Singita Kruger in South Africa named No. 40 in The World's 50 Best Hotels 2025

31 October 2025 – Singita Kruger National Park has received the inaugural Johnnie Walker Art of Design Award, and placed at No. 40 overall in the global ranking of The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2025. The third edition of The World’s 50 Best Hotels has been announced at a captivating awards ceremony in London and features industry-defining hotels spanning six continents worldwide.

The awards ceremony once again united the global travel and hospitality community to celebrate the world's best hotels. Held at London's iconic Old Billingsgate on the banks of the River Thames, the event showcased exceptional hotel experiences that will inspire consumers, travellers and hoteliers around the globe.

Set along a river, at the edge of Kruger National Park, Singita Kruger National Park has reimagined contemporary African design. Inspired by the rugged Lebombo Mountains. Singita Sweni and Lebombo are timber-veiled structures that float amid the trees, embracing the elements. Each blends clean modernism with organic warmth, celebrating African designers and artisans through its interiors. Every detail, from handblown local glassware to wrap-around glass walls that dissolve boundaries between indoors and out connects guests to the wilderness. This is the closest to being in nature.

Sustainability is at the heart of Singita’s philosophy. Both lodges are designed to tread lightly, with modular structures that can be dismantled, and solar power supplying over 75 percent of their energy. Nature always takes centre stage, and each vista of the African bush feels like a living artwork.

Emma Sleight, Head of Content for The World’s 50 Best Hotels, says: “It’s an honour to gather so many leading voices in travel, hospitality and hotels – and to celebrate the very best. Our warmest congratulations go to every hotel on this year’s list, each of which has clearly made an impression on our newly expanded Academy of travel experts. We hope 2025’s list sparks inspiration for travellers as they plan their next trip.”

Jo Bailes, Singita CEO says, “We are deeply honoured to receive the Johnnie Walker Art of Design Award. Singita has always been a design-led brand, guided by an incredible creative team dedicated to creating a profound sense of place. Africa and nature inspire everything we do. Singita Lebombo and Sweni, built over 20 years ago, still stand as a benchmark of hospitality design, imagined to touch the earth so lightly that nature could one day reclaim it completely. Our gratitude goes to our internal design team, and to our original creative partners, Cécile & Boyd, architects Andrew Makin and Janina Masojada, whose vision continues to inspire us as we evolve.”

The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2025 was revealed as part of a live countdown from No.50 to No.1. The ranking is complemented by a host of special awards alongside the first ever 51-100 list and reflects the very best travel experiences around the globe, collated from the votes of 800 anonymous experts. This voting panel – the 50 Best Hotels Academy – comprises a balanced mix of hoteliers, travel journalists, educators and seasoned luxury travellers, led by a group of industry-leading Academy Chair.

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About Singita Singita is a conservation and ecotourism brand driven by a 100-year purpose to facilitate the protection and preservation of Africa’s wilderness for future generations, in partnership with various non-profit national and regional funds and trusts. Over the last 30 years, Singita’s award-winning lodges and transformative experiences – spanning South Africa, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, and Rwanda – have brought people closer to nature, aiming to inspire a greater sense of care for it. www.singita.com. Email: Enquiries@singita.com

Lisa Carey, Singita, Lisa.c@singita.com

Following the success of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants and The World’s 50 Best Bars, 50 Best launched The World’s 50 Best Hotels in 2023, marking the brand’s first global launch since 2009.The World’s 50 Best Hotels list is created by The World’s 50 Best Hotels Academy, an influential group of more than 800 independent leaders, each selected for their expert opinion of the international hotel scene. The World’s 50 Best Hotels event programme – including the awards ceremony and unveiling of the list – provides a unique opportunity to unite hoteliers, restaurateurs, bar owners, media, business and luxury travellers at a captivating celebration of hospitality, passion and talent. The first edition of the awards was held in London, UK, in September 2023.