The Belmond Savute Elephant Lodge
The bathrooms have a large timber and
marble-topped vanity with handmade pottery
basins painted with an abstract of natural
grasses. Outdoor showers are generously
sized and connect guests to nature.
“The essence of Belmond Savute Elephant
Lodge is to allow guests to experience timeless
exploration in the heart of wild Africa,” says
Inge. “Just as the early explorers widened
their horizons and brought home news and
learning, I hope today’s guests will return to
their homes with once-in-a-lifetime memories
and stories to share with others”.
Furniture and fittings throughout the lodge
are from southern African suppliers, including:
furniture from Moorgas & Sons, Phases Africa,
Cane Time and Weylandts. Artefacts and
collectibles are from Toguna and Amatuli, and
glassware and tableware from Ngwenya Glass
and Creative Copper. Textiles are mainly by St
Leger & Viney.
Protecting the Environment
In the course of reconstruction, existing
concrete structures were removed, crushed
and reconstituted as hard core for making
bricks and other building materials in the
local area. Internal flooring in the public areas
is crafted from regional saligna, a Forestry
Stewardship Council certified timber.
External decking and fascias are constructed
from composite bamboo. Guest tent roofs
are thatched with grass purchased from
communities in Northern Botswana.
Containers used to transport furnishings and
equipment were used as temporary storage
on site before being converted into new
laundry and storage areas.
In the first of its kind in Botswana, the lodge
is now powered by a 212kWp Tesla Photo
Voltaic Solar system, which is integrated with
generators to ensure a single uninterrupted
Website: www.belmond.com
the World Of Hospitality 89
supply of power. Lighting is LED based and all
fans are low wattage and power-efficient.
Hot water is supplied to guests via a
thermodynamic geyser that uses a
combination of ambient temperature and
power-efficient heat pumps to heat the
water. A new anaerobic Sewerage Treatment
Plant has been introduced along with
environmentally-friendly cleaning products
and guest amenities that are biodegradable
and free of parabens and excessive nitrates.
A bio-digester has been installed for kitchen
waste which is then turned into compost for
community-based farming projects.