Best Hotels & Lodges

What better way to see the long-told-of sights and scenery along the Nile than by riverboat? No, we can't think of one! Across its three storeys, the Sanctuary provides well-appointed sun decks to do your ogling whilst catching some rays, or enjoying an afternoon tea on the way to your next historic stop. Once you leave the comfort of the air-conditioned cabins, you'll be led from ancient temples to larger-than-life statues by the in-house Egyptologist. Choose between the four-night cruise from Luxor to Aswan (or vice versa) or the eight-night round trip. Blending modern Egypt with millenia of tradition, the decor is plush and stylish.

In the local Rutoro language, Kyaninga means 'to spoil or pamper' someone. It's an apt name for this charming lodge, the realisation of a dream by Englishman Steve Williams, who first saw the lake on a journey to visit Uganda's gorillas. The setting is stunning, from the rainforest-edged Lake Kyaninga to the distant Mountains of the Moon. Here, you're on the rim of an ancient, and thankfully extinct, volcano. Your accommodation is a true luxury lodge, built of more than 1000 hand-carved logs, with first-class furnishings, good food and the Rift Valley nearby.

Hospitality is an art, and Portrait Firenze has made of it a masterpiece. In a new concept of bespoke tourism, Portrait has taken uniform luxury and turned it into spontaneous personalisation. Portrait is not a luxury hotel in Florence; it is an incredibly personal place, an all-suite property, where discerning travellers find the exclusivity they relish

Behind an unassuming facade lies a delightfully eccentric treasure trove that would make Wes Anderson proud. Every nook tells a story through vibrant colours and charmingly peculiar decorative pieces - spot the vintage Chilean movie posters if you can. The building's clever transformation has preserved delightful architectural quirks, with original 1950s terrazzo floors playing host to an utterly modern sustainability ethos. Rather refreshingly, the owner still pops by for morning coffee with guests, sharing sworn-by secrets about hidden art galleries and the city's best empanada spots (hint: skip the tourist-packed Mercado Central).

Sable Alley is a recent addition to Botswana’s luxury safari camp portfolio, in a stunning and remote part of the private Khwai Concession alongside Moremi Game Reserve. This part of northern Botswana has an incredible diversity of landscapes, with the permanent waters of the Okavango Delta providing a vital lifeline in this otherwise arid wilderness. The camp overlooks a lagoon with fabulous views across the lily-covered waters and Moremi beyond, with twelve elegant safari tents stretching along the waters’ edge on either side of the main lodge. Game viewing is excellent, the level of guiding is first class and you get it all for a very reasonable price.

Living homages to Hue's art, architecture and history, the Garden Houses were once the homes of nobility. Having been lovingly restored, each house is inspired by a specific marker of life in Hue during the Nguyen dynasty. You might see the royal, floral motifs in one and the grand fashions in the next, while another is a museum to Hue's musical traditions or its most famous poets. As you can tell, this is no 'cookie cutter' hotel and nestled next to the sweet-smelling Perfume River, it feels timeless. The Garden Houses aren't far from Hue's Imperial Citadel, so a deep-dive into its history is a must.

Above the village of Grasmere, in a serene fold of the Lake District that William Wordsworth spent his life eulogising, is Forest Side Hotel, a Victorian Gothic mansion that was left for decades before reopening in 2016. It's the work of Cumbrian hotelier Andrew Wildsmith, and it makes no secret of the fact that it's really a restaurant with rooms. In fact, Paul Leonard's kitchen has held a Michelin star since day one and picked up a green star for sustainability 10 years later. Around it lie 43 acres of woodland and walled garden, roamed by roe deer and the odd Herdwick sheep. Come hungry.

This private, permanent lodge is set on a 10 000 hectare concession within the famous Sabi Sands Private Reserves. Set on the edge of the Sands River with its year-round flow, enjoy watching the elephants as they come down for their afternoon watering sessions. Spend mornings and afternoons exploring the surrounds as you encounter the elusive leopard, lion, elephant, buffalo and rhino from the comfort of a safari vehicle. For those that are a little more adventurous, connect with the bush on foot during a walking safari.

With two rather lovely camps in Ruaha under their belts, the clever chaps at Asilia Africa have expanded to the Nyerere National Park ('The Selous'). Combining Nyerere and Ruaha make an excellent combination in Tanzania’s slightly more off-the-beaten track southern circuit, and this spangly camp is as good as ever. It’s in a waterside spot in one of the best game-viewing areas in the reserve and you can expect funky, stretch-canvas tents, all with views out to pods of harrumphing hippos, a good array of water- and land-based activities and a healthy dose of that genuine Asilia charm. Sounds good to us!

Lake Como's western shore — the so-called Riviera delle Azalee — has long been the lake's most sought-after address. And gazing across the water towards Bellagio's sparkling promontory, sits the Grand Hotel Tremezzo, an Art Nouveau palace built in 1910 and still family-owned today. Greta Garbo summered here and Clooney's been spotted on the terrace, but for all the celebrity connections, it's the personal warmth of the De Santis family that lingers longest. Five restaurants (including one honouring Italy's first three-Michelin-star chef), three pools and a Santa Maria Novella spa in an 18th-century villa make it rather difficult to leave.