Top hotels in South Africa ranked among the best in the world
Three hotels in South Africa have been ranked among the best in the world in Travel and Leisure’s World’s Best Awards for 2026.
Two of South Africa’s hotels were ranked among the best in Africa, while one was ranked in the top five hotels in the world.
The family-owned Lion Sands Game Reserve, near the Kruger National Park, was ranked in first place for the Best Safari Lodge in Africa and ranked as the fourth best hotel in the world.
Cape Town-based Cape Cadogan Boutique Hotel was ranked Africa’s Best City Hotel, while the Saxon Hotel in Johannesburg was ranked second place for Africa’s Best City Hotel.
Travel and Leisure’s World’s Best Awards for 2026 has ranked the Patina Osaka Hotel in Japan as the Best Hotel in the world and the Best City Hotel in Asia with a score of 100.00.
The second-Best Hotel in the world, according to Travel and Leisure’s list, is Baros in the Maldives, which is also ranked the Best Resort in Asia.
In third place is another hotel in the Maldives, Joali Hotel, ranked the third-Best Hotel in the world and the second-Best Resort in Asia.
Each year, in the World’s Best Awards survey, Travel and Leisure asks readers to share their favourite travel experiences from around the world.
Participants provide their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more.
In this year’s survey, over 207,000 readers participated, casting a total of 661,000 votes for more than 10,088 properties, including hotels, cities, cruise lines, and other travel-related categories.
The best-ranked hotels in South Africa
Travel and Leisure has ranked Lion Sands Game Reserve as the fourth-Best Hotel in the world.
This property spans both the Sabi Sand Game Reserve and Kruger National Park, allowing wildlife to roam freely without any fences separating them.
Managed by the Chalkley family since 1933, Lion Sands Game Reserve has exclusive access to 10.5 kilometres of the Sabie River.
This riverine habitat is well known for offering one of the best opportunities to spot leopards. The hotel also offers secluded open-air luxury treehouses for sleeping under the stars.
The reserve is home to populations of lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, and buffalo. Unlike the main Kruger Park, safari vehicles at Lion Sands can drive off-road.
Accommodations cater to a range of preferences, from family-friendly modern luxury to ultra-private villas with personal plunge pools. The reserve is located 5 to 25 minutes’ drive from Skukuza Airport.
Africa’s Best City Hotel, the Cape Cadogan Boutique Hotel in Cape Town, was originally built in the early 1800s and is now designated a National Monument, whilst remaining open to the public as a hotel.
Cape Cadogan Boutique Hotel is a 5-star hotel nestled in the neighbourhood of Gardens in Cape Town, South Africa.
In 1912, the property was purchased by a well-known actress and socialite, who hosted members of the British Royal Family during their visits to South Africa. The hotel’s modern “Stable Suites” are located in the original 19th-century horse stables.
Upper Union Street, where the hotel is situated, once served as a private walkway for Cape Town’s elite before it became a public road.
Africa’s second-Best City Hotel, the Saxon Hotel, Villas and Spa, is a five-star property in the suburb of Sandhurst in Johannesburg, South Africa.
After being released from the former Victor Verster Prison in 1990, Nelson Mandela sought a private refuge away from the intense global media attention.
He moved into the Saxon Hotel estate for six months, where he worked on his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom.
A central corridor in the hotel serves as a historic photo gallery, displaying personal sketches and letters from notable figures who have stayed there, including Bill Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, and various Hollywood actors.
Photos of Lion Sands Game Reserve:
Photos of Cape Cadogan Boutique Hotel:
Photos of the Saxon Hotel:
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