Le Mirage Resort & Spa

Set on the gravel plains of the Namib Desert, 21 km from the Sesriem gate to Sossusvlei, Le Mirage rises from the sand like a small fortress. Its castle-like walls of dark stone shelter 27 rooms across two buildings: eight Camelthorn rooms near reception, named for the tree that grows beside them, and 19 Oasis rooms, each with a balcony facing the desert plains. The Oasis building also holds the pool and the spa. Rooms are simple and cool inside, with white linen, mosquito nets and stone walls that hold off the heat. It is a quiet base for a harsh landscape. Evenings run to a fire pit for sundowners, then a five-course dinner in the restaurant, or a private meal in the lodge's small wine cellar. By day, guides lead quad bike trips out to the dunes at sunrise or sunset, with the Tsaris Mountains on the horizon; hot air balloon flights lift off before dawn, weather permitting, followed by a champagne breakfast. Sossusvlei itself, home to some of the tallest dunes in southern Africa, is reachable on a guided excursion. Back at the lodge, the Mystique Spa offers massages and treatments after a day in the sun. The garden courtyard, shaded by palms, holds a sheltered pool and a jacuzzi. Check-in runs from 2pm.