There’s a whole world of accommodation that thinks out of the box. Allow us to introduce you to a few of our favorite examples.
1 Putting the Unique in Boutique
We love to find small hotels that provide exceptional service and facilities but are unique and identify with their roots. We like accommodation that truly reflects and shows appreciation of the local culture and environment. Our team members get very excited when they discover a new place that we can add to our collection so that you, our discerning guests can also get to experience it.
2 Community-owned and Operated
Accommodation that allows the local community to have a say or even a stake in the business, especially in more rural or fragile destinations or in ones that hold a unique culture, is a secure way to ensure that land rights are considered and that construction and infrastructure are positive additions.
3 Safari Camps
While many of the wildlife and eco-lodges are considered 5* and will come with comfortable surroundings, expect them to be void of many of the trimmings you would expect in an urban 5* hotel, such as air-condition and hot water at the flick of a tap. There is often more focus on preserving natural resources.
If you would like to have your phones, cameras, or appliances charged then this is done in most camps between 07:00 pm and 10:00 pm. Most camps have a communal charging area where you can charge your devices during these times.
That’s not to say you won’t have a hairdryer or bathtub in your luxury tented camp – it all depends on the accommodation and its location. Speak with your Travel Consultant to get more details about what to expect within the accommodation of the trip proposal they create for you.
TOP 10 UNIQUE LUXURY AFRICAN SAFARI EXPERIENCES
Many safari camps run on generators which are switched off at night mostly around 10:00 pm. Some camps as well run on solar power but also backed up with a generator.
4 Eco-Lodges
How do we define an eco-lodge? We believe this is accommodation that is sensitive to its surroundings, giving back and inclusive of the community and its cultural heritage, conserving the local environment.
Some eco lodges might be run on 100% renewable energy, constructed with local and sustainable natural materials, or prefer to cook up meals from its own on-site vegetable garden, or where all the furnishings are locally and ethically procured, but there is no explicit checklist that will exclude what an eco-lodge and isn’t, except that it exists to have a minimal impact on its environment. Eco-lodges could sit in an environmentally fragile region such as a jungle, coastal habitat, desert, savanna or wetlands, but it could be just as well sit in an ancient quarter or hip neighborhood of an urban metropolis.
Many eco lodges provide you with many an opportunity: to sit and dream, to learn and submerge yourself in the natural world, and find a connection away from the usual digital downloads through the forgotten art of shared stories.
One thing that tends to be true of an authentic eco-lodge: it is managed with care, passion, and vivre, embracing whatever exists in its surroundings. You are more likely to receive genuine hospitality rather than what is taught in a hotel management school.
5 Haciendas and Estancias
Wish to have that unique home-away-from-home experience in which you stay with a family?
Then why not stay in a hacienda or estancia in South America? Whether it is a farm, a ranch, a plantation or an old colonial mansion that has opened its doors to the present, you can expect a warm welcome and an immersion into the local culture. A typical feature of a homestay experience is that the heart of your stay often revolves around a communal table where you will be served a hearty feast.
TOP 10 HACIENDAS AND ESTANCIAS IN ARGENTINA, CHILE AND URUGUAY
