Celebrating 20 years since its original opening, our beloved &Beyond Phinda Rock Lodge has officially reopened its doors with a sophisticated new look and we couldn’t be more excited to share this grand makeover with the world.
Next week, the remarkably talented Dook, our dedicated lodge photographer, will complete his official photoshoot of the brand new lodge. So, while we eagerly await his impressive portfolio of professional images, which always capture the heart of the lodge and the spirit of its staff, here is a sneak peek at the first unofficial “happy snaps” of the highly anticipated rebuild. We hope they inspire you to see &Beyond Phinda Rock Lodge through new eyes and may they encourage you to plan an unforgettable safari to this exclusive luxury hideaway.
Our long-time friends and former &Beyonders, Chris Browne and Debra Fox, the award-winning design gurus of Fox Browne Creative, were once again commissioned to work their magic and add their personal flair, elegance and incomparable style to the iconic &Beyond Phinda Rock Lodge. They chose to enhance the lodge’s unique African adobe style with an earthy soft grey palette and stylish interiors that are not only raw and natural but also luxurious and elegant.
Keeping with the enduring spirit of this small and secluded six-suite lodge that clings dramatically to steep cliffs, the refurbishment has retained the overall sense of privacy and intimacy that is integral to the Phinda Rock Lodge experience. Glamorous new touches and quirky objets d’art have been carefully selected in order to retain the lodge’s unique sense of place, deep in the heart of South Africa’s Zululand.
The lodge’s guest areas have been restyled using a combination of beautiful woven linens, hand-embroidered cotton and exquisite reloaded oriental carpets. The colour scheme is an elegant blend of oatmeal, grey and stone.
The windows in the guest lounge have been replaced with grand French doors, opening up the room onto an extended outdoor veranda that boasts magnificent bushveld views. All of the outdoor decks have been reconfigured to allow plenty of space for intimate al fresco dining, with stretched sweeping canvas shades for protection from the sun. A new rooftop terrace provides the ideal venue for dining beneath the stars.
The six spacious guest suites have each received a similar treatment, with improved access to their own private verandas and the views onto the valley below significantly opened up. The bedrooms have been re-imagined using the same subtle colour scheme and soft finishes as the guest areas.
Curated African artefacts, such as Zulu baskets, carved wooden cow sculptures and mounted cow horns, have been used throughout to weave a cattle narrative into the design as a nod to the Nguni cows that are so prevalent in Zululand.
The well-appointed ensuite bathrooms have also been handsomely refurbished with raw timber slabs and honed granite surfaces.
The &Beyond Phinda family looks forward to welcoming you to the sublime understated luxury of the new &Beyond Phinda Rock Lodge.
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