Rediscover Wilderness: The Reopening of Savute Safari Lodge

Rediscover Wilderness: The Reopening of Savute Safari Lodge

By Author

Published on January 15, 2024

In a move that is set to redefine luxury in the wild, Savute Safari Lodge in Botswana, part of the esteemed Desert & Delta Safaris portfolio, is preparing to reopen its doors after an extensive rebuild. This rejuvenation of the lodge promises to bring a new level of comfort and style to the heart of the African wilderness.

The newly reconstructed lodge is a perfect fusion of modern luxury and authentic safari experience. Each guest room has been thoughtfully redesigned to include temperature control for the warmer months, ensuring comfort in the heart of the wilderness. A standout feature of the new design is the addition of private outdoor showers, offering an immersive nature experience.
Every room at Savute Safari Lodge has been reoriented to provide stunning views of the Savute Channel, allowing guests to witness the breathtaking landscape from the comfort of their rooms. The lodge comprises 11 standard rooms and a family room, each embodying a blend of traditional safari lodge elements with a contemporary touch. The interior color palette, inspired by the contrasting colors of the Kalahari, adds to the ambiance of understated elegance.

image

The communal spaces have been redesigned to focus on the dynamic views of Botswana’s famous waterholes. A raised deck with a central fireplace descends to a sunken hide, providing guests an opportunity to observe wildlife at eye level in the Savute region. This architectural marvel brings guests closer to the region’s diverse wildlife, enhancing the safari experience.

The lodge offers a range of facilities including indoor and outdoor dining venues, a bar, a swimming pool, and a campfire area. These amenities are designed to provide guests with a comfortable and memorable stay, blending seamlessly with the natural surroundings.
Matthew Johnson, managing director of Desert & Delta Safaris, expressed his excitement about the project: “This is an incredibly exciting project for us. Savute is such an iconic safari destination, and the new Savute Safari Lodge will offer guests a front-row seat to the wildlife of the unique and mysterious Savute from an extremely comfortable and stylish lodge.”

image

He further highlighted the distinctiveness of the lodge's design and style, ensuring it stands out within the Desert & Delta Safaris’ portfolio, while maintaining a commitment to local empowerment and providing warm, friendly, and professional service.
Savute Safari Lodge’s reopening is not just the unveiling of a renovated property; it's the introduction of a new era in safari experiences, where luxury and wilderness converge to create unforgettable memories.


Cygnett Hotels & Resorts Opens Cygnett Collection Jim Corbett

Cygnett Hotels & Resorts Opens Cygnett Collection Jim Corbett

By Hariharan U

Published on August 21, 2026

Homegrown hospitality chain Cygnett Hotels & Resorts has opened Cygnett Collection Jim Corbett, a 50-key resort near Ramnagar in Uttarakhand. The property is now part of Trademark Collection by Wyndham, adding to Cygnett's destination-focused portfolio and strengthening its partnership with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts.

Located along the Umedpur–Chilkiya belt, the resort offers easy access to Jim Corbett National Park while also remaining connected to Ramnagar and other popular attractions in the region. Its location is suited to travellers visiting Corbett for wildlife experiences, family holidays, short leisure trips, corporate retreats and social occasions.

The resort features 50 rooms, each measuring close to 400 sq. ft., with layouts aimed at longer and more relaxed stays. Guests can dine at C Pavilion, the property's all-day dining restaurant serving Indian, regional and international cuisine. Other facilities include an outdoor swimming pool and landscaped outdoor areas.

Along with its leisure facilities, the resort has a strong focus on meetings and events. Summit, its approximately 3,000 sq. ft. conference and banquet venue, can host up to 250 guests depending on the event format. The venue, along with the outdoor spaces, is designed to cater to corporate offsites, intimate destination weddings and private celebrations.

"Jim Corbett has developed into a strong year-round leisure market, with demand extending beyond wildlife travel to family holidays, celebrations and corporate retreats. For us, this opening is also an important expression of what Cygnett Collection is intended to represent. We want to bring together destination-led properties that have a clear sense of place and an individual identity, while giving guests the consistency of service and operating standards associated with Cygnett," said Sarbendra Sarkar, Founder & Managing Director, Cygnett Hotels & Resorts.

The resort combines its destination-led character with Cygnett's hospitality experience and the reach of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. Its association with Wyndham is expected to improve its visibility among domestic and international travellers while supporting Cygnett's plans to develop hotels in high-potential leisure destinations.

The opening also adds to Cygnett's efforts to build Cygnett Collection as a distinctive midscale portfolio featuring boutique resorts, heritage conversions and properties where the destination plays an important role in the guest experience. Hotels under the Collection are designed to retain their individual architectural and local character while following common standards of contemporary hospitality and the company's Cygnetture service framework.

With Cygnett Collection Jim Corbett, the group is expanding its presence in one of North India's established wildlife and drive-to leisure markets. The property brings together access to the Corbett landscape, accommodation, dining and event facilities for a range of travellers.

The resort's inclusion in Trademark Collection by Wyndham also highlights the growing collaboration between Cygnett Hotels & Resorts and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts as both companies explore further growth opportunities across India and South Asia.

Commenting on the milestone, Sarbendra Sarkar, Founder & Managing Director, Cygnett Hotels & Resorts, said, "When we started Cygnett twelve years ago, we were convinced that India's hospitality growth story would increasingly be shaped by emerging cities and untapped destinations. The North East, pilgrimage centres and regional markets offered immense potential, and our strategy was built around participating in this transformation long before it became an industry trend."

He further added, "As we enter the next phase of growth, our focus is on creating a globally connected hospitality platform rooted in regional India. Our partnership with Wyndham, expanding portfolio of brands and strong development pipeline position us well to capitalize on the evolving travel landscape and create long-term value for our stakeholders."

Cygnett expects India's hospitality growth to be increasingly driven by spiritual tourism, experiential travel, destination weddings and infrastructure-led commercial corridors. The company believes emerging destinations beyond traditional metropolitan markets will offer significant opportunities in the coming years.

As part of its growth plans, Cygnett Hotels & Resorts has set a target of surpassing 100+ hotels and 10,000+ keys by 2030, as it looks to expand its presence across India and South Asia.


Fusion Hotel Group Integrates Ayola and Odua Brands from Topotels

Fusion Hotel Group Integrates Ayola and Odua Brands from Topotels

By Hariharan U

Published on August 20, 2026

Fusion Hotel Group has announced the integration of Ayola and Odua, two midscale Indonesian hotel brands operated by Topotels Hotels & Resorts, into its expanding regional portfolio. The move adds seven hotels to Fusion's portfolio and strengthens its presence in Indonesia and the wider Southeast Asian hospitality market.

Topotels currently operates seven midscale hotels across key Indonesian destinations under the Ayola and Odua brands. The properties serve both business and leisure travellers, with a presence in cities including Jakarta, Bandung and Surabaya, as well as other regional markets.

Following the integration, Ayola and Odua will continue to operate under their existing brand identities. The hotels will benefit from Fusion Hotel Group's regional expertise, commercial platforms and operational support, with the integration expected to strengthen service consistency, distribution and access to Fusion's growing regional network.

image

Commenting on the development, Willy Suderes, Chief Operating Officer, Topotels Hotels & Resorts, said, "This integration marks an exciting new chapter for Topotels. Joining Fusion will open new doors for our business, allowing us to deliver a better experience for our guests and provide stronger support for our owners. We're confident that the integration with Fusion will bring fresh momentum to our hotels and teams."

The addition of the two brands expands Fusion's collection of midscale hospitality offerings while providing a stronger operating platform across Indonesia. The country represents an important market for the group, with its major urban centres and regional destinations continuing to attract both domestic and international travellers.

Christopher Hur, Chief Executive Officer, Fusion Hotel Group, said, "We're delighted to welcome Topotels into the Fusion family. Their strong roots in Indonesia combined with Fusion's expertise will unlock new opportunities in key destinations across the country. This partnership strengthens our regional presence and supports our long-term vision for growth across Southeast Asia."

The integration forms part of Fusion Hotel Group's wider strategy of expanding its portfolio through partnerships and strengthening its presence across key Southeast Asian travel markets. The move also broadens the group's offering across different hospitality segments while retaining the individual identities of its established hotel brands.

Founded in 2008, Fusion Hotel Group operates 26 properties across Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia, with a portfolio of eight brands. The group is known for wellness-focused hospitality and lifestyle concepts, alongside capabilities spanning hotel management, concept development and brand creation.

Fusion also operates in the branded residences segment, which continues to grow across the Asia-Pacific region.

With the integration of Ayola and Odua, Fusion Hotel Group further strengthens its position as a regional hospitality platform while expanding its operational footprint in Indonesia.


Ananta Spa & Resort Jaipur Introduces Helicopter Arrivals for Destination Weddings

Ananta Spa & Resort Jaipur Introduces Helicopter Arrivals for Destination Weddings

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on August 18, 2026

Ananta Spa & Resort Jaipur has introduced helicopter arrivals for wedding couples, adding an aerial experience to its destination wedding offering in Jaipur.

Managed by Black Rock Hotels & Resorts, the 40-acre resort features 351 rooms along with extensive indoor and outdoor event spaces. The new offering gives couples the option to include a helicopter arrival as part of their wedding itinerary, turning their entry into a memorable part of the overall celebration.

image

The move comes as India's luxury destination wedding market continues to see a growing demand for personalised experiences. Families are increasingly looking beyond décor and traditional hospitality, focusing on creating memorable moments throughout the wedding, from guest experiences and entertainment to the couple's arrival.

For destination wedding resorts, this has also changed the way celebrations are planned. Instead of simply providing accommodation and event spaces, properties are increasingly building complete wedding experiences that can adapt to the specific requirements of each family.

image

Ravindra Pratap Singh, Chairman, Ravi Surya Group and owner of Ananta Spa & Resort Jaipur, said, "Destination weddings have become much more personal. Families are no longer looking only for a beautiful venue; they want to create moments that feel specific to them and that guests will remember. An aerial arrival is one such experience. At Ananta Jaipur, our scale gives us the flexibility to think beyond conventional wedding formats and work with families on how the entire celebration unfolds, from the arrival to the ceremonies and experiences in between."

Destination weddings and MICE remain key demand segments for Ananta Spa & Resort Jaipur. The resort has 12 venues, including multiple indoor banquet spaces and large outdoor lawns.

One of its key event spaces is the 70,000 sq. ft. Suijin Lawn. The resort also features a dedicated 16-pillared, Vastu-compliant ceremonial Pagoda, designed for traditional wedding rituals including ghudchadi, baraat, and jaimala. The wedding offering is supported by accommodation across five categories, along with wellness and leisure facilities, landscaped areas and multiple dining experiences. This allows families to host multi-day celebrations largely within the resort.

With Jaipur already established as one of India's leading destination wedding markets, Black Rock Hotels & Resorts expects personalised and experience-led celebrations to play a larger role in how luxury wedding resorts plan and deliver destination weddings.

Stay up-to-date with the latest Hospitality news and trends in the Hospitality industry!

Subscribe to Hospitality news e-magazine for free and never miss an issue.

By clicking subscribe for free you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge our Privacy Policy.

Advertise With Us

We have various options to advertise with us including Events, Advertorials, Banners, Mailers, etc.