Boutique accommodation includes smaller, independently run properties such as guesthouses, bed and breakfasts, and boutique hotels. These typically offer a more personal and characterful experience than larger hotels.
While facilities may be simpler than full-service hotels or lodges, boutique properties often stand out for their atmosphere, attention to detail, and local charm.
Set in a quiet, leafy garden, AfricaSky is a 4-star guest house located 10 minutes from OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg. It's also 10 minutes to nearby Rhodesfield Station, from where it's a further 11-minute ride on the Gautrain to the heart of Sandton. It's an ideal stopover before or after your safari or onward travel plans.
Arumeru River Lodge is a peaceful lodge situated just outside Arusha and close to the airport. With vast, beautiful gardens in which 21 rooms, 6 suites and a family cottage are scattered, it's easy to forget that you're in town at all. The main lodge is airy and welcoming and the hands-on hosts put great emphasis on keeping their guests happy.
Arusha Coffee Lodge is set on a beautiful old coffee plantation outside Arusha, with the old Plantation House housing the restaurant, bar and lounge. It offers 30 Plantation Houses with suites and rooms, spread across the lush grounds, all en-suite and luxuriously decorated, with indoor fireplaces. There are a number of restaurants, boutiques and shops on the property and coffee tours are offered. Day trips to Arusha National Park, Arusha town and Ngorongoro can be arranged.
Situated in the Klaserie Private Game Reserve, Baobab Ridge is a small, intimate safari lodge overlooking an active waterhole. Klaserie shares unfenced borders with the Kruger National Park and its neighbours and game viewing is often superb, with a good chance of seeing the famed white lions of Timbavati.
Situated in the beautiful Schoemanshoek Valley in the Little Karoo, Berluda Farmhouse & Cottages is in the heart of ostrich country. It's close to the attractions of Oudtshoorn and the spectacular Cango Caves. With seven beautifully decorated suites and eight self-catering cottages, swimming pools and air conditioning, this family-run farm is the perfect spot to stay. Encounters with Berluda's meerkat family, tours of the family's working ostrich farm, hiking, biking, abseiling and 4x4-ing are just some of the activities offered on, or near, Berluda Farmhouse & Cottages.
All rooms and main lodge at Borana Ranch & Safari Lodge in Laikipia County overlook a waterhole where wildlife frequently come to drink and cool off at. There's always game activity for you to enjoy; watching from the lodge, game drives, bush walks, horseback riding safaris, mountain bike safaris, helicopter and biplane flights, quad bike and buggy trips.
Quirky personality and a sense of bygone times give Canyon Roadhouse its special charm. The roadhouse-style lodge is located 25km from the impressive Fish River Canyon, arguably the second-largest canyon in the world. This unique spot is praised for its friendly staff and creative flair and it offers a fun, laid-back stay in remote southern Namibia. The 24 spacious, en-suite rooms are set around courtyards featuring the unusual flora of this arid region, and the main restaurant brims with vintage decor that adds to its old-world appeal.
This luxurious boutique hotel offers a relaxed and elegant stay in one of Cape Town's favourite areas. As part of the More group of hotels, you can expect a warm welcome, superb service and personal attention to ensure your every comfort.
Casterbridge Hollow boutique hotel is set on a former sweet mango farm and is Mpumalanga’s first “green hotel”, built from simple local materials with artwork sourced from local artists and artisans. It's superbly located - a 15-minute drive from KMIA (Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport) and with easy access to both Kruger National Park and the Panorama Route - and an ideal base from which to explore this picturesque region.
Chestnut Country Lodge is located in the beautiful farming district of Kiepersol, 10 km from Hazyview in Mpumalanga and ideally situated for exploring the magnificent Panorama Route. The lodge is set in the heart of 50 hectares of pristine indigenous bushland and offers spacious and comfortable accommodation for 26 guests.
Situated in the heart of ostrich country and close to the Little Karoo town of Oudtshoorn, lies the beautiful De Zeekoe Guest Farm. Boasting 14 stylishly furnished luxury rooms and suites, as well as 4 rustic waterside cabins, De Zeekoe is a popular accommodation choice in the Oudtshoorn area. The famous Cango Caves are nearby, and other activities on offer include Meerkat safaris as well as horse riding and canoeing.
Dulini Leadwood Lodge is the perfect choice if you're looking for something that's intimate, exclusive and luxurious. The lodge's three river-facing suites (four when booked exclusively) are well-spaced apart for privacy, making it the ultimate honeymoon or discerning small group destination.
Dulini Moya is an exclusive and intimate private game lodge in the Sabi Sand Reserve, sharing unfenced borders with the Greater Kruger Park. The area offers superb game viewing and is renowned for its common sightings of the Big 5. A maximum of 12 guests can be accommodated in six luxurious stone and thatch cottages, each with a view over the seasonal Mabrak River.
Totally modern with every luxury, comfort and convenience, Dulini River Lodge offers you old-fashioned luxury, indulgence and personalised service. Its six luxurious suites are elevated to look over the perennial Sand River and its bushveld surrounds.
The Elephant Hide of Knysna Guest Lodge is a luxury bed & breakfast guest house situated in an upmarket residential area of Knysna. Perched on top of the Welbedaght Cliff Tops, it offers spectacular views over the Knysna estuary. The lodge offers 5 beautifully-furnished suites and outstanding personal service.
Named for Joy Adamson's famous lioness, Elsa's Kopje in Meru National Park reflects Joy's "Born Free" legacy and era. The park is wild, remote and wonderfully uncrowded. Situated in a very scenic part of Kenya, just 10 km north of the equator, between Mount Kenya and the Nyambeni Mountains, its landscape is incredibly diverse, ranging from open plains to dense thickets and wooded grasslands, which also attracts a surprising variety of game.
Giraffe Manor is one of Nairobi's best-known lodges. Full of character and steeped in history, its ivy-clad buildings are set in 12 acres of private land and are surrounded by 140 acres of indigenous forest. Reminiscent of its 1930s "Out of Africa" heydays, it is named for its resident herd of Rothschild giraffe that often pop in for a visit.
Gorah Elephant Camp is a luxury tented safari lodge set on a private concession within Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa's third-largest national park and a top malaria-free Big Five destination. With its grand colonial manor house, panoramic views, and frequent elephant sightings at the waterhole, Gorah offers a top-notch safari experience rooted in history and romance.
Set on the dramatic cliffs of the Knysna Heads on South Africa's renowned Garden Route, Head Over Hills offers a serene and luxurious retreat with stunning views of the ocean and the Knysna Lagoon. Ideal for travellers seeking a blend of comfort and natural beauty, the boutique property is perfectly situated for easy access to the town's attractions and outdoor activities, making it an excellent base for exploring the region.
Wherever you are at Jamala Madikwe, you'll have front-row seats to all the action at the expansive and highly-frequented waterhole that stretches the length of the lodge. In Madikwe's eastern section, Jamala offers a luxuriant safari experience in exquisite surrounds.
Kanonkop is a 5-star boutique guest house situated in Knysna, one of South Africa's favourite coastal resort towns. The individually appointed five bedrooms are all tastefully furnished, focussing on natural light and texture. The Paradise room is rated the 'best room in Knysna' by Frommers.
Kosi Forest Lodge is a 16-bed wilderness lodge located in the Kosi Bay Nature Reserve, almost on the South African/Mozambiquan border. Set in a beautiful, unspoilt sand forest on the banks of the Kosi Lake, the lodge offers a variety of unique experiences, including turtle tracking and exploring this pristine wetland environment in guided canoes and vehicles.
Last Word Kitara is an exclusive, five-star luxury lodge on the banks of the Klaserie River in the wildlife-rich Klaserie Private Nature Reserve which shares an open border with the world-famous Kruger National Park to the east. Kitara's classically appointed luxury suites with African accents enjoy views of the Klaserie River which often draws wildlife the guests can observe from the comfort of their private patios.
The world-class Londolozi Private Granite Suites offer an extraordinary experience for the exclusive use of six guests. Private Granite Suites can be booked individually or as a private camp for six guests, which makes it ideal for honeymooning couples or small groups seeking complete privacy combined with a luxury safari experience.
Why not chat to one of our safari experts who can answer all your questions and help you design your dream trip to Africa.
