Middle East & Africa
Palace hotels, safari camps and a manor where the giraffes join breakfast.
This is the region for travellers who want their hotels to come with a sense of occasion, and often a sense of wilderness too. A stay might mean a two-century-old garden wrapped in a Marrakech palace, a glass-walled suite open to a leopard-rich reserve, or a 1930s manor where an endangered herd of giraffes ambles up for the morning feed.
From the souks of the Red City to the plains of the Sabi Sand, these are the addresses that make the map feel wide open again.
Hotels in Middle East & Africa
StatementBurj Al Arab
It calls itself seven stars. It isn't (there's no such thing), but the sheer gold-leafed audacity of the place is a destination in its own right.
From $1,600 / night
Palace HotelLa Mamounia
Behind the ramparts of the medina sits a 200-year-old garden and a hotel that has hosted everyone from Winston Churchill to the entire fashion set.
From $750 / night
Safari LodgeSingita Sabi Sand
Conservation-first safari at its most refined: glass-walled suites, a private reserve full of leopard, and service that feels almost telepathic.
From $2,100 / night
Urban ResortOne&Only Cape Town
A polished marina resort at the foot of Table Mountain, with island spa suites, a serious wine list, and one of the best views of any city on earth.
From $640 / night
Boutique ManorGiraffe Manor
A creeper-clad country house on the edge of Nairobi where a herd of endangered Rothschild's giraffes pokes its heads through the windows at breakfast.
From $1,450 / night
Middle East & Africa Guides
GuideYour First Safari: An Honest Beginner's Guide
Everything nobody tells you before your first game drive, from what to pack to how not to waste the trip.
9 min read · June 2026
GuideMarrakech: A Sensory Survival Guide
The Red City assaults every sense at once. Here's how to surrender to it without being overwhelmed.
6 min read · March 2026