Inside Afrika, Kigali, Rwanda
This quietly stylish hotel has just nine rooms, each decorated with Rwandan artwork and featuring mod cons such as flatscreen TVs. You'll find it in a swanky part of town, a stone's throw from the president's house, and surrounded by restaurants and bars. The private terraces offer great views of the city skyline, especially at night.
• Doubles around £86 including breakfast, +25 07 8850 3698, inside-afrika.com
Villa Margherita, Swakopmund, Namibia
An old colonial townhouse has been transformed into a riotously colourful boutique guesthouse, with eight rooms full of modern art and personal touches. The owner is also the chef – he combines local ingredients with techniques learned in his native Italy's top cookery school.
• Doubles from £124, i-escape.com
Cape Cadogan, Cape Town, South Africa
South Africa is spoilt for choice when it comes to boutique hotels. Literature buffs will love Cape Cadogan, a Georgian house in central Cape Town that is now an Oscar Wilde-inspired boutique hotel. It's not as strange as it sounds: the theme simply translates as boho-chic decor and a decent library.
• Doubles from £165 B&B, +27 21 480 8080, morehotels.co.za
Mashariki Palace, Stone Town, Zanzibar
The Sultan of Zanzibar's ancient palace reopened as an elegant 18-room hotel last year. The decor is cool and minimalist with a traditional twist. Try tapas and cocktails on the rooftop bar, gazing down at the bustle of the old town and out to the Indian Ocean.
• Doubles from £140 including breakfast, +255 24 223 7232, masharikipalacehotel.com
Souimanga Lodge, Fimela, Senegal
Five luxurious waterside lodges stand in tropical gardens in the Saloum Delta national park, an area where two rivers meet the Atlantic. The covered dining terrace at the end of the lodge's private jetty is the perfect place to spot flamingos and pelicans.
• Seven nights' half-board from £1,289pp, including flights, 0845 338 8706, senegal.co.uk/souimanga
AfroChic, Diani Beach, Kenya
This beachside hotel is a new addition to the Elewana Collection, a group of luxury camps and lodges. The hotel is right on the white-sand beach, about 30km south of Mombasa. All 10 rooms are beautifully decorated and have their own balcony.
• Doubles from £163 full-board, +255 27 250 0630, elewanacollection.com
Benguerra Lodge, Mozambique
Benguerra Island, off the coast of southern Mozambique, is a top diving destination and boasts several luxury lodges. One of the best is Benguerra Lodge, a small, owner-run place that works closely with environmental and community groups. The lodge's restaurant serves a delicious blend of African, Arabic and Portuguese cuisine, based on freshly caught seafood.
• Suites from £274pp full board, +27 11 452 0641, benguerra.co.za
