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The Group: One word springs to mind when thinking about Mantis Collection; diverse. No property is alike and no experience is the same as another.
The group, a
portfolio of privately owned Boutique Hotels, Game Reserves and Eco, was conceived by Chairman & Founder Adrian Gardiner in 1992, however it did not become the 'Mantis Collection' until 2000.
Obviously there is a high focus on five-star luxury at each of the beautiful properties but the group also has a strong commitment to conservation. The Mantis Conservation division of the group work to develop and
rehabilitate the ecosystem of vast areas of land in order to restore them to their former glory. Under the mantra of 'Nurturing nature today for tomorrow' the team has undertaken projects in Scotland, Morocco, Abu Dhabi, Africa and more recently in the USA. |
Adrian Gardiner
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Another of the group's mantras is 'Conserving a Vanishing Way of Life' which is achieved by responsible expansion and supporting local environment through community development projects, conservation of wildlife and the natural resources of the region.
The Luxury Travel Bible loves ... while staying at a Mantis Collection property the group aim to provide an 'experience' and what better way than with your own expert guide? Specialist guides, including TLTB favourite Ben Fogle, can be privately hired on a one-on-one basis throughout guests' stay in order to enhance their stay through sharing their experiences and expert knowledge. |
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The Creators: The Mantis Collection was conceived in South Africa when Adrian Gardiner purchased a piece of 'insignificant abused, eroded and spiritless piece of land measuring a mere 2000 hectares in size' to build a family home. However, after discovering photos and information and learning more about the history of the land the Gardiner family developed the plot into the Shamwari Game Reserve. Today this Reserve measures 25,000 hectares in size and has seen the re-introduction of the game that roamed the wilds of the Eastern Cape 200 years ago. Adrian and his team went onto reproduce this model at the Sanbona Wildlife Reserve in the Western Cape. Building on the success of these two reserves Adrian has been at the helm as his collection has grown over the past two decades to become one of the most eco luxury hotel groups around. |
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The List:
Hotels
Ellenborough Park, Cannizaro House, CasaSur Art Hotel, De Hoek Country House, Draycott Hotel, Hotel Keppler, Icehotel, La Maison Tamarin, Lake Pleasant Living, The Last Work Bishopscourt, The Last Word Constantia, The Last Word Franschhoek, The Last Word Long Beach, The Last Word Sea Five, Lawhill Luxury Apartments, Liliesleaf Boutique Hotel, The Lord Milner, Shamwari Townhouse, The Sherry-Netherland, Stenden university hotel, Views Boutique Hotel & Spa
Game Reserve
Baines River Camp , Oceana Beach & Wildlife Reserve , Jaci's Safari Lodge & Jaci's Tree Lodge
Eco Lodges
explora Atacama , explora Rapa Nui , White Desert, explora Patagonia , Royal Chundu Zambezi Lodges
Ski Lodges
Le Chardon Mountain Lodges
Luxury Yachts
M/Y Beluga, The Last Word Princess Emma, The World, Whirlwind of St Peter Port , Zambezi Queen |
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New Hotels: The Marlin Hotel in South Beach, Florida, which recently underwent a multi-million dollar facelift, joined the group in December 2011. Within the next
5 years the group plan to expand to over 100 properties.
Adrian says, 'Going forward we plan to expand our collection of properties to all 7 continents of the world. We wish to attach a five star hospitality component to some of the world's must-see wonders, including the Great Barrier Reef, the Amazon Jungle, the tigers and mystical palaces of India and the towering mountains of Nepal'.
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