-
Baines’ glamorous transformation has made it an instant design star amongst luxury Botswana camps.
Each of the six chic suites comes with an expansive river-facing deck with an outdoor tub and double indoor/outdoor showers.
Its prime Boro River location is perfect for mokoro (canoe) and boat rides through the Delta. -
The lodge is mainly staffed by the local Delta community, giving direct economic opportunity to residents.
I adore extreme hotel makeovers—a full gut renovation excites me so much more than fresh lighting and a new bed throw ever could.
Hopefully, past guests of the lodge formerly known as Baines’ Camp—Botswana’s 20-year-old, thatched-roof abode with walls made of 150,000 recycled cans—aren’t precious about its former appearance, because it’s now unrecognizable. After an intensive one-year revamp by renowned design studio Luxury Frontiers, the property has been reincarnated as Baines’ Lodge, an A&K Sanctuary: an intimate, solar-powered, and oh-so-glamorous safari base sited above the Okavango Delta’s languid Boro River.
Related: The 110 Best Amazon Black Friday Deals for Travelers—Score Samsonite, Apple, Brooks, and More From Just $8
Like the previous camp, Baines’ Lodge (owned by tour operator juggernaut Abercrombie & Kent) is a nod to 19th-century artist and explorer Thomas Baines, famous for his landscape paintings of Southern Africa. “While the old lodge offered charm and character, today’s travelers seek deeper immersion, refinement, and emotional resonance,” says Graeme Labe, Luxury Frontier’s managing partner and chief design officer. “The new design vision aims to deliver experiences that are more contemporary and transformative.”
I was escorted by my local-born-and-raised guide, Letsogile “Max” Saxago, from the private airstrip to the main lodge, while I had a welcome drink of passion fruit and ginger beer. My friend and I were immediately mesmerized upon our arrival: a hazy early sunset bathed an elegant, open-air lounge (accented with stone, natural grass, marble, carved oak, and brass) in warm hues. The lodge’s new look is intended to be a “living art gallery” for guests, and the hippo-dotted waterways and dormant termite mounds are a part of the canvas.
“Rather than competing with the beauty of the lagoon, the forms are simple and intentional, with clean lines and open volumes that frame views rather than decorate them,” says Juan Cloete, an architect at Luxury Frontiers.
My favorite design feature, which can be seen in both the main Explorer’s Lounge and the six handsome, one-bedroom suites, was the eye-catching installations of wooden planks reclaimed from the old camp—a thoughtful tribute.
There are elements of the lodge, however, that have remained refreshingly the same. Its prime location on top of the Boro River still attracts thirsty zebras, buffalo, impalas, and other wildlife that can be seen from the main lodge or from the suites. Its waterside base also sustains nearly year-round opportunities to cruise on its river channels, whether by an adrenaline-packed motorboat or by a traditional mokoro (local canoe), as the Delta-based peoples have done for centuries. The lodge’s enormous private concession bordering the Moremi Game Reserve offers all the same thrills as it did 20 years ago. Most importantly, the lodge—then and now—empowers the local community. Save for the Zimbabwean-born general manager and hospitality veteran Beatrice Arabang, the lodge is staffed by locals, from the erudite guides to the lodge managers.
Here’s what it’s like to stay at the Baines’ Lodge, an A&K Sanctuary
The Rooms
Wooden walkways lead to six suites, each with 1,280 square feet of lush indoor-outdoor living space. There are no “bad” rooms here, as every guest enjoys a river-facing outdoor deck fitted with twin indoor/outdoor showers and a sleek tub for bubble baths under moonlight.
The contemporary interiors, however, were the star of the show to me. I found myself admiring all of the chic, safari-lite details from my ivory, bouclé sofa as much as I watched meandering baboons, zebras, and impalas through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows. The rooms’ color palette fuses with the natural surroundings: the light gray rugs, throws, and seating for the surrounding (dormant) termite mounds; rich green wall paint and ceramic mugs for grass and sprouting trees. African vases, locally-sourced beads, and Delta-inspired artwork lend refreshing context to a space that wouldn’t look out of place in a designer’s pied-à-terre in New York City.
Sliding partition doors separate the rooms of the suite. You’ll notice king-sized beds wrapped in linen mosquito netting and a long writing desk in the bedroom. In the living room, a generous minibar is stocked with soft drinks, spirits, teas, and coffee, as well as sweet treats such as chocolate cookies and Skittles (of which I had plenty). If one wants to skip the outdoor shower, the bathroom has two shower heads “hidden” behind the double vanity sinks.
Food and Drink
Guests gather at the Explorer’s Lounge for all meals. Here, local chefs serve sunrise-hour breakfasts ranging from eggs and bacon to Botswana-style porridges before the morning game drives (also available for those who wish to sleep in). While lunch is served here, it can also be taken off-site, as it was for my lodge mates and I on a lovely afternoon along a wide, palm tree-dotted waterway. I chatted with other guests and staffers while sitting at a communal table under a tree, enjoying a small buffet of delicious quiche, beef stew, butternut squash salad, and drinks. You never know where your guide will park for post-game sessions, but they’re sure to be memorable and supplied with drinks of choice.
Back at the lodge, a fiery boma (an open-air meal centered around a campfire) brings guests together for aperitifs, whether cocktails or South African wines paired with biltong (cured meat) and nuts. Short but sweet dining menus change daily for all meals, with options for vegans, vegetarians, and people who have gluten-free diets. Some of my favorites include the homemade bread service, the Karoo lamb and local beef medallions, and a decadent Madagascan vanilla bean poached pear.
Activities and Experiences
The handsome lodge has a communal outdoor pool overlooking the Boro River. On a sunny afternoon, I beat the Botswana heat with a dip, virtually eye-level with the half-submerged hippos yards away, a glass of rosé in hand. Beyond that, there is no gym or spa on the premises. Safari land game drives are the reason most would book this lodge, and I can vouch that its classic offering is top-tier. What makes Baines’ location special, though, is its proximity to the Delta, and I can’t recommend the water activities enough. I suggest taking a ride in a mokoro, an analog boat which Delta villagers use to navigate through tall grass, papyrus, and bright green lily pads.
My favorite activity of all, though, was the late afternoon motorboat cruise, whipping through the river’s serpentine curves with thirsty elephants and water antelopes in the distance. For more adventure (and an additional cost), guests can book scenic helicopter tours of the Delta.
The Spa
There is currently no spa at Baines’ Lodge, an A&K Sanctuary, though I selfishly hope it will introduce one in the future.
Family-friendly Offerings
Baines’ Lodge welcomes guests 16 and up; therefore, no children allowed. The lodge is a better fit for couples and honeymooners, though an adult family group can easily book most, if not all, of the six suites for a holiday.
Accessibility and Sustainability
Baines’ Lodge, an A&K Sanctuary
Lounge chairs lay around the infinity pool.
While much of the lodge is on a single level, the suites and common rooms have not been adapted for wheelchair users, and none are ADA-compliant.
On the sustainability front, the lodge is fully solar-powered, has water-efficient systems, and practices minimal waste principles. During construction, building materials were sustainably sourced, and the lodge is even topped with local thatch, which helps keep it cool.
Location
Baines’ Lodge, an A&K Sanctuary
Sit around the fire pit at Boma Night.
Baines’ is a 15-minute small plane flight from Botswana’s Maun International Airport (MUB) to the local, shared airstrip, followed by a drive. Most travelers can reach Maun via Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB), where there are several flight options every day.
After the short, scenic flight to the airstrip, your dedicated safari guide will escort you to the lodge. If possible, I recommend avoiding rushing to get to the lodge, as there’s often plenty of fantastic wildlife sightings along the way to take in. Baines’ outdoorsy, tented sister Stanley’s Camp, an A&K Sanctuary is a few minutes’ drive away, while the luxe Chief’s Camp, an A&K Sanctuary—an all-pool suite Delta classic I also had the pleasure to experience—is but a 10-minute inter-airstrip plane ride away.
Book Now
There are no loyalty programs for the lodge. As Baines’ Lodge’s parent company, Abercrombie & Kent, is also a tour operator, guests might find the most seamless and cost-effective multi-lodge packages from its Southern Africa portfolio. (Most of the lodge guests I met at Baines’ were lodge-hopping through A&K Sanctuary’s Botswana and Zambia properties).
Nightly rates at Baines’ Lodge, an A&K Sanctuary start from $1,500 per night.
Every T+L hotel review is written by an editor or reporter who has stayed at the property, and each hotel selected aligns with our core values.
Read the original article on Travel & Leisure