Heavenly Hotels - Africa

I call myself a hotel nerd, because I truly geek out when I see a beautiful property. To me the most delightful creations are properties that designers and creatives have put together to offer us travelers and the experiences that we can’t always have the luxury of living and seeing each day. So I’ve decided it’s time that I show you and inspire you, what I get excited about! I’ve selected just a handful of the African countries that I currently work with, that I am completely swooning over. Let the wanderlust run wild!

ZAMBIA - TONGABEZI LODGE

I have news. I have found the love of my life. It’s a little complicated because Tongabezi is not a person but a place, but I’m sure we can make it work. Well, Tongabezi is gorgeous. The houses are individually styled with furniture and embellishments from all over Africa, ranging from stunning claw-foot bath tubs to tumbling sea-glass chandeliers. Tongabezi also makes all guests feel special since each room comes with a private valet to see to your every need and have bubble baths and champagne waiting for you when you get back from your adventures. And as for exciting, this exclusive spot is in Zambia and only twenty minutes from Livingstone, the adventure capital of the world. It is a short drive from the Victoria Falls, which is one of the natural wonders of the world. Tongabezi also sits right on the Zambezi river amongst the crocodiles, hippos and other safari life. 

Finally, Tongabezi wants to make the world a better place and actively works to make it so. The lodge is extremely eco-friendly, trains most of the staff up from the local villages, and even has its own trust school the Tongabezi Trust School, where over 250 local children get a free education. Who can blame me for losing my heart a little?

RWANDA - BISATE LODGE

These thatched forest villas are a place that I dream of one day visiting- and staying in. A beautiful mix of traditional and modern decor will surround you in these special accommodations at the Bisate Lodge. In the common areas your gaze will be locked on the magnificent views of the nearby peaks, which you can see clearly from the floor to ceiling windows. Aside from falling in love with the property, the destination and the wildlife from this region, you will be committing to giving back while you’re there as well.

Bisate’s vision of reforestation and rehabilitation means that each guest contributes to biodiversity conservation and local community upliftment – making a far-reaching positive impact on an iconic endangered species: the mountain gorilla.

SOUTH AFRICA - ROYAL MALEWANE

After staying at La Residence in Franschhoek, South Africa, my heart aches to stay at another property that is owned and designed by Liz Biden. I assure you, she’s poured her heart and soul into each of her properties and it does not go unnoticed. How right they were, when they decided to call their collection of hotels The Royal Portfolio. I’ll even go as far to say that with Liz’s love of design, combined with her husband and families focus on elevated hospitality, these are things that make them masters in the industry. When they say they want you to have a perfect stay, they mean it. Look no further if you’re ready for a delightful, dazzling, and true 5 star stay, at The Royal Malewane. They also won me over with their 3 Crowns of Sustainability, read more about it on their website! A Virtuoso property.

NAMIBIA - SHIPWRECK LODGE

I can say this confidently- there’s no where else quite like the Shipwreck Lodge. Remote and rugged, completely unique and breathtaking! Head to this property that is backed by towering dunes, near the cold Atlantic for exploring the seal colony and surrounded by endless desert that is better known as the Skeleton Coast. The wildlife sightings are rare, but it’s a remarkable thing when you experience spotting these desert-adapted animals. You’ll have one of the 10 rooms available, but I think calling them rooms is a joke- look at these masterpieces in the photo above.

ZIMBABWE - BUMI HILLS SAFARI LODGE

Endless game viewing options here! Well placed near the edge of the Kariba Lake and the lodge’s simple proximity to the Matusadona, this is a fabulous place to unpack and unwind and to truly take in the destination you’re staying at. And! Unlike other safari experiences you may have considered in the past, here you may also enjoy a safari done by boat. Cruise down the lake with your ranger and guide, who will share stories about the area as you pass by elephants that have stepped into the water nearby. Sunset cruises are the fan favorite at the Bumi Hills Safari Lodge.

SEYCHELLES - NORTH ISLAND

Okay, game over folks. Someone has truly created the dream private island, with the dream property to go along with it. If I could thank the owner personally, for not putting as many rooms or villas around the island as possible, I would! This paradise has only eleven…yes 11, villas around the island. 10 of them are Presidential Villas and one is the Villa North Island, which covers 8,000 square feet- and this can only be booked by couples. If you’re ever one of these lucky couples, you will arrive in style, by helicopter of course. Which is only a 25 minute ride from the main island of Mahé.

It doesn’t stop there, for those more active and adventurous travelers, I’d recommend utilizing the North Island’s Dive Center. They offer full PADI tuition and certification. Sign me up! If you’re not so ready to dive into that, the snorkeling won’t disappoint. These unspoiled waters are sure to amaze you and your travel buddy. North Island - a Virtuoso property.

TANZANIA - SAYARI CAMP

As a born and raised Oregonian, when people mention camping - my mind goes to s’mores, sleeping bags, evergreen trees and sleeping on the ground. Tent camping in Africa done right, will forever ruin you and there will be no possible way to go back to the original camping that you’ve most likely been doing your whole life. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by the peacefulness and glorious night skies from your prime location in the remote northern Serengeti. By day you can either enjoy the views from the camp itself, in its lovely swimming pool, hop in the jeep for a game drive or take a walk with a ranger to experience things on foot. Note: glamping also requires really fabulous food and high end service. You won’t be homesick while enjoying your stay at the Sayari Camp.

Updated bucket list- Top 5!

Cheese alert! I love bucket lists. I’ve had one for a while. I go back to it, cross things off and update it. I have places that I’ve realized I should be moving up on my list, to go and enjoy while I’m younger. Then some trips would be best kept for when I’m older and moving a little slower. I’m an over thinker and a planner. Anyone else out there think like me?

Without any further delay (and in no particular order), here are the top 5 things that I would love to experience in the near future, please see my list below!

EGYPT! Fun fact: When I was a wee little one, I wanted to be an Egyptologist. I was obsessed with everything Cleopatra, hieroglyphics, the pyramids, and ancient artifacts. I wanted to ride a camel through the desert, explore the pyramids and take a river cruise down the Nile.

UGANDA or RWANDA (I’ll try not to be picky), GORILLA TREKKING Another little something that’s been on my bucket list since forever. I always loved reading about Jane Goodall, seeing her photos, any videos I saw of her, I thought what she did was the most incredible work. If I could go to these regions and experience these gorgeous and fascinating animals, I know I would also be giving back, because a portion of your trip goes toward the conservation.

A VISIT TO TORRES DEL PAINE, National Park I’m no city girl, I really enjoy beautiful landscapes and peacefulness! This is a place that I would like to disappear to for a while. Hire someone to run my business for the week, silence my phone and not answer an email. I love what I do, but this will be a trip where I truly unplug. I think we all should strive to find a trip that can help remove us from our busy lives and not just to an all inclusive on a beach somewhere. But a place that can challenge us, to help us step out from our comfort zone and to be closer to nature. This would be mine.

Ps. some lodges in the Patagonia region are DREAMY!

JUNGLE BOOK EXPERIENCE IN INDIA (Pench National Park) Not exactly the first thing that comes to mind for people if you were to mention traveling to India. Though for me I’ve just always known that someday I will visit the park where the Jungle Book author, Rudyard Kipling was inspired for the book. This very park is where you can go on safari to see the tigers in the wild. I would certainly add onto this trip and see more of the country, but this would be a must for me.

SAHARA DESERT TOUR, IN MOROCCO I suppose I could thank Jasmine and Aladdin for this one. Endless sand dunes, tents, rugs, tea, camels and just the desert sand for as long as the eye can see. I think this is an experience I would really enjoy and would never forget, there’s really nothing I could ever compare it to.

Parents, please teach your children what a bucket list is. Pull up google maps, or a globe if you have one and show them the world, inspire them at a young age. Help them write their list and to dream big. I hope you’ve enjoyed my list. I’m really looking forward to hearing from you and what yours has on it!

-Kelsey

Genoa: Hotel Bristol Palace

The warm sunshine greeted me as I walked out of the station and I took a moment to breath in the fresh air before heading to my hotel. The weather was sublime- especially because it was only the end of February. I was anxious to get to my hotel to drop my bags and to explore the new city, but I knew the hotel was only a 13 minute walk from the station, so I walked passed the taxis confidently, searching for the first street that I knew I needed to take in order to get myself to the Hotel Bristol Palace.

If you have easy luggage that you can roll along beside you and the weather is behaving, I would certainly suggest walking to the hotel on arrival. Your travel agent (hopefully me!) will book you to the right station in the city, since there are two and one is much more convenient.

Upon arrival to the hotel, after entering through the rotating doors, which always make me nervous that I’ll someday get stuck in one. I was greeted with two, bright smiles behind the front desk. “Buongiorno! Are you checking in?” I replied that I was and that I was looking for Fiorenza, the manager at the property, who I had been emailing with in anticipation to my stay. “Awwhh Signora Ebner! Okay! Let us get her.” I watched the reservations agent scurry to the back office and I immediately looked back up to the ceiling, which I had caught only a glance of when walking into the hotel.

I could only imagine how ridiculous I looked, with my mouth gaping wide open and I’m positive that I instantly whispered “wow” like Owen Wilson would have. The reservation agent caught me off guard and said, “it’s amazing, isn’t it?” You got that right.

Fiorenza made me feel right at home at the hotel, she escorted me upstairs to show me my room. Well not actually up the stairs, don’t worry, this hotel does have an elevator! As beautiful as this staircase is, I’m grateful that they have the lift. Fourth floor, on the left, then a right. That’s where I believe to be one of the best rooms in the hotel and that’s where I was staying for the night! This Junior Suite room had these great big windows, which actually opened up to two small balconies to my surprise, with a large window between them. Fiorenza opened one of the doors up and showed me the view down the street, where you can see a large piazza not even a block away, with a large fountain in the center of it.

I settled into the hotel room with my luggage and freshened up before my next meet up with Fiorenza downstairs. I snuck in a few emails and then made my way out onto the balcony to take in the street scene below.

Fiorenza was there waiting for me at the bottom of the staircase, ready to give me an introduction to the hotel. As we walked toward the first room, she began giving me the history of the property, sharing with me that they had first opened the doors to the hotel in 1905. If you’re lucky, you’ll stay in a beautiful historic building while visiting Italy, just like this one. You know you’re in a special area of a city, if you’re staying in the same neighborhood as where the cities Opera House is located. Which in fact, is just a couple of minutes away on foot, from the Hotel Bristol Palace! This is something I will certainly look into adding to my trip, the next time I visit Genoa.

One thing that really struck at this hotel, was that each room was unique to the other. The furniture, the flooring, the walls, all providing a different, but accurate look to the times in which the hotel opened. They were renovating a few of the rooms while I was there, but it didn’t interrupt my stay and I was happy to hear that they are keeping everything as original as possible and really taking care of it. I also really loved the antique furniture throughout the hotel, in the lobby and dining rooms, it added character to the place. This is a solid 4 star hotel in Genova and I’m looking forward to showing this option to my clients, especially those that will appreciate the history of the hotel.

When we entered the dining room, which is also the breakfast room in the mornings, I really felt a sense of place, a place back in time. It was elegant and the ceiling decorations again had me easily distracted and gazing around the room. Fiorenza must laugh every time she has to watch a new person taking in all of the art. “It really is beautiful.” She said proudly to me. I nodded in silence as I grabbed my camera again and began taking photos of the room.

Later that night, after exploring the city for a few hours, I headed to the hotels restaurant for dinner. I wish I had photos for proof, to show you the delicious pesto (which originated from this region-Liguria!) and the well paired local glass of wine that I enjoyed for dinner at Ristorante Giotto. But you’ll just have to trust me on this one, as I was half way through my plate of pasta before I even thought to take a photo of it- other proof that I’m definitely not a blogger haha! Lucky for me, the restaurant was just 2 floors below my room, so it was an easy decision to enjoy my dinner there, rather than to venture out still jet lagged. Another reason I was lucky…it was very very good. I remember sitting there, wishing I was hungrier and could enjoy more from their menu, maybe even a dessert, but this was the perfect end to a great first day in Genoa.

Thanks to the staff and management at the Hotel Bristol Palace, I really enjoyed my time in Genoa! Before I even checked out, I warned them that I will most definitely be returning to see more of their beautiful city. My next blog post will be all about my experience in the city and own outlook on things there.

Note: As some of you know, when I stay at hotels I will arrange to have a site inspection of the property I’m staying at, which gives me a better understanding of the hotel. The manager or front desk agent will take me around to different room categories, to visit the dining rooms, the spa, pool or gym. This way I am familiar with the grounds and able to better explain this place to my travelers. It’s important for me to compare room categories and to see the difference between the rooms. Which can be a game changer for my clients! For example, now that I know what a fabulous room the Junior Suite is, I will absolutely encourage my travelers to book this particular room for their stay. Everything always depends on pricing and availability, but if I can get my clients in the best room of the hotel, that’s my job. Don’t try and call Costco or look on booking.com for assistance like that!