With windows so large they form glass walls, maximum light penetrates into each of the 16 suites set in the rare sand forest of Phinda Private Game Reserve. From the king-sized beds with their crisp white cotton linens you can watch red duiker walk in hesitant staccato steps across the leaf litter. The suites also boast freestanding baths or indoor/outdoor showers, and canopy level verandahs with sofas. The forest foliage provides a natural screen between the suites and the winding paths which leading to dining areas, the rim-flow swimming pool, reception and safari shop.

Every meal and tea is a gourmet affair, with food being healthy, fresh, creatively combined and tastefully presented. Breakfasts are epicurean kick-starts that combine Arabica coffee with fruit, homemade muesli, yogurt and irresistible chocolate-chip cookies. During game drives you’ll stop for morning tea, and guides set up folding wooden tables with linen tablecloths, muffins and tea in the most exquisitely beautiful locations. Dinners, accompanied by the finest South African wines, are splendid and are also held in some imaginative places.

Following the Big Five off-road is one of the joys at Phinda. Big cats are often spotted here — during my visit I was rewarded with the sighting of a mother cheetah with four tiny babies, after my guide and tracker found tracks on the dust road veering off into the bush. Phinda is also home to endangered black rhino, which I was privileged to see browsing before these notoriously skittish, aggressive creatures quickly disappeared. And with over 415 bird species, even the most experienced birder is sure to find something new here.

Phinda provides a truly five star experience, with carefully selected staff discreetly seeing to your every need from the moment you arrive, when you are welcomed with fresh juice and a scented towel. Service is excellent and personalised. The restaurant manager remembers your name and how you like your tea. This is the height of luxury, in an eco-designed space.