I was as giggly as a child going to Disneyland when I discovered this place. It's just a hotel, right? Yes, but, it's not just a hotel...it is SAFARI themed. Pictured above is the hotel's 15 foot elephant named Shawu.
Palace of the Lost City is a hotel that opened in 1992, one of the four hotels included in the Sun City complex. Sun City is in Rustenburg, a two hour journey north of Johannesburg, South Africa. The complex sits right on the edge of Pilanesberg National Park, which boasts of their "super seven" animal sightings. The "super seven" consists of Africa's Big Five; lion, leopard, elephant, black rhinoceros and cape buffalo, along with cheetah and wild dogs. The game reserve actually has over 7,000 animals, also including zebra, wildebeest and impala, plus 360 bird species. Both Sun City and the national park sit in an extinct volcano, reportedly, erupting more than 1,300 million years ago. Sun City was founded by world hotel magnate, Sol Kerzner, and was officially opened on December 7, 1979. Sometimes referred to as "Sin City" of Africa, the complex headlined many of the entertainers like those on the Las Vegas strip, including frank Sinatra, Elton John, Queen and the Beach Boys.
To stir up the imagination, the hotel is said to be the palace of an ancient royal family. The myth of the lost African kingdom claims that the residence was destroyed by an earthquake, but, was resurrected when refurbished in 1992. The hotel spared no expense in supporting the myth. The vast scale of artistically designed features create a space that is truly palatial, making one a believer in the fantasy. The intricate African details and texture run throughout the furnishings and architecture from reception to dining areas. African wildlife is well represented in frescoes and fountains. Surrounded by lush botanical gardens, the resort offers hiking trails, babbling streams, waterfalls and a tropical beach with white sand.
This may be a glimpse of my place in Heaven.