What Mantis Collection does

Mantis Collection is a private, South Africa–headquartered luxury hospitality brand operating a curated portfolio of approximately 15–16 boutique eco-lodges, floating waterways vessels, and eco-escape resorts across nine African countries (South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Rwanda, Madagascar, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, St Helena Island) and two Middle East markets (Bahrain, Saudi Arabia). Founded in 2000 by Adrian Gardiner as a conservation-focused eco-tourism concept in the Eastern Cape, the company operates under the Accor group umbrella and integrates with Accor Live Limitless (ALL) for distribution and loyalty. Properties fall into four formats: safari eco-lodges (Founders Lodge, Feline Fields, Mantis Hiddn in Addo), houseboat waterways (Zambezi Queen, Chobe Princesses, Mantis Kivu Queen uBuranga), heritage boutique hotels (No5 Art Hotel, Mantis St Helena), and resort-style eco-escapes (Soanambo, Nungwi Dreams, Hawar Resort, Gamra Mountain).

Its offering combines accommodation with high-margin ancillary streams: curated multi-property Mantis Journeys packages (e.g., a Victoria Falls–Botswana 9-night package at US$23,400 per couple), guided game drives, diving, mokoro and helicopter excursions, and conservation-linked experiences such as cheetah rewilding and rhino monitoring. Pricing is tiered and per-booking rather than subscription-based at the unit level, with a "Stay Longer, Experience More" promotional mechanic offering up to 30% off for 3+-night stays. Core technology is operationally thin but commercially integrated: a website booking engine wired into Accor's central reservation system, solar-powered off-grid infrastructure at remote lodges (e.g., Feline Fields), and Mailchimp for email marketing. Distribution runs through direct website booking, the Mantis Travel Desk concierge, the Accor platform, and regional airline partners (notably Airlink for connectivity to St Helena, Kasane, and Maun).

The company's primary customer is the affluent luxury eco-tourist (typically couples, families, multi-generational groups, and wildlife photographers) seeking exclusive-use conservation-driven experiences, supplemented by corporate and government VIP travelers routed through Accor's enterprise channels. Customer acquisition blends digital content marketing, earned luxury-travel press, the Accor loyalty network, and the Travel Desk concierge. Revenue is not publicly disclosed and is consolidated within Accor's Luxury & Premium segment; 251–500 employees and 15–16 properties imply a mid-sized boutique operator with strong parent-company backing rather than an independent scaling play.

Name

Mantis Collection

Legal name

Mantis Hotels, Eco-Escapes & Lifestyle Resorts

Website

https://mantiscollection.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Mantis Collection is a private, Accor-owned boutique hospitality brand operating ~15 luxury eco-lodges, waterways houseboats, and eco-escape resorts across Africa and the Middle East, serving affluent eco-tourists, families, and couples seeking conservation-focused safari and travel experiences curated through Mantis Journeys packages.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Luxury Eco-Tourism Hospitality

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Tour Operators (561520), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Safari Lodges & Tented Camps (THAAAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Eco-Cruises & Small-Ship Nature Cruises (Expedition Cruising) (THAAAEAK), Safari & Game Drives (Land-Based) (THAAAEAC), Wetlands, Rivers & Freshwater Nature Tours (THAJAIAH)

Keywords

• Luxury eco-lodges
• Boutique hotels
• Safari tourism
• Eco-tourism experiences
• River houseboat cruises

Headquarters

HQ city

Johannesburg

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Luxury Accommodation: Revenue from 15+ eco-lodges, hotels, and waterways properties across Africa and Middle East, including room rentals, suite bookings, and extended stay accommodations at properties like Mantis Hiddn in Addo, Zambezi Queen, Feline Fields Lodge, and Mantis St Helena.
2. Mantis Journeys Package Tours: Curated multi-destination safari and travel packages such as Zimbabwe-Namibia-Botswana (8 nights/7 days), Victoria Falls-Botswana (9 nights/8 days), and St Helena Island itineraries, including accommodation, transfers, activities, and meals.
3. Dining and Bar Services: Restaurant, cocktail bar, and alfresco dining services at hotel properties including Mantis St Helena Restaurant (capacity 100), specialty dining experiences like bush dinners under the stars at Feline Fields.
4. Experiences and Activities: Revenue from guided game drives, mokoro trips, walking safaris, bird watching tours, diving excursions, stargazing experiences, golf, and adventure activities like fat biking and horse riding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Mantis Collection operates a curated portfolio of luxury eco-lodges, boutique hotels, and waterways (floating river houseboats) across Africa and the Middle East, providing accommodation, dining, guided safari and nature experiences, and multi-destination journey packages. Properties are positioned around conservation, community impact, and sustainable tourism, and the collection is distributed and loyalty-integrated via the Accor group.

Product overview

Mantis Collection is a portfolio of luxury eco-lodges, waterways, and curated eco-escapes across Africa and the Middle East, operating under the Accor group since 2000. The collection comprises approximately 15-16 distinct properties spanning South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Rwanda, Madagascar, Tanzania, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and St Helena Island. Properties include safari eco-lodges (Mantis Hiddn in Addo, Founders Lodge, Feline Fields Lodge, Feline Fields Vintage Camp), luxury waterways/houseboats (Zambezi Queen, Chobe Princess, Mantis Kivu Queen uBuranga), boutique hotels (No5 Art Hotel, Vivari Hotel & Spa, Mantis St Helena), island eco-escapes (Mantis Soanambo, Nungwi Dreams, Hawar Resort, Gamra Mountain Resort), and city/lake hotels (Mantis EPIC, Mantis Kivu Marina Bay). Mantis Journeys offers customized multi-property travel itineraries. The portfolio emphasizes conservation, community impact, and sustainable eco-tourism experiences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mantis Eco-Lodges: Luxury safari and wilderness lodge accommodations focused on sustainable and conservation-oriented experiences.
• Mantis Waterways
• Mantis Eco-Escapes
• Zambezi Queen Collection
• Mantis Impact
• Mantis Travel Desk

Products and services

• Mantis Hiddn in Addo

Quantifiable outcome

• First recipients of Global Humane Humane Tourism Certification for animal welfare standards

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AirlinkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2020Regional airline partner providing scheduled flights to Mantis destinations including St Helena Island (from Johannesburg), Kasane (Botswana), and other regional routes connecting properties across Africa.
• AccorcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2000Mantis Collection is part of the Accor group, benefiting from global distribution through the Accor platform, integration with the ALL (Accor Live Limitless) loyalty program, and shared sustainability initiatives. Accor's international sales, marketing, and reservation infrastructure supports Mantis properties worldwide.
• Helicopter HorizonsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorScenic helicopter transfer operator providing transfers between Feline Fields Vintage Camp and Feline Fields Lodge in Botswana, offering aerial views of the Okavango Delta.
• Mack AirminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDomestic flight operator providing scheduled flights from Kasane to Khwai Airstrip for access to Feline Fields properties in Botswana.
• Global HumanecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnimal welfare and wildlife conservation organization that developed and awards the Humane Tourism Certification. Mantis was the first recipient of this certification for four of its properties.
• Community Conservation Fund Africa (CCFA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNPO partner implementing conservation and community projects across Mantis properties. CCFA has invested over R12 million to uplift communities and preserve natural heritage. Supports cheetah rewilding and other conservation initiatives.
• Stenden UniversityminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEurope's largest hospitality school with campuses in Holland, Thailand, Bali, Qatar, and South Africa. Mantis offers internship programs for top students to work within its hotel properties.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Aman Resorts: Aman operates ultra-luxury resorts globally with strong design, privacy, and exclusivity credentials comparable to Mantis's positioning. Competes for the same ultra-high-net-worth traveler in destinations that overlap with Mantis's Africa and Middle East footprint.
• Six Senses: Six Senses operates luxury eco-resorts worldwide with a sustainability and wellness focus that mirrors Mantis's eco-luxury positioning. Broader portfolio across global destinations competes for the same eco-conscious luxury traveler but without safari specialization.
• One&Only Resorts: One&Only operates ultra-luxury resorts in beach, island, and urban destinations with a comparable bespoke hospitality model. Competes for the same luxury traveler in the resort space adjacent to Mantis's Eco-Escapes and waterways product.
• Belmond (LVMH): Belmond operates luxury hotels, trains, and river cruises globally with a curated, heritage-rich positioning paralleling Mantis's boutique collection approach. The river cruise product (e.g., Belmond Afloat in France) directly overlaps with Mantis Waterways concept.

Direct peers

• Great Plains Conservation: Great Plains Conservation runs luxury safari camps in Botswana, Kenya, and Zimbabwe with a strong conservation and community impact narrative similar to Mantis. Targets the same HNW eco-safari traveler segment with comparable tented and lodge product offerings.
• Singita: Singita operates ultra-luxury safari lodges and conservation reserves across South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and Rwanda, with a similar eco-luxury, conservation-first positioning to Mantis. Competes directly for the same high-net-worth safari travelers and maintains comparable sub-brand structures across lodges, grumeti, and reserves.
• Wilderness Safaris: Wilderness Safaris operates premium safari camps across Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Kenya, and South Africa with extensive conservation programs. Direct competitor to Mantis's safari lodge portfolio with comparable mid-to-upper luxury positioning and curated journey offerings.
• &Beyond: &Beyond runs luxury safari lodges and curated travel journeys across Africa and Asia, with the same multi-property itinerary model as Mantis Journeys and a parallel commitment to community/conservation impact. Competes for identical ultra-luxury safari guests in southern and east Africa.
• Asilia Africa: Asilia Africa operates camps and lodges across Tanzania and Kenya with community-owned conservation areas, paralleling Mantis's eco-tourism and community impact positioning. Competes in the east African safari segment that Mantis also serves.
• Sanctuary Retreats: Sanctuary Retreats (part of The Travel Corporation) operates luxury safari lodges and river cruises across Africa with eco-tourism and conservation positioning similar to Mantis. Particularly close parallel to Mantis through its waterway/safari multi-format model on the Chobe and Nile.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mantis Collection