To celebrate the re-opening of its iconic properties Kenya, Fairmont Hotels and Resorts has kicked off the New Year by announcing the launch of a new itinerary that takes in three spectacular destinations in the group’s portfolio. With a journey that allows guests to truly immerse themselves in the local culture and history of the region, the experience has been designed to promote Kenya beyond the typical safari adventure.
These historical properties, which have been lovingly and authentically restored to their former grandeur following a full refurbishment, have been designed with conservation at their heart. And it just so happens that Insider was on a similar itinerary five years ago that proved to be one of the best safari experiences we’ve ever had.
Fairmont The Norfolk: This hotel in the capital city of in Nairobi is the first destination on the itinerary by offering guests a cosmopolitan city break. Located in the vibrant CBD area of Nairobi, the hotel opened its doors over 100 years ago in 1904. This landmark hotel has played a great role in Kenya’s historical heritage, bearing witness as the modern city of Nairobi grew around the property.
A remarkable hotel where history continues to be created, Fairmont The Norfolk has been known to welcome guests as distinguished as Ernest Hemingway, Theodore Roosevelt and Mick Jagger. Today, it continues to attract both international travelers and Kenya’s high society, who see the property as the place to stay and experience all Nairobi has to offer. This includes H.E. President Ruto, president of the Republic of Kenya, who visited the hotel in September 2022 after his appointment.
The guest experience team at Fairmont The Norfolk has devised a renewed activities program for international guests taking them away from the typical tourist trails to allow them to discover the capital through the eyes of the locals. Among the recommendations are visits to colonial-age coffee and tea farms; horse-riding excursions in the neighborhoods of Karen, Kitisuru or Muthaiga (the headquarters of the UN in Africa); visits to the National Museum for a deep dive into Nairobi’s history, exclusive visits at Anselm glass and even a night out at Nairobi’s famous clubs. The hotel’s in-house team will ensure that all visits are organized “the Fairmont Way,” meaning that guests are given a gourmet picnic, a high tea or even a magical sundowner on safari in the famous Nairobi National Park.
Gourmands are well catered for at Fairmont The Norfolk, with the refurbishment of the Lord Delamere Terrace restaurant, an iconic dining destination in its own right. Serving mouth-watering cuisines from around the world, the restaurant is also highly regarded for its refreshing take on Kenyan flavors.
After dinner, guests can relax at the Cin Cin Bar, a lavish lounge bar serving signature cocktails and a vast selection of premium spirits and wines, as well as an extensive tapas menu with a unique African twist. The exquisite new décor is a striking blend of early 1900s British design mixed with a modern artistic influence. Guests are invited to embark on a design tour, available on the property.
Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club: This safari hotel and lodge in Nanyuki is the next destination on the itinerary. A historic Kenyan manor and estate situated close to the equator, the hotel offers guests breathtaking views of Mount Kenya, which at 5,199 meters is the second-highest peak in Africa after Mount Kilimanjaro.
This charming property was first established almost 100 years ago by two lovers—Myra Wheeler, a wealthy San Franciscan widower, and E. Percy Smith, a colonel in the British Empire. It then became a private club and hunting lodge for Hollywood actor William Holden and other international celebrities.
In 1967, 10 years before the hunting ban, Holden had already begun to realize the need to preserve and protect the animals and environment he had grown to love. In a shift of principles, he designated the property as a luxury hotel based within a wildlife conservancy, with dedicated conservation efforts—in particular, the breeding and rewilding of endangered bongo in their natural habitat, the forests of Mount Kenya.
Today the hotel sits within the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy. Constituting a large manor, the rooms have amazing views over the peaks of Mount Kenya while a variety of cottages face the lush greenery of the golf course or the enchanted forest. Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club is the ideal spot to experience Kenyan mountains and forest, with an extravagant landscape where guests can walk around ornate ponds and exotic wildlife such as llamas, marabou storks, Egyptian geese and peacocks.
Dedicated to the protection and preservation of endangered animals, Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy was founded by Don and Iris Hunt and became the first and only conservancy dedicated to the breeding and rewilding of Mountain Bongos. Today, according to IUCN, there are fewer than 100 of these beautiful animals left in the wild, making them a critically endangered species. The Mount Kenya Wildlife conservancy is home to 67 animals in its breeding and rewilding program, which aims to restore the population within their natural habitat Mount Kenya.
After undertaking an extensive redevelopment project, Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club, together with Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy, opened a wildlife corridor to allow a safe passage for animals such as leopards, elephants and giraffes. In March, reticulated giraffes will once again roam freely across the grounds of Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy. Meanwhile, 36,000 indigenous trees have been planted in the Mount Kenya forest, with plans for a further 5,000 trees to be planted by the end of this year. Other projects, developed in close partnership with Kenya Wildlife Service, will be unveiled later in 2023.
Guests are invited to experience Mount Kenya—the jewel of this magical place—aboard the Bongo Expedition, named after the endangered bongo, for a memorable tour over the peak of the mountain. Here, visitors can also enjoy a chilled flute of Champagne after landing on the slopes of Mount Kenya and witnessing the extraordinary flora at this altitude.
Guests are welcome to try their hand at bongo-tracking, bike safaris among zebras, excursions to discover the mighty waterfalls of Ngare Ndare Forest Park, and climbing expeditions up Mount Kenya. Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club is also set to re-launch its iconic Mount Kenya Safari Club brunch and high tea served either in the Tusk Veranda with dramatic views over the mountain, or in the serene atmosphere of the hotel garden, among tea and coffee trees.
Fairmont Masai Mara Safari Club: Last but not least this is a five-star private, intimate, tented hotel, set in Ol Choro Oiroua private conservancy, originally established in 1961. The world-renowned Masai Mara is the most iconic safari destination, where the Big Five can be easily spotted, and only allows a small number of 17 cars to enter at the same time. Featuring a luxurious lounge and restaurant in the middle of the savannah, the property sits on the edge of the Mara River, overlooking the hippos and crocodiles in the river below, and features an outdoor swimming pool and a massage deck.
The property’s refurbished public area allows guests to have a direct connection with nature and experience the unique wildlife that Kenya is famous for. The re-opening of Fairmont Masai Mara Safari Club includes the refurbished Kiboko Restaurant and Kifaru Bar & Tapas, as well as a new lobby and hippo terrace in front of the restaurant and lounge.
Set on the private conservancy of Ol Choro Oiroua, the property allows guests to experience such out-of-this-world adventures as night game drives, treks, balloon rides and helicopter safaris, with the chance to try all bush experiences.
A few minutes from the property, the conservancy houses the Ol Chorro Rhino Sanctuary where the two last white southern rhinoceros of the Mara are protected day and night. Ol Choro Oiroua was the first conservancy in Kenya to belong to local communities, and the families hosting the guests have, at their heart, a passion for sharing their culture and their love for their land.
Working hand-in-hand with the lodge, these local families have also crafted many of the decorative items found in the hotel. Every year, Fairmont Mara Safari Club trains and recruits young locals who are interested in a career in the hospitality industry, thanks to a partnership with the Accor Kenya Youth Empowerment Project.
The conservancy fees collected by the hotel go directly to educational and female empowerment projects, to the protection of wildlife and Masai pastoral culture, and to generally benefit and enhance the lives of the community members who live here. It is also in Ol Choro Oiroua conservancy where the famous Masai Mara Ultra Marathon (a 50 kilometer footrace) is run every year in December by a mix of guests and Kenyans.
For more information and to book, visit www.fairmont.com/norfolk-hotel-nairobi, www.fairmont.com/mount-kenya-safari, and www.fairmont.com/masai-mara-safari.
