56 Best Hotels in Kenya

This lovely old lodge was Kenya's first lodge to open in a national park (1962); its timber, stone, and thatch buildings complement the natural wilderness surroundings and, when it's not wreathed in clouds, there's a good view of Mt. Kilimanjaro. You can watch game and birds at the magnificent and often busy waterhole from any one of several viewing decks, or enjoy a drink in the bar carved out of rocks. En suite rooms are decorated in the ubiquitous African-theme fabrics, but are comfortable and spacious. Buffet meals with plenty of variety are way above the average. You can book all sorts of activities at the lodge, including morning and afternoon game drives and walks, bush breakfasts and dinners, and trips to Mzima Springs.

This resort sits on a large lakeside property and oozes historical character as it dates back to the 1930s when it served as a staging post for a flying boat service between Durban and Ireland; today's Country Club has received a massive overhaul and now features lavish public areas, although the original rooms themselves by modern standards are very small. There's a dining room, a choice of bars, a resident’s lounge with a cozy fireplace, a snooker room, and a gift shop. The highlight is to dine on the lawns in the shade of the beautiful giant fever trees and watch zebra, wildebeest, and various antelope wander by. Numerous activities include bird-watching walks, hippo and sunset cruises on the lake, and day trips to the local attractions.

In lovely forested grounds with huge established trees, very large rooms, and loads of facilities, the comfortable and friendly Sopa offers everything you'll need for a couple of days at Lake Naivasha. It's set a little back from the lake but there are still water views from parts of the property and you will see the resident herd of waterbuck grazing beneath the fever trees, and above them troops of both vervet and black-and-white colobus monkeys. There are two swimming pools, tennis courts, a well-designed and cavernous restaurant and lounge area, and a relaxing spa. The rooms are in attractive double-story curved cottages with balconies or terraces and are great for families as they interconnect.

If you'd like to do an overnight in Lake Nakuru National Park, then the smart mid-range Sopa Lodge is a good choice thanks to its commanding position high up on a ridge in the quiet western area. There are lake views from all around the property, but get up early for your game drive as the sunrise in particular is impressive. Rooms are in circular thatched cottages—giving an impression of an African village scattered over the hillside—and are comfortable with double beds, large en suite bathrooms with piping hot showers, and patios or balconies. The public areas are spacious with huge windows and warm lighting and the buffet meals are generous and varied. Children are welcome here with special meals and babysitting arranged.

The rooms in this boutique hotel, located next to the Donkey Sanctuary on Lamu's waterfront, are all different, but each one is superbly decorated in traditional Swahili style and has a separate dressing room and a terrace looking out either onto the water or the town. The communal areas in the inside courtyard of the hotel are comfortable and tranquil, and there is one large pool and a plunge pool for cooling off. Don't miss the gift shop attached to the hotel, which sells gorgeous soft kikois, sandals, bags, and kaftans. The hotel's restaurant, Moonrise, is open to nonguests and is one of the best in town. You can order fish of the day steamed in a banana leaf or pan-fried with a tamarind sauce, or lobster, tuna, sailfish, pasta, chicken curry, or a good vegetarian dal. The hotel offers mid- to long-term rentals on high-end apartments in Lamu.

If it's rhinos you're after, then this delightful but small tented camp in the 65,000-acre Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, right where the old Rhino Sanctuary headquarters used to stand, is for you. There's a comfortable main building with cozy log fires for eating and relaxing, and wide verandas outside each tent for soaking up the beautiful environs. But if it's game-viewing you're after, then one of the camp's expert team of professional guides will take you on an exhilarating drive. Spacious tents protected by a sturdy thatch roof have comfortable beds, a desk for keeping up on those precious journal notes, and en suite bathrooms. The food is homegrown and tasty. Bird-watching is spectacular in this area, but it's likely that while you're watching out for feathered friends, you're likely to spot big game as well, including lion, leopard, and Grevy's zebra. Other activities include morning game walks, evening horse rides, or a relaxing massage next to the gorgeous pool that has giraffe-shaped tiles.

Getting to this camp is a mini adventure in itself---first you take a small boat that ferries you across the Mara River followed by a short, escorted walk with armed guides (so you don't become lion food) before arriving at this gorgeous little camp with elegantly furnished classic safari tents. If you're lucky enough to be here during a full moon, you can watch the game come and go at the large marshy area in front of the camp, which is a haven for bird-watching during the day. You'll eat superb house-cooked meals under a blue sky or at night in the dining and bar tent and relax afterward around a bonfire. Game drives, often with a picnic breakfast, go into the national reserve on the other side of the river, while one of the Mara's balloon launch sites is very close by in the Mara Triangle sector where Little Governors' is located—even if you don't go, you'll see the balloons take off in the morning. If you need to stretch your legs after a game drive, go on a guided walking safari or visit a nearby Maasai village and join in the ipid jumping dance with the warriors. Like all the Governors' camps, it's unfenced, but children of all ages are welcome here.

The Loisaba Tented Camp sits right in the middle of the game-rich Loisaba Conservancy in the northern reaches of Laikipia and is part of the Ewaso Nyiro River ecosystem. It's home to elephants, a healthy population of lions, the rare wild dog, and an abundance of other species. Perched on the edge of a rocky escarpment, this lovely camp has spacious open dining, lounge, and bar areas, and a stunning infinity pool with views across the Laikipia plains to Mt. Kenya and a waterhole below. The six large and airy tents have polished wooden floors, wide decks, and bathrooms with rainfall hot showers. If you fancy something even more special, opt for one of the Loisaba Star Beds (about 6 km/3.7 miles away), but don't expect a meager stretcher under the stars. You'll sleep on a wooden "platform" with a half-covered thatch roof and handcrafted furniture, set among big rocks overlooking either a waterhole or the Ewaso Nyiro River. In the evening your friendly and attentive Laikipia Maasai or Samburu attendants will wheel out your four-poster double bed, carefully shrouded under a mosquito net, under the star-studded clear night sky. You can have a piping-hot shower in the open-air bathrooms concealed in the rocks. As well as day and night game drives, activities include horse- and camel-riding, bush walks and visits to Samburu villages.

Perched high on a hill deep inside the Mara Triangle part of the reserve, attractive domed huts echo the style and shape of the traditional Maasai manyattas. Each hut has rooms that echo the ethnic theme of the exteriors with soft, honey-color furnishings and a personal balcony that overlooks the plains and the distant Oloololo Escarpment—the views are spectacular. Though it's highly unlikely, if you do get tired of gazing out at the endless rolling grasslands where the migration takes place each year, then keep watch at the busy waterhole below the restaurant for a continuous wildlife show. Activities include ballooning (expensive but the trip of a lifetime), guided walks, bush barbecues, and game drives. After bouncing around in an open-sided game vehicle, it's great to enjoy a relaxing massage at the Maisha Spa. The Maasai dancing is also spectacular.

On a hillside near the Ololaimutiek Gate, this well-priced family-style lodge (sopa means welcome in the Maasai language) is one of the most popular in the reserve. Even though they're always busy, the delightfully friendly and experienced staff will make you feel special. You'll sleep in a rondavel (a round, thatch-roof cottage) that has a veranda and is simply but pleasantly furnished in traditional African style with lots of earth-color soft furnishings. The brightly decorated public areas are nestled among flowering plants and trees; notices telling you about mealtimes, balloon booking times, how to book a picnic, and other information are pasted throughout the main area. Don't expect all the bells and whistles of the luxury lodges—hot water is available only mornings and evenings—but the setting and the feeling of Africa on your doorstep more than compensate. Plus events such as Maasai dancing or African food are held, and there's also a quaintly named "Wild Animals Viewing Deck" in camp.

Insulated by a hidden glade—home to leopards, lions, and hyenas—Nairobi Tented Camp is in a secluded part of Nairobi National Park, providing an authentic bush experience within a few miles of the city center. Tents are comfortably equipped with large en suite bathrooms (with traditional hot-water bucket-showers). The lounge tent is sumptuously furnished with all the comforts of home and set meals are served around a big table, but this is a carefully prepared eco-camp that could potentially be removed within 48 hours, leaving zero imprint on the natural habitat. Hot water bottles tame Nairobi's cool high altitude nights but the bush around is as wild as anywhere in Africa; you might have a giraffe or rhino wandering around the camp.

Perched on an escarpment with views toward Mt. Kenya in the south, this lovely lodge is on a privately owned family ranch in the wild northern Laikipia Plateau. The stone-and-thatch cottages, some built on two levels, are very private and have king-size beds and baths that you can lie in and look out at the passing wildlife. The main lodge, also built of natural rock and olive wood, is cozy and comfortable. There's a huge pool, which clings to the rock edge, spilling its waters to the rocks below. For exclusive groups or families, the Francombe family has built a six-bedroom house on the property, too, which features a rooftop sundeck, a barbeque area, and a pool. Drives are extremely rewarding with game galore, but for something a little different try a camel ride, a nature walk, an overnight stay in the Look Out Hut—a little wooden hut in the bush—or go camping under the stars. Horseback riding is a fascinating way to spot game: there are also safe and friendly ponies for kids, and children's gift packs on arrival, plus other kids' activities. There's also the opportunity to meet and mix with the local Samburu people and to take part in some of their activities.

This popular lodge is a central feature of Amboseli National Park as it's part of the fenced-off area in the middle of the park where the KWS headquarters are located, but Ol Tukai itself has only a very low electric fence which does not get in the way of the simply tremendous views across the animal-studded plains to the east. As you walk to your room, spot herds of elephants and plains game as far as the eye can see. Bird-watching is good, too, with more than 400 species to be identified, and Ol Tukai offers specialized bird walks through its grounds for beginners and experts alike; it's a wonderful opportunity to introduce yourself or the kids to the world of birds. This resort manages to be both modern and traditional—its facilities are world-class, but its feel and ambience are unmistakably African. It is set amid acres of well-kept lawns dotted with the familiar symbol of the plains—Acacia tortilis trees—and has a superb view of Mt. Kilimanjaro. En suite chalets, built of local stone and slate, are furnished with handcrafted wooden furniture and decorated with faux animal-skin fabrics, rugs, and throws; each has a personal veranda. The public areas are open and spacious and the lounges, dining areas, and bar occupy multilevel wooden decks. The restaurant serves à la carte menus as well as set buffets. One of the highlights here is the large figure-eight shaped swimming pool where you can relax on a sunbed and watch wildebeest and zebra graze nearby. Extra services include massages, babysitting, and laundry.

This expansive 120-acre farm is set in the foothills of Mt Kenya; pad out of your four-poster bed to your cottage's wooden veranda to take in the beauty of the ever-green Lolldaigas. There are five cottages, and the decor in the Party House (the main living area) is bohemian maximalism; an Indian throw pillow here and an Afghani ceramic bowl there, it's all inspired by the up to 100 countries owner Elizabeth Loker and her late husband Clinton Lucy had traveled to. Opened in 2012, the couple built the property from scratch---including bringing in water and electricity---and have since transformed the once arid land into a thriving farm. As it's an owner-run camp, should you so wish, Elizabeth will gladly join you at meal time and regale you with lively tales from her adventures. Whether you're a seasoned rider or a beginner, get paired with a suitable horse from the stables and gallop through the property. Only a half-hour drive from the bustling Nanyuki town, you can explore the restaurants there, or venture a little farther to Ngare Ndare forest to walk the 40-m (131-foot) high canopy and swim under its waterfalls.

This exclusive, back-to-nature tented camp is in the remote and game-abundant 15,000-acre Selenkay Conservancy, a few miles north of Amboseli National Park. A gold eco-award winner, the camp is co-owned with the local Maasai community. You'll see few visitors, but lots of game including lions, leopards, cheetahs, and the ubiquitous Amboseli elephants. Birdlife is prolific, with lots of raptors. Big, comfortably furnished tents are solar-powered and have en suite bathrooms with a basin, shower, and flush toilet. You'll eat hearty, home-cooked meals outside the mess tent while being serenaded by birdcalls by day and nocturnal animals by night. Game drives are taken in an open-sided safari vehicle—yours will be the only one for miles—and you'll visit an authentic Maasai village, take an informative walk in a dry riverbed, enjoy a picnic lunch in Amboseli itself, and at night you'll return to your own little private spot in the African wilderness. The all-inclusive price covers two nights' accommodation, round-trip road transfers, Amboseli park fees, conservancy fees, all game drives, sundowners, walks with Maasai warriors, Maasai village visits, full board, and free house wines, beer, and soft drinks. 

This delightful eco-friendly tented camp is nestled among the 90,000-acre, game-rich Ol Pejeta Conservancy that lies between the snowcapped Mt. Kenya and the foothills of the Aberdares. This location treats guests to a double whammy—abundant game including the Big Five, wild dog, and the endangered black rhino, and superb views across the open plains. Each beautifully placed tent has stunning views from its personal veranda, and inside there's an en suite bathroom with a flush toilet and bucket shower with hot water heated by solar power. Sip sundowners from a carefully chosen vantage point, and then take a spectacular night drive. Check out the photographic hide overlooking the waterhole, where you can have drinks as you wait for animals to come up close for photos. By day stretch your legs on a guided bush walk with a Maasai guide or have your heartstrings tugged at the nearby Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary. If you're feeling extra energetic and really want to walk on the wild side, then the camp also offers walking safaris. The camp has no permanent structures and is strategically constructed around trees and shrubs to minimize the human footprint on the natural landscape. It uses solar power for electricity, and water is heated with eco-friendly, sustainable charcoal briquettes; there is no generator. Package rates include all round-trip transfers by air from Nairobi, Ol Pejeta Conservancy fees, all game drives, sundowners, walks with Maasai warriors, two nights' full-board accommodation, and free house wines, beer, and soft drinks.

Named after an honored Maasai chief, this attractive eco-friendly camp in game-rich country rests just outside the northwestern border of the reserve, overlooking the Mara River and the Ooloololo Escarpment; guests are welcomed by a Maasai man swathed in red robes playing a wooden flute. The camp underwent a massive renovation in 2019, with canvas tents giving way to spacious glass-sided suites with raised wooden balconies from which you can see the sun rising over the river, or flitting in through the yellow barked acacia trees in the morning. A comfortable king-sized bed, huge bathtub overlooking the outdoors, rain showers, and various lounging areas complete the setting; you'll be tempted to spend your entire holiday just lounging in this suite which feels more like a resort in the city than a safari lodge in the African bush. The decor in the main area is very contemporary and urban too, with pendant lights, Maasai portraits and patterned prints hung up on gray walls, handwoven rugs, a wooden shelf displaying various ceramics, and a fireplace for those cold evenings. Even the main viewing deck here was extended, and you can tuck into your lunch here while overlooking a hippo pool with day-long entertainment from these overgrown clowns. The food is superb, and you have the option to dine with your fellow guests or on your own veranda. There is a cozy library and games room where families and friends can hang out before dinner, a bar next to the fire pit, and excellent opportunities to observe the everyday lives of the Maasai in the adjacent village. As there is an electric fence, you can freely move around.

Right at the southern end of Diani Beach Road, you'll find the access point to the only resort in Kenya that stands alone on an island—Chale lies 600 m (1,979 feet) off the mainland and is reached by boat at high tide, and quite delightfully by tractor at low tide. The island is only 1.2 km (.75 miles) long and 800 meters (½ mile) wide, making it a complete private retreat covered in beautiful coastal forest and surrounded by white sandy beaches and mangroves. Most accommodations are in thatched bandas and cottages that are well spaced out in the trees but the two standout (and more expensive) rooms are the Overwater Suite (on stilts in the sea) and the Suite on the Rocks (on a promontory on a tip of the island). There's plenty to keep you occupied, including three swimming pools and activities like kayaking, diving, and snorkeling, and kids will love trips on glass-bottom boats and adventures to look for monkeys.

North of Samburu National Reserve, this small and remote tented camp lies below the peaks of the Mathews Mountains in the 850,000-acre Namunyak Wildlife Conservation Trust—a community conservancy that has been created between landowners and the local Samburu people. The six spacious tents have pole-supported thatch roofs with flush toilets and open-air showers; hot water is 24-hours thanks to solar power. The main sitting room and dining area sits on stilts in front of the waterhole and natural rock pool—yes, you swim here overlooking the waterhole and you are quite safe—with stunning views of the Mathews Mountains. Game is plentiful with resident lions and leopards, and there's an excellent chance of seeing wild dogs, elephants, and reticulated giraffes. Look out for the attractive black-and-white colobus monkeys when you go for a guided hike in the forest. Go donkey-trekking in the mountains, take a camel safari with an overnight stop at a fly camp, or stop by Reteti Elephant Sanctuary. You can get acquainted with the Samburu people on bush walks and visits to nearby villages to get exposure to the traditional lifestyle of northern Kenya’s semi-desert region.

It’s like walking into a painting at this aptly named resort which sits on a stunning stretch of powder-white beachfront that ever so perfectly complements the Indian Ocean’s turquoise blues. With 340 rooms, it is massive and comes outfitted with all the trappings of a beach getaway offset by green manicured lawns fringed by towering leafy palm trees. Highlights include four pools; one has a swim-up bar with the best pina coladas in town while another has a water slide which kids will love, if they ever get bored of gazing wondrously at the fish pond. You could stay here for a week and enjoy a different type of cuisine every night, with themed buffets ranging from Continental and Arabic to East Asian; Swahili days are a favorite. There are also several bars and restaurants, and the casual Coco's beach bar with its low-slung sofas is the perfect spot to sink into and while away an afternoon. In the evening, acrobats, DJs, salsa or karaoke events take place, and guests are encouraged to participate. After the kids are sent off to bed, the bar morphs into a sandy nightclub where you can dance barefoot late into the night.

This exclusive eco-friendly lodge lies just outside the Masai Mara National Reserve, inside the Mara North Conservancy in a remote valley of olive and cedar trees. Each of the five cottages and two family villas have polished wooden floors and is furnished with hand-carved cedarwood beds, Persian rugs, African art, colonial antiques, and comfortable chairs. You'll dine at a long table at Kuro House, the main lodge, which combines an eclectic mix of old-style Africa and modern design. The Italian cuisine here is superb, but there's also a wide international menu available that uses fresh, locally grown, organic produce. You can also participate in a bush barbecue or dine alone by candlelight on your veranda. The library has a superb collection of Africana—it's definitely worth a visit. Children of all ages are welcome. The tucked-away Masai Wellbeing Space, which uses local plants for its treatments, is run by one of Italy's most famous spas, Centro Benessere Stresa, and is considered one of the best spas in Kenya. All the guides are members of the Kenya Professional Safari Guides Association, and Saruni supports the innovative Koyiaki Guiding School, which trains young Kenyans.  Make sure you factor in the US$116-$200 per person daily—depending on the season— park fees into your expenses as this is not included in the lodge's fees.

You certainly won't come across another vehicle at this exclusively sited camp in the northern section of the Masai Mara ecosystem on the border between the Lemek Conservancy and the Mara North Conservancy. It has three comfortable Bedouin-looking tents with en suite bathrooms with hot and cold running water and flush toilets, and outdoor verandas with tables and chairs offering great views across the plains. One of the tents is suitable for families, with two bedrooms and bathrooms. This area has resident elephants, giraffes, buffalo and impalas, the lucky might spot lions paddling by, and this is also one of the very few parts of the Mara where wild dogs are occasionally seen. You can track animals on foot or take action-packed night drives when you have more than a good chance of spotting a leopard, as well as other nocturnal animals such as bush babies and genets. Full-day game drives into the Mara are also available and guests can also go to the Saruni Mara to use the spa.

This small and friendly camp lies on a traditional migration route, so it's not short of game. It's not short on comfort either. You'll stay in one of 20 tents placed in a semicircle looking out onto a waterhole, each with its own veranda. All are built under individual thatch canopies and shaded by trees. There's a handmade bed inside your green canvas tent, with lots of attractive African-patterned soft furnishings, and each has a private bathroom with running water and a safari-style bucket shower. The food is wholesome and fresh, and there's a spacious semi-open dining, bar, and lounge area; it's also great to sit and have an alfresco lunch under the 200-year-old tamarind tree and watch the elephants at the waterhole. There's a viewing deck on stilts where you can sit and read, or just watch, wait, and see what walks up.

Satao is located in the south of Tsavo East, so it's a good option for safaris from the coast, especially for families as extra beds can be put in the tents.

The spacious thatched-roof rooms of this Italian-run mid-range resort near the Vasco da Gama Cross are filled with handcrafted furniture such as huge Zanzibar beds. Some can sleep up to four, making it a very affordable place to stay and good for families. Day couches are scattered around the exotic gardens where there are four swimming pools. The good beach is a short walk down a narrow path and has sun loungers and thatched umbrellas for Scorpio's guests as well as the Coco Beach bar that serves cold drinks and pizzas at lunchtime. The buffet meals have a wide selection of dishes, and staff are friendly and eager to please.

This gorgeous resort at Shanzu Beach, about 30 km (19 miles) north of Mombasa, was built to resemble a 13th-century Arab town. A visit here will transport you to another time and place with its courtyards brimming with fountains, narrow twisty lanes, and hand-carved balconies. Spacious rooms have an old Swahili ambience with hand-carved wooden furniture and hand-woven rugs. Set in lush tropical gardens next to an improbably blue sea, it's ideal to enjoy a full-on beach holiday. Food is excellent with lots of fresh fish, seafood, and vegetables flown in daily. There's plenty to do here, including day excursions to Shimba Hills National Reserve, the Arabuko Sokoke forest, the Kipepeo Butterfly Project, or the haunted ruins of the ancient town of Gedi. There are all manner of water activities available, too, but a trip in a glass-bottomed boat to the nearby coral reef is a must.

This rustic bush camp is named after the flat-topped Acacia tortilis trees that surround the main thatch-roof open bar, lounge, and dining room, which also overlooks a waterhole and has superb views of Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Meru in neighboring Tanzania. Your large tent sits under a huge thatch canopy and is raised up on a small platform with wooden floors, a king-size bed, and an en suite bathroom with hot showers and flush toilets. If you want to catch up on your journal or bird and mammal lists, then relax on the comfortable furniture on your personal sitting area, or laze by the pool in between activities (such as game drives or guided bush walks, which the camp provides at an extra cost). There's also a family house with one double and one twin-bed room if you don't fancy splitting up between two tents. The tasty food is made with homegrown herbs and vegetables and the menu features both European and local dishes. While Tortilis borders Amboseli, it sits within its own private conservancy, which means that game walks with a Masaai guide are possible. The price includes the conservancy but not park fees.