Conservation-focused luxury travel company &Beyond has reopened one of its most iconic lodges, Phinda Forest Lodge, situated in &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, after an extensive and exciting rebuild. The property, which was lauded as one of the first true eco-lodges at the time of its original construction, has now been reimagined within the context of the contemporary luxury safari, while retaining subtle references to its original 'Zulu-zen' décor with a new elegant and minimalist interior design.
Interior designers Fox Browne Creative, who have previously worked on the refurbishments of the other five lodges on the reserve, partnered with architectural designer Jack Alexander to reimagine and bring to life the new property in a design that will offer past guests the comfort and familiarity of one of their most loved lodges while also providing exciting improvements in room flow and functionality. Throughout the rooms and main guest areas, the interiors have been reimagined with new fixtures and finishes - drawing inspiration from the surrounding sand forest, blending aspects of Japanese minimalism with an ode to local culture.
Major structural additions include a family suite, a library and lounge, a walkway with a central fire pit linking the main area to the library, a newly reshaped and tiered pool, and significant upgrades to the main dining and bar areas. An all-new massage sala has also been constructed next to the pool.
Phinda Forest Lodge has always provided guests with an exclusive, private experience immersed in the sand forest, and this has now been further enhanced through the redirection and reduction of pathways to and from the rooms. In order to assist with the rehabilitation of the old pathways, &Beyond established a nursery which cultivates sand forest tree species that have been planted along the trails.
Phinda is also uniquely positioned to offer other extraordinary adventure activities like diving or ocean safaris at nearby Sodwana Bay. Depending on the season, guests may also be able to enjoy expeditions to admire turtles nesting along the Indian Ocean coastline.
With such a wealth and diversity of unique offerings, combined with the newly refurbished and reopened Phinda Forest Lodge, &Beyond is excited to continue bringing their guests experiences that go beyond the expectation of average luxury to leave the world a better place.
KwaZulu Natal, 3936
South Africa
