Travel + Leisure IT List 2026
100 Best New Hotels in the World
Recognises the most exceptional new or newly reimagined hotels globally, selected by Travel + Leisure editors for outstanding design, guest experience, and innovation.
The Collection
Awards and recognition
How the travel world has recognised the four lodges of the collection, and what each award means.
Recognised across Africa
Awards across the collection
From Puku Ridge's four consecutive World Travel Awards to Chichele Presidential's place on the first Tatler Best Africa list, each lodge in the collection has been recognised for its hospitality, design and safari experience. The awards are listed lodge by lodge below, with a note on who decides each one and why it matters.
South Luangwa National Park
Chichele Presidential
A presidential retreat, reimagined, and recognised in its first seasons by the travel press on three continents.
Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards
Top Resort in the Rest of Africa, 2024
Based on global reader votes, the Readers' Choice Awards recognise the highest-rated resorts across Africa, outside South Africa, for outstanding guest experience, service, and overall excellence.
AHEAD Middle East & Africa
Hotel Conversion Award 2025
Recognises excellence in transforming an existing building into a world-class luxury hospitality property: outstanding design, innovation, and the ability to create a high-end guest experience through adaptive reuse.
Tatler Best Africa 2026
Tatler Best 100 Hotels in Africa
Chichele Presidential has been named one of the Tatler Best 100 Hotels in Africa 2026, the first year Tatler's hospitality awards have covered the continent, announced in Nairobi on 8 October 2026. Winners are chosen by Tatler's community of influential luxury travellers, and Chichele is one of only four Zambian properties on a list spanning 21 countries.
South Luangwa National Park
Puku Ridge
Four consecutive years as Zambia's Leading Safari Lodge, and a climate-positive badge to go with them.
World Travel Awards
Zambia's Leading Safari Lodge 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026
Internationally recognised travel and tourism awards, often referred to as the 'Oscars of the travel industry'. Awarded to the top safari lodge in Zambia for overall guest experience, luxury, service, design and safari offering, with winners selected through votes from travel professionals and travellers worldwide.
Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards
Top 15 Resorts in the Rest of Africa, 2024
A highly respected global travel honour, based on votes from the magazine's readers worldwide. Being named one of the Top 15 Resorts in the Rest of Africa places Puku Ridge among the highest-rated resorts on the continent outside South Africa, for guest experience, service quality and overall destination appeal.
Luxury Lifestyle Awards
Best Luxury Wilderness Lodge in Zambia, 2024 and 2025
The Luxury Lifestyle Awards recognise the best luxury goods and services globally, with winners selected through industry research, brand reputation and performance in delivering high-end experiences. The award positions Puku Ridge as a benchmark for luxury safari hospitality in Zambia, for exclusivity, guest experience, design and its immersive wilderness offering.
BCP Climate Positive Badge
Biodiversity and Carbon Partners
Acknowledges that the lodge actively removes more carbon dioxide than it produces, through rigorous internal practices and support for major conservation projects.
Lower Zambezi National Park
Lolebezi
Recognised for its design, its spa and its place on the Zambezi since the lodge opened.
Condé Nast Traveller Triple Crown
Hot List, Gold List and Readers' Choice Awards
Three awards in one: the annual Hot List of the world's best new hotels, the Gold List of the editors' favourites, and the Readers' Choice Awards, voted for by Condé Nast Traveller's readers.
World Luxury Spa Awards
Best Luxury Safari Spa and Best Destination Spa
The World Luxury Spa Awards recognise the best luxury spa experiences globally, based on guest feedback and industry votes, and highlight excellence in service, treatments and location-specific wellness experiences.
AHEAD Middle East & Africa
Lodges, Cabins & Tented Camps Award 2022
Awarded for stand-out innovative design, a strong sense of place and exceptional execution in creating a luxury safari or remote lodge experience, placing Lolebezi among the leading new or reimagined hospitality projects in the region.
North of Kafue National Park
Lolelunga Private Reserve
The newest lodge in the collection, and already shortlisted for its design.
Condé Nast House & Garden South Africa
Designer of the Year Awards 2026, Hotel of the Year finalist
An annual celebration of design excellence, recognising outstanding talent across architecture, interiors and the creative arts. Lolelunga Private Reserve was shortlisted for Hotel of the Year at the House & Garden South Africa Designer of the Year Awards 2026, one of four finalists and the only one outside South Africa.