Kruger Shalati

A stationary train permanently parked in the middle of a bridge may seem like an unlikely location for a luxury hotel. But the team behind Kruger Shalati is simply making the most of its location in South Africa’s iconic Kruger National Park. Motsayami Tourism Group created the 31-room "Afro-chic" hotel as an homage to past park explorers, who were once only allowed to visit by train and would sleep overnight in the very spot the hotel is located on. The much-upgraded experience still offers views of the majestic scenery, but in more glam mode conjured up by Cape Town design firm Hesse Kleinloog in collaboration with local artists. Though the pandemic shifted the team’s schedule, the hotel was still able to open in December 2020, debuting as what Travel & Leisure calls "possibly the coolest hotel in the world."