Best Hotels & Lodges

Nyikani Camp is a seasonally mobile camp that makes its way around the Serengeti in hot pursuit of the annual Great Migration – arguably the greatest wildlife spectacle on Earth. Join the camp on its Ndutu leg in the southern Serengeti, which becomes blanketed with short grasses after the November/December rains. For 4–5 months, wildebeest, zebra and antelope (trailed by predators) congregate in their thousands to graze and calve. Ndutu lies in the rich Ngorongoro Conservation Area, so there's plenty to see year round, and new Nyikani Camp's hillside setting is a lovely place to take in the sights.

Think Masai Mara, think Governors' Camp. The small collection of properties has become synonymous with the Masai Mara and none more so than the original Governors' Camp. Set in the shade of the riverine forest along the banks of the iconic Mara River and overlooking the vast, rolling plains, the camp was originally built in 1972 to set the standard for a new breed of luxury camps. Save for a few (welcome) changes here and there, the camp remains largely as it once was. Entirely under canvas, in a magical location and with an excellent selection of activities on offer, this is a classic and hard-to-beat Mara safari.

Cerf Island, the largest hotel on a small mile-long strip of white beaches and abundant towering tropical Tamaka trees, is home to only a few hotels and 100 local residents. Being only a short boat ride from the main town of Mahe it is the perfect kind of place to escape. Surrounded by the azure waters of the Indian ocean the reefs of the Sainte Anne Marine National Park are teeming with different fish species-perfect for snorkelling. No roads, no pathways and no chance of being crowded into mass resort-style spaces with your only task being to relax unencumbered.

The stylish, intimate and comfortable Akademie Street Boutique Hotel and Guesthouse is situated on a leafy road in Franschhoek, one of the most stunning valleys in the world, and the food and wine capital of South Africa. With just six unique cottages and suites set on a beautiful property, you can be assured of personalised service from the family-owned and managed, five-star, luxury guest house and boutique hotel, rated the best small hotel and the best luxury hotel in the world on Tripadvisor.com. This is the ideal place to relax in luxury, while still enjoying the home-away-from home feeling.

Located in its own private conservancy just one kilometre from Kenya's famous Masai Mara Reserve, Cottar’s 1920s Safari Camp was created by Calvin and Louise Cottar in the mid-1990s. You're in the hands of experts – the owners are the fifth generation of a family recognised as the oldest established and continuing safari family in Africa. So you'll experience the perfect combination of adventure, adrenalin and comfort. The plains are alive with animals, the Masai guides are gold-star professionals, the tented rooms offer relaxation in luxurious style and the food is fresh and fabulous.

The owners of popular Bayete Guest Lodge, set in a quiet neighbourhood outside the town of Victoria Falls, have opened a sister lodge called PheZulu. It's a vibrant retreat with a tranquil atmosphere and, like Bayete, lies just three kilometres from the falls and all the action they bring. The best way to take on this imposing icon is to strike at it from many sides, experiencing everything from rapturous (and damp!) views to adrenalin-pulsing pursuits in the gorge. You must visit Vic Falls at least once in your life and PheZulu is the perfect base to catch your breath again.