Relais and Châteaux

Relais & Chateaux in the Kruger National Park

To this day Londolozi remains one of a few Relais & Châteaux lodge experiences situated in South Africa and one of only two luxury lodges in Kruger National Park with this prestigious brand association.

Belonging to the Relais & Châteaux association means being part of a global family of hoteliers whose standalone properties are united by what makes each one of them so unique. The spirit of excellence and a common vision of looking after guests, sharing with them the true flavour, culture and experience of the region that can only be shared when staying in a stand-alone family-run destination.

Relais & Châteaux South Africa

As part of the Relais & Châteaux Africa delegation and as one of the first Relais & Châteaux lodge in South-Africa, Londolozi is proud to recommend other Relais & Châteaux hotels and lodges in South Africa and further beyond across the continent and Indian Ocean islands.  Relais & Châteaux is a worldwide network of member properties across 67 countries and 5 continents which offer an abundant variety of extraordinary destinations.

In order to achieve admission into the Relais & Châteaux family, a property must pass through the association’s criteria of excellence whilst also committing to the movement of making the world better through hospitality. Relais & Châteaux is defined by the values it shares with its Members throughout the world:

A local anchor: Relais & Châteaux Kruger National Park

Relais & Châteaux properties are the living expression of a place, its history, environment and culture. Members commit to preserve the diversity of cuisines and hospitality in this world so that future generations can know and share in their richness.

For Londolozi this is done by offering african safari cuisine sourced and created in harmony with the geographic location of our Relais & Châteaux property and which respects and reflects seasonal products. We have joined forces with local farmers to protect the harvest of humanity and be guardians of the biodiversity of our planet and food which is native to South Africa. Above all, we protect and promote the rich diversity of the many different South African cuisines and elements of hospitality, seeing them both as somewhat intangible but still valuable assets of our humanity and our cultural heritage.

The human aspect – Creating a Social Enterprise

The Relais & Châteaux spirit lies not only in the respect shown toward one’s hosts and colleagues, but also toward the men and women who evolve around our properties and embody the places and cultures they are part of. The ambition for every Relais & Châteaux property is that each experience be an inspiration for our guests, our suppliers, our staff and our local partners to work together to create a more humane world. As a social enterprise, Londolozi has created a community-oriented organisation. The success of The Londolozi Model rests on a new narrative of social enterprise, centered around the creation of perpetual and long lasting vested economic and social interests for those who live within and around the reserve.

Londolozi is a large family committed to harmonious village living, drawn from diverse backgrounds and who all take great pride in honouring the importance of family life. We believe in self-empowerment and that each individual has the potential to become ‘their own liberator’. In this regard, Londolozi provides extensive training programmes and opportunities for personal growth at all levels of the operation. These initiatives allow for continuous succession and incremental advancement of each and every individual within the organisation, in line with the social enterprise values of our organisation.

Together, we can craft and create a world that is more sensitive and attentive to the essential aspects of dining, warmth and welcome, which are the foundations of a more peaceful, open society underpinned by a sustainable tourism industry. We join in this movement with our partners who feel as we do, believing it is a cause that is worth fighting for and supporting each day.

Sharing – Every Maître de Maison conveys his or her passion to our guests

The Relais & Châteaux family strives to share our passion for what is beautiful, good and unique by creating moments for our guests that are not just a luxury reserved for the elite, but a treasure to be shared with anyone who cares about and wants to feel a part of the world around them.

We cultivate and share this value with many different communities – small farmers and producers in our regions who are all too often isolated or ignored; hundreds of young apprentices and graduates whom we welcome into our business and to whom we proudly pass along our trade and the understanding and skills associated with it; and our employees, with whom we are united and from whom our ambition and passions truly shine.

Commitment – Members help to enrich the history of cuisine and hospitality

While we all have individual responsibilities, our collective commitment is to move forward together on a shared, long-term venture to deploy Relais & Châteaux’s 20 commitments for cuisine and hospitality and to promote the “Arts de vivre” as the true 10th Art.

La Route du Bonheur

The history of Relais & Châteaux goes back to 1954 when Marcel and Nelly Tilloy, a couple of music-hall artists who owned La Cardinale, a hotel and restaurant on the right bank of the Rhône, came up with the idea of advertising eight properties under the slogan ‘La Route du Bonheur’.

Eight totally different houses, all authentic and inhabited, each with its own personality, located away from towns on the road from Paris to Nice, they were all united by shared values: top quality amenities, outstanding fine dining and their own particular ideas about the Art of Living. This union of kindred spirits merged together to create the most prestigious hotel Association in the world: Relais & Châteaux.

Today, nearly 562 Members are to be found along 140 Routes du Bonheur in 67 countries, all sharing the same enthusiasm. “Hoteliers, restaurateurs must speak from the heart”, was Marcel Tilloy’s recommendation. This was 60 years ago and that belief is still alive today.

Relais & Châteaux has become a global icon for quality in the hotel and restaurant world with many of the world’s best chefs working within properties that form part of the Relais & Châteaux family. The association’s mission is to spread its unique art de vivre worldwide by selecting outstanding properties with a truly unique character.