Best Hotels & Lodges

Bordering Fischer's Pan, near Etosha National Park's Namutoni Gate, Onguma Bush Camp is the perfect base from which to explore both the private Onguma Game Reserve and the eastern side of the national park. One of five camps in Onguma, this is the only one that is fully fenced, except for three of its newest rooms. At the heart of the camp is a floodlit waterhole that can be seen from both the main areas and the rooms. The decor is fresh and modern, the food is good, the welcome is authentic and nature is all around.

Resting on the top of the low foothills in the far northwest of Hwange National Park is Daka Plains. Probably the remotest Camp in Hwange, close to the Botswana border, this area has a very distinct Kalahari feel. Daka Plains offers guests an opportunity to enjoy walking safaris and go on game drives to some of the wildest areas in Southern Africa. The Camp is situated in a private concession in Hwange National Park allowing guests the opportunity to experience night drives as well.

Among the ancient alleys of authentic Rome, nestled like a diamond between the Lungotevere and some of the city center's most beautiful squares, lies a small, intimate universe, a concentration of perfection and elegance. Intimate and welcoming spaces, a mysterious and captivating atmosphere, the refined allure of exotic and sophisticated details. The intense pleasure of an exquisitely curated welcome, attentive to every detail: just close your eyes and imagine yourself at home. Vilòn is all this... and so much more.

In an area where conservation is a thriving part of the safari landscape, Ekorian's Mugie Camp fits right in. With their vision for guests to reconnect with nature, you can expect nothing less than a passion for animals and eco-friendly living. All water used at the camp is rain-harvested; their electricity is solar-powered; clothes are hand-washed and plastic water bottles are persona non grata (except for the reusable ones they supply for game drives). Speaking of, Ekorian's lives up to its location with plenty of wildlife activities on offer. Plus, they have an adorable 'live-in' giraffe called Tala!

This little lodge is situated in the northern section of South Africa's Sabi Sand Reserves. Set on the edge of the unassuming Mabrak River, a hotspot for the surrounding wildlife, the camp is tucked beneath ancient ebony trees. It's an intimate, high-end retreat that provides all the creature comforts of home. Decor could be described as "safari chic", enhancing your sense of being immersed in the bush. Spend your days in a safari vehicle or on well-shod feet, tracking leopard, lion, elephant and rhino with an armed guide before relaxing beside your private plunge pool.

Referred to as the ‘place of plenty,’ this luxurious, famous tented camp is situated on Chief’s Island, within the Moremi reserve, in northern Botswana’s Okavango Delta. Mombo, big sister to Little Mombo, is renowned for its extremely dense concentrations of plains game and predators - regarded as some of the best big game viewing in all of Africa. Its accolades don’t stop there - it is also eco-friendly, solar-powered and involved in a number of conservation projects, including the reintroduction of the black and white rhino. This camp boasts rave reviews and is admired by guests and guides alike.

Although every Kenyan adventure starts or ends with a night in Nairobi, it doesn't have to involve a run-of-the-mill city hotel. House of Waine is proof of this. Set well outside the central business district on 2.5 acres of soul-satisfying gardens, this boutique hotel starts your vacation off on the right foot. Once the family home of the Waine family, it still retains the feel of a stately, yet homely place to rest and regroup, or plan and prepare. Rooms are individually decorated to make every successive trip something to look forward to.

In the vast, privately owned Shamwari game reserve, Long Lee Manor displays the stately charm of a bygone era. It offers a refined experience in the rugged Eastern Cape, easily accessible by road, just east of South Africa's famed Garden Route. Part restored farmland, part dense valley thicket with the Bushman's River meandering through it, this reserve is a conservation success story. Not only is it home to the free roaming Big Five, but it's a haven for other rare species such as brown hyena and aardvark. Wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centres allow for close encounters and hands-on participation in conservation.

Of all the beachfront hotels in Cape Town, the Last Word Long Beach is possibly the only one that opens directly onto powdery white sand. The sand in question is Long Beach, an eight-kilometre stretch of shimmering shingle in the sleepy village of Kommetjie, framed by the jagged turrets of Chapman’s Peak in the distance. The hotel is a white-washed sanctuary and a lovely place to relax, soak up the sun, and watch the bleach-haired surfer dudes take on the waves. Need some action? It’s an hour's drive to the city, 20 minutes to the penguins of Boulders Beach, and a short distance to nearby Noordhoek's restaurants.

Open during the peak of the migration action, from June to November, Mara Under Canvas is the perfect place from which to explore the remote reaches of Tanzania’s oldest and most renowned national park. Located in the most northern section of the Serengeti, this well-appointed mobile camp is set in a relatively open plain with sporadic acacia growth breaking up the golden grassy view. Simple comfort steers the focus towards what lies beyond the camp - the awe-inspiring natural phenomenon of the Great Migration.