Fodor's Names Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve One of 100 Best Hotels Worldwide

Sabi Sabi won in the "Luxurious Retreats" category and was recognized for the "secluded and intimate" nature of Selati Camp; the unique atmosphere created by its "old railroad" theme, and for "superb value for money" of its Ivory Presidential Suite.

Fodor's Travel is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year and added a number of new categories to its worldwide hotels awards selections including "Clubby Atmosphere" and "Casual Chic." The category in which Sabi Sabi won, "Luxurious Retreats,” is also a new category. Fodor's Executive Editorial Director, Arabella Bowen, said, "Our editors and writers travel the globe each year to scout hotels, and the Fodor's 100 Hotel Awards represent the best of the best." She also said that the choice of where to stay is one of the most important decisions a traveler makes: "We believe these 100 hotels deliver the style, service, and quality that our discerning travelers seek."

Of Sabi Sabi's four lodges, each built in a distinctive style to represent the past (Selati Camp - pictured above), the present (Bush Lodge and Little Bush Camp) and the future (Earth Lodge), Fodor's editors and writers chose Selati Camp as their favorite. To them it captures the Out of Africa romance of the great safari era camps. They describe it as, "an intimate, stylish, colonial-style camp that was formerly the private hunting lodge of a famous South African opera singer. The early-1900s atmosphere is created by the use of genuine train memorabilia–old leather suitcases, antique wooden chairs, nameplates, and signals–that recall the old Selati branch train line, which once crossed the reserve, transporting gold from the interior to the coast of Mozambique in the 1870s. At night the grounds of this small, secluded lodge flicker with the lights of the original shunters' oil lamps. Dinner is held in the boma, whereas lunch is served on the dining deck with endless views of the bush.

Members of the glitterati and European royalty have stayed at the spacious Ivory Presidential Suite, with its Persian rugs and antique furniture."

Located in the southwestern Sabi Sand section of Kruger National Park, Sabi Sabi has been a safari destination for more than 30 years. Today, this private game reserve offers world-class standards in luxury accommodation, once in a lifetime wildlife encounters, warm African hospitality, and mouthwatering cuisine. Sabi Sabi is also an outstanding example of holistic conservation principles, balancing the ecology with the needs of local people and their communities.

PHOTO ABOVE is Selati Camp. For more information: www.sabisabi.com

Hotel Profile: Sabi Sabi Earth Lodge