andBeyond has announced Phinda Forest Lodge, situated in andBeyond Phinda Private Game Reserve, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, is due to undergo an extensive rebuild. Lauded as one of the first true eco-lodges at the time of its construction, the property will be reimagined within the context of the contemporary luxury safari.
“andBeyond Phinda Forest Lodge was originally built in the early 1990s,” recalls Kevin Pretorius, &Beyond Managing Director for South Africa Lodges. “Back then, the lodge’s innovative and progressive design made a huge statement on sustainability, as it was sensitively constructed within the ancient sand forest with minimum impact at the heart of the project.”
“Phinda, which started as an amalgamation of denuded farmlands in 1991, has grown into an extensive conservancy at the cutting edge of conservation, a modern example of Care of the Land, Wildlife and People. What was only our second owned and operated lodge following the birth of the company at andBeyond Phinda will now be reborn.”
Interior designers Fox Browne Creative, who have previously worked on the refurbishments of the other five lodges on the reserve, are partnering with architectural designer Jack Alexander to reimagine and bring to life the new Phinda Forest Lodge in a design that will offer past guests the comfort and familiarity of one of their most loved lodges while also providing exciting improvements in room flow and functionality.
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“The sand forest is one of Phinda’s most distinctive and delicate habitats. It occurs on deep sands, the leftover fossilised dunes of an earlier coastline,” explains Pretorius. Many of the plant species encountered in sand forest can be found nowhere else on earth. Normally shy mammals such as the red duiker, suni and Tonga red squirrel are often encountered in sand forest, and the area is also rich in birds, with several species restricted solely to this habitat.
Due to the sensitivity of the habitat, the lodge refurbishment will utilise existing lodge and room structures to minimise impact associated with an entire rebuild, while also updating the architectural design and taking care not to detract from the essence of the lodge design and its original ‘Zulu-zen’ concept.
Elements of the natural forest and Zulu culture will be brought into the room through the use of tactile textures and natural materials such as woven matting, textured grass cloth wallpaper, and hardwood floors, with natural stone tiling in the bathrooms.
Major structural additions include a family suite, a library and lounge, a walkway with central fire pit linking the main area to the library, a newly reshaped and tiered pool, and significant upgrades to the main dining and bar areas. In keeping with the other lodges in &Beyond’s portfolio, the family suite will comprise a contemporary designed and decorated standard suite linked to a newly built second bedroom, which can be accessed privately or through an additional linked passageway.
A new purpose-built building will contain the library and sitting room, centred around a reading table and double-sided fireplace with surrounding areas for guests to relax. Timber sliding doors will lead to an outdoor deck with its own shaded spaces, nestled among the trees with views of patches of forest and the wetland areas.
The interior of the library and sitting room will combine elements of traditional Zulu culture with cosy minimalist elegance. A wooden walkway will seamlessly connect the library to a new pool area, which will include a reshaped and tiered swimming pool designed to maximize the scenic setting and timeless beauty of the sand forest. An all-new massage sala will also be constructed next to the pool. Other innovative additions will include a central fire pit that will be located between the library and main area, cast out toward the wetland and offering guests the opportunity to indulge in a fireside chat before and after dinner.
“We are excited about the refurbishment of one of our most loved lodges, and we hope to welcome guests back to Phinda Forest Lodge as of 1 December 2023,” says Pretorius.