Best hotels in Kenya

Opening beneath the leaves of Kenya's quintessential fever trees in June 2022, Tambarare Camp, an A&K Sanctuary is a bright and eye-catching new camp. Under the impressive gaze of Mount Kenya, the camp sits in Ol Pejeta Conservancy, an untamed realm where you'll follow in the footprints of the Big Five and lay beneath the star-spangled African sky. Laikipia is known for its collection of private camps with big hearts for conservation and Sanctuary Tambarare fits right in. Each day brings the chance to get to know the land and creatures that call it home, your expert guide sharing the secrets of their plains with you.

On the southern shore of Lake Naivasha, Sopa Lodge enjoys the best of views, surveying a scene of fish eagles and pelicans in flight, snorting hippos, and wildlife grazing on the banks. The lodge was built to invite nature inside and the expansive windows, high ceilings and central garden in the lobby do exactly that. Cottages are hidden amongst a forest of Euphorbia cacti and on a walk through the grounds, you're likely to spot giraffe, waterbuck and colobus monkeys, which more than whet your appetite for the boat rides, game drives and bush walks that await...

Once a landscape that was unsustainably farmed and over-grazed, the Enonkishu Conservancy is now an incredible story of rewilding. Alongside three other Maasai conservancies, the area is now a 45,000-acre fenceless wilderness with only a handful of lodges and camps to explore it. Sitting atop Kileleoni Hill (the highest point in the Maasai Mara), Wild Hill is one of those lodges - and one of the most exclusive safari houses on the continent. The exclusive-use villa has an equal focus on wellness, conservation and community initiatives, and with a full-service team, your safari is totally on your own terms. And did we mention the sensational views across the wildlife-filled plains?

Expect nothing but luxury at Mara Plains, a camp so highly regarded it's been added to National Geographic's list of Unique Lodges of the World. Set in the private 35,000-acre (14164-hectare) Olare Motorogi Conservancy on the northern boundary of Kenya's Masai Mara Reserve, the camp allows you to explore an area far larger than that offered at any other camp. Mara Plains is planted inconspicuously along wooden walkways in a copse of riverine trees on the banks of the Ntiakitiak River. The interior reminds you of Hemingway and all you've ever dreamt about African exploration in bygone times. And yet, the atmosphere is unassuming.

This exclusive eco-retreat is one of the most unique safari offerings in all of Africa, combining luxury with an exceptional cultural experience within a veritable wilderness. Segera Retreat is set upon the Laikipia Plateau in north-central Kenya - an area which encompasses the second highest concentration of wildlife in the country. Fine dining, wine tasting, a highly regarded spa and the largest private contemporary African art collection on the continent, all combine for an off-the-charts experience. As you might expect, any stay here is personally tailored and utterly exclusive, complete with your very own personal attendant to look after your every need or simply leave you be. The grounds are exceptional as well - an alluring mixture of modern and traditional with thatched roofs and stylish furnishings and a garden dotted with African sculptures. But indeed this is a conscientious eco-retreat of the highest order - solar-powered and water-wise.

Feel what the early explorers must have experienced when they first arrived in the vast wilderness of the Masai Mara. Devoid of imposing buildings and large groups, Elephant Pepper Camp opened its canvas tents more than 20 years ago as one of the original camps in the Mara North Conservancy and remain true to their principles: it's about the wildlife. Without compromising on luxury, you'll spend evenings around the campfire and long days enveloped in the savanna. Far removed from the other lodges, this is the true heart of Kenya.

Fairview Hotel is a tranquil property set within acres of lush greenery. Its colonial style, two storey buildings are scattered around the gardens, offering guests a peaceful oasis away from the busy Nairobi city. The location is central, secluded and one of the safest areas in town. It is part of the renowned City Lodge Hotel Group and offers friendly service, good food and clean accommodation. There are hotel rooms as well as serviced apartments for longer stays. The staff are among the friendliest and most efficient in Africa and the cuisine is excellent.

The 74,00 acre Mara Conservancy may be home to a mass of lodges, but Offbeat has managed to carve out their own unique spot in this abundant wildlife wilderness far from the masses. A small tented bush camp tucked very discreetly along the banks of the Olare Orok River, unfenced and unpretentious, it's location away from the airstrip and collection of other camps in the area allow you a bit more privacy as you look out from your neat tent onto the plains beyond. They even have their own resident lion pride!