WHY IT RATES: Recently featured on Condé Nast Traveler's list of the Best Resorts in the World, the refurbishment at the Royal Malewane maintains the property's classic safari style while also giving it a lovely refresh. -Mia Taylor, TravelPulse Senior Writer.
Royal Malewane, The Royal Portfolio's exclusive safari lodge in South Africa's Greater Kruger National Park, which opened in 1999, has completed an extensive refurbishment of its public spaces, rooms, suites and award-winning spa, along with the addition of a brand-new bush bar.
The refurbishment of Royal Malewane entailed major structural work to the lodge, including new floors, doorways, walls, decking and thatching, as well as resurfacing of the swimming pools.
Liz Biden, owner of The Royal Portfolio, who personally designs all of the collection's properties, has added new, hand-selected pieces of furniture and vibrantly colored fabrics to the lodge décor.
Royal Malewane's two signature Royal Suites were also enhanced with new gazebo entrances, while the lodge's kosher kitchen was completely redone.
The centerpiece of the newly reimagined Royal Malewane safari lodge is the brand-new Masiya Bar, on the site of the old boma. This contemporary gin and whiskey bush bar is a tribute to Wilson Masiya, the first of three Master Trackers at Royal Malewane, who sadly passed away in 2015 but whose legacy lives on at the lodge through his colleagues, Jonas Mhula and Juan Pinto.
The Masiya Bar is an ideal space for guests to relax around the fire and swap stories of their days on safari over gin and tonics. The Masiya Bar can also be set up for private dinners for guests of Royal Malewane.
"The refurbishment has given the entire lodge a lovely lift, while retaining the classic safari style and relaxed atmosphere that our guests have enjoyed for nearly 20 years," said Biden.
Royal Malewane was recently featured on Condé Nast Traveler's list of the Best Resorts in the World. And there are yet more developments in the pipeline at the lodge, including The Farmstead at Royal Malewane, set to open in mid-2019.
To learn more about the newly refurbished Royal Malewane safari lodge, its new Masiya Bar and its sister properties in The Royal Portfolio collection, please visit: www.theroyalportfolio.com.
The Royal Portfolio is a collection of iconic hotels and private residences in South Africa owned and run by the Biden family. The Royal Portfolio includes Royal Malewane in Greater Kruger National Park, Birkenhead House in Hermanus, La Residence in Franschhoek, The Silo Hotel in Cape Town and a collection of private residences that includes The One Above penthouse.
SOURCE: The Royal Portfolio press release
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