Newmark Hotels has announced the opening of the lodge Babohi at Qwabi Private Game Reserve. The property is set in a commanding location overlooking the game-rich hills of the Waterberg biosphere. Offering 25 rooms and suites, Babohi is the flagship offering at Qwabi Private Game Reserve and the second of three lodges to be built and refurbished across this 11,000-hectare conservation area.
While Letamo lodge, which opened on Qwabi late last year, offers a family-friendly safari, Babohi ups the ante for creature comforts in the wilderness. The lodge is dedicated to delivering "understated opulence" in a Big Five setting. The 25 rooms and suites are spread across four room categories, each offering private spaces, high-end furnishings and wilderness views. Select suites promise a range of additional indulgences, from private plunge pools to the trendy wood-fired hot tubs. The stand-out offering is the Lion presidential suite, spanning over 1,614 square feet to allow for private dining and butler service on request.
Within the main lodge, the communal areas include a restaurant, showcasing regional and international cuisine, and a choice of bars. The lodge stocks vintages from some of South Africa’s most famous cellars, hand-selected by Marlvin Gwese, group sommelier for Newmark Hotels and Reserves. The lounge space, complete with natural tones and textures beneath thatched ceilings, spills out onto a rooftop pool deck delivering panoramic views across the reserve. For those favoring wellness over the wilderness, the double-story spa offers an extensive menu of facial and body treatments.
Dining experiences are meant to be interactive. Options include discovering wild game on the wood-fired grill or getting hands-on with the tableside hibachi grills that allow guests to create their own dining experience. Guests can also enjoy traditional South African braai experiences, often enjoyed al fresco beneath the starry southern skies, or upscale gourmet evenings offering à la carte dining. Alongside regional produce, Chris Erasmus, food and beverage curator for Newmark Hotels and Reserves, and his team also look to incorporate wild ingredients foraged from the surrounding landscape.
Beyond the lodge, guests can look forward to twice-daily game drives in the company of expert safari guides. While all of the “Big Five” are found on Qwabi Private Game Reserve, equally thrilling is the chance to spot lesser-known residents, from elusive aardvark to the 200-plus bird species recorded here.
Qwabi Private Game Reserve is located within the rich biodiversity corridor of the malaria-free Waterberg. This region of dramatic geological formations and savannah grassland is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, home to more than 5,500 species of flora, many of which are endemic to the region.
The lodge is open to guests above 16 years old.
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