Simbavati Fynbos on Sea

Set on one of the oldest Cape Dutch Farms in the wine region, Babylonstoren is a 200-hectare working fruit farm with an exclusive hotel and restaurant set amongst the vineyards orchards and beautiful kitchen gardens. This is a beautiful and relaxing sanctuary, effortlessly blending its colonial, pastoral past with modern contemporary design. There are 14 cottages spread out through the grounds, a spacious blend of restored Cape-Dutch architecture and sophisticated modern touches. This is modern design at its very best with a deft lightness of touch giving a feeling of space and modernity whilst remaining very true to the historic style of the buildings. It’s no surprise therefore that Karen Roos (former editor of Elle Decoration) is one of the owners. Guests can enjoy the outdoor pool area, restaurant, eight-acre kitchen garden, spa and gym. The farm is also to be explored, walking through the 200 hectares of land or perhaps taking a canoe out on the farm dam.

Spread under a leafy canopy of ebony trees, six spacious stone cottages grace the banks of the Mabrak River in the western part of the Sabi Sand Game Reserve.

With sweeping views of the Atlantic, Table Mountain as a backdrop, and the buzz of a working harbour, the Victoria and Albert Waterfront is one of Cape Town’s prime locations. It is here that you’ll find The Silo. The grain silo was the tallest building in Sub-Saharan Africa when it was built in 1924, and the luxury hotel is located in the former elevator tower. The creative brain behind the project is that of prominent British designer and architect Thomas Heatherwick, whose iconic works include the Cauldron for the London 2012 Olympic Games and London’s new Routemaster bus. The Silo occupies six floors above the Zeitz MOCAA Museum of Contemporary Art Africa. A partnership between the V&A Waterfront and Jochen Zeitz, this cultural institution focuses on exhibiting cutting-edge contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora, with the Zeitz Collection forming its founding exhibition. Taking its place on Cape Town’s skyline, the hotel is a beacon of modern design. The industrial aesthetics remain with the addition of pillowed glazing panels which bulge outwards as if gently inflated. At night, this transforms the building into a glowing lantern. Each of the 28 rooms, which include a magnificent penthouse suite, are individually designed and strike the balance between industrial, stylish and comfortable. The creative team have been busy sourcing pieces from Cape Town and across the world, to ensure each room tells its own story without detracting from the natural beauty of the city, which can be seen through the 18-foot windows. Another key feature is the huge grain-shaped atrium carved out of the interior of the grain silos. The art in the hotel is in keeping with the collections in the museum. Appreciate the 360 degree panoramic views from the restaurant, champagne bar and glass swimming pool located on the rooftop while casting your eye across the ocean, city bowl and mountains. There is also a café, piano bar, spa and fitness centre and when you want to go exploring, the Waterfront itself offers a wealth of shops, restaurants and bars.

Singita Kruger stands out as the most luxurious concession actually set within the Kruger National Park. As a private concession, guests have exclusive access off road throughout the concession. The landscape of this area is a mixture of dramatic ridges and wide open plains, punctuated with rivers and forest. Singita’s properties take full advantage of the terrain, with Lebombo sitting on a bluff granting fantastic views across the park, whilst Sweni sits above the banks of a hippo-rich river. Service and comfort is world-class and is the very best inside the national park. The lodges both sit in the same area (around ten minutes’ walk from each other) and share a spa and a curio shop that has to be seen to be believed. As with all Singita properties the food and wine is a particular highlight. The Singita concession is particularly famed for its ‘mountain pride’ of Lions, which can number more than twenty. If lucky, guests can have the privilege of seeing these enormous groups of Lion. Game drives are conducted with a guide and spotter, and short game walks are also possible.