Best Hotels & Lodges

Living up to its name (‘amanzi’ means ‘water’ in the local Tonga language), this charming camp is tucked away in the waterways of the Zambezi River on the beautiful and secluded Ngwenya channel. Whether you choose to discover the wildlife of this watery paradise by boat, canoe, vehicle or on foot, a safari from Amanzi is intimate, exclusive and highly personal. And with only 4 perfectly stylish tents, the same can be said for the camp too.

It’s good to know places like Desert Rhino Camp still exist. A far cry from package resorts, this desert lodge works with the community to deliver heartwarming hospitality and conscientious conservation. Check in for a five star glamping experience in Namibia’s Outback. Six stone-and-canvas suites are scattered across the rugged valley and safari game drives explore the surrounding reserve for the what the lodge is known for, it’s large number of free-roaming desert adapted black rhinos. Enjoy stellar night skies, scintillating wildlife tracking on foot and encounters with unique desert adapted animals like the Damaraland elephants, gemsbok, jackal and even lions.

Down the road from the time-worn temples and lofty pagodas of the Old City, this hotel sits behind walls of greenery that keeps the buzz out. Named after the 200-year-old tamarind tree at its centre, a tunnel of arched bamboo leads from the outside world to fragrant foot baths, jasmine garland-making and a restaurant that draws patrons from miles away. When you're ready to extract yourself from the comforts of Tamarind Village, the head-turning sights of Chiang Mai beckon. The city's plethora of shrines, museums and markets are in walking (or cycling) distance. In the company of snazzy resorts, Tamarind is a timeless classic.

In the heart of Bumthang's incredible valleys, this family-run retreat is all about honest hospitality without the price tag of its luxury neighbours. Founded by the late Karma Tobden, a beloved local engineer and community leader, the lodge stays true to its roots with a beautifully tranquil Bhutanese atmosphere. The spacious rooms are warmed by traditional Bukhari wood-burning stoves and are a cosy base to return to after a day of temple-hopping, whilst the rooftop hot stone baths are truly special. There's also hearty regional cuisine (including the family matriarch's legendary Bumthang Pizza), exceptional views of the valley, and easy access to ancient monasteries like Kurjey Lhakhang. It's Bhutan, just as it should be.

Vines run right up to the walls of this old Provencal bastide on the sunnier southern flank of the Luberon, and the grapes you wander past at dusk end up in your glass at dinner. It belongs to Les Domaines de Fontenille, a small group that would rather make its own wine than print somebody else's on a list. Elderly cedars shade the pool, donkeys and hens patrol the lawn, and the vaulted cellar has been handed over to contemporary art, rehung a few times a year. Two kitchens cook here: one chasing stars, one feeding you straight from the vegetable garden. We'd happily eat in both.

Ca Maria Adele is without a doubt one of the world's most romantic boutique hotels. Set in a 16th-century palazzo at the tip of Dorsoduro, just beside the Salute basilica, the hotel was opened in 2004 by brothers Alessio and Nicola Campa. Heirs to a Murano glass-making dynasty (their grandfather built the largest chandelier in the world), they named the hotel after their grandmothers and designed every inch themselves. The 12 rooms are draped in Venetian velvet and gold leaf, with plenty of Moorish carvings and Asian antiques in a nod to the city's old trading routes. It's adults-only, deeply intimate and fabulously, outrageously theatrical.

Just off the main road in El Chalten, Hosteria El Puma is one of the most charming lodges around town, offering amazing comfort and a down-to-earth atmosphere. It might not be overly fancy, but the lodge has been very well thought out and, owned by a mountain guide, it's ideal for travellers who enjoy nature and the outdoors. On top of that, the service is outstanding, the laid-back and welcoming vibe is soothing and the location, right next to the start of many of the park’s trails, is unbeatable. If you’re not one for overly ritzy, resort-style hotels, Hosteria El Puma is calling your name.

Set in its own private concession just 18km south of the renowned Chitabe area, Gomoti Plains Camp embodies the seasoned expertise of the Machaba team. Drawing on their success with Machaba and Little Machaba camps, the owners have created an intimate retreat that captures the essence of an authentic Botswana safari experience. This chic, modern camp pairs perfectly with the beauty of the region and the diversity of activities on offer.

St Andrews is golf's spiritual home, and few addresses sit closer to its beating heart than The Old Course. Built in 1968 on the site of the old railway station, the hotel now stands wing to wing with the Old Course's 17th, the Road Hole, where professionals still aim blind over a cluster of replica railway sheds planted in its own garden. Inside, the legacy runs deep: corridors named for golfers long dead, black-and-white photographs of Opens gone by, and a snow cabin spa that feels like nothing else in the home of golf. Cathedral ruins sit on one side, the North Sea on the other. This is proper bucket-list territory and it's fabulous!

This back-to-basics camp relies on skilled and passionate guides and warm Zimbabwean hospitality, rather than hotel luxuries and chic decor. Rhino Safari Camp offers an intimate, rustic experience on the edge of Lake Kariba, within Matusadona National Park. It is defined by unique geography - when water levels are low, the island links to the mainland via a narrow bridge of land which enables the free-flow of game to and fro; when levels are high it’s cut off by a narrow channel. This camp rewards the adventurous with a more personalized, truly authentic safari experience - something of an endangered species these days.

One of the most astoundingly biodiverse areas on the planet, one-hectare of Yasuni National Park contains more living organisms than all of Europe. Nestled amidst the tangle of mahogany trees and jungle vines, Napo Wildlife Centre is entirely managed by the Anangu Kichwa community, offering a unique chance to see the Amazon through their eyes. Sitting beside the inky black waters of Anangu Lake, you'll spot a menagerie of birdlife (there are over 600 species in Yasuni alone) and on canoe rides down sun-dappled creeks, you'll learn to decipher the call of a howler monkey or the playful splash of a giant otter. Pure magic? Absolutely!

Sitting at a heady 1820 metres, Conde Nast Traveller reckons the Kasbah du Toubkal has the best rooftop views in north Africa - and we wouldn't argue with that! Nestled at the base of Mount Toubkal, entering the Kasbah feels like taking a step back in time; a plate of dates dipped in milk to welcome you and open-air lounges in rich colours to rest your babouches. Then, over a cup of mint tea and freshly-picked almonds, you'll gaze over verdant, green valleys, charming Berber villages and the sky-brushing peaks of the High Atlas Mountains. Tibet, eat your heart out.