Best Hotels & Lodges

Here, take the key to your Roman apartment. There’s no lobby at G-Rough—walk into our 17th-century palazzo through the wine bar, to the sound of clinking glasses, and head up to your pied-à-terre. Throw down your bag and fling open the windows—you’ve arrived.

G-Rough is all about the visceral. Every surface has a texture, from the brass-finished bar to the exposed foundation beams and original walls. The hotel is an homage to timeless good taste, with midcentury furniture by Italy’s top designers and revolving art installations in the Gallery Bar. There, you can enjoy local wines, classic aperitivo, or signature cocktails while the city thrums on out the windows.

Loisaba Conservancy is an immense, community run conservation area of 10 million acres, and one that’s so enormous, it’s easy to get lost in. So, what better way to enjoy such an incredible space than by spending a few nights under the stars? The famous Loisaba Starbeds are built entirely from locally-sourced products (old Landrover axles play a part in the design of the bed!) and are raised high on stilts on a rocky kopje with incredible views across the valley. Each bed can be rolled out from under the thatch at night, guaranteeing an uninterrupted view of your celestial ceiling. It's here where you'll truly find time and space to recharge your mind and reboot your spirits – and it’s all done in rather comfortable luxury too.

Setari Camp is an adventurer's paradise, tucked into a forested island in northern Botswana's Okavango Delta. Surrounded by year-round water in an otherwise seasonally flooded floodplain, this new camp lies right at the foot of the panhandle, where the Okavango River spreads across the Kalahari Basin. For anyone who enjoys watching game while afloat, there are myriad channels, lagoons and oxbow lakes to explore... The tents are stilted, tucked among foliage, and are on the luxurious side of comfortable. Don't expect huge numbers of big game, but the birdlife is extraordinary, and the wilderness is magnetic.

In the central region of the Sabi Sand Private Reserve, spanning the western border of the Kruger National Park, well-known wildlife conservationist brothers Dave and John Varty have created Londolozi Tree Camp - a lodge oozing African bushveld romance amidst the thrill of Big Five encounters. The Londolozi name has become synonymous with sophistication, and Tree Camp, with its enchanting wooden platforms built into a leadwood tree canopy, is a refined sanctuary in the heart of the wilderness. With a prime site overlooking the Sand river, this camp's views are exceptional, with service to match.

With the foothills of the Olifantsberg Mountains in the rear view mirror and the picturesque Walker Bay laid out before you, Harbour House Hotel is truly winning in the scenery stakes. The hotel itself is made up of three buildings; the original Manor House, the New Wing studios and, just across the road, Harbour Square, which has its own rooftop pool. When you tire of gazing at the view, Hermanus offers everything from scenic walks to antique shopping. It's also one of the best whale-watching destinations in the world and, if you're visiting between June and October, you can enjoy the benefits straight from the terrace at Harbour House.

Makanyi Private Game Lodge is located in the Timbavati region of the Greater Kruger National Park. Timbavati is translated as, “The Place Where Something Sacred Came Down to Earth”, and Makanyi Lodge is certainly a heavenly place! Located in open, acacia woodlands and constructed of natural woods, thatch and stone, the lodge blends perfectly into the picturesque environs and has extensive views over a dam. It's one of very few commercial lodges in the area, and offers a truly wild yet personalised and private experience - and did we mention the fabulous Big Five game viewing?

An adventurous camp where you'll walk beside the Great Migration and sleep under the stars.

Should you have your eye on a walking safari in the Serengeti, you need the best in the business. Wayo Africa has spent 25 years earning their stripes as Serengeti experts and thanks to their love of conservation, have also earned exclusive walking rights. In the safe and seasoned hands of Wayo's guides, you'll journey where no 4x4 can go, tracking the Great Migration on foot and discovering the fascinating microcosms of the Serengeti. There is zero light pollution to hide the constellations, a sight you can fall asleep to from your sheer, star tent.

Opening 1st of June 2026. Following the success of its bigger brother, Wilderness Mara was built in 1976 in an equally as enchanting location in a patch of lush, riverine forest overlooking the Mara River in prime game-viewing terrain, the Mara Triangle. From the mini-boat ride across the water as you enter camp and the warthog strutting around the grounds to the evenings spent around the flickering campfire, the camp is truly magical. And to top it off, the 12 tents surround a pretty waterhole where birds twitter tunefully and dainty antelope drink at the water’s edge. Safari at its best….

Mala Mala Private Game Reserve is sandwiched between two of South Africa's most revered big game protected areas—the Kruger National Park and the Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve. There may be borders, but they are fluid to say the least and wildlife roams freely between the Big Five hotspots. Rattray's Mala Mala is a beautiful safari lodge where the wilderness meets a sense of refinement. The subtle colonial theme nods to the days of the early explorers in Africa and whilst it has the feel, comfort and structure of a hotel, the views and wildlife unmistakably belong to one of the top safari spots on the continent.