Best Hotels & Lodges

A tranquil mountain hideaway with a colonial air, Camp Figtree lies the folds of the Zuurberg mountains and overlooks Addo Elephant National Park, home to the world's highest density of elephants. This pretty setting allows for a dynamic experience of South Africa's Eastern Cape Province, with its highly underrated wilderness areas – and no concerns about malaria. With refined hospitality, great cuisine, rooms with every comfort, big views, and flawless attention to detail, Camp Fig Tree is a treat-yourself destination that will not disappoint.

Perched at the end of the Nagano Railway line, Yudanaka, a compact hot spring village, has been drawing visitors for over 1,300 years - and Hotel Tsubakino makes a thoroughly likeable base from which to soak it all in. A modern ryokan steps from the station, it pairs traditional Japanese hospitality with rooftop onsen overlooking the Northern Alps, seasonal kaiseki dinners starring Shinshu beef, and easy access to the famous macaques of Jigokudani.

Ithumba Hill Camp is owned by the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. It is their newest self-catering retreat and was created to offer increased luxury for guests exploring Tsavo East’s remote northern area whilst visiting the Trust’s Ithumba elephant orphans. The luxury tented camp was opened in 2015. It has an elevated position halfway up Ithumba Hill, and enjoys breath-taking views across Tsavo’s vast landscape. Like the trusts two other properties, it has been designed for the more intrepid traveller who enjoys travelling off the beaten track.

Some hotels win you over with design, others with location - and this one does it with dinner. Tucked into the hillside near the village of San Cassiano in South Tyrol's Alta Badia valley, Ciasa Salares has been in the Wieser family since the 1960s, and their obsession with food has turned a traditional alpine lodge into a genuine gastronomic destination. A wine cellar with 24,000 bottles, dedicated cheese and chocolate rooms, and four distinct restaurants sit alongside wood-panelled cosiness and honest Ladin hospitality. Beyond the table, the UNESCO-listed Dolomites are right there (the Armentarola ski lift is practically on the doorstep), and summer opens up some of Italy's finest hiking.

There's a stone house in Phaplu, tucked into pine-forested slopes 18 miles south of Everest, where Sir Edmund Hillary spent months at a time. He called it his "happy place" and declared the views the finest he'd ever seen... Built in the 1970s through a collaboration between Italian explorer Count Monzino and a local Sherpa family, the house has now been lovingly - and beautifully - restored into an intimate ten-room retreat. Expect hand-painted Buddhist murals, artefacts from Monzino's legendarily lavish expedition, and a team of local people dedicated to revealing their magnificent homeland.

Located in a calm and serene area of the Lumbini World Heritage Garden, the Buddha Maya Gardens Hotel lies just over five minutes walk from the main temples of Lumbini. Buddha Maya Gardens has comfortable rooms, and friendly, knowledgeable staff who can help you plan your visit to the magnificent monuments and monasteries and the fascinating nearby archaeological ruins.

See why so many travellers make Mitsui Garden Hotel Sapporo their hotel of choice when visiting Chuo. Providing an ideal mix of value, comfort and convenience, it offers a quiet setting with an array of amenities designed for travellers and holidaymakers alike.