Giraffe Manor Hotel is located on the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya. A remote mansion with a manicured conservation area is like a gift box offering new surprises. A magical view of Kilimanjaro. Close interaction with the giraffes during breakfast. And high quality service including internet, laundry service, chauffeur driven car and professional safari tour team.
History of opening
It’s not the estate that’s as interesting as the people who made it so. David Duncan built the building in 1932. A small hunting refuge for friends where victories were celebrated after a safari. Interestingly, as the meaning of “safari” changed, so did the purpose of the house.
The next owner is John Melville and his wife Betty. Both are ardent lovers of Africa who have dedicated their lives to charitable causes. They founded the “Endangered Species Foundation” here. Wounded, sick and orphaned animals were brought for treatment and subsequent sending to the nearest sanctuaries. No animal was left without help.
And the main resident and symbol is a baby giraffe named Daisy, the progenitor of all the current inhabitants of the estate. After her husband died, Betty turned the mansion into an inn to share her love of these adorable creatures with others.
The mansion was recently bought by another couple who create Safari Collection hotels around the world. Most of the proceeds go to the Animal Welfare Fund, as they always have.
Location
There are no direct flights to Nairobi. You can adjust your tourist tour by visiting other places at the same time. The nearest airport is Wilson. The hotel arranges a free car with a private driver for its guests, who stay with them during their stay and take them around the nurseries.
Hotel interior
The hotel is renowned for its elegant colonial style, intertwining European comfort and oriental character. The harmonious interior transports to another era, with wooden furniture, heavy canopies and luxurious baths.
There are 10 rooms of different prices: singles, doubles and families. The most expensive is a suite decorated with personal belongings of Karen Blixen, the famous writer about Africa. Some suites overlook the garden. But you can buy them only as a client of another hotel owners.
Food
Equally famous is the local African cuisine with an experienced chef. The hotel provides a complete diet, including wines and beers. Breakfast is guest time, secludedly enjoying the company of giraffes. All are welcome for lunch and dinner.
Giraffes
The main feature and the true owners of this place. Rothschild’s giraffes reach six meters and are considered the tallest animals. They’re wild, but they learned long ago that at breakfast, the guests are happy to give away their own treats. And while the cubs are cautious, the adults brazenly squeeze through the windows of the dining room and even the second-floor bedrooms.
The protected fauna doesn’t end with the long-necked friends. Elephants, hyenas, antelopes and wild boars live in the nurseries. And on Lake Nakuru, there are hundreds of pink flamingos.
