An African safari vacation usually means a stay in a colonial, plantation-style hotel, or perhaps in a resort set in the treetops.  Now, the Sabi Sabi Earth Lodge is taking luxury South African accommodation where it has never gone before – underground.  Located on a private game reserve featuring 3 more "traditional" accommodation options, the Earth Lodge has been described as the most environmentally sensitive lodge in Africa.  The totally-unique design of this 13-suite hotel is actually sculpted into the side of a hill, making it almost invisible on the surface.  However, amazing delights await the visitor beneath the ground. 

Upon arrival, guests walk down into the earth through a hidden corridor and emerge to an amazing vista of the bushland laid out before them.  The hotel itself is an irresistible blend of rustic materials and modern design, using texture, light and space to create a soothing, pampering environment, including wooden sculptures by Geoffrey Armstrong, a renowned local artist.  Each suite boasts individually designed furniture, a private plunge pool, an indoor outdoor shower, and a circular, stone soaking tub in a private bathroom with glass-fronted views of the surrounding Sabi Sabi reserve.  The only downside?  The hotel is so incredible; you may never want to leave for your (included) wildlife safari!