When you think of Africa, the first things that come to mind are likely vast savannas, majestic wildlife, and vibrant cultures. But did you know that the continent is also home to some of the most breathtaking and luxurious hotels and lodges in the world? From treehouse suites overlooking the Serengeti to private islands in the Indian Ocean, Africa’s hospitality industry has truly raised the bar, offering travelers experiences that are nothing short of extraordinary.
In this article, Mrpocu.com will take you on a journey through some of the most awe-inspiring and unexpected accommodations that Africa has to offer. Prepare to be amazed as we uncover hidden gems, where the line between luxury and the natural world blurs, creating unforgettable memories for those lucky enough to visit.
Best Hotels and Lodges In Africa
Londolozi Private Granite Suites, Kruger
At one of Kruger’s best private concessions, the Sabi Sands, the Londolozi Private Granite Suites offer the ultimate in luxury and seclusion. Only three distinct apartments provide views of the Sabi River’s granite formations. A modern design including polished concrete, stone walls, and a striking color palette of charcoal, silver, and elephant gray reflects these stunning views.
Lion Sands Ivory Lodge, Sabi Sands Game Reserve
Within the Sabi Sands Game Reserve sits the opulent Lion Sands Ivory Lodge. The focus is on providing excellent, individualized service, which includes private wildlife drives in the reserve, which is well-known for its leopard sightings. In addition to offering a chic aesthetic, the resort offers fantastic treehouse accommodations for thrilling sleep-outs in the wilderness.
Singita Boulders Lodge, Kruger
This Afro-chic resort is located in the breathtaking Sabi Sands Game Reserve, a private area of wildness that borders the Kruger National Park, along the boulder-strewn banks of the Sand River. Its open-air areas and glass walls let you take in your breathtaking surroundings in the middle of the African bush. With a vast wine cellar including some of Africa’s most sought-after private wine reserves, the dining experience is second to none.
Noka Camp, Lapalala Game Reserve
Noka Camp is incredibly accessible even though it is located in the heart of the wilderness. It takes three hours to get there by car from Johannesburg (Virgin Atlantic has direct flights from London), or you can take a helicopter. It takes one minute to walk from your villa entrance to the helipad.
High-end technology and a rustic safari setting combine in a deft balancing act that is flawless. The main lodge is connected to the villas by a walkway. Situated on stilts, the camp seamlessly integrates into the surroundings; in fact, its environmental credentials are remarkable, as it not only invests all profits back into the reserve, but also makes a commitment to offset each visitor’s carbon footprint. Throughout, there are large paintings of the Big Five that are artfully mirrored in the windows at night, giving the impression that an elephant is ambling toward your window as you are having supper.
Dorp, Cape Town
This is a city of views, but Dorp’s location – discreetly perched above Bo-Kaap, high on the slopes of Signal Hill – is truly magnificent. Seen from this vantage, the city is dwarfed into insignificance by Table Mountain and its attendant Devils Peak, with the blue sweep of Atlantic to the east and the Twelve Apostles peeping through Kloof Nek to the west. Arresting enough by day, but at night the city turns into a plain of twinkling embers spread below the sandstone massif – quite magical.
Dorp, meaning “village” in Afrikaans, defies categorisation. A compound of Georgian-inspired buildings, edged by a wild garden, with glimpses of rooms through arbours, balconies and terraces, it’s very, very pretty. It’s tempting to stop every few seconds to take yet another photo, but a single frame won’t do the whole justice. It’s quirky and personal, with a historic, nostalgic atmosphere: a shower built into a conservatory; twin mirrored staircases; bunched curtains to replace doors. The late Gail Behr was an artist, albeit one who worked with buildings and cushions, people and plants, fabrics and paint. Hard to believe she built Dorp from scratch in 2018 and her décor feels almost like a set, with astonishing attention to detail and an artful mix of the old with the decadent and luxurious. Small imperfections make it feel like home, like plants flowers in old wine bottles, scuffed stairs and tables.
Polana Serena Hotel, Maputo, Mozambique
The hotel rises in the plush Polana garden suburb, seat of Mozambique’s government ministries and embassy villas, on one of the capital’s most prominent boulevards; about 15 minutes’ drive from the airport and two miles from the city centre. On one side it faces a beach and on the other the big FEIRA Crafts Market, a shopper’s (and browser’s) paradise.
The style is heavily influenced by British colonial architecture – indeed the external resemblance to Singapore’s Raffles hotel is striking. Its best features are still the original tiled floors and an unforgettable 1927 cast iron lift, the first to be installed in Mozambique. The later Polana Mar wing near the beach is more of a blend of African contemporary and Portuguese colonial design.
Royal Mansour Marrakech, Marrakech, Morocco
Perfectly situated in Hivernage on the western edge of the medina between a public park and the iconic Koutoubia mosque. So discrete is the hotel that it is invisible until you pass the security cordon and enter beneath the impressive triumphal arch. You can walk from here to the souks and the Djemaa el-Fna in 15 minutes, or take a five-minute taxi ride to fashionable restaurants in Gueliz. Even at the airport you’re whisked through customs like a VIP via a special express lane and ferried to the hotel in a Bentley.
As the King’s own hotel, the Royal Mansour is an ode to Moroccan craftsmanship and hospitality. Everything here is the very best version of itself and every inch of the place displays the country’s finest crafts, from walls of shimmering zellij (geometric mosaic) to ceilings of scented cedarwood and patios covered in intricate stuccowork that climbs the walls like floral creepers. Likewise, rooms are sumptuously furnished with rock crystal lamps, silver inlaid tables, engraved glass screens, thick silk carpets, handloomed damask and jacquard curtains, and chandeliers by Baccarat. It is a virtuous display of Morocco’s love of material, pattern and texture and the resulting effect is dazzling, but also strangely cosy.
Angama Mara, Masai Mara
The views from Angama Mara, which is perched on what appears to be the very edge of the Great Rift Valley, are breathtaking. The well-designed inside-outside living areas are divided by floor to ceiling windows that span 11 meters or 33 feet. The rooms are furnished with excellent designer and handcrafted furniture that evokes a modern, minimalist Maasai-inspired setting.
Time + Tide Chinzombo – South Luangwa NP, Zambia
Six opulent safari tents with private plunge pools are available at Time + Tide Chinzombo, which is situated along the banks of the Luangwa River. Families will find it to be an excellent choice as well, since one of the villas can accommodate up to five people. July through November, the dry season, is the ideal time of year for wildlife.
Wilderness Safaris Bisate Lodge, Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
On the edge of Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, Bisate Lodge has six stylish and cozy villas, each overlooking the surrounding villages, forests, and misty mountain peaks. The main activity there is trekking into the national park to spend some time watching the mountain gorillas, but there are also opportunities to see golden monkeys, go hiking in the mountains, or visit the grave of renowned primatologist Dian Fossey. The staff are “amazing,” said one reader, who added the food was “delicious,” especially the homegrown vegetables. Another fan said staying at Bisate was “the absolute best…experience we have ever had. The food, service, and rooms were beyond amazing.”
Sasaab Samburu, Samburu National Reserve
Sasaab is a spectacular luxury tented camp offering the ultimate safari in Samburu. Situated just outside Samburu National Reserve in Kenya’s Northern Frontier District, the landscape is dotted with mountains, wildlife and a rich cultural heritage. It is a place of abundant natural diversity with an astounding number of animals, from elephants to cheetah and wild dogs to the ‘Samburu Special Five’ (five species unique to the area): the Beisa oryx, reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, Gerenuk antelope and Somali ostrich.
&Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge, Namib-Naukluft National Park, Namibia
The lodge is a collaboration between Johannesburg-based architect Jack Alexander and design agency Fox Browne Creative. From the front, the low-level main space has floor-to-ceiling glass on three sides and rusted geometric steel shading devices on the flat roof; from the back, curving stone walls conjure up the notion of Roman ruins. Inside, the open-plan living and dining area feels pared-back and relaxed. In the middle, there’s a faceted timber-clad bar and a telescope for zooming in on the oryx, zebra and ostrich that drink from the waterhole.
Qorokwe Concession, Okavango Delta, Botswana
Sleek and stylish, with the life of the bush reflected in the interior décor of the camp: walls of wood are stenciled like a beetle’s carapace and animal prints abound, from cowhide rugs to zebra-print towels beside the infinity pool. The elegant main building is sited on a raised timber-decked platform.
Expansive with open walls, it leads out to a large circular fire pit and the bush beyond. A termite mound has been incorporated into the pool area and a dirt path leads to the personal villas, which look boxy and unprepossessing from the outside but are the height of contemporary luxury inside.
Puku Ridge, South Luangwa
The South Luangwa National Park in Zambia is one of Africa’s hidden secrets, boasting untouched natural beauty, great walking safaris and crowd-free big game viewing. Set in this unexplored reserve lies the sophisticated and elegant Puku Ridge, with just eight luxury safari tents on an elevated ridge overlooking plain and woodlands.
Thorntree River Lodge, Vic Falls
Considered one of Zambia’s most indulgent and contemporary safari lodges, Thorntree enjoys a tranquil setting on the banks of the Zambezi River, just upstream from the legendary Victoria Falls. Beautifully built from local timber, stone and reclaimed railway sleepers, this eco-conscious lodge strikes the perfect balance between nature and modern-day design. The large riverside suites feature indoor and outdoor lounges, en suite bathrooms with spacious tubs, and private decks with plunge pools.
Singita Sasakwa Lodge, Serengeti
Singita Sasakwa Lodge is a turn-of-the-century-style manor house that is stepped in the grandeur of a bygone golden era of safari travel. It sits on top of a hill, offering spectacular views over the celebrated Serengeti plains. Located in the private Grumeti Reserve, it is a luxury safari sojourn with extraordinary wildlife encounters.