Waterside offers an exemplary level of safari guiding and bush experiences

“This is not a lodge,” says Liz Biden. “It’s a sanctuary, a retreat, a connected village.”

Biden is the creative energy behind The Royal Portfolio collection of hotels and lodges, and she’s justifiably proud of Waterside at Royal Malewane, the latest addition to the family. Across 12 suites and spacious communal areas, it’s a bold and colourful reimagining of just what a luxury safari lodge could be.

Waterside is not her first rodeo when it comes to curating a luxury hotel experience. For years Royal Malewane in the Thornybush Private Game Reserve, part of the Greater Kruger National Park, quietly raised the bar for luxurious safari experiences. On a private estate in Franschhoek La Residence did the same for winelands getaways, while The Silo hotel caused a stir when it opened alongside the Zeitz MOCAA in 2017.

Waterside at Royal Malewane is the most recent addition to the portfolio, offering the same exemplary level of safari guiding and bush experiences that the lodge has become known for. While it follows a well-trodden trail of dishing up the last word in comfort while cast away in a bushveld setting, there is the unmistakable Biden touch throughout the new-build property.

For starters, it’s outrageously colourful. Safari lodges so often trade in dark woods, natural tones and bushveld textures. Here, Biden evidently tossed away the rule book, opting instead for bold colour schemes, maximalist artworks and a touch of the theatrical when it came to décor.

“I live in such amazing colour in my own home, and it makes me happy. I felt that guests would love it too,” adds Biden, who feels that the bold approach serves to amplify the natural colours of the bush, rather than distract from them. “For too long, safari style has only been expressed in shades of khaki.”

Waterside is a wonderful rebellion against that aesthetic. Here you’ll certainly find no drab canvas or taxidermy above the fireplace. In their stead, expect wildly exuberant works by the late designer Ralph Krall, an old friend of Biden’s, or African table lamps transformed by local artist Marguerite Pinto into new works of art. Pre-dinner drinks at the eponymous waterhole? Sink into a leopard-print armchair beneath elaborate chandeliers.

Unlike many top-end lodges, Waterside is also family-friendly. Children of all ages are welcomed, and families can be accommodated across the combination of one- and two-bedroomed suites. Each is set well apart, offering a private terrace and plunge pool dishing up delightful bushveld views. For multigenerational family groups, the four-bedroom Waterside House offers a more private escape just a few steps from the main lodge.

Curious travellers and those with an eye for bold design will be intrigued by this latest addition to SA’s collection of world-class design-driven escapes.