Romantic getaways with private pools

A private pool changes a getaway. No sun loungers to claim, no one else's children, just the two of you, a cold drink and water whenever you want it. These are the romantic stays in South Africa where the pool or plunge pool is yours alone.

Most of the private pools we list are at safari lodges, where a plunge pool on your own deck is one of the great pleasures of the bush. Between the morning and evening game drives there are long, hot hours to fill, and spending them in the water while elephants wander past is hard to beat. You will find these in Madikwe and Pilanesberg, the Waterberg, the Greater Kruger, Zululand and the Eastern Cape.

There are also villas, cottages and eco-cabins in the Western Cape with a pool of their own, often with mountain or vineyard views. These suit a slower summer weekend: breakfast on the terrace, a swim, a nap, a long lunch.

A note on wording: lodges use plunge pool to mean anything from a small dipping pool to a proper heated pool. If size or heating matters to you, have a look at the photos on the property's own website before you book.