Karkloof Spa

Award-winning spa and boutique lodge set on a 3500-hectare private game reserve, teeming with wildlife and cinematic vistas and only 1 hour from Durban

On arrival at Karkloof Spa, chances are high that you’ll spot a wild animal of some sort before you even get to reception. In our case it was an enormous white rhino, lazily grazing and completely unfazed when the car screeched to a halt and the wildlife paparazzi almost fell out of the windows to get a shot. Along with the wellness angle - and make no mistake, Karkloof is one of Africa's largest and best spas, with 17 treatment rooms, saunas, steam rooms, indoor and outdoor Jacuzzis and Roman baths - this magnificent property is also a wildlife retreat and a 5-star lodge.

The drive to the lodge showcases the wide open, wild magic of the place. Built high up on a bushy slope, it affords sweeping views over the valley below, glimpses of a galloping river and green hills rolling off to Neverland. It blends seamlessly into the landscape. Indeed, the spa is so cleverly hidden you may miss it entirely. Tucked into the hillside and utilising natural thatch and flat grassy rooftops, it even fools the animals who often wander on top of it, blissfully unaware of the human pampering taking place below. Dotted around the main lodge, colonial charm blends with contemporary comfort in the 16 spacious villas, each blessed with a vast bed, underfloor heating and a big viewing deck. Superb.

Highs

• You set your own agenda, choosing when to eat, spa, walk, game-drive, relax - a real sense of sanctuary
• Great for spa widowers too: alongside a raw food menu for those on detox there is a full-fat menu for those on holiday (both outstanding)
• We loved watching the sunrise from the depths of our duvet through the retractable villa doors
• Attentive, friendly staff who had a sixth sense about when to appear and disappear
• Fantastic treatments, including perhaps the best massage (and comfiest bed) I have experienced anywhere on my spa travels

Lows

• It's hugely pricey, but bear in mind that rates include all meals and beverages (excluding champagne), game drives, guided hikes and unlimited spa treatments
• After an evening massage (or on cold days), the walk to your room might spoil your trance-like state (but you can have a golfcart on standby). You'll also need a torch after dark, as the walkways back to the villas are dimly lit
• Species on the reserve are largely herbivorous - so don't expect to see lions, leopards or cheetahs.
• The dirt road leading to Karkloof Spa is not much fun with a small car
• Those wary of animals should bear in mind that wildlife (albeit herbivorous) wanders on the premises