Dreaming about Africa?
Make sure you consider staying at a black owned, African owned hotel or lodge.
Maybe it’s your first journey to the Motherland. Perhaps you’re planning a return to Ghana, a luxury safari in Zimbabwe, a beach escape, a romantic South African getaway or a trip centered on the history and culture of the African diaspora.
Wherever you’re headed, there’s another question worth asking before you book:
Who owns the hotel?
Search the major booking sites for hotels in Africa and you’ll find thousands of choices. What you usually won’t find is an easy way to identify the Black-owned, African-owned and Black-led hotels, resorts, safari lodges and independent stays among them.
That’s where Black Hotel Guide comes in.
We’re researching properties across the continent—from intimate boutique hotels and locally owned guesthouses to five-star resorts and extraordinary safari camps—so travelers can discover accommodations they might otherwise never find.
Here are some standout places to put on your Africa travel list.
Before you book—check BlackHotelGuide.com first. Same Price. Bigger Impact.
Black-Owned Hotels in South Africa
South Africa is a natural starting point for travelers who want several different African experiences in one trip.
Spend a few days exploring Johannesburg, fly to Cape Town for food and wine, drive the spectacular Panorama Route or head into the bush for an African safari.
South Africa also has a growing collection of Black-owned and Black-led luxury hotels, country retreats, resorts and safari properties.
Sanctuary Mandela — Johannesburg | Check Availability
Few hotels combine hospitality and history quite like Sanctuary Mandela.
Located in Johannesburg’s leafy Houghton neighborhood, the boutique hotel occupies a former residence of Nelson Mandela.
Today, the property provides an intimate luxury experience that incorporates Mandela’s history and legacy into the stay.
For diaspora travelers interested in South African history, Sanctuary Mandela offers something a conventional luxury hotel simply can’t replicate: the property itself is part of the journey.
Best for: History • Johannesburg • Boutique Luxury • Couples
→ Check Availability at Sanctuary Mandela
Blyde Canyon, A Forever Resort — Mpumalanga | Check Availability
Want to see another side of South Africa?
Blyde Canyon, A Forever Resort sits amid the spectacular landscapes of Mpumalanga’s Panorama Route, making it an excellent base for exploring Blyde River Canyon, the Three Rondavels, Bourke’s Luck Potholes and God’s Window.
The resort offers self-catering chalets, larger accommodations, swimming, dining and outdoor recreation.
It also entered an important new chapter in 2026 following the acquisition of the Forever Resorts business by an investment company associated with Community Investment Holdings, the Black-owned, women-led South African investment group co-founded by entrepreneur Prof. Anna Mokgokong.
Blyde Canyon works particularly well as part of a Johannesburg → Panorama Route → Kruger itinerary.
Best for: Nature • Road Trips • Families • Panorama Route
→ Check Availability at Blyde Canyon, A Forever Resort
Lira Boutique Hotel & Spa — Limpopo | Check Availability
For luxury away from South Africa’s busiest tourism corridors, consider Lira Boutique Hotel & Spa.
Set beside the beautiful Nandoni Dam near Thohoyandou, Lira combines contemporary accommodations, waterfront scenery, dining and relaxation in Limpopo Province.
It’s the kind of property that illustrates why looking beyond familiar international hotel brands can be worthwhile.
Best for: Luxury • Romance • Spa • Waterfront Escape
→ Check Availability at Lira Boutique Hotel & Spa
De Hoek Country Hotel — Magaliesburg | Check Availability
Sometimes the best part of a vacation is slowing down.
De Hoek Country Hotel offers an elegant country escape near Johannesburg, with landscaped grounds, fine dining and a peaceful setting along the Magalies River.
It makes an appealing addition to a Johannesburg itinerary for couples looking for a quieter few days away from the city.
Best for: Romance • Fine Dining • Country Escape • Luxury
→ Check Availability at De Hoek Country Hotel
More Black-Owned Hotels in South Africa
Those are only a few possibilities.
Black Hotel Guide’s South Africa collection includes everything from boutique hotels and country retreats to safari lodges and unusual stays, with new properties continually being researched and added.
→ Explore Black-Owned & Black-Led Hotels in South Africa
Ghana: A Homecoming Destination for the African Diaspora
For many Black American and diaspora travelers, Ghana isn’t simply another vacation destination.
Accra’s nightlife and restaurants, Cape Coast and Elmina’s history, contemporary Ghanaian culture and the country’s longstanding outreach to the African diaspora have made Ghana one of the most recognizable gateways to West Africa.
The lodging options are equally varied.
Rock City Hotel — Ghana | Check Availability
Set among the mountains of Ghana’s Eastern Region, Rock City Hotel demonstrates the scale and ambition of African-owned luxury hospitality.
The expansive resort in Nkwatia-Kwahu offers accommodations and extensive leisure and event facilities surrounded by mountain scenery.
Rock City is owned by Ghanaian businessman Bryan Acheampong, and the project’s development has also attracted attention for its involvement of Ghanaian professionals, including Black women architects.
For travelers who want to explore Ghana beyond Accra and the traditional heritage circuit, this is one to put on the itinerary.
Best for: Resort • Luxury • Groups • Ghana Getaway
→ Check Availability at Rock City Hotel
Villa Monticello — Accra | Check Availability
Travelers who prefer small luxury hotels should know about Villa Monticello.
This intimate Accra boutique hotel offers individually designed suites and an experience distinctly different from the large international hotels found elsewhere in the capital.
The property is Ghanaian-owned and women-founded, making its story particularly relevant to travelers interested in locally rooted African hospitality.
Best for: Boutique Luxury • Accra • Couples • City Stay
→ Check Availability at Villa Monticello
OLMA Colonial Suites — Accra | Check Availability
For travelers who appreciate additional space and a more residential atmosphere, OLMA Colonial Suites provides another alternative in Accra.
Its apartment-style accommodations work especially well for longer stays or travelers who want something more intimate than a large business hotel.
Best for: Longer Stays • Accra • Boutique • Couples
→ Check Availability at OLMA Colonial Suites
Beyond Accra
Ghana deserves more than a quick stop in the capital.
Consider combining Accra with Cape Coast and Elmina, exploring the country’s cultural and historical sites, or heading inland to experience another side of Ghana.
Black Hotel Guide continues to identify independently and locally owned accommodations throughout the country.
→ Explore Black-Owned & Black-Led Hotels in Ghana
Senegal & The Gambia: Black-Owned Stays in West Africa
For travelers drawn to West Africa, Senegal and The Gambia make a compelling two-country journey. Dakar brings together contemporary African culture, food, art and Atlantic coastline with the history of nearby Gorée Island, while The Gambia offers a more relaxed coastal experience with locally owned beachfront resorts.
Black Hotel Guide has researched Black-owned, Black-led and locally owned places to stay in both destinations, including boutique hotels in Dakar and Gambian-owned resorts along the Atlantic coast.
Planning this journey? Explore our complete guide to [Black-Owned Hotels in Dakar, Senegal & The Gambia], including where to stay, ownership information and booking options.
West Africa offers another compelling combination in Senegal and The Gambia — Make It a Two-Country Journey
→ Read: Black-Owned Hotels in Dakar, Senegal & The Gambia: A Guide for Diaspora Travelers
Black-Owned Safari Lodges in Africa
A safari is one of Africa’s great bucket-list travel experiences.
But here’s something travelers rarely see when searching for safari lodges:
Who owns the camp?
African and Black ownership remains significantly underrepresented within the safari industry, even though African entrepreneurs are increasingly building some of the continent’s most exciting luxury camps and conservation-focused hospitality businesses.
If you’re planning a safari, these are names worth knowing.
Somalisa Camp — Zimbabwe | Check Availability
Somalisa Camp sits in Zimbabwe’s legendary Hwange National Park and is the original camp behind one of Africa’s most successful Black-owned safari companies.
Zimbabwean professional guide and entrepreneur Beks Ndlovu founded African Bush Camps in 2006.
What began with Somalisa has grown into a collection of luxury safari camps across Zimbabwe, Botswana and Zambia.
Somalisa itself offers an intimate tented safari experience surrounded by Hwange’s wildlife.
One of its signature experiences?
Elephants frequently visit the waterhole immediately beside the camp.
It’s the sort of moment people imagine when dreaming about Africa—and here, the hospitality business behind that experience was built by an African safari entrepreneur.
Best for: Safari • Luxury • Wildlife • Zimbabwe • Couples
→ Check Availability at Somalisa Camp
African Bush Camps — Zimbabwe, Botswana & Zambia
Somalisa is only the beginning.
African Bush Camps gives travelers the opportunity to build an itinerary around several African-owned safari properties while exploring dramatically different landscapes across Southern Africa.
That might mean combining Hwange National Park with the Zambezi, Botswana or another wilderness destination.
For travelers specifically searching for Black-owned safari lodges in Africa, African Bush Camps is one of the most important hospitality companies to know.
→ Discover African Bush Camps & Black-Owned Safari Stays
Zambezi Sands — Zimbabwe | Check Availability
Another name changing the African safari ownership story is Vimbai Masiyiwa.
Her Batoka Africa hospitality company developed Zambezi Sands, a luxury safari lodge along the Zambezi River near Victoria Falls.
The experience combines wildlife and wilderness with a hospitality model designed to connect tourism more directly with surrounding African communities.
For travelers visiting Victoria Falls, it presents an intriguing alternative to simply booking the most familiar international luxury brand.
Best for: Luxury Safari • Victoria Falls • Couples • Riverfront
Black-Owned Safari Experiences Beyond Southern Africa
Black ownership isn’t limited to Southern Africa.
Across Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and other East African destinations, African entrepreneurs and local communities operate safari camps, lodges and tourism businesses that often receive far less international visibility than foreign-owned luxury brands.
Finding those businesses is becoming an important part of Black Hotel Guide’s Africa research.
→ Explore Black-Owned Safari Lodges in Africa
Liberia: A Black American Connection to West Africa
Liberia occupies a unique place in the relationship between Africa and the African diaspora.
For travelers interested in that history—or simply looking for a less frequently visited West African destination—BHG has another noteworthy resort to consider.
RLJ Kendeja Resort & Villas — Monrovia | Check Availability
Located along the Atlantic coast outside Monrovia, RLJ Kendeja Resort & Villas combines resort accommodations with beach access and a setting convenient for exploring Liberia’s capital.
The property’s connection to Black American entrepreneurship also gives it a distinctive place within BHG’s African collection.
Best for: Beach • Resort • Monrovia • Diaspora Travel
→ Check Availability at RLJ Kendeja Resort & Villas
How to Choose Where to Go in Africa
One of the hardest parts of planning a first trip to Africa is deciding where to begin.
Remember: Africa isn’t one destination.
The continent contains 54 countries and an enormous variety of cultures, landscapes and travel experiences.
So instead of asking “What’s the best country in Africa?”, start by asking:
What kind of trip do I want?
Looking for a Diaspora Homecoming?
Consider Ghana and Senegal.
Both offer opportunities to explore contemporary African culture alongside sites connected to the history of the African diaspora.
Want an African Safari?
Consider Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia, South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya or Uganda.
And don’t assume your only choices are internationally owned safari companies. African-owned alternatives exist.
Want Luxury, Food and City Life?
Put Johannesburg, Cape Town, Accra and Dakar on your research list.
Looking for Nature?
South Africa’s Panorama Route, Ghana’s countryside and Southern and East Africa’s national parks open an entirely different side of the continent.
Want Beaches?
Africa has extraordinary Atlantic and Indian Ocean destinations—from West Africa to Zanzibar and the East African coast.
Your African vacation doesn’t have to fit into one category.
Some of the best itineraries combine them.
Black-Owned Luxury Hotels in Africa
Another misconception worth leaving behind is that supporting locally owned hospitality means giving up luxury.
Across Africa, Black entrepreneurs are developing and operating luxury boutique hotels, destination resorts and sophisticated safari lodges that compete for the same international traveler as global hotel brands.
Properties such as Somalisa Camp, Rock City Hotel, Sanctuary Mandela and Lira Boutique Hotel & Spa demonstrate just how varied that luxury experience can be.
One might put you beside an elephant waterhole in Zimbabwe.
Another might place you inside a former Mandela residence in Johannesburg.
Another may surround you with mountain scenery in Ghana.
That’s the beauty of exploring Africa through independent hospitality.
Frequently Asked Questions About Black-Owned Hotels in Africa
Are there Black-owned hotels in Africa?
Yes. Black-owned and African-owned accommodations can be found across the continent, ranging from boutique hotels and luxury resorts to safari lodges, guesthouses, eco-retreats and unique stays. Black Hotel Guide researches ownership so travelers can more easily discover these properties alongside familiar international hotel brands.
What are some of the best destinations for finding Black-owned hotels in Africa?
South Africa, Ghana, Senegal, The Gambia and several countries in Southern and East Africa offer Black-owned or African-owned accommodations. The right destination depends on the type of trip you’re planning—whether that’s a diaspora homecoming, city break, beach vacation, luxury escape or African safari.
Are there Black-owned luxury hotels and resorts in Africa?
Yes. Black-owned hospitality in Africa isn’t limited to small guesthouses and B&Bs. Travelers can find luxury boutique hotels, destination resorts and upscale safari lodges owned or operated by Black African entrepreneurs and hospitality groups. Examples featured by Black Hotel Guide include Rock City Hotel in Ghana, Lira Boutique Hotel & Spa in South Africa and Somalisa Camp in Zimbabwe.
Are there Black-owned safari lodges in Africa?
Yes. Black-owned and African-owned safari companies operate camps and lodges across destinations including Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia, South Africa and East Africa. One notable example is African Bush Camps, founded by Zimbabwean professional guide and entrepreneur Beks Ndlovu, whose portfolio includes Somalisa Camp in Hwange National Park.
Can I book Black-owned hotels in Africa on Booking.com or Expedia?
Many can be booked through major online travel agencies such as Booking.com, Expedia and Hotels.com, although availability varies by property and destination. Black Hotel Guide listings help travelers identify ownership first and then, when available, compare booking options through familiar travel platforms.
Where should a Black American traveler go on a first trip to Africa?
It depends on the experience you’re looking for. Ghana and Senegal are popular choices for travelers interested in African diaspora history and cultural connections. South Africa combines cities, food, wine, nature and safari experiences, while Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda offer outstanding wildlife experiences. Travelers seeking beaches can also explore destinations along Africa’s Atlantic and Indian Ocean coasts.
Where can African American travelers experience African diaspora history?
Ghana and Senegal are two important destinations. In Ghana, travelers often combine Accra with Cape Coast and Elmina, while visitors to Senegal can explore Dakar and nearby Gorée Island. Liberia also has a distinctive historical connection with the African American diaspora.
Are there Black-owned hotels in Ghana?
Yes. Ghana has locally and Black-owned accommodations ranging from boutique hotels in Accra to larger resorts elsewhere in the country. Black Hotel Guide features properties including Rock City Hotel, Villa Monticello and OLMA Colonial Suites and continues to research additional Ghanaian-owned places to stay.
Are there Black-owned hotels in South Africa?
Yes. South Africa has a diverse collection of Black-owned and Black-led hotels, resorts, country retreats and safari properties. Black Hotel Guide features accommodations in Johannesburg, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and other parts of the country, including luxury hotels, nature resorts and safari stays.
Are there Black-owned hotels in Senegal and The Gambia?
Yes. Travelers can find Black-owned, Black-led and locally owned accommodations in Dakar and along The Gambia’s Atlantic coast. Black Hotel Guide has a dedicated guide to Black-owned hotels in Dakar, Senegal and The Gambia, including boutique properties, locally rooted stays and Gambian-owned beach resorts.
Why choose a Black-owned hotel in Africa?
Ownership gives travelers another factor to consider alongside price, location, amenities and reviews. Choosing a Black-owned or African-owned property can support local entrepreneurship while also introducing travelers to independent hotels and hospitality experiences they might not discover through a conventional hotel search.
How does Black Hotel Guide verify that a hotel is Black-owned?
Black Hotel Guide researches publicly available ownership information, including company records, credible news coverage, interviews, official property information and other reliable sources. Because hotel ownership and management can change, listings may also distinguish between Black-owned, Black-led, locally owned and other ownership structures rather than treating those terms as interchangeable.
How can I find more Black-owned hotels, resorts and safari lodges in Africa?
Use BlackHotelGuide.com to browse verified Black-owned and Black-led accommodations by destination and property type. New hotels, resorts, safari lodges, guesthouses and unique stays are added as ownership information is researched and verified.
Ready to Plan Your Trip?
Explore Black-Owned Hotels, Resorts & Unique Stays Across Africa
Compare destinations. Discover the owners behind the properties. Check availability. And find a stay that fits the way you want to experience Africa.
Before You Book—Check BlackHotelGuide.com First.
Same Price. Bigger Impact.
