The Singita Lebombo Lodge, in the Kruger National Park is on the top 5 of the 'most spectacular hotel and lodges in the world list' . The Singita Lebombo Lodge designed by Cécile & Boyd is the only hotel or lodge from Africa which appeared in the top ten.
Spectacular is certainly the way to describe this luxury destination in the heart of the Kruger National Park, overlooking the N’wanetsi River. Guests are transported into a bushveld world of dramatic landscapes home to high concentrations of iconic wildlife.
Singita, Lebombo, Singita, Kruger National Park, South Africa. Image: Crooks and Jackson
Abundant prey draws many big cats to the area, including large pride of lions. Often referred to as “Lebombo: Land of Lions” after the Lebombo mountain ridge, it is one of the best places to see these beautiful animals in their natural habitat.
The award-winning accommodation, where the contemporary décor is became a standout feature making the site an added attraction that distinguishes Lebombo from a plethora of safari options.
The Cécile & Boyd interiors are something that Matador specifically points out, stating that: “While many luxury safari camps in Africa can lean too hard on the nostalgic (or are borderline cringey in their myopic celebration of colonial Africa), Lebombo is refreshingly modern with contemporary, natural-light-filled rooms and airy sculptural touches that celebrate the surrounding wildlife.”
Singita, Lebombo, Singita, Kruger National Park, South Africa. Image: Crooks and Jackson
A celebration of the landscape is indeed the defining ethos of Cécile & Boyd’s sophisticated glass-walled suites at the lodge. The bold contemporary style is inspired by the rockface into which it is built, the untamed terrain that surrounds the lodge and the thousand stars that twinkle at night. The interior design sweeps guests into a hideaway of luxury, style, and comfort, yet also connects them to nature in this 33 000-acre private concession on the eastern edge of the Kruger.
This unique response was spearheaded and defined by the design team at Cécile & Boyd, led by Geordi De Sousa Costa with creative direction from her brother and company co-founder Boyd Ferguson.
Singita, Lebombo, Singita, Kruger National Park, South Africa. Image: Crooks and Jackson
The lodge’s inclusion as one of 2020’s top hotels and lodges in the world is a testament to a commanding style and singular voice that ably speaks the design language of the continent.
The report of the most spectacular hotel’ list is compiled by the Matador Network team of writers, editors, videographers, and intrepid storytellers who have seen this first-hand at hotels around the world.
Singita, Lebombo, Singita, Kruger National Park, South Africa. Image: Crooks and Jackson
After they travelled far and wide in 2019, the team narrowed their list to the best of the best, from remote eco-lodges in South America to opulent castles in Europe. Twenty countries are represented among the writer’s favourites, and each accommodation has its style, perks, and curiosities that made it special.
Some were luxurious and while some were bare-bones. The one thing they all have in common is that the accommodation is an experience in and of itself.
Singita, Lebombo, Singita, Kruger National Park, South Africa. Image: Crooks and Jackson
