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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Located 230 metres above the Tsitsikamma coastline, Misty Mountain Reserve offers a wide range of accommodation options. From standard, honeymoon and self-catering Ocean View Lodges and Lakeside and Forest View Tented Lodges to three unique outdoor living experiences, the secluded Stargazing Cube, Ocean Dome and Tsitsikamma Pyramid, Misty Mountain is perfectly positioned for both adventure seekers and those looking for an affordable tranquil escape on the Garden Route.
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.
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.
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.
With eight spacious suites and a private villa, WaterLovers Beach Resort on Diani Beach along Kenya's tropical south coast offers a perfect setting for a relaxing beach holiday. Lazy and leisurely or adventure-packed with activities, WaterLovers has something for everyone.
Rouge on Rose is centrally located in Cape Town, within walking distance to the city centre, De Waterkant, Green Market Square and the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC). Comfortable, chic and welcoming, Rouge on Rose Boutique Hotel offers a choice of deluxe suites or self-catering units.
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.
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.
Set just 12 km from the entrance to Ngorongoro and with easy access to the spectacular scenery and abundant wildlife of Ngorongoro Crater, Plantation Lodge is the perfect spot to lay your head. With a range of different rooms set in a tranquil garden on a coffee plantation, it's hard not to relax here. Go game viewing in Ngorongoro, meet the local people, go for walks both in and around the Ngorongoro Conservation Area; the options are endless.
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.
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.
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.
Sossusvlei Desert Lodge lies in the heart of Namibia’s ancient Namib Desert, where it offers guests serene silence and romantic luxury in an extraordinary, dramatic landscape. It’s a place of endless space, broad horizons and some of the most fascinating desert-adapted creatures on the planet.
Situated in the far north of the Kruger National Park on the ancestral land of the Makuleke tribe, The Outpost is a contemporary architectural gem offering exceptional safari lodge accommodation. Overlooking the Luvuhu River Valley, guests are treated to panoramic views of the African bush and the chance to watch wildlife roaming freely between Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa.
A 45-minute drive from Nairobi's main city airports, The Emakoko is a lodge built into the steep slopes of the Mbagathi River valley. All 10 rooms face the river and the Nairobi National Park which is home to the Big 5 and a great variety of wildlife and birds.
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.
With beautiful panoramic views of the towering column of spray rising from the Victoria Falls, The Elephant Camp is the ideal intimate, peaceful retreat. Situated 10 km from the Falls on its Zimbabwean side, The Elephant Camp offers 12 exclusive, luxury tented suites and plenty of opportunities to get up close with the Wild Horizons elephants.
Simbavati Hilltop Lodge is an exclusive, river-facing luxury lodge set in the private Timbavati Game Reserve which shares unfenced borders with the Kruger National Park. This allows the Big Five and many other animals to move freely over more than 20,000 km² of pure wilderness.
Why not chat to one of our safari experts who can answer all your questions and help you design your dream trip to Africa.
