&Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge

&Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge Review

This gorgeous glass and stone lodge has a spectacular setting in the NamibRand Nature Reserve. Its ultraluxurious desert villas, facing a vast golden-yellow plain with misty mountains on the horizon, are built of natural rock and look out over a plain ringed by peaks. Huge desert-facing suites have private patios and sundecks and big open fireplaces to keep you warm on chilly desert nights. Shower in your megasize bathroom (even your toilet has an incomparable view) or outside in your own little walled garden. You can lie in bed and watch the stars through the skylight overhead or climb up to the observatory behind the lodge. In 2012 the area was awarded the coveted International Dark Star Reserve status and with the observatory's state-of-the-art telescope and the lodge's resident astronomer you can experience an enthralling tour through the heavens. The food is as creative as the lodge itself—try tandoori-baked kingklip (a delicious Southern African fish) served with mango salsa—and there's a super wine cellar. You can explore the area on an eco-friendly quad bike, go for guided nature walks or drives, spot some native desert birds and animals, or just sit and gaze at the incredible views.