Malilangwe Reserve   Chiredzi, Zimbabwe
Renovated
2018
Price
$$$$
Outside the door
The brand
SingitaClifftop safari lodge
Every stay funds the non-profit reserve, where days revolve around tracking rhinos and evenings around the clifftop fire pit.
“After a significant design transformation, it now features striking interiors and two-bedroom suites inspired by the local Shangaan culture and surrounding landscape.”
What it’s good at
Notable
Private clifftop plunge pools and sommelier tastings accompany all-inclusive safari game drives.
What they say
Also in Condé Nast Traveler, The 50 Discovery and AFAR.
My cottage could be an Africa theme park on steroids: curving mud-colored walls decorated with chevron patterns of red, green, and white, based on the fabrics of the local Shangaan tribe;
Tucked away
A place apart: the property is the destination.
Perched on a sandstone ridge overlooking Malilangwe Dam, deep within a private wilderness reserve.
1 of 4
The rooms
Every suite has a private plunge pool cut into the cliffside. Inside, mosquito netting drapes over oversized teak beds.
The pool
Bring a swimsuit.
On the central lodge deck, the curved infinity pool looks straight out across the waters of Malilangwe Dam.
The gym
The thatched gym houses TechnoGym equipment looking out toward the trees, and opens onto an outdoor yoga deck.
Cliff-Top Bar
A live-edge timber counter stands beneath thatch and mosaic pillars, serving morning coffee before game drives and sunset cocktails.
Interiors take design cues from ancient Zimbabwean tribes, but what really stands out is the outdoor private plunge pool, hewn into the rocky cliffside for spellbinding views of the Malilangwe Dam below.
At the table
Cantilevered wooden decks hold lantern-lit dinner tables above the dam, serving regional dishes like Kariba bream.
How it began
The land was working cattle country until 1994, when Lone Star Ranch was sold to create the non-profit wildlife trust.
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.