Fodor's Expert Review Duba Plains

Completely rebuilt in 2017, this new Relais & Chateaux member has been propelled from the ranks of simple comfort into the echelons of luxury with five giant, safari-style suites bursting with character. Borrowing many of the design aspects from its sister camp Zarafa—think ornate Zanzibar doors and polished wood floors—the rooms exude an understated luxury: leather sofa and armchairs, discreet bar and fridge, elegant writing desk, bedroom cooling system, copper claw-foot bath, and binoculars to use on game-drives. Large mesh panels with floor-to-ceiling curtains keep you connected to the natural world, even at night when chirping reed frogs and guffawing hippos lull you to sleep. Outside, your private deck, made of recycled railway sleepers, houses a plunge pool, sala, and exercise bike for fitness fanatics. The cavernous two-bedroom villa also comes with its own lounge, chef, guide, butler and private vehicle. The main lounge, library, and dining area continue the theme with comfy leather sofas, crimson rugs, and Indian chests that spill onto a spacious deck, overlooking the endless floodplains. But the emphasis here is firmly on the wildlife—the lion prides are famous for their proclivity for buffalo, and although their appetites are now more diverse, they still often hunt in daylight. Breakfast is frequently taken during your morning drive, and lunch can be brought to you so you don't miss out on the action. Return to camp by boat, where the surrounding water has created a paradise for birders, enticing herds of red lechwe, elephant, and other plains game, and the reintroduction of rhino completes an impressive bounty of wildlife riches.