Tapping Into the Senses
An unspoken philosophy among luxury hoteliers is to excite visitors by creating emotional connections through multiple sensory experiences. By appealing to sight, sound, taste, touch and smell, hotels manage to engage all of the guests’ senses.
Sight At Marataba Safari Lodge’s Thabametsi Treehouse, guests have the vantage point of the Waterberg Mountains and are surrounded by the luscious expanse of the Marakele National Park. Watch wildlife wander across the terrain. Spot giraffes’ heads poking out above the treetops, the Big Five roaming, antelopes grazing and cheetahs on the prowl. Bird watchers will
catch sight of herons, kingfishers, Gurney’s sugarbird and birds of prey, including Cape vultures. The open skies allow onlookers to enjoy the unfolding of an African sunset, as rose-gold colours paint the sky. At night, the absence of city lights leaves the Milky Way in full view, with shooting stars darting across the seemingly endless night-sky. Guests at Marataba are immersed in nature, ceaselessly captivated by the sense of sight. For more information, please visit www.marataba.co.za/treehouse.
Sound Londolozi in Zulu translates to “protector of all living things” in English, expressing the private game reserve’s ambitious conservation focus, experienced first-hand by those who visit. At Londolozi, situated in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, guests have the privilege of experiencing what it sounds and feels like to be right next to a male lion as it roars. In the wilderness, listening out for the elements of nature at play, in tune with that of the animals becomes an unsung luxury. For more information, please visit www.londolozi.com
Taste At Tintswalo Atlantic near Cape Town, renowned Chef Guy Clark has launched “Ocean and Ash”, a tasting menu that defies the norm. The menu pays tribute to the nearby ocean and the rebuilding of the lodge following the tragic fires of 2015. Chef Clark tantalises taste buds in an eight-course adventure, accompanied by some of the Cape’s finest wines. The menu incorporates oceanic ingredients, such as seaweed and sea salt, with elements that relate to fire, such as smoke and ash. Good food does as much for the soul as it does for your taste buds, even for the most seasoned traveller. For more information, please visit www.tintswalo.com/atlantic
Touch At The Royal Portfolio’s Silo Hotel, the element of touch is a very special part of guests’ experience. Diving into bed is a pleasure thanks to bedding that is 60 % linen and 40 % cotton. The towels are 100 % luxury cotton. The linen and towels are embroidered by hand, designed specially by owner Liz Biden, to create a tangible feeling of luxury. The Silo building sits above the Zeitz MOCAA (Museum of Contemporary Art Africa), towering over the V&A Waterfront, with guests feeling the sense of being elevated by an architectural beacon overlooking the city of Cape Town. For more information, visit www.theroyalportfolio.com/the-silo
Smell Londolozi’s 1926 amenities range of scents is calming and up-lifting. Presented in deep amber glass vials, the range has been created in harmony with nature, captivating the evocative perfume of the savannah and grasslands, using natural, biodegradable ingredients and locally sourced fragrances. Pure essential oils, combined with aromatic herbal extracts of wild basil, have been designed to detoxify, refresh and balance the skin. The signature scent of the range is created with pure essential oils, it is reminiscent of old-fashioned cologne, with citrus aromas and earthy undertones. It works as a wonderful emollient, while the main ingredient, avocado oil, is high in Vitamin A, D and E, and is also known for its collagen producing qualities. For more information, visit blog.londolozi.com. The sensory awakening one experiences in a luxury hotel leaves guests with everlasting memories.