Staying At The Giraffe Manor - nairobi, kenya
It's not very often that your passions cross paths with such fervor. When I learned about the Giraffe Manor several years back, it seemed so magical that I assumed it couldn't be real. After briefly researching, I realized that there was indeed a place where my love for wildlife (specifically giraffes) and my love for travel were one cohesive experience.
We planned our trip two years in advance in order to get a room during the high travel season. Leading up to the trip, I was concerned the manor wouldn’t live up to my expectations. I had all kinds of doubts running through my head: What if it’s not as great as it seems on Instagram? What if the giraffe’s don’t feel like coming up to the manor and we don’t get to feed them? What if the hotel isn’t that nice and we are just paying for the uniqueness of the experience?
After spending one night at this lovely boutique hotel, I can honestly say it was worth every penny (and it was a lot of pennies)! The property itself was such an oasis in the busy city of Nairobi.
The gardens were pristine, the décor was stunning, and the food was superb! No detail was overlooked, and the quality of every experience at the Giraffe Manor was top notch!
We specifically chose a room ("Marlon") with a balcony when we booked our stay, because knew that would provide us the opportunity to feed giraffes from our own private space. The room was quite spacious and very charming.
The manor only has 12 rooms, and only guests with overnight reservations are allowed on property, so the experience is guaranteed to feel exclusive.
I was very surprised at how many opportunities we got to feed the giraffes throughout our stay. The first feeding was at 5pm on the front lawn with all the other guests. You can move between feeding them at the front of the manor, or on the side where they have a swing if you so choose.
The second feeding opportunity was at 6am from our private bedroom balcony. If you are booking a stay here, make sure you choose a room with a balcony!
The final feeding opportunity was after we ate breakfast through the windows of the dining room.
I had assumed the giraffes would be a lot more difficult to keep around for the feedings, but I underestimated the power of a yummy snack! Had I known how easy it would be to interact with them, I never would've stressed about it. When we woke up at 6am to do the feeding from our balcony, I opened the curtains feeling like it was a huge gamble, but they were waiting there looking at us like, “excuse me where is my breakfast?!”
Overall, our stay was excellent. I might be a little biased since giraffes are my favorite animal, but it seemed like everyone there was having a great time! The hospitality and service were great, and interacting with the giraffes was as fun and unique as it gets! Be sure to book a night here if you are looking for an exciting experience to remember on your trip to Kenya.
Additional Note: The Giraffe Manor belongs to the same property as the Giraffe Center. Both are dedicated to repopulating the endangered Rothschild giraffe and serve as conservation and educational resources for locals and tourists. I was worried about supporting the commercialization and exploitation of the animals, but after spending a day there it was obvious that the animals still have the freedom to do what they want, and these properties serve as a breeding ground for the giraffes. They are successfully educating the public about the species and releasing young giraffes properly into the wild.
I LOVE the head into the dining room!!