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South Africa
The Experience
This fantastical Vegas-meets-Disneyland-in- the-bush two hours' drive north of Johannesburg was created in 1992 by South African hotel and casino magnate Sol Kerzner within his original Sun City casino resort. Perfect for families, golfers and big-spending gamblers, it was based on a story he made up about a fabled lost African city. Today there's a sprawling hotel (the Palace), a golf course and water-world theme park surrounded by the rugged wildlife-rich Pilansberg mountains and game reserve. There's definitely a kitsch factor here, albeit high-end -- from fountains gushing over life-size elephant sculptures at the entrance to towering Renaissance-style ceiling frescoes in the lobby and a man-made lake on the grounds.
The RoomsAfrican design elements, baobabs and lions carved into the headboards, and tribal patterns on the carpets may run throughout, but somehow rooms still tend toward the drab side, especially given the opulence of the rest of the hotel. And for all their modern amenities -- satellite TVs, wireless connection, power showers -- their biggest selling point is the view of the pool and lake. King Suites, on the other hand, with their hand-carved walls, frescoed ceilings and custom-built four-poster beds, are actually worthy of the name "luxury." There are only four of them, though, so should they run short, Junior Suites are a good replacement -- you get a terrace with a view of the mountains.
The ServiceThis is perhaps the largest staff-to-guest ratio in the world, with 3,400 staffers for the 338 rooms. Some 90 percent are locals who go through extensive training, and they bring a disarming warmth and pride to the job that's rare in large-scale Western resorts. Front desk staff will recommend specialist elephant game drives in the surrounding Pilansberg, and everyone from the doormen to the housekeepers somehow greet you by name even if you've never seen them before.
The HighlightsLike Vegas and Disneyland, there's no limit to the activities, from a round of golf on the Gary Player–designed Lost City course to boating and wind-surfing the lake and shooting the slides and swells of the water park. And while glitzy Vegas-style entertainment awaits you in the casinos and concert arenas of Sun City, you can always remind yourself you're in the middle of the African bush by going on daily game drives in the Pilansberg. Dining-wise, there are four restaurants in the Palace, the best of them being the romantic Villa Del Palazzo, serving homely north Italian fare in an elegant setting overlooking the water. Perhaps the residents of the fabled Lost City were gnocchi lovers….
-- Douglas Rogers
