New boutique hotel for Plettenberg Bay

Rare Earth’s Old Rectory hotel in Plettenberg Bay, Western Cape, will open in August with 18 suites, a pool, restaurant, bar and library. The town’s first building, the Rectory, was built by the Dutch East India Company in 1776. It was originally used as visitor accommodation and later as a rectory by the Anglican Church. The old building has now been restored and is the focal point of the new boutique hotel. The property is in a private cul de sac within walking distance of Hobie Beach and a 15-minute drive from Plettenberg Bay airport.

Wilderness Safaris to make Rwandan debut

Wilderness Safaris’ Bisate Lodge, beside Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, will open on June 1. The lodge will comprise six forest villas for guests wanting to enjoy the gorilla conservation experience. Each villa will have a bedroom, reception space and bathroom, all warmed by a central fireplace, and a private deck with views of Mount Bisoke. The villas are designed according to Rwandan building tradition as exemplified in the design of the royal palace of the traditional monarch. The interiors will have surfaces made from a variety of woven materials that have strong resonance in Rwandan culture.

Thorntree River Lodge to open in May

African Bush Camps will open Thorntree River Lodge in May in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, Zambia. Drawing inspiration from local customs and culture, it will have a modern design with tented roof structures. The lodge will have eight twin rooms and two family units, each with four beds. Each unit will have indoor and outdoor bathrooms and a private plunge pool. The main lodge will have a lounge with an open-plan kitchen and dining area as well as a wine cellar. Other facilities include a library, a gym and spa overlooking the Zambezi River, and an infinity pool.

New exclusive-use lodge at the Outpost

Pel’s Post, high on a riverbank overlooking the Luvuvhu River, is a new exclusive-use addition to The Outpost in the Kruger National Park. The four individual luxury rooms, each with an en-suite bathroom, can accommodate eight people. The lodge, which has views of the valley, is environmentally friendly, offering full solar use, and is ideal for family or small group getaways. Pel’s Post offers a game-viewing vehicle, guide and personal chef and facilities include a swimming pool, bar, lounge and dining area, and a large fire pit.  

African Bush Camps adds Zimbabwe property

This year African Bush Camps will add a new property to its portfolio. Bumi Hills Safari Lodge in Zimbabwe is on a private concession adjacent to the Matusadona National Park. There will be 10 premium rooms and guests can enjoy water-based activities on the boats, fishing, birding and wildlife activities.

The Radisson Red at the V&A Waterfront

The Radisson Red Hotel at No.6 Silo, V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, due to open in September, will offer 252 rooms. The hotel is a new upscale lifestyle brand.

The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa

The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in Cape Town’s Silo district is a home for contemporary art. The grand opening weekend takes place from September 22-25 with free admission for all.

Silo Hotel

Opening on 1 March 2017, the Silo Hotel is the latest offering from The Royal Portfolio and will share the address of the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa. The hotel is in the grain elevator portion of the grain silo building, occupying six floors and offering 28-rooms including a one bedroom penthouse.

Tented camp opens in Kenya

The Firefly Ocean Camp in Shimoni, Kenya, opened on December 1. The five tents are in a compound in the remains of the coastal Shimoni ‘coral rag’ forest that is home to Colobus monkeys.  The camp is ideal for divers or snorkellers wanting to visit the Kisite Mpunguti Marine National Park.

Tshwane gets a new hotel

The Capital Hotel Group will launch the Capital Menlyn Main, a 200-room apartment hotel in Pretoria in 2017. The property will have one-, two- and three-bedroom luxury studios and will offer in-room dining concierge, WiFi, complimentary laundry services, parking and shuttles.

Private island lodge to open in Madagascar

Miavana, a luxury lodge in Madagascar, will opening in April. The 14 villas will have one, two or three bedrooms and guests will be able to enjoy snorkelling and boat rides to the mainland. The island, Nosy Ankoa, is off the north-east coast of Madagascar.

Limpopo safari lodge to open soon

The Becks Safari Lodge will open in March, offering 10 luxury tents, all with en-suite bathrooms and an infinity pool. The lodge is situated near the Makhutswi River, in Limpopo.

New Zimbabwean lodge on Chundu Island

Situated in the Zambezi National Park, Chundu Island Lodge will open in August, offering eight palm-thatched rooms. Activities include canoeing, river cruises, game drives and bushwalks. Seolo Africa, lodge stakeholder, will launch its website in February.

Kenya’s Sera Community Conservancy gets more accommodation

Saruni Rhino, a safari property in northern Kenya, will open in February. It is in the Sera Community Conservancy and will launch an on-foot rhino tracking experience. The property offers two open stone cottages – one accommodates two people and the other can accommodate up to four guests.

New accommodation for Tanzanian National Park

Jabali Ridge will open in September in Ruaha National Park, Tanzania, offering accommodation in Tanzania’s largest national park. The ten rooms will be hidden amongst granite boulders and facilities will include an infinity pool and spa. Activities will include game drives, night drives and walking safaris.

Two new tents for Moremi Game Reserve

Africa Wild Lodges & Safaris will add two tented safari camps in Moremi Game Reserve to its portfolio in Botswana this year. Saguni Lodge will have 10 luxury tents with 20 beds, a honeymoon suite and family room. Saguni Bush Camp will have 12 self-catering tents.

New accommodation for Grootvaderbosch Nature Reserve

CapeNature launched 11 new cottages in the Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve in the Western Cape last December. Each cottage resembles a tree-house to reinforce the feeling of living in nature. The cottages are powered by solar energy and feature an inside-outside room - a kuier kamer (lounge) and braai room (barbecue room).