Timeless elegance & contemporary comfort at Singita Sasakwa Lodge 

The design of Singita’s 15 lodges and camps is a reflection of our commitment to memorable and immersive experiences in nature – with every detail carefully curated so as to collectively form sanctuaries in Africa’s most iconic locations. In order to create spaces that give pause for reflection, offer comfort and connect you to your surroundings, we continuously keep abreast of current design thinking and consider ways to improve a stay with us. 

As a luxury ecotourism brand, our destinations offer the very best and latest in design, and our primary goal is to create spaces that foster serenity within our guests.

An awareness of our impact on the earth, and remaining in harmony with our surroundings drives all of our design projects, and with this in mind, our aim with the latest refresh for Singita Sasakwa Lodge in Tanzania was to be as resourceful and sustainable as possible. 

'We always work towards an improved sustainability on the sourcing of new furnishings and the fact that we upcycled almost every piece of the existing decor with our teams carefully refurbishing, re-upholstering and re-inventing is testament to this commitment,' says Geordi de Sousa Costa, design lead at Cecile & Boyd. It was not without challenges however – the team worked in the midst of lockdown, managing over the months to install remotely via a team on the ground.

Stylistically, Cecile & Boyd’s goal was to refresh the lodge with an update of the existing scheme, and the addition of a few missing elements. ‘It was predominantly an edit and re-styling of the current spaces,’ says De Sousa Costa. Mindful not to strip Sasakwa of its elegant identity, the team kept the signature mix of period and contemporary furnishings and sense of romance intact, but gave it a more youthful feel. 

In terms of styling, the new-look lodge sees redundant spaces given new life and adjusted layouts which favour a looser, more casual and multifunctional arrangement of furniture and accessories, rather than the classic method of placing items symmetrically. The result is lighter, cooler and less cluttered. ‘It’s a younger, more relaxed and friendlier Sasakwa and a calmer and more contemporary atmosphere,’ says De Sousa Costa. 

The balance of old and new, refined and rustic is key to this fresh new feel. More rudimental finishes such as mud wall plaster and grass matting contrast with the formerly smart classical space. This modern approach also sees fine 18th and 19th century European antique furniture, crystal and silver balanced by unfussy industrial utility items such as Anglepoise task lamps and simple steel trestle tables. Victorian wicker furniture, usually used outdoors, has been brought inside for a playful twist, while campaign chairs tone down the space with a casual nod to safari. 

As always, an acknowledgment and appreciation for context is crucial to Singita’s custom designed spaces. Tanzanian and East African elements are woven into the space to ground and situate guests in their surroundings. From Zanzibari chests, which bring an exotic sensibility to the scheme, to simple rough-hewn timber stumps and coarsely woven grass stools referencing the landscape, or handwoven tribal-style rugs and locally loomed mud cloth, the craft elements allude to the region’s artisanal heritage.

A grounding palette of traditional safari tones like khaki, beige and cream form a soothing base, complemented by natural textures and accented by classic and grounding colours like indigo blue, sienna red, ochre yellow and mud orange. Low-key materials like linen and glass are countered by elegant silver cutlery and fine porcelain. The art too is a careful balance of tribal artifacts hung together with formal European oil paintings for a juxtaposition of culture and provenance. The overall effect is soothing and elegant, but fresh – a new era for a classic safari destination. 

Singita Sasakwa Lodge has nine beautifully appointed cottages, picturesquely, comfortably and classically appointed to offer a gentle immersion in the Serengeti. Varying in size and permutation (depending on your needs), they’re equally equipped to host families or groups of friends. For those seeking a little extra seclusion, the neighbouring double-volume Hillside Suite, a luxurious escape for two with sweeping views over the plains, is exclusive travel at its best. 

Speak to our travel team about booking a stay at this beautiful, timeless destination here >