Being asked to create a new website for an upmarket safari lodge is a dream brief for Flow Communications.
In essence, our mandate was to create a site with a look and feel that reflected the lodge’s sophisticated, updated product offering.
In response, Flow designer George Xafis created a site that is simple and elegant, with textures that echo the rustic feel of the lodge.
Says George: “I was mindful that Rhulani is a five-star resort, which meant it needed to be classy, functional, easy to navigate and highly visual. Excellent photography and simple design elements enabled us to create a website that fulfilled the client’s brief.”
The site’s colour palette – brown, beige and terracotta, with a splash of red – was inspired by the changing colours of the Earth. The addition of coral red is symbolic of an African sunset.
Rhulani’s new logo is an adaptation of a San painting depicting an eland – the largest of the antelope, and a sacred icon of the San people.
The San believed the eland to be a source of supernatural potency that could be harnessed by their shaman to visit the spirits, heal people, create rain, promote social harmony and fight evil.
The leaping eland was also chosen for its strength, simplicity and symbolism of a time when nature ruled in Africa.
The uncluttered look of the new site pages echoes the minimalistic look and feel of Rhulani itself.
As Rhulani owner Marisa Silva explains, “We are a luxury, five-star lodge with all the services and amenities of a five-star hotel. At the same time we want our guests to feel, smell, listen, see and hear the bush, so we take great care in creating the perfect balance of stimuli to help our guests live the bush experience.”
Practical, new features on the site include an online booking facility and a blog to keep guests updated on new developments.
When showcasing a wildlife location, it’s best to let the imagery speak for itself, and Rhulani is no exception. Evocative images convey a message far better than words can.
“Experiencing the bush at Rhulani is something that is difficult to explain. What you retell when you return home is only a portion of what you have lived. The remainder is sensations and impressions that remain with you for a lifetime,” says Marisa.
“Flow did a great job at interpreting and executing the brief. The new website is the new Rhulani.”
Rhulani Safari Lodge is located in the Madikwe Game Reserve in the North West province.
Rhulani Safari Lodge is offering a discount to Flow employees and Flow newsletter readers. Enjoy a 20% discount on their published rate (available on their website) when booking directly with their Front of House – mention discount code Flow2014. Valid until 30 June 2014.
