About Giraffe Manor
An exclusive boutique hotel, Giraffe Manor is set on 12 acres of private land within 140 acres of indigenous forest.
One of Nairobi's most iconic buildings, Giraffe Manor dates back to the 1930s when visitors first flocked to East Africa on safari - the history of the manor is part of its undeniable charm.
Its stately appearance and elegant interior, surrounded by manicured emerald garden and beautiful courtyards give the impression of walking onto a film set. One of the twelve rooms here is even named after the author of Out of Africa, Karen Blixen.
Brilliant says
Giraffe Manor is one of the most competitive lodges in the world. If you want to stay here, you'll need to book at least 18 months in advance, longer if you are looking at peak season.
Activities at Giraffe Manor
There is an abundance of activities to explore at Giraffe Manor.
Here are just a few of our favourites:
- Breakfast with the giraffes
- A trip to the giraffe centre to learn about conservation
- Meet and adopt orphaned elephants
- Afternoon tea
- Nairobi National Park safari
- Spa treatments
- Horseriding in Nairobi
Manor House Rooms
Karen Blixen Suite: 113m², this suite is comprised of two separate en-suite bathrooms with both a bathtub and a shower. The master room has a king-sized bed, and the twin room can be converted into a double. There is a shared living room with a roaring fire and a large balcony with giraffe feeding access.
Betty's Room: 24 m², this suite has a king-sized bed with access to feed the giraffes out the front window and balcony. It's fitted with an original art-deco bathroom with both a bathtub and a shower.
Daisy's Room: 17 m², this suite comes with king-sized or twin beds, with access to feed the giraffes from the balcony. It's fitted with an en-suite bathroom with twin sinks and a spacious shower.
Jock's Room: 22 m², this suite comes with either a king-size bed or twin beds, access to feeding giraffes from the front view window, and an en-suite bathroom with bathtub, shower and twin sinks.
Marlon's Room: 43 m², the suite comes with a king-size bed or twin beds and an adjoining lounge. It has a private terrace with a seating area and giraffe feeding access. Two en-suite bathrooms, one large bathroom with shower and one compact bathroom with shower.
Lynn's Room: 47m², it comes with a king-size bed or twin beds, and a private walk-out terrace with a seating area and access to feeding giraffes. It also has an en-suite bathroom with shower and bath.
Garden Manor Rooms
Finch Hatton Suite: 40 m², it comes with a king-size bed, 6ft twin beds and a small day bed, and an en-suite bathroom with a large double-headed shower, twin sinks and bathtub.
Helen's Room: 25 m², it comes with a king-size bed or twin beds (it's possible to add a baby cot), and access to feeding giraffes through the window. The suite also has an en-suite bathroom with twin sinks, bathtub and shower.
Kelly's Room: 33 m², this suite comes with a king-size bed or twin beds and an extra twin bed and access to feeding giraffes through the window. It also has an en-suite bathroom with twin sinks, bathtub and shower.
Arlene's Room: 22 m², this suite comes with a king-size bed and a quirky-shaped bathroom with both a bath and shower. There's no access to feed giraffes from this suite.
Salma's Room: 23 m², this suite comes with a king-size bed or twin beds, an en-suite bathroom with bathtub, shower and single sink, and a private balcony. There's no access to feed giraffes from this suite.
Edd's Room: 29 m², this suite has a king-size bed and an en-suite bathroom with a bathtub, a large double shower and twin sinks. It also has a private veranda and bar, and wheelchair access. There's no access to feed giraffes from this suite.
How far in advance do I need to book to stay at Giraffe Manor?
Giraffe Manor only has 12 rooms, split between the original Manor House and Garden Manor. The lodge has also become a social media phenomenon since 2015 and is now one of the most sought-after properties in Kenya.
This means it gets booked up very far in advance.
If you are not flexible with your travel dates and/or you’re travelling during peak season (July-October or the festive period between mid-December and early Jan), you will need to book 12-18 months in advance.
It’s common for the most popular rooms like the Finch Hatton Suite to be booked up 2 years ahead of time.
The giraffe feeding experience isn’t seasonal, so if you’re flexible on dates and happy to travel outside of peak season it’s possible to secure rooms less than 12 months in advance. There are sometimes last minute cancellations which free up rooms - although these are rare and there will be a waitlist.
If you combine your stay at Giraffe Manor with a sister property like Sala’s Camp in the Masai Mara, this can help get you priority access to rooms at Giraffe Manor - our team can talk you through your options here.
History of Giraffe Manor
Giraffe Manor was first built in 1932 and was modelled after a Scottish hunting lodge. The beautiful giraffes have called its lawns home ever since the 1970s when Jock and Betty Leslie-Melville first adopted a Rothschild’s giraffe called Daisy that had been orphaned.
Tanya and Mikey Carr-Hartley bought the manor in April 2009, ever since, the manor has become a globally recognised hotel.
Giraffe Manor has always played a significant role in Tanya Carr-Hartley’s life as she grew up in the neighbourhood. When she was a child, she rode on a horse through the grounds and maybe have a cup of tea with Betty before going back home.
Add Giraffe Manor to these trips
The tours below showcase just some of what is possible. Use these itineraries as starting points, or to draw inspiration. Then get in touch, and let our expert team help craft the perfect itinerary for you.
Travel with Brilliant Africa
Every year, we help hundreds of travellers explore East Africa.
Our team can help you find the trip to match your dreams, budget, and appetite for adventure.
Ready to plan your African adventure?
Listen
We'll spend some time listening to your aspirations, then discuss the kind of experience that might suit you.
Match
Next we'll discuss the options, shortlist the best trips for you and present you our impartial recommendations.
Reserve
We'll place a 24 hour hold on your preferred option - without obligation - whilst we talk through the details.
Whatever your budget, group size, length of stay, preferred activity or appetite for adventure, we can help.
