Southern Africa

The elegant Ellerman House stands in Bantry Bay, in the heart of Cape Town, where the slopes of Lion's Head meet the Atlantic Ocean. This luxurious retreat offers panoramic views of the Atlantic, a verdant garden, an outdoor pool and a complimentary shuttle service between the hotel and the airport. The individually appointed rooms, furnished with classic pieces, each have a balcony or terrace.

Amid the luxury and beauty of this magnificent 100,000-hectare private reserve, the emphasis falls on flexibility and privacy, exceptional game viewing, gourmet cuisine, indulgent spa treatments and the chance to do the things you have only dreamed of. The singularity of the safari experience begins with a flexible itinerary that lets you dictate your own programme of game drives, bush walks and horseback safaris, and continues into an interactive game experience.

Savute Elephant Lodge, Belmond Safari, lies beside the mysterious Savute Channel in Botswana's Chobe National Park. Unpredictable wet and dry cycles create a dynamic landscape irresistible to wildlife. The most luxurious lodge in the area captures the feel of a timeless explorers' base. Guests wake in four-poster beds to breathtaking views of the wild, where elephants and lions play out their morning games.

Rated among the finest safari destinations in Botswana, Sanctuary Chief's Camp is an ingenious safari base combining stylish accommodation and personalised service with extraordinary untouched wilderness. Chief's Island is one of many islands created by the seasonal floods of the Okavango Delta and is renowned for the finest game viewing in southern Africa — elephant, lion, leopard, hippo, buffalo, including the black and white rhino that complete the Big Five, along with many other species.

The twenty beach villas of Azura Benguerra Island stretch along the turquoise coastline of Benguerra Island within a marine national park, making for a flawless escape. Hand-built and run by the local community, this eco-resort offers award-winning luxury, pristine beaches and world-class diving. Snorkel or dive among turtles, dolphins, dugongs, manta rays and tropical fish, cross the island by speedboat and savour a dhow cruise at sunset. Horse riding, visits to cultural sites and whale watching can all be arranged.

White Pearl Resorts, Ponta Mamoli lies 25 km north of the South African border, near the Kosi Bay lakes. Here guests discover a place so beautiful, a welcome so warm and an experience so pure as nowhere else in all of Mozambique. White Pearl Resorts, Ponta Mamoli is enfolded by natural beauty, from the Indian Ocean to the east to the Maputo elephant reserve to the west, a promise of unhurried experiences that have earned the resort its reputation as the jewel of the Indian Ocean. White Pearl Resorts comprises 22 magnificent ocean-view suites, each with its own pool.

Royal Chundu Zambezi River Lodge is a place where nature remains untouched and the spell of your surroundings humbles you. The lodge has two locations — the mainland and an exclusive private island in the middle of the Zambezi River. Royal Chundu is a place of picturesque beauty that blends seamlessly into nature, tucked amid singular plant species from giant ferns to ancient trees, some as much as 1,500 years old.

Somalisa Camp is a multi-award-winning tented camp in the heart of Hwange National Park, giving guests breathtaking views over the golden plains of the Hwange savannah. Hwange National Park is a land of contrasts, from dense teak and acacia woodland to sweeping open savannah, offering guests an exhibition of raw and varied Africa. During your stay at Somalisa Camp, explore the legendary Hwange National Park through a range of activities such as walking safaris, game drives, birdwatching and cultural visits, all led by qualified and passionate guides.

An exhilarating helicopter ride over mountains, baobabs and a coastline scattered with shipwrecks ends in a gentle landing on a remote private island off the coast of Madagascar. Raw and refined, Miavana unites exclusivity and adventure, travel and conservation. Set on a remote private island off Madagascar's north-eastern tip, it is an ultra-luxury beach resort — one of the finest places in the world.

One&Only Le Saint Géran lies in the Belle Mare area on the private peninsula of Pointe de Flacq, which heightens still further the sense of exception and absolute privacy. This legendary beach resort of the prestigious One&Only collection ranks among the very best on the island of Mauritius. Guests are enchanted by wholly new interiors, remarkably spacious rooms and an exotic setting of glorious greenery, virgin beach and an azure sea.

The modernist LUX* Grand Baie unfolds along a crescent of white sand on the northern edge of Mauritius, in the district of Rivière du Rempart. The flagship of LUX* Collective and the first of its kind in the Indian Ocean, it marries a playful island mood with elegant interiors created in collaboration between the British interior designer Kelly Hoppen and the leading Mauritian architect Jean-François Adam. Be sure to visit the rooftop restaurant and bar Bisou, which gives a panorama of the topaz bay from a breathtaking infinity pool. Discover an adventurous stay in the tropics with just the right measure of thrilling leisure and serene relaxation.

The luxurious private retreat of Shangri-La Le Touessrok, set on the tranquil shore of Trou d'Eau Douce, embodies the true spirit of Mauritius. The resort offers uninterrupted views of the Indian Ocean from its exclusive rooms, with white sandy beaches within reach. Discover the rich history of Le Touessrok with a touch of Asian hospitality, where you can indulge in fashionable culinary experiences, the seclusion of a far-off island, or a round on one of the two championship 18-hole golf courses.