2025 Year in Summary

It’s that time of year where we look back and go “blimey, governor, it’s already over, how ever did that happen, even though it happens every single year?”

Let’s look through the damage.

Dubai

What could possibly say “I love you” more than willingly going somewhere you know you’ll hate, purely for your wonderful wife? I’ll tell you what: doing it again this coming year, fully aware I’ll inevitably write another shitty review about another Dubai hotel. But that’s a 2026 problem.

We opened the year at the god-awful Atlantis The Royal, which continues to appear on the World’s 50 Best lists — a powerful reminder that those lists do, in fact, stink more than rotten dog shit. Things improved at The Lana, though the location is certainly not what you may have in mind when you think sand and sea. Although there’s a lot of concrete there, so technically there’s sand. Finally, we returned to the rather wonderful Bulgari Dubai.

Tanzania

February is not the best time to go on safari, unless of course you fancy witnessing the wildebeest birthing season — when all the little buggers arrive and the predators gently move in and say, “I’ll have two of those, thank you very much.”

Mwiba is not the best lodge I’ve ever been to.  It wouldn’t even make the top twenty.  But as an experience, it’s up there with the best.  Highly recommended, if you can just lower your expectations a bit.  Or, do as I did, and combine it with Singita Grumeti.  Sure, they’re also not in peak season, but they’re forever great.

I tried out the wonderfully refurbished Singita Faru Faru and the significantly less impressive, ugly stepchild of the Singita brand, Singita Explore.  And also gave Legendary Lodge a go.

Seychelles

Cheval Blanc Seychelles finally opened, and naturally I had to go. A perfectly good property, but unlike most of the other Cheval Blanc’s, not a must-visit.  Without their name, this would not have received the attention it didn’t deserve.

We also returned to North Island, coincidentally as they announced their break-up with Marriott. God bless them — freedom at last. I still adore that island, even if the refurb pressure grows stronger every year.  If you listen closely, the ocean is whispering “fix me”.

Zimbabwe

My first visit, and one of the most memorable trips I’ve ever taken. I started at Singita Pamushana, and to this day I’m still baffled that it ever received mixed reviews. It’s a quality, luxury lodge. Yes, the rooms look like they were decorated by someone working through a mud fetish, but otherwise it’s superb.

And then onto Mana Pools, home of some wonderful wild dog packs, where I went to Molori Mashuma.  Great lodge?  No.  But the experience made up for it.  However, nothing could make up for Matetsi.  Fuck those guys.

South Africa

Who doesn’t love a good redemption story? This year’s bromance was Melote House, a property I was so desperate to visit that they pre-emptively banned me because they were worried about what I might write. Totally normal behaviour. Not at all strange, paranoid, or mildly dictator-y.

For whatever reason, they reversed course, we went, and the entire family loved it. I need to go back when the wildlife is behaving, as it was a bit quiet, and if that really was a one-off as they insist, then Melote is an epic place. Afterwards we gave Leobo — the non-safari safari adventure lodge — a go, before returning to actual animals at Morukuru Farm House and Tswalu Tarkuni.

Kenya + Zanzibar

Next up was Kenya, where I set out to finally exorcise my Angama and &Beyond demons. I started at Angama Amboseli, fully expecting — no, hoping — to write a spectacularly shitty review about their elephant-dung-smothered property, only to actually enjoy it. Annoying.

Then it was off to the newly opened (as in: less than two weeks) &Beyond Suyian Lodge, which looked spectacular and turned out to be even better in person. The lodge is superb, the activities keep you busy, and while the wildlife is still warming up, the concession is new — time will solve that.

For the hat trick, I headed to the recently refurbished &Beyond Mnemba Island. And what’s this? It sucks. Oh.  I guess all arcs fall to the ground in the end.

Tokyo + Fiji

Back in that innocent era known as 2019, we honeymooned at Aman Tokyo and Laucala. In 2025, we repeated the trip — this time with kids and my deeply committed father, whose lifelong dream has been eight days in Fiji with his grandchildren. Sorry, did I say grandchildren? I meant the golf course on Laucala.

Since then, Bulgari Tokyo opened, so we tried both and crowned Bulgari the winner. Laucala remains extraordinary — perhaps the best it’s ever been — at least until it closes for its upcoming mega-refurb. And Aman Tokyo is still great, but looking a little dated compared to the shiny new competition.

Botswana

Continuing the theme of giving things a chance, I decided to see what Natural Selection has been up to and visited all their Premier Camps in one trip. Jack’s Camp is undoubtedly the most famous, thanks to the meerkats, the utterly unique environment, and the interior design that could double as a serial killer’s lair. I liked it, but with a lot of hesitation.

North Island and Tuludi were less impressive, but Tawana was a complete showstopper — unquestionably one of Botswana’s best.

Did I mention South Africa?

This marked my fifth flight into Johannesburg this year. Just when I think I’m out, they pull me back in. And naturally, it will be my first flight of 2026 as well.

Royal Portfolio launched yet another camp in Thornybush, this time a “tented accommodation” called Masiya’s Camp. Absolutely brilliant. In every single way. Except the concession, but let’s not ruin the mood.

Then came Kateka, which was not brilliant in any way. I finally visited Londolozi and instantly understood the fuss, and wrapped up with a stay at the newly reopened (after their second major fire) Lion Sands Ivory Lodge. Room for improvement is how I’ll phrase that one.

Disneyland

Yes, even I can be persuaded by the soft, puppy-dog eyes of my children to visit somewhere as demonic as Disneyland. However, with a VIP guide and someone literally escorting us to the front of every queue, it was… actually quite pleasant. And “quite pleasant” is also how I’d describe the Peninsula Paris. Sure, there are better hotels, but it did the job — and served as a firm reminder that I should really start booking my own trips more than one day in advance.

London

My days of spending almost every weekend in a London hotel are long gone, but we still find ourselves in the capital a few times. We used The Emory twice as a pre-departure hideout, and more recently stayed at the newly opened Rosewood The Chancery. Both are excellent, both with pros and cons, and both add yet more competition to an already crowded London luxury market.

Maldives

And, as with 2024, we finish in the Maldives. And in true hotel-construction fashion, we also finish with yet another delayed opening. A record this time: postponed just 12 days before arrival. The property is called HERE, but that was certainly not where I was.

We returned to The Nautilus for the first time in six years, at least managed to “visit” HERE by staying at their sister property Finolhu, and then rounded things off at Velaa for Christmas — a tradition my bank account would love me to reconsider.

Where I failed

No year in review is complete without acknowledging the places I heroically failed to visit. First up, once again, Islas Secas — my travel nemesis. I genuinely tried, but it remains one of the most irritatingly complicated destinations to reach. And yet, like a pig drawn to shit, I’ve put it back on the list for next year.

Then there’s Villa D Marrakech. I keep wanting to go, but I also keep failing to convince myself that returning to Marrakech with kids is something I am prepared for.  Until next time, fellas.