Elite Traveler January-February 2018

INSPIRE TOP 100 HOTELS EUROPE, MIDDLE EAST, AFRICA

elite traveler JAN/FEB 2018 71

THE ROYALMANSOUR MARRAKECH, MOROCCO

FOUR SEASONS HOTEL ISTANBUL AT THE BOSPHORUS ISTANBUL, TURKEY

A stay at the Royal Mansour is probably the closest you can get to beingMoroccan royalty without marrying into the family. In addition to the 3.7-acre private garden, series of restaurants headed up by three-Michelin-starred chef Yannick Alléno and accommodations in the form of 53 individual three-story riads, the hotel also offers one of the world’s most amazing luxury experiences in the Grand Riad. With access to a personal bar, home cinema, private gym and spa-treatment room, Grand Riad guests also have unrivaled views from the building’s roof terrace, the highest point of the city’s skyline (bar the tower of the Koutoubia mosque). Filled with luscious silk, mahogany and ornate tiles, the Royal Mansour really is fit for a king. Grand Riad from $40,600 per night. Contact Touria El Rhachoui, head concierge, concierge@royalmansour.ma, +212 529 808 080, royalmansour.com

Housed in a 19th-century Ottoman palace, Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus provides a perfect location for a break after exploring Turkey’s cultural center. Head to the Yali Lounge to sip cocktails on the terrace while soaking up calming views of the Bosphorus, or sample the delicate spices of a traditional Turkish kebab at Ocakbaşı. The well-equipped spa offers welcome sanctuary from the buzzing metropolis — enjoy a private traditional hammam, where you’ll be scrubbed and massaged in a practice that dates back thousands of years. The 4,000-sq-ft Atik Pasha Suite, on the second floor, has phenomenal vistas, room for seven adults and master suite with two walk-in closets. Atik Pasha Suite from $26,000 per night. Contact concierge.bosphorus@ fourseasons.com, +90 212 381 4051, fourseasons.com/bosphorus

Like all Singita properties, Singita Ebony Lodge endeavors to preserve the African wilderness and support the local community as it provides guests with an immersion into the landscape. Situated alongside the Sand River in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve’s big cat country, the lodge combines fresh contemporary design, tribal influences and classic safari style. While the lodge’s communal pool and deck are enticing, each of the 12 luxurious suites features its own private plunge pool as well as outdoor pavilion deck overlooking the river. A stay here includes daily game drives with expert trackers and guides, walking safaris and stargazing. From $1,815 per person per night. Contact Shahieda Swanepoel, reservations manager, enquiries@singita.com, +27 216 833 424, singita.com/lodge/singita-ebony-lodge SINGITA EBONY LODGE SABI SANDGAME RESERVE, SOUTHAFRICA

LONDOLOZI PRIVATE GAME RESERVE SABI SAND GAME RESERVE, SOUTH AFRICA

BELMONDKHWAI RIVER LODGE MOREMI GAME RESERVE, BOTSWANA

While Belmond Khwai River Lodge sits amid lovely fig trees and pristine floodplains where leopards, lions and rhinos roam, the luxury lodge still manages to elevate the experience. Each suite opens out onto its own secluded terrace and plunge pool overlooking antelope and zebra on the savannah. The heart of the lodge features a swimming pool, the Khwai River Lodge Spa and open-sided communal dining area for feasting on gourmet African cuisine while looking out at the starlit sky. Spend each day marveling at wildlife on exhilarating game drives and setting out into the landscape on foot with an expert guide. Private Suite from $2,940 per night. Contact Jacqueline Faria, reservations consultant, jacqueline.faria@belmond.com, +27 214 831 592, belmond.com/safaris

There’s no better place to spot the Big Five than at the family-run Londolozi, established in 1926. Set on the Sand River, the private game reserve regularly sees herds of buffalo and elephant, and its white rhino and lion concentrations are among the highest on the continent. While every luxury is offered here (Ralph Lauren design, wellness center, boutique), Londolozi has a strong conservation ethic — Londolozi means ‘protector of all living things’ in Zulu, and the family certainly lives up to the name. They’ve restored river systems and natural drainage lines, and created a microcatchment program to help retain water, making the resort drought-resistant. Private Granite Suite from $1,545 per night. Contact Duncan MacLarty, general manager, duncan@ londolozi.co.za, +27 137 355 653, londolozi.com

Photos Bruce Horak, Ryan Graham