THE MARULA SUITE

A favourite among the giraffes and elephants that roam the Delta, the marula tree is one of Africa's botanical treasures. The suite's design is inevitably spectacular, from the unique egg cup chair by Adam Birch to the three-stripe karakul by Coral & Hive.

OUR SUITES AT A GLANCE

  • Each of the 12 air-conditioned suites – including the Family Suite – offers absolute privacy and seclusion, with panoramic views over the Delta

  • Feel at home with 184-square-metres (1980-square-feet) of indoor and outdoor living space, including an airy bedroom, a separate lounge and dressing room area

  • Spacious bathrooms offer both indoor and outdoor showers, with freestanding baths overlooking the Okavango wilderness

  • Secluded private outdoor decks feature peaceful outdoor gazebos and king-size daybeds for quiet moments, and quality family time in nature
  • Modern amenities, including flat-screen TV, Wi-Fi access and in-room safe

  • Indulge in spa and beauty treatments in the privacy and comfort of your suite

  • With indoor and outdoor dining areas for up to four guests, enjoy private dining on request

  • Full room service is offered, with suites offering a butler store, fridge, kettle, plates, cutlery and glasses

  • All suites are individually handcrafted from FSC-certified cedar, with a vaulted, tensile roof cover 

  • In your suite, discover a watercolour painting kit and a wildlife compendium to record your sightings and take home as a complete record 

THE DESIGN DETAILS

Imbizo Dining Table by Chuma Maweni, a master of hand-thrown ceramics. “Imbizo” means gathering in Xhosa. The ceramic legs are hand thrown on a wheel and then carved, while the ebonised kiaat timber top is also hand carved with motifs.

Walnut and blue custom Kassena Server by Dokter and Misses, inspired by the patterned adobe structures built by the Kassena people, who live in the Tiébélé region on the border of Ghana & Burkina Faso. The geometric patterns wrapped around the cabinets are derived from two literary texts in the Sotho and Tsonga languages.

Ceramic bedside lamps by Ardmore, designed to capture the rich plant life and wild creatures of the Moremi Game Reserve, and made exclusively for Xigera. The lamps each depict a different animal and are adorned with patterns, colours and motifs that reference the fabrics and colour scheme of the suite.

Egg cup chair by Adam Birch, who spent seven months on site at Xigera carving more than 150 large-scale timber sculptures for the lodge. He worked alongside a team of local carpenters, training them in woodworking skills that will stay with them for life.

Three stripe Karakul by Coral & Hive, an all-women, ethically operated company with some of the most talented weavers in South Africa, whose skills have been passed down for generations. The lounge carpet is made from Karakul wool, from sheep that are raised in the Karoo, in South Africa.

African Jacquard custom bedspread, designed to complement the colours of the suite.

Timber wardrobe by Otto du Plessis, with etched brass doors depicting landscapes and botanical scenes taken directly from the surrounding Moremi Reserve. These were based on drawings of baobabs, palms and other plants common to the Delta by Trevor Potter, a resident artist at Bronze Age.

“Further in Further Out” artwork by South African artist Chris Soal, created with collected bottle tops from bars and shebeens around Johannesburg.

Heartwood bowl by Port Alfred. Each bowl is a one of a kind piece of art, hand-crafted over many days and weeks. They have unique African design sensibility, with leadwood sourced from a farmer in the Limpopo Valley.

Bronze Bowls by Charles Haupt, who together with Otto du Plessis, has spearheaded the functional design side of Bronze Age Studio. Created in patinated bronze and gold leaf, the bowls are inspired by natural growth patterns, cast in bronze, finished with a unique patina and gilded with gold leaf.

Glazed ceramic tableware collection by Chuma Maweni, a master of hand-thrown ceramics, who was the single largest individual supplier for the lodge, producing every item by hand, himself.

Ebonised Kiaat & Bronze bed by Duchenne cabinetry, in partnership with Southern Guild, combining African totem references with traditional timber craft. The lily finals were sculpted by Trevor Potter and are cast in bronze, each one shaped to a unique configuration. The headboard fabrics were selected by Toni Tollman from the most exclusive and luxurious European fabric houses.

Ebonised eucalyptus side table by Adam Birch, who spent seven months on site at Xigera carving more than 150 large-scale timber sculptures for the lodge. He worked alongside a team of local carpenters, training them in woodworking skills that will stay with them for life.