Hot List Hotels 2009
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Selinda Private Reserve
Botswana
Your first glimpse of the terrain from Zarafa's lofty, canvas-roofed reception area—a sweeping vista of a lagoon and the palm-studded floodplains beyond— is nothing short of stunning. The 300,000-acre Selinda Reserve's flagship camp comprises four massive tents, each outfitted with a grand copper tub and a plunge pool. In remaking this camp (formerly Zibadianja), the owners, documentary filmmakers Beverly and Dereck Joubert, took great pains to be gentle on the environment without forsaking luxury. Floors are fashioned from the recycled teakwood of railway sleeper cars; there's an on-site water filtration plant; and the electricity flows 24/7 from solar panels, making Zarafa Africa's first luxe camp powered only by the sun. Another likely first: Guests get a Canon D40 and lenses to use during their stay, and the photos— which typically star some of Selinda's 9,000 elephants— are downloaded onto CDs as souvenirs. The Jouberts' touch can be felt everywhere: He chose the site; she created the decor and the menu, which includes dishes such as prune-stuffed turkey breast and marula mustard lamb tagine—all served on jackalberry-shaded teak decks.
When to go: May through October, when the skies are blue and the elephants are in abundance.
Which room to book: With just four to choose from, you can't go wrong; book three tents and the camp is yours.
Information may have changed since date of publication. Please confirm details with individual establishments before planning your trip.
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