Southern Rift Valley
With fresh, sleek rooms set in spacious, manicured grounds, this small resort marries safari chic with the peace and quiet of the Njoro countryside. It's…
Must-see hotels in Kenya
Nairobi
Built in 1904 but overhauled many times since, Nairobi’s oldest hotel was the place to stay in colonial times. It remains the traditional starting point…
Masai Mara
Surrounding a waterhole, the 17 tents here are crammed with memories of colonial times and offer some of the reserve's most memorable nights under canvas…
Kenya
Close to Lions Bluff Lodge, this shady, green-tinged campsite has levelled sites as well as running water, a communal kitchen, showers and toilets, and…
Masai Mara
Set within a jungly tangle of trees and waterways in a beautiful bird-filled valley, this discreet and memorable camp has a unique raised treetop walkway…
Kisumu
Minimalist decor, flat-screen TVs and an overall cool and contemporary look – we very much hope that the Imperial Hotel Express, which opened in 2015,…
Laikipia Plateau
Il Ngwesi community supplements its herding income with tourist dollars gained from this award-winning ecolodge. The divine open-fronted thatched cottages…
Nairobi
Owned by the Red Cross, this smart hotel is popular with NGOs and businesspeople alike for its quiet location – equally handy for (if not especially close…
Kenya
Far removed from the tourist lodges in the park itself, this deliciously remote camp inhabits the 748-sq-km Selenkay Conservancy (also known as Eselenkei…
Masai Mara
The name gives things away a little: the look here is classic safari decor, but panoramic views and use of light linens give the whole place a lighter…
Masai Mara
Nestled nicely in the centre of the reserve and overlooking the Talek River, Mara Intrepids has excellent safari tents that blend safari nostalgia with…
Masai Mara
Mara Bushtops is close enough to Sekenani Gate to allow easy excursions into the reserve, yet is set on its own conservancy that's a worthy destination in…
Nairobi
Located near Karen Blixen's House & Museum, this gorgeous clutch of spacious cottages is centred on a formal garden and adjacent to a small coffee…
Nelson's Court Seviced Apartments
Nairobi
The attractive modern apartments here, close to Westlands, are classy and contemporary without going over the top, and have fully-equipped kitchens and…
Laikipia Plateau
The immensity of African landscapes and the intimacy of the community lodge experience are perfectly combined at Tassia Lodge, high on a rocky bluff on…
Masai Mara
This upmarket lodge has 16 extremely comfortable tents with large wooden verandahs and smart bathrooms. The camp is very serious about sustainability and…
Kenya
Close to Voi Gate, this well-run place is actually a number of places in one. From the main property, there are fine views into the park from some of the…
Masai Mara
Part of Richard Branson's portfolio of exclusive holiday destinations around the world, Mahali Mzuri has large and lovely tents that look out over the…
Nairobi
It’s hard to see why anyone would pay top-end prices when places like the Heron are around. Rooms are modern, extremely comfortable and well appointed,…
Nairobi
Tribe, with its modern rooms, suites and split-level lofts, is full of colour and flair. It's handily adjacent to the Village Market shopping centre, and…
Nanyuki
Located slightly out of town on the way to Mt Kenya Safari Club, this is the best budget option in the area. Each apartment has two en-suite bedrooms, a…
Masai Mara
This highly recommended safari camp is the jewel in the Ashnil crown, overlooking a bend in the Mara River and with fabulous wildlife watching close by…
Laikipia Plateau
On a hill and overlooking a waterhole, this appealing, family-run lodge manages a perfect balance between rustic and luxury. The eight thatched cottages…
Nairobi
Brimful of personality and styled to resemble a traditional Swahili village, this original place has appealing rooms with whitewashed walls, lovely little…
Laikipia Plateau
Built in 2010, this upmarket lodge forsakes the classic look of so much safari accommodation and goes instead for a refreshing contemporary look – slick…
Nairobi
Handy for Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (6km away) and/or Syokimau railway station, this fine little townhouse has tidy, simple rooms that are…
Masai Mara
Extremely attractive, light-filled safari tents just outside Talek Gate overlook the river and have a star quality lacking in many of the older Mara camps…
Kenya
Inhabiting the rocky slopes of a kopje that rises above the Tsavo plains, Kipalo Hills is a wonderful hideaway with superlative views. The nicely spaced…
Kenya
This ambitious ecolodge consists of just four rooms – three in plexi 'eco-bubbles' and a brushed concrete one next to a 2000-year-old baobab, crowned with…
Kenya
A bit like a Swiss chalet, the River Lodge is a lovely collection of dark, cosy cottages and rooms embedded into a sloping hillside that overlooks the…
Tsavo West National Park
Tsavo vantage points don’t come any better than this – the views are simply magnificent and there’s a waterhole right by the restaurant. It’s all enough…
Kenya
This relaxed ecocamp has the most perfect position, between the forest, the creek and the stars. Accommodation is in atmospheric traditional huts – choose…
South Coast
The only private island resort on the tip of a sacred sliver of land originally caused controversy for wiping out a chunk of native forest (they've since…
Tsavo West National Park
Deep inside the park on the slopes of the Ngulia Hills, this hillside camp is one of Tsavo’s more reasonably priced choices. The thatched stone cottages…
Laikipia Plateau
At the time of research, Sosian Lodge was closed to visitors due to an increase in violent incidents by local pastoralists because of the drought. However…
Northern Kenya
For many years all that stood on the shores of Eliye Springs was the shell of an abandoned lodge, but it's been brought back to life by a German with a…
Lamu Archipelago
This is one of those Robinson Crusoe–style hideouts; but don’t worry, that doesn’t mean it’s basic. The breezy en suite coconut-thatch and mangrove wood…
Kenya
Set on its own private wildlife reserve (Lualenyi Ranch is part of the Lumo Community Wildlife Sanctuary) and signposted off the main Voi–Taveta road east…
Muteleu Maasai Traditional Village
Kenya
Built in the style of a traditional Maasai village by local Maasai women, these 10 Maasai huts make a refreshing alternative to the more upmarket lodges…
Lake Nakuru National Park
The big draw here is the view, stretching outwards from the lodge down into the park. Not all rooms have views – snaffle rooms 101 to 103 if you want to…
