Masai Mara
This may be the oldest lodge in the Mara, but thanks to a recent makeover the 101 rooms are modern, bright and tastefully decorated with tribal arts and…
Must-see hotels in Kenya
Masai Mara
Set alongside a narrow river where animals often come to drink, this is arguably the Mara's best-value camp, and one of few aimed at budget and midrange…
Northern Kenya
Once the home of Joy Adamson, of Born Free fame, this is now an outrageously luxurious camp in Shaba's remotest corner. The accommodation is in ‘tents’,…
Western Kenya
This grand property was built in the 1950s by the Brooke Bond company and still has a lot of (very faded) period charm. The hotel’s most notable features…
Banana House & Wellness Centre
Lamu Island
Arranged around a tranquil, flower-filled courtyard with a small pool, this is Lamu's premier yoga retreat and is a generally tranquil place to while away…
Kenya
A slightly cheaper alternative to the luxury tented camps and offering an appealing sense of wilderness, this adventure camp accommodates guests in basic…
Laikipia Plateau
Posh rock and olive-wood cottages in a stunning setting close to the Ewaso Ngiro River make this a fine choice. The surrounding conservancy is quite small…
South Coast
Named after the spit of sand exposed by low tide, Sand Island consists of 10 spacious, airy, self-catering cottages overlooking the sand. Each has its own…
Kenya
One of the longest-standing lodges in Kenya, having first opened in 1958, this property was overhauled in late 2014 and is now an excellent choice at…
Laikipia Plateau
Opened in March 2016, this is the most luxurious spot in Nyahururu. With sprawling grounds, plush grass and loads of activities for the family, this is…
Masai Mara
The 11 tents here have elevated decks, vibrant earth tones of bogolan mud cloth from Mali and zebra-print textiles. The open kitchen is a surprise, while…
Masai Mara
Just outside Sekenani Gate, Mara Explorers Camp is a fine budget option, with dome tents or camping up to en suite tents and cottages. The accommodation…
Kenya
The Ark dates from the 1960s, and has petite rooms and a lounge that overlooks a waterhole. An excellent walkway leads over a particularly dense stretch…
Lamu Island
This lovely Swahili house, just behind Peponi Hotel, is decked out with carved plasterwork and pastel accents. Some rooms have fine sea views, as does the…
Watamu
With oodles of water sports based on its premises, Ocean Sports is true to its name. There's a pool and diving trips, as well as a tennis court and…
Masai Mara
With over 100 rooms, this is one of the largest lodges in the Masai Mara and at busy times it can feel like a real package-tour production line. That said…
Amboseli National Park
Around 2km from Kimana Gate, Kibo Safari Camp gives you the experience of a tented camp without asking the prohibitive fees of the lodges inside the park…
Nairobi
Staying at this luxury tented camp inside Nairobi National Park helps you forget that one of Africa's largest cities is just a few kilometres away. The…
Lamu Island
This resort is quite luxurious, in a rustic, end-of-the-world, banda-on-the-beach kind of way. The 13 bandas (thatched-roof huts) are made solely of local…
Kenya
This atmospheric lodge was last decorated in the 1950s, when wood panelling was the height of interior design, and some of the plumbing seems to date from…
Kenya
Set in the heart of Rukinga Wildlife Sanctuary and with a lovely remote feeling surrounded by acacia woodland and Tsavo's distinctive red soils, Kivuli …
Diani Beach
As beach resorts go, Leopard is rated among the best in Africa. Rooms are spacious, with king-sized beds and West African art, while splurge-worthy sea…
South Coast
Entered by a separate park gate from the main entrance, this dark timber lodge features an attractive interior, strewn with numerous Congolese and West…
Masai Mara
This tented camp sits between Naboisho and Olare-Orok Conservancies and is run by Maasai Trails, one of the best hiking operators in western Kenya. It's a…
Nairobi
This member of the top-notch Serena chain has a fine sense of individuality, with its international-class facilities displaying a touch of safari style…
Diani Beach
This rustic haven gives backpackers and eco-conscious travellers four lodging options: tents on wooden platforms amid riotous greenery, luxurious, fan…
Southern Rift Valley
With a gorgeous view of the lake and beautiful rooms tumbling down the hillside, Sunbird really gets it right. The rooms are stylish but not pretentious,…
South Coast
Between the Kahama Hotel and the excellent Il Covo restaurant, Kenya Bay is one of the oldest resorts on the block, but it's in decent shape. The spacious…
Lamu Archipelago
This luxury resort on the northern end of the island benefits from the wonderfully tranquil location, the hospitality of gregarious Debbie and Fuzz, and…
Wasini Island
Made entirely of local materials – salvaged coral, stone, shells, driftwood, palm-thatched roofs – these rustic cottages on the outskirts of Wasini…
Nairobi
Despite the bizarre spelling of its name (the hotel logo is a lotus), this fantastic addition to Nairobi's hotel scene offers spacious, great-value and…
Kenya
A stone’s throw from the wildlife-rich Aruba Dam, this lodge has attractively decorated rooms decked out in safari prints, although it's the six luxury…
Nairobi
Ole Sereni is as close as Nairobi comes to having an airport hotel (it's 12km from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport), and some rooms (small but stylish…
South Coast
From the soaring, makuti (thatched-roofed) reception to the three pools, cliff-top bar, and ship-shape, colour-coded rooms, this is Nyali's top beach…
Lamu Island
From the Arabic for 'house of light', this 16th-century town house is a stylish backpackers joint that guests rate highly for the warm hospitality. The…
Eldoret
Around 36km northeast of Eldoret in high-altitude Iten, Keellu Resort Centre was founded in 2012 by world-renowned athlete Wilson Kipsang. It's a decent…
Kenya
Just 4km from Voi Gate, this is a long, low complex perched on the edge of an escarpment overlooking an incredible sweep of savannah. There’s an…
South Coast
Rustic yet chic, this mangrove-creek resort has plenty of get-away-from-it-all appeal. The cottages are spacious and some have sunken bathtubs that look…
Kenya
The older of the two Sarova properties within the sanctuary, this place has marginally better rooms and the service is more switched on (this is the main…
Lake Naivasha
This tented camp inside the private Crater Lake Game Sanctuary nestles among trees and overlooks the tiny jade-green crater lake. The tents aren’t exactly…
