Lidiko Lodge

Lidiko Lodge sits atop a coastal dune above Great St Lucia Lake, inside the iSimangaliso Wetland Park — South Africa's first UNESCO World Heritage Site — with a thatched main building counted among the oldest structures in St Lucia village, built in a traditional Zululand style. Its 16 garden rooms (12 double/twin en-suite, two family triple rooms and one larger family unit) all open onto private patios facing the pool or gardens, a five-minute walk from the village's restaurants and markets.

Guests take breakfast on a dining deck overlooking the gardens, where visiting wildlife is a regular sight, and the guest lounge is furnished with South African artwork and a reading nook. On Booking.com, Lidiko holds a 9.0 out of 10 rating from 91 reviews, with staff scored 9.6 and free WiFi a perfect 10.0.

The lodge earns some of its warmest reviews for its quiet, personal feel: Peter, a guest from the United Kingdom, wrote that "the staff were exemplary, and we enjoyed the quietness (as we were the only guests for 3 days)," while Bjorn from Germany described it as "nestled in a gorgeous tropical garden, very friendly staff and host."