Travel & Tourism Awards 2020

Page 10 www.lux-review.com LUX Travel and Tourism Awards 2020 is a vision of convenience and relaxation and wonderment, churned together to create an enticing, unwavering package. Take, for instance, Japie’s decision to transform each plains house into an art gallery, with each room playing home to a canvas. Curated by Japie himself, the featured art ranges from established masters to up-and-coming African talent. All are poignant and explore the nature of African history and identity. Where some embrace colour – notably, reds and blues – others keep a minimalistic appearance, or otherwise keep a firm focus on form. However, there’s a fluidity to each piece, a movement and kineticism which at once seems at odds to the respite of the interiors but becomes clearer when eyes are cast to the windows and open spaces. There’s that juxtaposition again. In other hands, the elements at play here would seem almost chaotic and paradoxical, but Japie balances them masterfully. There’s an omnipresent wildness that lingers in the man-made here, an equilibrium between sophistication and untameable forces. It’s subtle, yet entirely apt for a place that yearns to be a gateway for both. But that quality almost feels surface-level when you delve deeper into Cheetah Plains, and further into Japie’s vision. Because, if you cut away the art and architecture, there’s an undoubtably luxurious core to the entire offering that shines bright and unencumbered. This core is Japie’s determination that every need – seemingly every thought- is accounted for and fulfilled. Whilst many luxury establishments aim for this goal, few come close to what Cheetah Plains and its staff achieves here. For example, each of the houses include a private host, field guide, tracker and chef that is on hand throughout the duration of a guest’s stay. Each are experts of their craft, capable of honing the Cheetah Plains experience to suit a particular desire. For the gourmets, the reserve offers a transcendent tour through the country’s flavour heritage, partnering known favourites with modern twists that surprise and inspire in turn. Well-explored favourites are revitalised under the practised hands of Head Chef Charlaine-Lee Fouche, delivering soulful and imaginative dishes that revel in novelty and originality. Of particular note is the skill that the house chefs showcase in tailoring all meals to guests’ individual requirements and preferences. Moreover, guests are always welcome to visit the open kitchen to observe while the dishes are being prepared, or to help out and learn a few new tricks in a relaxed atmosphere. Guests who desire a wellness break will certainly be satisfied. In perfect, blissful surroundings, Cheetah Plains is fully able to cater to a host of touch therapies and beauty treatments from, suitably, Africology. Further, the in-house therapist is always on hand to tailor personal wellness experiences, should the want arise. Then, we come to the reserve itself, which schedules twice daily game drives led by best-in-class safari guides in prototype Land Cruiser Electric safari vehicles. These vehicles were pioneered by Japie himself, and serve to form a sustainable foundation for Cheetah Plains as a whole. After all, sustainability has become a buzz word on the greater luxury landscape, with establishments, firms and venues the world over eager to capitalise on client interest. Eco-tourism, equally, has become a booming market for those searching for a more guilt- free vacation. Cheetah Plains accommodated for both early on, with the Land Cruiser’s acting to reinforce an element of the reserve that has always been present. The houses’ careful construction saw to that, alongside the role that nature plays throughout the retreat. Again, there’s that feeling of being immersed in nature, to be just one small step from bush and wilderness.