Fairmont The Norfolk

Nairobi, Kenya

First opened in 1904, the Norfolk has long been a gathering place for adventurers, expats, and businesspeople. This Nairobi landmark has seen the city grown up around it, and remains a sanctuary of tranquil gardens and old-world charm. Rooms and suites are tastefully appointed and offer modern conveniences and patios or balconies overlooking the courtyard gardens. Two restaurants serve excellent cuisine; a stylish bar with indoor and outdoor seating offers tapas and drinks; and guests can enjoy afternoon tea and Kenyan coffee in an elegant lounge. The hotel also features a heated swimming pool, a fitness center, and a spa with a steam bath and sauna.

Number of nights: 3

Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge

Amboseli National Park, Kenya

Set against the backdrop of stunning Mt. Kilimanjaro in the midst of Amboseli’s rolling grasslands and savannahs, Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge offers a classic safari experience. The 92-room lodge, built with eco-friendly materials, blends in the natural environment and reflects traditional Maasai motifs, colors, and textures. Amenities and activities include dining area, outdoor pool (fed by the waters of ice melt from Kilimanjaro), natural timber game viewing decks, watering holes for the animals, jogging trails, nature walks, bird watching, cultural talks, massage and spa services, library, gift shop, complimentary Wi-Fi internet access, and laundry service (for a fee). Guest rooms, outfitted in traditional Maasai style featuring beadwork, gourds, and hand-painted murals, have private bath with shower, hair dryer, in-room safe, ceiling fan, mosquito nets, and offer uninterrupted views of the game-filled plains.

Number of nights: 2

Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge

Lake Manyara National Park, Tanzania

This 54-room lodge high above the waters of Lake Manyara reflects the stellar birdlife that abounds here, with an architectural motif of swooping avian curves and the traditional concentric patterns of traditional Maasai boma (encampments).  Lodge facilities and amenities include an outdoor pool, massage and beauty services, gift shop, library with books on Africa, complimentary Wi-Fi internet access, board games, safe deposit boxes, and laundry service (for a fee).  Guest rooms have private bath with hair dryer, in-room safe, private verandas with lake views, mosquito nets, and phone.

Number of nights: 1

Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge

Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania

Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge is perched on the rim of Ngorongoro Crater itself and offers endless and unparalleled views from its clustered boulder-built buildings.  Ethnic Maasai handcrafts – bright-beaded robes, intricate carvings, iron spears – decorate the lodge, and sensitivity to the environment marks all aspects of development here.  The lodge offers a dining room and bar; traditional music, culture, and dance; guided walks; massage and beauty treatments; complimentary Wi-Fi internet access; laundry service (for a fee); and a gift shop and boutique.  Guest rooms have private bath with hair dryer, in-room safe, private balcony, and phone.

Number of nights: 2

Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge

Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

Situated high on a tree-clad ridge with panoramic views over the vast Serengeti, the Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge fuses traditional African architecture with contemporary amenities.  Circular “rondavel” dwellings with thatched roofs and the winding paths of a traditional Maasai village mark the lodge that sits amidst groves of indigenous trees surrounded by streams and ponds. Amenities include an outdoor pool; two-tiered dining room dominated by a central barbecue area; traditional music and dance; massage and spa treatments; laundry service (for a fee); complimentary Wi-Fi internet access; and safari boutique and gift shop.  Guest rooms, in individual rondavel huts, feature private bath with hair dryer, in-room safe, wildwood balconies, intricately carved furniture, mosquito nets, and phone.

Number of nights: 2

Sarova Mara Game Camp

Masai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya

Located within Kenya’s richest game reserve, Masai Mara, the Sarova Mara Game Camp features 73 well-outfitted tents for a comfortable bush experience in keeping with the natural surroundings. The camp sits atop a slight elevation flanked by two streams, offering outstanding views of the Mara’s vast plains. Camp amenities include an indoor/outdoor restaurant, bar with fireplace; complimentary Wi-Fi internet access (in public areas); outdoor pool massage and spa services; and laundry service (for a fee). Guests can enjoy such activities as game drives, bird watching, nature walks, traditional Maasai entertainment and cultural lectures, and optional game-viewing balloon rides (at additional cost of $450 per person; cash or credit cards are accepted). Private tent accommodations all have en suite bath with shower, permanent roofs, zip-up fronts, mosquito nets, and electricity.

Number of nights: 3