Africa's southernmost tip of Cape Agulhas, it's also one of the best places to see southern right whales (from July to Sept). The artfully constructed ecolodge is a sprawl of glass and natural rocks, capitalising on the scenery: limestone cliffs, secluded bays, and fynbos-shrouded white dunes. Expect African wildlife (marine and terrestrial), and a private beach.

Perched atop terracotta cliffs in the tree-laden heart of Lapalala Game Reserve, the freshly-minted Noka Camp is a haven of conservation. The lodge is 100% solar-powered and has been built on small concrete pads to ensure no marks are left on their piece of the Waterberg. And bonus, this has had no effect on the aesthetics so expect gorgeous interiors and every comfort you could ask for. Noka Camp is bespoke in every sense of the word, and with an award-winning architect at the helm and hand-crafted items from the local community, every corner of the camp is a delight.

Stay at the Cape Cadogan Boutique Hotel and home is a classically beautiful Victorianised farmhouse that was declared a National Monument in 1984 – and for good reason. With a sweeping whitewashed façade, pretty tiled floor and grand Romeo-and-Juliet-style balconies, you can’t fail to be impressed as you meander up the pathway from the main street. Neighbourhood-wise, this is Cape Town at its trendiest best; kooky Kloof Street is around the corner while the bars and cafes of Tamboerskloof are just up the hill. If any hotel deserves the title of ‘best kept secret’ it’s the Cape Cadogan…

There's something really quite special about staying in a home that's been in the same family for five generations, especially when that family descends from Napoleon's sister. Perched on the Quirinal Hill, a short stroll from the Trevi Fountain, the intimate Villa Spalletti Trivelli was built in 1901 for Countess Gabriella Rasponi, a formidable woman who turned her drawing rooms into a salon for Rome's intellectual elite. Today, her descendants welcome guests into a world of honesty bars, heirloom antiques and the family's own organic wines from Umbria set the tone. The result is less hotel and more family home... and one with impeccable taste.

Looking out at the ice-blue waters of Lake Toro and the iconic Torres del Paine, Patagonia Camp is entirely at one with nature. A passion project by adventurous travellers wanting to share this scenic corner of Chile with visitors, the guides at Patagonia Camp are experts in planning the ultimate day out. Trek across glaciers, foothills and valleys to discover the park in vivid technicolour, and along the way, learn about the original peoples of Patagonia as told by millenia-old cave paintings. The camp was also built to be feather-light with luxury yurts built on wooden platforms and an organic water treatment plant. You'll enjoy the view that much more knowing the camp's done its part to protect it.

Ho Chi Minh City has long been the stage for era-defining history and glitzy go-getters mingled with perfumed temples. Hotel Des Arts was at once seamlessly stylish - combining a taste of the 1930s with romantic suites and an artistic flair that runs like a fine thread throughout. In the lobby, chandeliers hang like curled ribbons, open bird cages act as decor and tea trays, and an exquisite array of artwork lines the walls. In the heart of Saigon (the energetic city centre), a walk down the sweeping boulevards reveals grand architecture and monuments that recall a sobering past.