Bal Harbour

BAL HARBOUR 49 BALHARBOURSHOPS.COM P H OTO G R A P H Y: CO U R T E S Y O F C H E E TA H P L A I N S; CO U R T E S Y O F A F R I C A H O U S E; M A N E L L E M E D I A (K AT E K A ); CO U R T E S Y O F A N D B E YO N D KATEKA, South Africa The brand-new lodge sits in a refreshingly quiet corner of South Africa, on the private, nearly 150,000-acre Klaserie reserve; it teems with wildlife, but there's no risk of jeep gridlock at a key sight, unlike at its better-known counterpart, Sabi Sands, to the south. Kateka (meaning be blessed in Tsonga, one of the languages spoken in this region) is the pet project of the South African, Austin, Texas-based real estate entrepreneur Joel Ospovat, who personally steered its design. He insisted on dramatic touches, from the acid-orange Togo chairs in reception to the rippled black marble cladding in every bathroom, and the bright yellow umbrellas ar- ranged around the infinity pool at the main lodge. Each room also has its own private pool, of course, but the standout accommodation is the three-bedroom villa, which is sta‡ed with a guide and tracker, butler, chef team, and if you opt for the wellness package, an on-call spa therapist. In a nod to its al fresco appeal, one of the three bedrooms is outfit ted with a two-person outdoor bathtub. kateka.co.za AND BEYOND SOSSUSVLEI, Namibia This lodge, overlooking the namesake salt and clay pan on Namibia's sand dune- rimmed coast, reopened in 2019 after a dramatic, futuristic redesign steered by Cape Town-based architect Jack Alexander in partnership with South African- based duo Fox Browne Creative. The pointed roofs here resemble oversize, jagged, rusty knives driven into the landscape. The interiors have a whi‡ of Halston, heavy on 1970s textures like velvet and skins, but in muted tones that better reflect the earthy tones of the surroundings. Explore the deserts here however you wish, whether a helicopter ride at dawn or e-biking on gravel paths to nearby caves or game-driving in a jeep to try to spot the occasional animal cantering through the sands—mountain zebra, for example. Rooms even have skylights, the better for star-spotting in the inky blackness that's free of any light pollution. andbeyond.com CHEETAH PLAINS, South Africa Don't think of this as a conventional safari lodge, but rather as three four-bedroom standalone villas operated by the same back-of-house team. Each bushveld (a col- loquial term for a house in the bush) is e‡ectively its own property, with a full-time sta‡ consisting of a host, butler, culinary team, and spa therapist on call for the eight or so folks in temporary residence; there's an exper t field g uide and tracker for the duration of your stay, too. The interior décor, by Cape Town–based OKHA Design Studio, is modern in its approach, with oxidized metal and raw concrete walls, open-plan room s a nd m i n i ma l i s t f i x t u res . Ever y detail is customized for the property, down to its house-branded African nightshade chocolate bars and the pats of butter, each ser ved w it h t he logo i mpr i nt ed on t he sur face. Look closely, too, at some of the furniture: it's custom-made from pieces of local indigenous wood. cheetahplains.com AFRICA HOUSE, ROYAL MALEWANE, South Africa Co-owner Liz Biden's maximalist exuberance has become a signa- ture of the properties she and her family—including her husband and co-owner Phil Biden—operate via the Royal Portfolio, which combine eye-popping bursts of Day-Glo colors with contemporary art and design. The Bidens have just reimagined this six-bedroom luxury villa on their Royal Malewane resort, the ideal exclusive-use spot for a buyout with its own pool, games room, and outdoor boma area with its own pizza oven. The décor is particularly over the top in the Turquoise Room—inspired by the vibrantly colored mala- chite kingfisher. Even the sta‡ room—a common amenity for pilots or nannies, also known as the Pilot's Room—is a signature Biden design, all egg-yolk yellow and scarlet. Make sure to send out some laundry, which comes back tied neatly in a bundle of scarlet netting. theroyalportfolio.com/royal-malewane Take in the sunset poolside as you look out over Klaserie reserve from Kateka. A Day-Glo palette and contemporary flourishes set this property apart. The luxurious accommodations at Cheetah Plains. Private pools offer aquatic respite from the vast Namib Desert.

• Cover