3 Best Hotels in Lake Naivasha, Kenya

About a half-hour drive from the town of Naivasha, Crater Lake Tented Camp is situated in the cauldron of a crater in the Crater Lake Game Sanctuary, on the edge of a lovely salt-water lake, which itself lies just off the southwestern shore of Lake Naivasha. The views here are exquisite: pale fever trees flank the water and attract more than 200 species of birds as well as black-and-white colobus monkeys. The tented rooms all look across the lake, and the brick-built bandas are set back a little. The decor is underwhelming, but the views more than make up for it, especially from the restaurant deck that sits right over the deep green water. There's also the option to camp here and you can hire tents and all other equipment. Definitely make time for the interesting two-hour guided walk through the sanctuary and a night drive when you might see hippos, hyenas, and bush babies.

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.