Hotels worth the trip

Giraffe Manor, the hotel of the giraffes

Experience sharing your meals with giraffes and participating, at the same time, in the conservation of this endangered species.

By Sut-Mie Guibert

Imagine having coffee with the family and a giraffe sticking its neck through the window looking for a snack? You must have seen photos of Giraffe Manor because a scene like this, as well as being memorable, is very popular on Instagram!

As its name implies, the hotel is the “Giraffe Manor.” The animals are loose and roam freely everywhere. With the style and charm of a small English palace (it is worth remembering that Kenya was a British colony until 1963), the Giraffe Manor enchants not only for the appeal of the adorable animals, but also for being an intimate and chic boutique hotel that is today part of The Safari Collection, which includes 3 other large luxury safari properties in Kenya.

Located on the outskirts of Nairobi, the hotel is not large, with only 12 suites, but all of them are decorated distinctly and elegantly in an art-deco style. A highlight are the two suites for families of 4 or 5 people, one with a mezzanine and the other with two bedrooms. However, the success and fame of the Giraffe Manor is so great that the booking must be made at least 6 months in advance in order to guarantee a place during the holiday periods.

There is no shortage of activities for the family: everything revolves around the species of Rothschild’s giraffes. Clearly, all very British. They can be found at breakfast time or during afternoon tea. Visitors can also learn more about them by visiting the Sanctuary, taking a small nature trail, where guides provide more information about the tallest mammals on earth, which are currently in danger of extinction. The wooden deck allows you to get close to them again and to feed them.

After the trail, there is nothing like a massage at the spa to relax and to prepare to go on a game drive (safari) the next day, in the Nairobi National Park. This can be with a private car and guide or even the extravagant experience of taking a helicopter safari that allows you to travel longer distances and to see an even wider variety of landscapes, fauna and flora.

Slide photos to see Nairobi National Park / Shutterstock

Like most safaris, the hotel has the convenience of being all-inclusive, with all meals and drinks included and even interactions with the giraffes and a visit to the sanctuary. By the way, the hotel’s restaurant is considered one of the best in the capital.

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Note that the Giraffe Manor does not have a kids club, but no child will miss it, with so many different experiences and the possibility of being so close to the animals. On the contrary, it is the kind of experience that remains in the memory forever and raises awareness about the need for protection of certain species of animals.

In fact, for every guest at the Giraffe Manor, a donation is made to the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (AFEW) and its conservation and education projects for Kenyan children. Furthermore, the family can also “adopt” a giraffe, with an annual donation of US$ 60. In return, you receive constant information about the personality of the giraffe, photos, a diploma and a colored key ring made by the women’s cooperative of the Samburu people. Your children will love it!