Phantom Forest

Rooms

There are 14 Tree-Suites, which are independent wooden 'houses' built on raised platforms and scattered throughout the forest-reserve. They consist of a double room, a sitting area and a bathroom, all of which have tinted windows looking straight into the jungle. The Classic Tree-Suites have a natural African-chic look - hand-woven coir carpets, cane partitions, animal-skin rugs, ethnic patterned cushions, wire-lamps, wood-beamed ceilings - while the Upper Tree Camp Suites have the added luxury of a sunken Jacuzzi bathtub on the outside deck. The newerMoroccan Suites have huge four-posters and vivid pink or purple fabrics for a dash of Moorish colour. A discreet temperature control box reminds you that this is the 21st century.

The gorgeous bathrooms come with a heated towel rail, fluffy towels and best of all, a huge bathtub next to a fabulous picture window which looks out to the forest; you can often spot monkeys while you soak. No surprise that Phantom Forest has some of the cleanest guests around.

Out on your private deck - which is where you will spend most of your relaxation time when not in the bathtub - are some wooden chairs and a table, plus a birding book and an in-house checklist if you feel like ticking off the 100-plus species. It is also a great spot to unwind and philosophize about love, nature, and life as a scaly-throated honeyguide. I fell to thinking, à la Gary Larson, how the birds might enjoy a similar checklist for humans: pale-faced Londoner, orange-breasted Teutonic sunbird, the lesser-spotted honeymooner…