21 Best Hotels in Kenya

Situated beside a natural flowing spring with spectacular views of Mt. Kilimanjaro, this lodge's ocher-color guest rooms line paved walkways that weave through landscaped gardens. The food, cooked with locally grown herbs and vegetables, is excellent, particularly the house-made pasta. Because the lodge is near the Enkongo Narok Swamp, there's always plenty of game around, and it's common to spot elephants from your breakfast table. Take a game drive, go walking with a Maasai guide, enjoy a bush breakfast, have sunset drinks on top of Observation Hill, or relax at the swimming pool and sundeck. The rooms are small and fairly basic, but they have touches of Maasai-inspired decor, walk-in showers, and verandas. Always remember to keep your doors and windows closed to keep out marauding vervet monkeys, which look cute but can make off with your belongings. There is one suite, which has its own private garden and rooftop balcony, and which has direct views to Kilimanjaro. What the lodge lacks in luxury is more than made up for by the friendly and helpful staff, and it's family-friendly.

When Ernest Hemingway wrote The Snows of Kilimanjaro, he stayed near the area on which this attractive lodge was eventually built. It's in lush established gardens in the foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro near the Tanzanian border. You'll stay in a roomy mud-and-thatch en suite hut, gaily decorated with wood, animal motifs, and brightly colored soft furnishings. Enjoy a hearty breakfast and lunch buffet inside in the big African-theme dining room, or eat out beside the pool, where there's also a pleasant poolside bar. In the evening sit down to a four-course meal where you can choose between European, African, or Asian dishes. There is a stunning lounge area and great viewing deck. It's also a great place for kids—there's plenty of room for them to run around, a lovely pool, and babysitters are always available if you want to be child-free for an evening. The lodge offers lots of activities including game drives, guided walks, and trips to Maasai villages. If you want to have a go at climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, the lodge can arrange that, too.

This large mid-range safari lodge may not have the intimacy of a small tented camp, but its location is superb as it overlooks the Aruba Dam—one of the best places to see wildlife in the whole of Tsavo East. There's almost a constant parade of red elephants crossing the plains, so-called for the way they collect the red clay dust of the park, and they often stop to drink, bathe, and splash around in the dam. There are several other waterholes nearby, too, and spotting animals is easy because the lodge lies on the flat savanna grassland. The sprawling public areas feature wooden decks and red-tiled roofs, while the majority of rooms are in stone cottages that have verandas and small but adequate bathrooms—those wanting more of a bush experience can opt for one of the six more upscale tents. All meals are buffet-style, the food is varied, tasty, and plentiful, and the restaurant has outside tables shaded by canvas umbrellas with tremendous views over the dam. Apart from game drives, specialist bird walks and visits to Lugard Falls to see crocodiles and hippos can be arranged.

About a half-hour drive from the town of Naivasha, Crater Lake Tented Camp is situated in the cauldron of a crater in the Crater Lake Game Sanctuary, on the edge of a lovely salt-water lake, which itself lies just off the southwestern shore of Lake Naivasha. The views here are exquisite: pale fever trees flank the water and attract more than 200 species of birds as well as black-and-white colobus monkeys. The tented rooms all look across the lake, and the brick-built bandas are set back a little. The decor is underwhelming, but the views more than make up for it, especially from the restaurant deck that sits right over the deep green water. There's also the option to camp here and you can hire tents and all other equipment. Definitely make time for the interesting two-hour guided walk through the sanctuary and a night drive when you might see hippos, hyenas, and bush babies.

This mid-range resort will make sure you get the best out of your beach break. The well-equipped rooms each have a balcony or terrace, it offers all the sporting and entertainment facilities you could wish for, and 300 meters (984 feet) of lovely palm-fringed beachfront. Choose a garden room overlooking lush greenery and flowering plants, or a deluxe room with sea view and spa bath. Coral Rock Cafe is the main buffet restaurant and there are Asian and seafood venues, too. There's a huge range of activities from tennis, squash, pool, and table tennis, to waterskiing, scuba diving, snorkeling, windsurfing, and sailing. A ride in a glass-bottomed boat out to the coral reef is mandatory. Don't pass up the chance to get a massage at the Maya Spa. At the end of the day watch a movie in the state-of-the-art cinema, or try your luck in the glitzy casino. There's a great kids' program that will entertain the tots while you do your own thing.

This grand old colonial lady will take you back to the heady early days when settlers, adventurers, colonial officers, and their ladies arrived in the capital to make their names and their fortunes. Built in 1904, the Norfolk was one of Nairobi's first hotels and quickly became the meeting place and waterhole for everybody who was anybody in the colony. The hotel is now part of the Fairmont chain of hotels, but the original mock-Tudor facade and colonial opulence still remain, so you can easily imagine yourself back in the early days as you sip your G&T—it's always called G&T, never gin and tonic—or an excellent local Tusker beer on the Lord Delamere Terrace or in the leather-chaired bar. If you're there on a Sunday, do not miss the lavish high tea.

Located right on the waterfront in Shela, Kijani Hotel offers rooms in three converted Arab merchant houses grouped around a pretty central garden (kijani is Swahili for green) with swimming pool. They are furnished with antiques sourced in Lamu and Zanzibar, including high Swahili beds with colorful kikoi bedspreads, woven mats, and charming shutters over the windows. Although the rooms don't have any amenities, there's a tranquil, relaxed air to the place; all rooms have a safe, and free Wi-Fi. The restaurant is one of the best in Shela for seafood and pasta, and they serve excellent cocktails too; try the molten lava cake for dessert. Excellent breakfasts are included. The hotel can arrange dhow trips on the Shaba Dhow complete with meals prepared aboard, and tours of Lamu town.

This lovely old lodge was Kenya's first lodge to open in a national park (1962); its timber, stone, and thatch buildings complement the natural wilderness surroundings and, when it's not wreathed in clouds, there's a good view of Mt. Kilimanjaro. You can watch game and birds at the magnificent and often busy waterhole from any one of several viewing decks, or enjoy a drink in the bar carved out of rocks. En suite rooms are decorated in the ubiquitous African-theme fabrics, but are comfortable and spacious. Buffet meals with plenty of variety are way above the average. You can book all sorts of activities at the lodge, including morning and afternoon game drives and walks, bush breakfasts and dinners, and trips to Mzima Springs.

This elegant resort, much favored by Italians, is in large grounds amid a profusion of tropical flowering plants 4 km (2½ miles) from Malindi. Spacious airy rooms, mostly decorated in white, have classy Swahili-inspired antique furniture such as carved four-poster beds, complemented by the dark browns of the rugs, bedspreads, and lamps. A private furnished veranda looks out onto the pool where your breakfast is served each morning. Even the Romans hardly had it so good. The cuisine is international, with delicious seafood dishes, and there are two bars, a spa, and a fabulous private beach. The name delightfully means "sofa by the sea" in Swahili.

Only a short walk from the serene Karura Forest, this hotel seamlessly merges modern luxury and Kenya's rich cultural heritage which is woven into its architecture and decor. The name 'Kwetu' means 'our home' in Swahili, and that perfectly reflects the personalized service that makes one feel at home here. The hotel features two exceptional dining options: Meko Restaurant located by the stunning pool, serving Mediterranean-inspired dishes, and Upepo, the rooftop bar and restaurant, offering South East Asian cuisine (try the Japanese nasi goreng if available on the menu). Both have quickly become popular destinations for locals and visitors alike, particularly with DJs and saxophonists on rotation in the evenings or weekends to serenade guests. Take in the forest from your room's large windows, or arrange a complimentary excursion at the reception.

In lovely forested grounds with huge established trees, very large rooms, and loads of facilities, the comfortable and friendly Sopa offers everything you'll need for a couple of days at Lake Naivasha. It's set a little back from the lake but there are still water views from parts of the property and you will see the resident herd of waterbuck grazing beneath the fever trees, and above them troops of both vervet and black-and-white colobus monkeys. There are two swimming pools, tennis courts, a well-designed and cavernous restaurant and lounge area, and a relaxing spa. The rooms are in attractive double-story curved cottages with balconies or terraces and are great for families as they interconnect.

If you'd like to do an overnight in Lake Nakuru National Park, then the smart mid-range Sopa Lodge is a good choice thanks to its commanding position high up on a ridge in the quiet western area. There are lake views from all around the property, but get up early for your game drive as the sunrise in particular is impressive. Rooms are in circular thatched cottages—giving an impression of an African village scattered over the hillside—and are comfortable with double beds, large en suite bathrooms with piping hot showers, and patios or balconies. The public areas are spacious with huge windows and warm lighting and the buffet meals are generous and varied. Children are welcome here with special meals and babysitting arranged.

On a hillside near the Ololaimutiek Gate, this well-priced family-style lodge (sopa means welcome in the Maasai language) is one of the most popular in the reserve. Even though they're always busy, the delightfully friendly and experienced staff will make you feel special. You'll sleep in a rondavel (a round, thatch-roof cottage) that has a veranda and is simply but pleasantly furnished in traditional African style with lots of earth-color soft furnishings. The brightly decorated public areas are nestled among flowering plants and trees; notices telling you about mealtimes, balloon booking times, how to book a picnic, and other information are pasted throughout the main area. Don't expect all the bells and whistles of the luxury lodges—hot water is available only mornings and evenings—but the setting and the feeling of Africa on your doorstep more than compensate. Plus events such as Maasai dancing or African food are held, and there's also a quaintly named "Wild Animals Viewing Deck" in camp.

Insulated by a hidden glade—home to leopards, lions, and hyenas—Nairobi Tented Camp is in a secluded part of Nairobi National Park, providing an authentic bush experience within a few miles of the city center. Tents are comfortably equipped with large en suite bathrooms (with traditional hot-water bucket-showers). The lounge tent is sumptuously furnished with all the comforts of home and set meals are served around a big table, but this is a carefully prepared eco-camp that could potentially be removed within 48 hours, leaving zero imprint on the natural habitat. Hot water bottles tame Nairobi's cool high altitude nights but the bush around is as wild as anywhere in Africa; you might have a giraffe or rhino wandering around the camp.

This popular lodge is a central feature of Amboseli National Park as it's part of the fenced-off area in the middle of the park where the KWS headquarters are located, but Ol Tukai itself has only a very low electric fence which does not get in the way of the simply tremendous views across the animal-studded plains to the east. As you walk to your room, spot herds of elephants and plains game as far as the eye can see. Bird-watching is good, too, with more than 400 species to be identified, and Ol Tukai offers specialized bird walks through its grounds for beginners and experts alike; it's a wonderful opportunity to introduce yourself or the kids to the world of birds. This resort manages to be both modern and traditional—its facilities are world-class, but its feel and ambience are unmistakably African. It is set amid acres of well-kept lawns dotted with the familiar symbol of the plains—Acacia tortilis trees—and has a superb view of Mt. Kilimanjaro. En suite chalets, built of local stone and slate, are furnished with handcrafted wooden furniture and decorated with faux animal-skin fabrics, rugs, and throws; each has a personal veranda. The public areas are open and spacious and the lounges, dining areas, and bar occupy multilevel wooden decks. The restaurant serves à la carte menus as well as set buffets. One of the highlights here is the large figure-eight shaped swimming pool where you can relax on a sunbed and watch wildebeest and zebra graze nearby. Extra services include massages, babysitting, and laundry.

This stylish city hotel is conveniently located in Westlands, close to a number of restaurants and malls, although you will find all you need for a relaxing stay in the hotel itself. Striking contemporary East African art decorates both the rooms and public areas, and the rooms themselves are comfortable and modern, with panoramic views, marble bathrooms, and all possible modern conveniences. There's a patisserie, which turns into a cheese and wine bar at night, a brasserie serving global cuisine, and a New York–style steak house, plus rooftop dining next to the pool (check out the glass panel on the floor of the pool, which looks down onto the street hundreds of feet below). The Angsana Spa is exquisite, and the hotel boutique has specially commissioned, high-end souvenirs.

The city's oldest hotel was established in 1902 but has switched owners and undergone major upgrades through the years; the Stanley was named after the journalist Henry Morton Stanley who immortalized himself by discovering a long-lost Scots explorer with one of the best sound bites in history: "Doctor Livingstone, I presume?" A lot of history lies within these walls which have hosted African presidents, author Ernest Hemingway in the '30s, Frank Sinatra and his wife, Princess Elizabeth just before she became Britain's sovereign, and even a young Barack Obama. A Heritage Tour provides insight into Nairobi's history (Nairobi's Stock Exchange was, for instance, established in 1954 at the once popular Long Bar which is now The Exchange Bar). At the hotel's famous outdoor Thorn Tree Café, named for the acacia tree at its center, early travelers would pin notes and messages for fellow travelers to the tree, and it was regarded as Nairobi's first post office. Today, there's an Internet café where the communication tradition continues, and you can get light meals and live music. Public areas retain a trace of the elegance of times past and rooms offer all the standard amenities of a modern business hotel—soundproofing (useful in central Nairobi), blackout curtains, satellite TV, and coffee-makers. Rooms vary in price, from the basic right up to presidential suites in the VIP wing.

It’s like walking into a painting at this aptly named resort which sits on a stunning stretch of powder-white beachfront that ever so perfectly complements the Indian Ocean’s turquoise blues. With 340 rooms, it is massive and comes outfitted with all the trappings of a beach getaway offset by green manicured lawns fringed by towering leafy palm trees. Highlights include four pools; one has a swim-up bar with the best pina coladas in town while another has a water slide which kids will love, if they ever get bored of gazing wondrously at the fish pond. You could stay here for a week and enjoy a different type of cuisine every night, with themed buffets ranging from Continental and Arabic to East Asian; Swahili days are a favorite. There are also several bars and restaurants, and the casual Coco's beach bar with its low-slung sofas is the perfect spot to sink into and while away an afternoon. In the evening, acrobats, DJs, salsa or karaoke events take place, and guests are encouraged to participate. After the kids are sent off to bed, the bar morphs into a sandy nightclub where you can dance barefoot late into the night.

This small and friendly camp lies on a traditional migration route, so it's not short of game. It's not short on comfort either. You'll stay in one of 20 tents placed in a semicircle looking out onto a waterhole, each with its own veranda. All are built under individual thatch canopies and shaded by trees. There's a handmade bed inside your green canvas tent, with lots of attractive African-patterned soft furnishings, and each has a private bathroom with running water and a safari-style bucket shower. The food is wholesome and fresh, and there's a spacious semi-open dining, bar, and lounge area; it's also great to sit and have an alfresco lunch under the 200-year-old tamarind tree and watch the elephants at the waterhole. There's a viewing deck on stilts where you can sit and read, or just watch, wait, and see what walks up.

Satao is located in the south of Tsavo East, so it's a good option for safaris from the coast, especially for families as extra beds can be put in the tents.

The spacious thatched-roof rooms of this Italian-run mid-range resort near the Vasco da Gama Cross are filled with handcrafted furniture such as huge Zanzibar beds. Some can sleep up to four, making it a very affordable place to stay and good for families. Day couches are scattered around the exotic gardens where there are four swimming pools. The good beach is a short walk down a narrow path and has sun loungers and thatched umbrellas for Scorpio's guests as well as the Coco Beach bar that serves cold drinks and pizzas at lunchtime. The buffet meals have a wide selection of dishes, and staff are friendly and eager to please.

With 27 rooms, this meticulously kept camp is large enough for you to do your own thing, yet small enough to retain its tented-camp feel with a wonderfully peaceful ambience. The exceptionally large tents are more like stone cottages and have spacious bathrooms, handcrafted wooden beds, and broad decks shaded by acacia trees that attract numerous birds; yet they still have canvas walls that can be rolled up underneath the thatched roofs while you sleep under the swathes of mosquito nets. The tents are also very private and are well spaced along a series of small waterholes that attract a constant parade of giraffes, zebras, and antelopes; lions are often seen. Friendly Maasai staff can take guests on early-morning bush walks around camp, and there's also the option of going on an informative four-hour walking safari with a KWS ranger. Food is excellent and beautifully presented in the "Out of Africa" restaurant (no buffets here and there's full restaurant à la carte service), and are followed by nightcaps taken around a bonfire. Bush breakfasts and lunches can be arranged.