The Best Hotels in Africa

Island beach resorts

Four hotels sit on islands in the Indian Ocean. Constance Lemuria is on Praslin in the Seychelles, with villas and two-storey buildings across its hills and beaches. The other three are in Mauritius: The St. Regis Le Morne Resort at the foot of Le Morne mountain on the southwest coast, The Oberoi at Pointe aux Piments on the west coast, and LUX Belle Mare on the east coast, where the white-sand beach is set among tropical greenery.

Palace hotel in Marrakesh

La Mamounia began as a royal garden estate and is now a five-star palace hotel. Its Moroccan architecture sits among gardens said to date from the 18th century. The hotel has large gardens, pools, restaurants and a spa, but service is uneven and a strict dress code applies.

Mansion hotel in Nairobi

Giraffe Manor is a historic 1930s mansion with a small set of rooms in a forest setting. Resident Rothschild's giraffes wander the grounds and poke their heads through the windows at breakfast. The staff learn the guests' names.