Long before Namibia made headlines as the secret hideaway for Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, the country was a favorite for in-the-know travelers. The dramatic landscapes, including the red-dune Namib desert, are luring more and more folks to southern Africa, who are delighted by the incredible design hotels on offer. Case in point: the new Onguma Plains Camp, which has been getting a lot of press as one of the hottest hotels of the year. There are only 13 rooms in this fort-like hotel, all with private viewing decks over looking Etosha National Park. The rugged setting of the private 50,000 acre game reserve will take your breath away. To quote the Travel + Leisure “It List”:

While the design of most southern African lodges skews toward either safari chic or super-Modernist (Singita), Onguma takes the bush lodge in a bold new direction. All carved antique doors, billowy curtains, and reflecting pools, it’s as if a casbah were relocated to the continent’s south. The main lodge features brushed-metal sconces, Middle Eastern lanterns, and long mirrors in distressed wooden frames. Two of each guest room’s walls are made of canvas; they can be opened to reveal a mesh window that makes the plains look like an Impressionist painting. At night, the resort requires that you zip yourself snugly into your room (which can feel claustrophobic). But it’s a safety precaution, since lions roam nearby.

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