1.ONE&ONLY NYUNGWE HOUSE, RWANDAa
Alongside ancient rainforest, within the lush green expanse of a working tea plantation, Nyungwe House offers an exciting window to Africa’s fascinating wildlife and culture. Situated on a working tea plantation on the edge of Nyungwe National Park, One&Only Nyungwe House is the first of two new One&Only resorts to open in Rwanda. Exploratory treks and hikes through the forest give guests access to the park’s nearly 250,000 acres, where they can discover black-and-white colobus monkeys, gray-cheeked mangabeys, and more than 275 bird species. After full days out in the park, guests can retire to the resort’s modern suites and villas, each featuring decor accented with traditional African touches and vast private decks equipped with fireplaces.
- Hotel website: One&Only Nyungwe House
2.SUNDY PRAIA, SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE
Hidden away 130 miles off the coast of West Africa, Sundy Praia is a tented luxury hotel at the wild northwest tip of the island of Principe. Principe’s forests shelter an abundance of endemic birds and plants, rep and amphibians – little wonder the island is sometimes referred to as Africa’s Galapagos. Merging seamlessly with their forest surrounds, the resort’s 15 tented villas lie hidden among a scattering of tropical almond and banana trees, each gazing down to the sea. With weathered wood panelling and timber decks, the villas echo the style of the fishermen’s huts that once stood this spot. The resort’s international chefs refine the best of the island’s produce and traditions, creating seasonal menus bursting with original flavours and fresh, organic ingredients.
- Hotel website: Sundy Praia
3.MOMBO & LITTLE MOMBO, BOTSWANA
Wilderness Safaris opened its newly-rebuilt flagship camps, Mombo and Little Mombo, situated in the heart of the Okavango Delta, Botswana. Long known as “the Place of Plenty,” Mombo and Little Mombo boast enormous concentrations of plains game and predators and is considered to be one of the best areas for game viewing in Africa. Mombo’s nine spacious tents afford sweeping views over a floodplain teeming with wildlife. The sitting room, separate bedroom and bathroom, indoor and outdoor showers and bathtub with copper and brass fittings all contribute to the Wilderness Safaris’ ideal of responsible luxury. With just three tents tucked away on the other side of the same island, Little Mombo is a smaller, more intimate version of its sister camp.
- Hotel website: Mombo & Little Mombo
4.HOANIB VALLEY CAMP, NAMIBIA
In a country jam-packed with vast, spectacularly beautiful landscapes, Kaokoland may just be the most incredible of them all. Deep in north-western Namibia, the area is a melee of towering mountains, sand dunes, and huge expanses of desert, scattered with unique wildlife and nomadic Himba settlements. This area is home to the new Hoanib Valley Camp, an elegant, intimate affair that immerses you into the wilds of the desert. The six rooms blend seamlessly with the environment, offering a simple aesthetic that matches the rugged landscape down to a tee. Days are spent tracking endangered rhino, desert-adapted elephant, and desert-adapted giraffe, before retiring to your private veranda to marvel at the magnitude of your surroundings (G&T in hand).
- Hotel website: Hoanib Valley Camp
5.SHIPWRECK LODGE, NAMIBIA
Located in the famous Skeleton Coast concession between the Hoarusib and Hoanib rivers in the Skeleton Coast National Park, Shipwreck Lodge is a short drive from Möwe Bay. The shipwreck-shaped chalets are nestled between the dunes with a view of the Atlantic Ocean where the cold Benguela current provides guests with a refreshing breeze. Guests here can look forward to appreciate the harshness of the desert and the beauty of these solitary landscapes filled with geological history, and to learn about the fauna and flora adapted to survive in these harsh conditions – all from the comfort of the restaurant deck. There are 8 twin/double chalets and 2 family chalets.
- Hotel website: Shipwreck Lodge
6.andBeyond Tengile River Lodge, South Africa
Meaning “tranquil” in the local Tsonga language, &Beyond Tengile River Lodge is situated in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, next to South Africa’s Kruger National Park and renowned for its high density of wildlife and Big Five sightings. Built with an extremely light footprint, Tengile features nine suites that are raised above ground level to give the impression that they are floating over the riverbed, providing exceptional views from the dappled shade of a cool riverine forest. The spacious suites offer sunken lounges, elegant bedrooms and ensuite bathrooms (with indoor and al fresco showers) that open out into the forest, creating private spaces in the open air.A magnificent spa area offers a haven of tranquility whereguests can relax in between game drives.
- Hotel website:&Beyond Tengile River Lodge
7. FOUR SEASONS RESORT SEYCHELLES AT DESROCHES ISLAND, SEYCHELLES
Adventure and rejuvenation await at Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island – the only resort on this captivating coral island. The castaway sanctuary is located on a pristine tropical island that measures 6 km (4 mi) in length and is edged by 14 km (9 mi) of soft white beaches. Being one hour by plane from the main island Mahe, the destination enjoys unrivalled privacy and absolute freedom. The property is one of the most intimate Four Seasons resorts with just 71 accommodations, including pavilions, villas, suites and residences – all with private pool and beach access. Here, guests discover eclectic cuisine at two restaurants, and fill their days with island activities ranging from world-class diving, fishing and nature walks to luxurious indulgence at the spa.
- Hotel website: Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island
8.JABALI RIDGE, TANZANIA
Set high on a rocky kopje overlooking a landscape dotted with spiky palms and bulbous baobabs, Jabali Ridge is a sophisticated base from which to explore Tanzania’s Ruaha National Park. The remarkable beauty of Ruaha is not only in the landscape and its diversity of flora and fauna, or the impressive big game, but in the feeling of having the wilderness all to yourself. With only a handful of visitors at any one time in an area the size of New Jersey, this is an exceptional safari experience. Jabali Ridge’s 8 suites are hidden amongst the rocky boulders that cocoon the property. An infinity pool, spa and plenty of places to laze ensure that time off is as memorable as time out in the bush. Expert guides lead walking safaris, game drives and night drives.
- Hotel website: Jabali Ridge
