Royal Malewane: Conservation & Research Centre
A Classic Safari Reimagined: Malewane Lodge to Reopen After Major Transformation
Malewane Lodge, the original that marked the beginning of Royal Malewane in South Africa’s Greater Kruger National Park, has undergone an extensive reimagination, welcoming guests back to a lodge steeped in history and reverence.
Long before The Royal Portfolio became a celebrated collection of properties, there was a deeply personal vision by the founders, Liz and Phil Biden: to create a safari lodge that felt timeless, gracious and welcoming. In 1999, that vision became Malewane Lodge, and with it, the beginning of Royal Malewane and The Royal Portfolio.
Today, the brand stands as a collection of award-winning luxury South African properties that include The Silo Hotel in Cape Town, La Residence in Franschhoek, Birkenhead House in Hermanus and the collection of safari lodges and exclusive-use villas that make up Royal Malewane in the Greater Kruger National Park.
A Complete Reimagination of a Timeless Safari Lodge
A member of The Leading Hotels of the World (LHW), the lodge accommodates a maximum of 20 guests across just six Luxury Suites and two Royal Suites, ensuring exceptional privacy and an intimate safari experience.
The reimagining of Malewane Lodge preserves the timeless safari charm for which it is renowned, while thoughtfully evolving to meet the expectations of today’s luxury traveller. As with each of The Royal Portfolio’s properties, the interiors are designed by Liz Biden, known for her distinctive style and extraordinary talent for creating richly layered and characterful spaces.
Among the key highlights, each of the two-bedroom Royal Suites has been redesigned to include a private courtyard entrance, large Moroccan-style wooden entrance doors, and an improved layout that enhances both flow and privacy. To elevate the sense of exclusivity, the service kitchen has been moved fully to the back-of-house area, reducing visibility and noise, a dedicated guide’s room has been added to ensure seamless service without compromising guest privacy.
Guests staying in the Royal Suites enjoy private services, including a dedicated chef, host, and a dedicated Field Guide and Tracker with a private safari vehicle.
Additional enhancements to the Royal Suites include centralised fireplaces, a new guest bathroom adjacent to the lounge area, underfloor heating in the bedrooms and bathrooms, retiled and heated pools and fully updated daybed and outdoor shower areas creating a richer, more luxurious and classically inspired guest journey.
Each of the six one-bedroom Luxury Suites has a new individual entrance hall that enhances flow through the suite. Outdoor decks and daybeds have been fully updated, while swimming pools have been retiled and heated.
The main lodge has also undergone several exciting updates, including a larger boutique with a carefully curated selection of gifts, a redesigned bar and observation lounge with stackable glass doors that open completely to the bushveld and overlooking a busy waterhole, a repositioned firepit for early morning and sunset gatherings, and a new coffee and juice bar.
The Royal Waters Spa has been refreshed with a new design, alongside the addition of a sauna and cold plunge, creating a more holistic wellness experience for guests. The fitness centre has also been upgraded with a refreshed layout and new equipment.
Complementing the lodge refurbishment, an arrival pavilion at the Royal Malewane Airstrip forms part of the guest arrival experience, ensuring those flying directly into the reserve are welcomed with the same refined elegance found throughout the reimagined lodge.