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You're quite likely to be woken by a giraffe appearing at your window at Giraffe Manor. Built in 1932 to resemble a Scottish hunting lodge, it was only in the 1970s that Giraffe Manor and its surrounds were turned into a luxury hotel and a sanctuary/breeding centre for endangered Rothschild giraffe. It's a charming place in the Karen suburb of Nairobi where the giraffes wander around freely, totally at home with their visitors, and the hotel is gorgeously comfortable. Expect great fun, uplifting experiences, hearty laughs, great food and a super-comfortable room in which to dream.
The main communal areas at Giraffe Manor are in the original manor house. There's a comfortable lounge furnished with cosy armchairs, sofas, occasional tables and artwork, and the breakfast room, where the resident giraffes are in attendance. The wood-panelled dining room is more formal, and this is where dinner is served for guests who want to eat with the manager-hosts. There's a bar, a curio shop, the terrace and lovely gardens to explore and watch the comical warthog that graze on the lawns.
Accommodation is in 12 top-drawer rooms. There are six in the Historic Manor (which has the single suite named for Karen Blixen) with art deco features, romantic four-poster beds and grand bathrooms; and the Garden Manor has six rooms. Each is decorated in its own style and named for a character in its history, but the sense of 1930s grandeur is everywhere. All have wi-fi and a private balcony or patio to enjoy the lush garden views.
Giraffes are clearly the stars of the show, but other activities are on offer. The Giraffe Centre is a must, then arrange visits to the endearing occupants of the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage, the Karen Blixen Museum, various art and craft studios, the Maasai market (perfect for mementos), Nairobi National Park and the Bomas of Kenya, where guests can enjoy traditional dances, makeshift villages, and handicrafts.
Getting up close and personal with the giraffe as they pop their head through the window and onto your breakfast table in the fond hope of a snack.
Leave time to visit the nearby Giraffe Centre, where the endangered Rothschild giraffe spend the day (they wander the hotel grounds from evening until early morning only). It's also a conservation and educational venue for Kenyan schoolchildren
Not all the bedrooms are visited by the long-legged giraffe. If this is high on your list, book well in advance!
The Time + Tide Foundation is dedicated to preserving natural environments and supporting nearby communities, and guests contribute to sustainability purely by visiting their hotels. The foundation focuses on community and school-based learning, female empowerment, health, and wildlife conservation. Through initiatives like student sponsorship, it aims to ensure the long-term prosperity of wildlife economies and foster positive social change in Time + Tide communities.
A contribution of $10 per guest, which is included in the nightly rate, goes towards the above goals.
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