Shamwari Game Reserve situated in the malaria free Eastern Cape near Port Elizabeth, proudly unveils the new Villa Lobengula. Previously known as the Lobengula Lodge, Villa Lobengula has been transformed into a holistic relaxation villa, presenting guests with a true haven of rejuvenation, relaxation and utter serenity.
Villa Lobengula, tucked away in the depths of the valley bushveld is designed for families or intimate groups and offers just six suites, accommodating 12 people sharing.
Guests will have sole use of the villa with their own private guide, chef and host to look after their personal needs. Guests will be able, at their leisure, to meditate on the tranquil deck, rejuvenate with various holistic therapies and take full advantage of the private yoga studio.
The transformation from Lodge to Villa included a revamp of the exterior by painting the villa a soft white to reiterate harmony and to create balance, a dark finish on the doors.
The refurbishment and interiors were done by Tania Mourant, from local interior design company, ‘Crank Designs’ in Port Elizabeth and assisted by Natalie Lombard, consultant project manager and yoga therapist.
The brief was to create an elegant minimal feel with a touch of Zen yet incorporate elements of the African bush.
Natural fabrics, colours and materials were used to blend earth elements into the furniture and décor and existing furniture was restored where possible while the rest of the furniture was either sold or donated to the local community. The Villa supports local community projects and for the refurbishment used décor items that have been hand-made by women from the local village.
Comments consultant project manager Johann Lombard, “We wanted to create an utterly unique bush experience by marrying a holistic yet luxurious hideaway with a traditional wildlife and conservation experience. We’ve found more and more guests are seeking a harmonious marriage of the two coupled with organic cuisine and age old therapies to escape the high stress of today’s lifestyle.”
Johann together with his wife Natalie, are consultant project managers and have been paramount in the transformation of Villa Lobengula. Johann is also involved in the guide mentorship programme for Shamwari Group, which promotes and improves the internal standards through a series of workshops, practical evaluations and personal coaching of all Shamwari Group guides.
Villa Lobengula is also in the process of implementing an extensive herb and vegetable garden so as to insure the Villa’s sustainability as well as to provide guests with home grown fresh, organic produce.
Visit www.shamwarigroup.com for more info or reservations