World of Colour

LARA SAGE visits a new lodge that packs a vibrant visual punch at Royal Malewane, in South Africa's Greater Kruger National Park.

- LARA SAGE

The newly coined word “Glamour-flage” might best be used to describe Waterside, a collection of six luxurious suites that combine the subtle tones of safari with the sumptuous decadence that’s a hallmark of boutique hotel group The Royal Portfolio.

Bringing a scintillating splurge of colour, founder and co-owner Liz Biden has created a  spectacle here, without forfeiting the authenticity of the African bush.

Waterside is an effervescent reminder of the abundant colours that exist in nature. The property’s design brings to mind the turquoise flash on a kingfisher’s wing, the saturated yellow of a golden oriole, the rose-tinted pink sky of an African sunset, and the verdant green of new growth after the rains.

The more I looked, the more I noticed nature’s multi-coloured splendour amongst the hues of a classic safari. Bold colours were present in the luminous lime-green trunks of the fever trees, the cerise pink of the flowering impala lily, and the lemon yellow of the leopard orchid that grows in the boughs of trees. 

Winter wonderland 

We visited in August/September, a time of year that offers ideal game viewing conditions in the dry season. The days are temperate, averaging between 13 and 30 degrees Celsius, bringing about good visibility through the vegetation and grass.

If there was the occasional crisp morning or nippy evening, it added to the atmosphere, thanks to the fireplace in the suites and the underfloor heating in the luxurious bathrooms. And fleecy blankets and hot water bottles took the edge off any possible chill on the open-vehicle game drives.