Hiddn in Addo Named a South Africa Winner at the 2026-2027 African Property Awards
Recognition in hotel development rarely rests on the building alone. It rests on the decisions made long before the first foundation is poured.
Terra Nova Create has been named a South Africa winner in the Hotel Development category of the 2026-2027 African Property Awards, part of the International Property Awards, for Mantis Hiddn in Addo.
The project
Mantis Hiddn in Addo is a 14-key luxury eco-lodge within Addo Elephant National Park in South Africa's Eastern Cape. Twelve suites and two cliff-edge villas sit on a mountain plateau above the Witrivier gorge, and the lodge runs fully off-grid. It was developed for the Hiddn Group, is operated by the Mantis Collection, and opened to guests in March 2026.
Co-founder and Development Director Bruce McNicol carried the project from scouting the site to opening day. Millennia Architects led the architecture.
What the award recognises
For Terra Nova Create, the award recognises the work the firm exists to do. The right site comes first. Infrastructure is resolved before design. One development vision is then carried from the earliest decisions through to an operating asset.
What happens next
The official presentations take place on 22 October 2026 at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London. The final level of the award is announced there, and this article will be updated with the result.
The full story
The development discipline behind the lodge is set out in Inside Mantis Hiddn in Addo: A Disciplined Model for Wilderness Lodge Development.
Good hospitality development is measured years after opening. Independent recognition in the first year is an early sign that the decisions made before capital was committed have held.
Terra Nova Create's awards and recognition are listed on the Press and Recognition page.
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