Singita Ebony & Boulders

Description:

• Frommer's has rated this lodge as the best in the country since it first opened, and awards and accolades for Luke Bailes' sumptuous lodge -- now numbering four -- keep flooding in: Singita has again been awarded top honors as the Best Destination in the World, this time by Travel + Leisure. While you might find it difficult to leave your room at Londolozi, here it is virtually impossible. Why bother when you can take a dip in your private pool or enjoy a massage or pedicure on your deck, watching the wildlife on the open plains beyond the river? But move you must, for the quality of the game-viewing is superlative; Singita not only enjoys traversing rights to more than 18,000 hectares (44,460 acres), but also ensures that you're well taken care of by the best rangers in the business. Here in the Sabi Sands Singita is separated into two lodges, Boulders and Ebony (the other two, Lebombo and Sweni, are in the national park proper, and reviewed above), each with its own large, open main lounge. Each of the suites in the contemporary-style Boulders Lodge is the size of a small house and features a massive Balu teak deck and private rim-flow plunge pool, sliding floor-to-ceiling glass walls, a stone fireplace, en-suite bathroom with Victorian-style bath with uninterrupted views, a beautifully furnished lounge, and a king-size bed dressed in embossed linen. Colors are earth tones, and textures are organic, combining stone, polished concrete, timber, granite, and ceramics with soft fabrics in muted browns offset by crisp white. Ebony Lodge features the same standard of luxury, service, and privacy, but the decor has an African colonial theme, giving it a somewhat more homey, old-fashioned atmosphere. Most of the accommodations in both overlook the Sand River; for more privacy and space, ask for suite no. 11 or 12.

  A Relais & Châteaux lodge, Singita offers superb dining at all meals; wine tastings (largely South African wines) in Boulders' handsome wine cellar are popular ongoing events. The Singita staff is one of the friendliest around, and the vibe is a happy one, without the imperiosity of luxe resorts elsewhere in the world. For families with children under 10, there are now two new family units at both Boulders and Ebony.

• © Frommer's 2013

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Very Highly Recommended 2010