The remote Kenyan archipelago of Lamu isn't the sort of place that visitors easily stumble upon. Located on the country's Indian Ocean coast, it often requires multiple flights and transfers - leaving its pristine beaches and unchanged way of life for only the very intrepid to savour. With the opening of the new 25-room Majlis (fhemalllsresorfs.com) on Manda lsland, that might start to change. Set among landscaped gardens and mangrove forests on a long, sandy stretch, the former villa features an extensive private art collection and ayurvedic spa. Back on the mainland, &Beyond has added a new private dwelling, The Homestead(andbeyondafrica.com), to its ever-expanding portfolio. Located on South Africa's vast 23,OOOha Phinda Private Game Reserve, it features its own butler, chef ,4x4 and guide but just four suites, a large lounge and a gym in an eco-friendly, thatched structure created from local materials and dressed up with African artefacts and modern furnishings - all of it surrounded by decking, a pool and expanses of grass.
From Departures - Summer 2010