Best hotels in Kenya

A remote hideaway on the slopes of Mount Nyiro in northern Kenya.

Desert Rose Lodge was built to showcase Kenya's stunning Northern Frontier region. Perched some 1700 metres above sea level, the lodge is surrounded by the dense forest and jungle of Mount Nyiro's slopes, yet on the ground, there is nothing but semi-arid plains. The road leading up to the lodge (an exhilarating, twisting, heart-stopping track up a steep incline!) marks the beginning of your adventurous stay, and throughout, you'll be cared for by local Samburu staff. The only lodge in the region, and more remote than you can imagine, a stay at Desert Rose is remarkable in every way.

Two hours’ drive north of Mombassa on Kenya's central coast, the newly renovated Hemingways Watamu is a boutique beach hotel that combines the old-time charm of a fisherman's paradise, with a fresh injection of luxury. Its hunting- and fishing-loving patron saint, the eponymous Ernest Hemingway, is said to have visited in search of some big game fishing, but allegedly never left the bar! Take this anecdote as an allegory - feel free to be as busy or static as you like. From sailing, deep-sea fishing and diving, to golfing and sunset cruising, there is plenty to keep you entertained, but the sandy beaches and open-plan grounds with two swimming pools are there for lazing and lingering. Whatever your aim, Hemingways Watamu is a gem.

Established in 1972 in the Lewa Conservancy in Northern Kenya, Lewa Wilderness is one of the country's oldest safari camps where you can see the Big Five in unaffected and authentic comfort. Found inside 62,000 acres of conserved land, the camp is surrounded by well maintained gardens and views stretching over the valley and towards the hills. Here conservation and respect for the wildlife work hand in hand with a passionate team dedicated to creating an unpretentious and memorable guest experience. In the words of the owners grandfather, "Always make room for wildlife"

Kitich Camp is a truly remote and private location set in a pristine forest on the upper slopes of the Mathews Mountains (also known as the Lenkiyio Hills). The camp has guarded this vast natural forest for more than 40 years and was originally set up in the 1970s as a private hideaway for his friends by the celebrated hunter and conservationist Miles Burton. The forest covers some 900 square kilometres of Mathews Mountains' peaks, which soar so high above the lowlands that the BBC described the area as a “biological bonanza" on a "sky island".

Like all the Elewan Collection of lodges and camps in Tanzania (including Joy's Camp, Elsa's Kopje, Kitich and Lewa Safari Camp), Tortilis is set in an iconic location. In this case it's the western Amboseli, where game viewing is fruitful, accommodation is first-class, the food is Italian-style delicious, the guides are local and there's a responsible attitude towards conservation and the local communities. Here, overlooked by Mount Kilimanjaro, you can see a elephants (lots of them), hippo, lion and other big cats, and plentiful birds.Tortilis is Kenya's first eco-lodge and has won the Tourism for Tomorrow award.