Just 72 km from Gqeberha, deep within a vast expanse of untouched wilderness in the heart of South Africa’s Addo Elephant National Park, a sanctuary is quietly emerging. Welcome to Mantis Hiddn in Addo, a five-star eco-lodge that doesn’t merely offer an escape, it redefines it.
Opening in November 2025, Hiddn invites guests into a realm where nature sets the pace. Each day begins with the rise of the African sun and unfolds through intimate guided safaris, tailored wellness rituals and starlit dining under a vast untouched sky. Every moment is designed not just to be lived, but to be remembered forever.
At Hiddn, no two stays are ever the same. Each guest experience is individually curated – tailored with care, shaped by personal preferences and deeply connected to the land.
Luxury accommodations include ten standalone one-bedroom suites and two spacious two-bedroom suites, each featuring private decks and wood-fired Kolkol baths. For larger groups, two four-bedroom private villas provide ultimate comfort and total privacy, complete with an infinity pool and a large deck overlooking the wilderness.
Each guest space also includes a precision-crafted telescope, offering a rare chance to explore the celestial wonders of the African sky in exquisite detail.
The Hiddn experience pairs the intimacy of a safari lodge with the elevated comforts of a luxury hotel.
An infinity pool, firepit and signature wellness programme by the award-winning Amani Spa provide moments of deep rest and restoration. Dining is made to order and highly personalised, while private game drives, expert-guided walking safaris and wild nature swims offer immersive connections to the land and its wildlife.
Sustainability is not merely an afterthought at Hiddn, it underpins everything. Developed in partnership with Mantis, pioneers of responsible tourism, the lodge is built using eco-friendly, locally sourced materials designed to minimise environmental impact. Architecture is low-carbon and modular, shaped to harmonise with the landscape. Timber waffle structures breathe with the environment, while living creepers form natural canopies – an architectural rarity found in only three places in the world. The lodge runs on solar energy and incorporates water harvesting and full recycling systems.
Trails and roads have also been restored, allowing animals to roam freely and once-disturbed landscapes to be rewilded and brought back to life.
At Hiddn luxury is inseparable from compassion. Around 75 members of nearby communities will receive training and employment, while a purpose-built staff village, education initiatives, youth programmes and planned profit-sharing are all part of a lasting commitment to socially conscious, community-driven hospitality.
Hiddn in Addo is not simply a retreat – it is a return. A return to purpose, to wilderness, to wonder. It is an invitation to rediscover what matters most, in a place where every detail reflects a deep respect for the earth and its people and where luxury and legacy walk hand in hand.
