Southern Africa
The 2025 hot list: the 14 best new hotels in Southern Africa
The list of all-new 2025 hotels in Southern Africa
Do you want to know where to book a stay in Southern Africa, right now? Hotel aficionados want to know what’s new, what’s popular and where to go – and with a slew of highly anticipated debuts, there are more hotels to explore than ever before. We maintain a current list of all new hotels in Southern Africa that are set to open in 2025, conveniently divided down month by month so you can see exactly when they opened. Here is the complete guide to the African region’s newest, best and buzziest hotels, inns and guesthouses.
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Table of Contents
Top photography courtesy of Spier Hotel
December
15/12
Intercontinental Table Bay Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
At the V&A Waterfront, Cape Town’s harbour district, the former Table Bay has reopened in December 2025 as Intercontinental Table Bay Cape Town. It previously closed for a multimillion-rand refurbishment with interior demolition. The hotel opened in 1997, launched by former President Nelson Mandela and is now Cape Town’s first Intercontinental, with Sun International as local partner. A new sixth-floor addition houses the Club Intercontinental Private Lounge, overlooking the harbour and Table Mountain. For food, there is The Botanist Lobby Lounge and Bar plus Le Bistro de Jan by Michelin-star chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen. Facilities include concierge, Planet Trekkers, gym, spa and IHG One Rewards.
Intercontinental Table Bay Cape Town
Quay 6
V&A Waterfront
Cape Town
South Africa
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Photography courtesy of Intercontinental Table Bay Cape Town
15/12
Spanish Farm Boutique Hotel & Villas
Somerset West, South Africa
High on the Helderberg above Somerset West, Spanish Farm Boutique Hotel & Villas sits in award-winning gardens with wide views over False Bay from Cape Point to Gordon’s Bay. Indigenous fynbos, proteas and silver trees draw birdlife, while the pool terrace looks out to the Indian Ocean. Stay in guesthouse rooms or self-catering villas with fully equipped kitchens, Nespresso machines, air-conditioned en-suite bedrooms and private patios. Some villas add outdoor showers and wood-fired hot tubs for late afternoons. A fitness studio covers mornings, then it is wine-route territory, with Somerset West and Stellenbosch close by. Organic amenities and Mungo towels keep the finish clean. Spanish Farm is part of RAW Africa Collection.
Spanish Farm Boutique Hotel & Villas
40 Silverboomkloof Road
Somerset West
South Africa
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Photography courtesy of Spanish Farm Boutique Hotel & Villas
11/12
Morea House
Cape Town, South Africa
Set back from the palm-lined promenade in Camps Bay, Morea House brings a calmer register to one of Cape Town’s most performative neighbourhoods. Camps Bay sits between the Atlantic Ocean and the Twelve Apostles mountains, equal parts beach scene and city frontage. The 90-room hotel is part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection but reads as firmly local. Interiors by Cape Town–based architect Tristan du Plessis lean sculptural and tactile, using timber, stone and bronze tones to echo the landscape outside. Dining moves from modern Lebanese at Omri to relaxed poolside plates upstairs. Wellness is woven into the stay, from guided mountain walks to cold-water immersion in the Atlantic. It works as a retreat within the spectacle rather than an extension of it.
Morea House
35 Victoria Rd
Camps Bay
Cape Town
South Africa
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Photography courtesy of Morea House
August
15/8
The Ritz-Carlton Masai Mara Safari Camp
Msasi Mara, Kenya
Kenya’s luxury safari scene has been expanding with real ambition and the new Ritz-Carlton Masai Mara Safari Camp raises the bar again. Set along a quiet section of the Talek River, the camp keeps its footprint intentionally small, focusing on an intimate style of hospitality rather than resort-scale grandeur. The tents are more like elevated treehouse suites, each one with a plunge pool and a deck where you can watch elephants wander past while you’re still deciding what to have for breakfast. We love how design-driven it all is. There’s a calm, earthy palette running through the rooms and everything feels intentionally put together without tipping into that overdone luxury safari aesthetic. Game drives head out early and late in the day, following the rhythms of wildlife rather than a tight schedule. And if you’re into photography, there’s a full studio on site with pros who help you turn those fleeting sightings into actual portfolio shots.
The Ritz-Carlton Masai Mara Safari Camp
Masai Mara
Kenya
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Photography courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton Masai Mara Safari Camp
July
1/7
& Beyond Suyian Lodge
Laikipia County Sosian, Kenya
Set on 44,000 acres of private wilderness in northern Laikipia, & Beyond’s Suyian Lodge pairs raw Kenyan landscapes with refined comfort. The lodge’s low-impact architecture – timber frames, stone walls and open-air living spaces – blurs the line between indoors and the surrounding plains. 14 suites prioritise privacy, many with private plunge pools and verandas overlooking the conservancy. Wildlife here is abundant and sometimes elusive – black rhinos, wild dogs, Grevy’s zebras and black leopards traverse the land. You can explore on horseback, walk with pastoral herders, take guided walking safaris or enjoy yoga atop rock platforms. Spend your evening stargazing by firelight far from city lights. We also love that &Beyond Suyian Lodge operates in partnership with Space for Giants and the Suyian Conservancy Trust, directing revenue toward anti-poaching initiatives, habitat restoration and community projects.
& Beyond Suyian Lodge
Suyian Conservancy
Laikipia County Sosian
Kenya
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Photography courtesy of &Beyond Suyian Lodge
1/7
Park Hyatt Johannesburg
Johannesburg, South Africa
Park Hyatt Johannesburg debuted in Rosebank as the brand’s most intimate property yet – just 31 rooms and suites, making it the smallest Park Hyatt in the world. It occupies a lovingly restored 1930s colonial mansion, honouring Sir Herbert Baker’s architectural legacy with high ceilings, graceful arches, wide verandahs and a central courtyard centred on a mature jacaranda tree surrounded by sculpted gardens and a heated pool. Each room blends curated South African artistry with local themes – like Safari, Leaf and Sea Algae – featuring king-size beds, floor-to-ceiling windows, marble bathrooms, deep soaking tubs, crisp cotton linens and Ndebele-patterned throws. Dining happens at Room 32, a dramatic live-fire restaurant showcasing seasonal local ingredients, while The Lounge offers cocktails, cigars and a sommelier-curated South African wine list.
Park Hyatt Johannesburg
6 Tottenham Ave
Melrose Estate
Johannesburg
South Africa
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Photography courtesy of Park Hyatt Johannesburg
June
7/6
Mahali Mzuri
Masai Mara, Kenya
Virgin Limited Edition’s Mahali Mzuri has always had an edge – but its latest redesign pushes this Kenyan safari camp into a new aesthetic chapter. The refreshed interiors by British designer Yasmine Mahmoudieh reframe traditional tented luxury with a warm, elemental palette – copper accents, Maasai-inspired patterns and tactile details like grass-cloth wall finishes. Located in the Olare Motorogi Conservancy, just north of the Maasai Mara, the camp’s layout remains unchanged – 12 luxury tents on raised decks overlooking the savannah – but the mood is more contemporary, more rooted. Communal spaces now carry a residential ease, featuring hand-carved furniture, intimate lighting and large-scale artworks that give the lodge a distinctive sense of place.
Mahali Mzuri
Masai Mara
Motorogi Conservancy
Kenya
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Photography courtesy of Mahali Mzuri
5/6
Ashanté Boutique Retreat
Clanwilliam, South Africa
Ashanté Boutique Retreat is a secluded, off‑grid eco‑sanctuary set along the Olifants River in the Cederberg Mountains, just over two hours from Cape Town. The one‑bedroom Ananda Cabin sleeps two, with a king‑size bed, indoor–outdoor showers, a freestanding bath, a two-way wood‑burning fireplace, and an open‑plan kitchen. Outside, a private deck offers a wood‑fired hot tub, braai/pizza oven, daybeds and hammock – all powered by solar energy. Designed for slow living and gratitude, the retreat encourages unplugging. Here you can birdwatch, stargaze, paddle, fish or rock climb right from the retreat.
Ashanté Boutique Retreat
Bulshoek Farm 583 part 1
Clanwilliam
South Africa
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Photography courtesy of Ashanté Boutique Retreat
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May
1/5
Chongwe House
Lilayi, Zambia
Chongwe House is a private, sole-use retreat on the banks of the Chongwe River, just outside Zambia’s Lower Zambezi National Park. Designed by KT Interior, the design honours the home’s sculptural, organic architecture, with curved ferro walls, tree-trunk features and hand-painted details. The interiors combine natural textures, soft linens and earth-toned finishes to create a serene, tactile oasis. Floor-to-ceiling windows and open decks connect each space to the river, where elephants, hippos and crocs roam freely. As a family or small group, you can enjoy full privacy with four ensuite bedrooms, an infinity pool and spaces that flow seamlessly between indoor and outdoor living.
Chongwe House
Plot 18
House 5
Lilayi Road
Lilayi
Zambia
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Photography courtesy of Chongwe House
April
1/4
Gorongosa Safaris
Goina, Mozambique
Gorongosa National Park, once nearly destroyed by decades of civil war, is now one of Africa’s most inspiring conservation success stories. Located in central Mozambique, this biodiverse paradise is buzzing with life once more – lions, elephants, wild dogs and more than 400 bird species roam its floodplains, forests and savannas. Now, with the launch of Gorongosa Safaris, you can experience this remarkable restoration firsthand. Gorongosa Safaris offers three stays, each designed for deep immersion in the park’s landscapes and communities. Muzimu Lodge, a classic tented safari camp, provides breathtaking riverfront views and guided game drives. Chicari Camp, a seasonal tented retreat, places you right in the heart of Gorongosa’s wilderness for an off-grid experience. For adventurers seeking something truly unique, Mount Gorongosa Community Camp offers fly camping on the slopes of this sacred mountain, where you can hike through rainforests and engage with local communities.
Gorongosa Safaris
Gorongosa National Park
Goinha
Mozambique
Photography courtesy of Gorongosa Safaris
March
1/3
Spier Hotel
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Some places don’t just welcome you – they pull you in. The newly reimagined Spier Hotel, set within Spier Wine Farm in Stellenbosch, does exactly that. The hotel’s indigenous gardens – home to 39,000 newly planted fynbos – set the scene for a stay connected to nature. At its heart, an expansive wellness spa features a Cape Herbal Bath House, where healing botanicals are cultivated for therapeutic treatments. The hotel stays true to its roots with Fair Trade practices, farm-to-table dining and is committed to regenerative farming. You can also enjoy visiting three on-site bars including a rooftop sundowner bar and one of the largest heated pools in the Winelands. A feature we love is the wine library that showcases the farm’s award-winning vintages and the impressive 3,600-piece contemporary South African art collection curated throughout the spaces by the Spier Arts Trust.
Spier Hotel
R310 Baden Powell Dr
Stellenbosch
South Africa
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Photography courtesy of Spier Hotel
February
5/2
Blou
Keurboomstrand, South Africa
At Blou, eight self-catering cottages sit on a sea-facing strip of Keurboomstrand, just minutes from Plettenberg Bay, offering barefoot luxury on the edge of the Indian Ocean. Developed by the team behind Babylonstoren, Blou brings their signature farm-to-table ethos and sensory rewilding to the beach. The accommodation comprises three ocean-facing cottages, two courtyard cottages and three courtyard cottages featuring a kids’ loft. Courtyard cottages boast their own braai areas, while the sea-facing cottages come with gas braais for al fresco dinners as the sun dips below the horizon. In the central courtyard, you’ll find the sparkling pool flanked by a steam room, sauna and jacuzzi – a mini version of the Babylonstoren spa. A welcome house at the heart of the estate handles concierge services and grocery provisioning, making self-catering seamless. You can only book at Blou if you have previously stayed at Babylonstoren or The Newt, their property in Somerset, England.
Blou
52 Main Street
Keurboomstrand
South Africa
Photography courtesy of Blou
January
28/1
Radisson Collection Hotel Waterfront
Cape Town, South Africa
At Radisson Collection Hotel Waterfront, the interiors are inspired by the meeting of land and sea – imagine timber, brass and stone alongside a palette of oceanic blues, sandy neutrals and earthy tones that echo Table Mountain’s rugged silhouette. We love the on-site bespoke art gallery featuring curated pieces showcasing local fashion and architecture, giving the hotel a contemporary edge while spotlighting African craftsmanship. Staying at Radisson Collection Hotel Waterfront also gives you access to an infinity pool overlooking the ocean and the Amani Spa. Also worth mentioning is the recently refurbished Tobago’s Restaurant Bar and Terrace and the newly opened Waveside Café, located in the west atrium, providing a luxurious deli and café experience.
Radisson Collection Hotel Waterfront
100 Beach Road
Granger Bay Blvd
Mouille Point
Cape Town
South Africa
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Photography courtesy of Radisson Collection Hotel Waterfront
24/1
Canopy by Hilton Cape Town Longkloof
Cape Town, South Africa
In the heart of Cape Town’s Longkloof district, where colonial façades meet indie boutiques and the scent of espresso mingles with sea air, Canopy by Hilton Cape Town Longkloof emerges as a stylish nod to the city’s layered identity. Architects DHK, in collaboration with KM2K Interior Design, have transformed a 112-year-old tobacco warehouse into a 154-room hotel that fuses industrial heritage with contemporary flair . Inside, custom oak floors by Oggie and vibrant local artworks reflect the city’s creative pulse. At the helm is General Manager Mercia Horn, a Cape Town native whose journey from Mitchell’s Plain waitress to hospitality leader infuses the hotel with authentic local warmth . The on-site restaurant offers bold reinterpretations of traditional flavours . With its blend of history, design and local culture, Canopy by Hilton Cape Town Longkloof offers a fresh perspective on the Mother City’s charm.
Canopy by Hilton Cape Town Longkloof
Park Rd
Gardens
Cape Town
South Africa
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Photography courtesy of Canopy by Hilton Cape Town Longkloof
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