I like to travel to celebrate my birthdays.
In the past, I visited the Parthenon in Athens and attended a traditional dance in Bali. This year, I have outdone myself with One night at Giraffe Manor, Nairobi, Kenya.
The room cost $2,336 (2,170 euros) for two people, and I think it was worth it.
There are only six rooms in Giraffe Manor.
Jen Ruiz
Giraffe Manor only has six rooms, and the original property was built in 1932.
Each room is named after a person, a giraffe, or both.
Prices vary and are only available on individual offers.
Jen Ruiz
There are no prices listed on the website, and you must email for a quote. Prices vary depending on room, number of occupants, season and other factors.
I was offered $1,168 (€1,085) per person per night for the Betty room for a Thursday in January.
I ended up going alone and notified the staff of this change several months in advance. They gave me a $500 (464 Euro) credit to use at the property as a courtesy.
Rooms sell out months, if not years, in advance.
Jen Ruiz
I booked my one night stay for January 2024 in August 2022.
I waited almost two years for my reservation, but people who want to visit the place can also send an email requesting to be put on the waiting list in case someone doesn’t pay their fee on time or a cancellation occurs.
I reserved my room with a deposit.
Jen Ruiz
To reserve the room, I paid a 30% deposit, refundable up to 120 days before the visit, less 5% of the reservation value and additional charges.
Meals and drinks are included in the price of your stay.
Jen Ruiz
Although the price may seem high, a stay at Giraffe Manor includes all meals and drinks, including alcoholic beverages (except for select liquors).
This includes a three-course lunch on arrival, tea time with snacks and pastries, a three-course dinner and an à la carte breakfast menu served with assorted fruit and baked goods for each night of your stay.
Also included are round-trip transportation to the mansion, Wi-Fi, dry cleaning service, and other perks.
The hotel is also a breeding and conservation center.
Jen Ruiz
Giraffe Manor is not just a hotel: the space is also a center working to repopulate endangered Rothschild giraffes.
In coordination with the Giraffe Centre, Giraffe Manor educates the public about giraffes, ensures the health and safety of those living on the property, and assists in the birth and release of giraffes into the wild.
At the time of my visit, all three adult females were pregnant.
There are several opportunities to interact with the giraffes.
Jen Ruiz
Visitors first feed the giraffes during tea time at 5pm each day. At this time, the Giraffe Centre closes so the giraffes can come to our mansion for more food.
The giraffes retire for the night before returning in the morning, sometimes as early as five a.m. Guests can wake up to feed the giraffes from their balconies or bedroom windows.
The giraffes also interact with guests during breakfast through the dining room windows.
A private butler also took photos and made sure I got the most out of my stay.
Jen Ruiz
When I arrived at The Manor, I was assigned a private butler who took my meal order, helped me make any reservations I wanted, and accompanied me to meals.
Mine gave me expert advice on how to interact with the giraffes and took phenomenal photos and videos. I was glad that even though I was traveling alone, I was able to take photos.
The mansion had many special details that made it feel intimate and cozy.
Jen Ruiz
I loved the special and beautiful details of the mansion: my room had a fireplace and an art-deco bathtub.
Every day I was given filtered water to drink and brush my teeth with. I even received special chocolates and a giraffe-themed cake for my birthday.
The property also features special amenities such as a gin bar, a private conservatory where candlelit dinners can be booked, and an outdoor fire pit custom-forged to resemble the mansion.
During my stay I learned a lot about giraffes.
Jen Ruiz
During nightly turndown service, I received a card with a fact about the giraffe in my bed.
The card told me that giraffes are the mammals that sleep the least, and that adults sleep an average of half an hour a day in five-minute segments.
It was impossible to leave without a souvenir of the giraffe.
Jen Ruiz
The mansion had many giraffe-themed items throughout the hotel and for sale, from doors to coat racks.
It was hard not to feel inspired to decorate my own home with them. I used some of my credit to purchase a silver giraffe pitcher, giraffe napkin rings, and a decorative beaded giraffe. I have no regrets.
In my opinion, one night is enough to do it all.
Jen Ruiz
He check-in It is noon and the check-out at ten in the morning. In between there is lunch, snack, dinner and breakfast.
I thought one night was enough to see and do everything there, although I didn’t sleep much from the excitement.
The stay is worth it for the giraffes.
Jen Ruiz
The property is beautiful and full of character. I enjoyed seeing framed photos and news on the wall telling the story of the mansion.
The highlight of the trip, however, was interacting so closely with the giraffes. It was absolutely magical to feed the giraffes from my balcony in the morning or pet them after they had eaten.
It felt like a real-life fairy tale and was the perfect place to celebrate my 36th birthday.
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Tags: Travel, Animals, luxury, Hotels, Vacations, Tourism