Luxury Hotels/Lodges in Masai Mara National Reserve
What is a luxury hotel/lodge?
Luxury Hotels/lodges are considered to be hotels that provides a luxurious accommodation experience to the guests. There are no set standards (such as stars) for luxury hotels. Often 4 or 5-star hotels describe themselves as ‘luxury’. This also means that any accommodation type can use the term ‘luxury’ including boutique hotels and resorts.
What are the characteristics of a luxury hotel/Lodge?
- Outstanding hotel dining: great breakfast (quality and quantity wise), Michelin-starred restaurants, 24 hours room service
- Guest activities and amenities: High-end spa treatments, pool, 24-hour fitness center, laundry service, unpacking and packing service, babysitting, pet sitting, dog-walking, personal trainer referrals, a concierge who knows more than Google.
- Uber exclusive designer interiors, haute couture styling with fabulous artsy features and a state-of-the-art technology
- Luxury room features: High-quality furnishings with opulent, expensive touches, attention to aesthetic detail, a quiet room with fresh air, original art on the walls, windows that open, robes and slippers, adequate storage, hangers, desk, reading chair, safe, good-size flat-screen TV, iPhone/iPod dock, coffee maker, full-length mirror, effective heating/AC system…and of course a King bed size with a good mattress, high-quality sheets and a variety of pillow types (or a pillow menu)!
- Luxury bathrooms: Tub for two, his-and-hers sinks, sufficient counter space, good water pressure, prestige or artisan toiletries, plenty of fluffy, high-quality towels, makeup mirror that lights, enough racks or hooks, bidet (or a TOTO-toilet), ventilation
- Allow an easy, simple and intelligent planning, booking process, Fast, easy, discreet Checking & Checkout
- The room offered is exactly what a guest requires (in terms of category, classification, physical location in the hotel, bed size…)
- Amazing service: Guests should get the feeling that they are known and valued. Your staff should know them by name, be friendly (smiling!) and respectful. Housekeeping and gardeners should be quiet and not interfere with a guest’s enjoyment of the property, maintenance personnel should appear at guest’s room within minutes etc.
Accommodation rating
“Luxury” – The luxurious accommodation is fully equipped, comfortable and usually more spacious than the mid-range options. They often have facilities like swimming pools, masseurs and sometimes even private butlers.
Angama Mara (A modern lodge with arguably, the best views in all of Kenya)
Angama Mara is a safari lodge in the Masai Mara, and its panoramic views are the talk of the town! Balanced on the rim of Africa’s Great Rift Valley, Angama overlooks the vast Mara plains. The meaning of ‘angama’ in Swahili is completely fitting, translating ‘to be suspended in mid-air’. Angama is a very high-end property with a ridiculous amount of facilities, but its downfall may be that it is not safari enough
Location
Angama is sat on the top of the escarpment, with over-hanging views down to game-filled plains of the Mara Triangle. The lodge is spread along three kopjes of the Oloololo escarpment, with the third kopje a setting for one of the most memorable scenes from the film ‘Out of Africa’. Angama have continued the tradition, using the same kopje for private sundowners and romantic dinners.
Bateleur Camp (A private camp with exquisite service on the edge of the Mara Triangle)
Bateleur Camp is part of the ‘andBeyond’ Porfolio, and a sister property to Kichwa Tembo, Bateleur Camp is a more private luxury camp. Today, the camp’s vintage theme and Out of Africa glamour is the most recognizable on the higher end of the price bracket, the camps warm hospitality and levels of service will be retained throughout the exciting changes, along with the charm and quintessential luxury that Bateleur has become known for.
Location
Bateleur Camp is located outside of the northern part of the Mara Triangle, on the edge of the Oloololo escarpment. It sits where the riverine forest and the Mara plains meet, providing an authentic dose of African wildlife all year round. Seasonally, around the months of August, September and October, the Great Migration can be seen in the area around the camp!
Kichwa Tembo camp
Kichwa Tembo camp is part of the ‘andBeyond’ Porfolio, Kichwa Tembo is of course, a luxury tented camp. Also it has a modern décor and a sleek finish. The camp looks directly onto the open plains of the Masai Mara. This is home to the most plentiful and diverse wildlife in Kenya! This camp offers great value for money, with very comfortable accommodation and a wealth of amenities. However, it competes in location with the likes of the Governors Camps which are undoubtedly better in position. It is inside the Mara Triangle.
Location
Kichwa Tembo is situated just outside of the northern part of the Mara Triangle, on the edge of the Oloololo escarpment. It sits where the riverine forest and the vast plains meet, providing an authentic dose of African wildlife all year round. Additionally, the game is heightened between the months of July and October. The Great Migration can be seen in the area around the camp!
Mara Plains (The ultimate luxury out in the bush)
As you walk over a wooden bridge to Mara Plains, the first glimpse of the camp is a very luxurious and sleek one. Sat directly from the main area – a huge Acacia tree, which has slowly become the ‘icon’ of the camp. The camp has an emphasis on photography, as the position of the camp. The design of the vehicles and the available cameras and lenses provide a great opportunity.
Location
On the northern border of the Masai Mara Game Reserve, Mara Plains is located inside the Olare Motorogi Conservancy, which boasts being just one of five camps operating in the conservancy! Its position just outside of the reserve does not affect the game, as prides of lion, leopard and cheetah have established territories on the savannah nearby the main mess tent!
Naibor Camp (An intimate camp offering a truly authentic safari experience)
Naibor Camp is a luxury tented camp in the heart of the Masai Mara Game Reserve. On the banks of the Talek River, the camp has resident families of hippo that seem to love the camp and its location as much as we do! With simple furnishings, a dining area and very accommodating hosts. Naibor Camp has a very relaxing and classic safari feel to it. This also makes it perfect for guests on their first safari or for those wanting to get a truly authentic Kenya safari experience.
For those looking for romance, Naibor offers the most unforgettable experience of a Maasai blessing. The medicine man from the local Maasai tribe will bless the couple and present them with a special tribal necklace. A group of Maasai dancers will then also perform the traditional wedding dance under the shadow of the setting sun, to the sounds of the bush. Naibor Camps is certainly a luxurious base for exploring the Mara.
Location
Naibor Camp is inside the Masai Mara National Reserve, hidden in the riverine woodland of the Talek River. The great migration passes through this area between July and October. Also, Naibor is located close to all the major wildebeest crossing sites over the Mara River.
Rekero Camp (A popular tented camp sat on the banks of the Talek River)
Rekero camp located few metres away from Mara River and close to roars of the resident Rekero lion pride. It offers so much excitement in the heart of the Masai Mara, one of the most famous game reserves in Africa! The camp combines a traditional East African décor with a more modern and contemporary layout. The friendly staff immediately welcomes guests into Rekero Camp. This is right from the moment they arrive, stunning them with the charm and beauty of Kenya’s famous Masai Mara.
Location
Rekero Camp sits in the heart of the Masai Mara Reserve, on the north bank of the Talek River and close to the Mara River. With an infamous crossing point just 150 metres away from the main mess of the camp, and the Mara River a comfortable distance to drive to, the migration period could not be more exciting here at the camp! However, the abundance of water and grasslands provide an area rich in game all year round beyond the months of the migration.
Governors’ Camp (A simple safari camp for the best wildlife in the Masai Mara)
Governors’ Camp is about its location. The camp, which was once reserved exclusively for Kenya’s colonial governors, hence the name, is today still one of the favorites in the Masai Mara. In the past, renowned photographers, documentists and the BBC have come to base themselves in the camp whilst documenting the exceptional wildlife. Over the years, other camps have tried to compete, but ultimately, Governors’ Camp will always be the best location for game… in arguably, all of Kenya-Masai Mara National Reserve!
Location
Governor’s camp is a traditional camp snug in the forest by the banks of the Mara River. There is an abundance of game all year round, but during the months of July to October, the game is heighten the Great Migration pass through these plains and cross the famous Mara River.
Cottar’s 1920s Camp (A camp bringing back the vintage and elegance to Kenyan safari camps)
The Cottars family has been operating luxury tented safaris since 1919, and almost 100 years later, it is today still running smoothly. The elegant antique furniture, the impeccable personalized service, attention to detail and professional, award-winning guiding has been a combination attracting guests since the mid-nineties.
Location
Cottar’s 1920’s Camp is on a private game concession, joining the Masai Mara Reserve and the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. As it is on a private concession, the area promises privacy and diversity of wildlife. Cottar’s recognizes this and provides activities that can take benefit of it, including ‘off-road’ driving, night drives and guided bush walks.
Governors’ Il Moran Camp (A luxury private camp in the heart of the game)
Governors’ Il Moran Camp, in terms of its luxury, is a step up from its sister properties, Governors’ Main and Little Governors Camp. Undeniable, Il Moran is also, in the best location for game, but offers that little bit more intimacy, privacy and exclusivity in the heart of the Masai Mara. The service is exceptional and nothing is too much effort for the friendly staff at the camp. Dining, private sundowners and unforgettable game viewing experiences.
Location
Governors’ Il Moran Camp sits high along the top banks of the Mara River, tucked away in the natural thicket. The Governors’ Camps arguably have the best location in the Mara, as there is an abundance of game all year round, heightened in the late summer months as the Great Migration pass through these plains and also cross the infamous Mara River.
Ol Seki Hemingways Mara (In the Naboisho Conservancy, this camp is ideal for honeymooners)
Ol Seki is a luxury tent camp in the Naboisho Conservancy adjacent to the world-famous Masai Mara National Reserve. The camp, which can also accommodate only 12 guests, is magically peaceful and secluded. It is also perfect for those looking to get away from the crowds that the Mara Reserve can attract.
Location
Ol Seki Camp is in the Naboisho conservancy, adjacent to the world-famous Masai Mara National Reserve. The Conservancy itself also sits on 200 square kilometers of rolling savannah. This is where elephants, buffaloes and plains game graze and also prides of lion roam. Game drives into the reserve are also possible. These are particularly popular for those wanting to try. Also see a migration crossing or the sheer size of the herds.
