The main communal areas at Giraffe Manor are in the original manor house. There's a comfortable lounge furnished with cosy armchairs, sofas, occasional tables and artwork, and the breakfast room, where the resident giraffes are in attendance. The wood-panelled dining room is more formal, and this is where dinner is served for guests who want to eat with the manager-hosts. There's a bar, a curio shop, the terrace and lovely gardens to explore and watch the comical warthog that graze on the lawns.

Giraffe Manor is set in 12 acres of private land within 140 acres of indigenous forest in the Langata suburb of Nairobi. Giraffe Manor is one of Nairobi's most iconic buildings

Accommodation is in 12 top-drawer rooms. There are six in the Main Manor (which has the single suite named for Karen Blixen) with art deco features, romantic four-poster beds and grand bathrooms; and the Garden Manor has six rooms. Each is decorated in its own style and named for a character in its history, but the sense of 1930s grandeur is everywhere. All have wi-fi and a private balcony or patio to enjoy the lush garden views.

Check-in time  - 12:00 noon

Check-out time - 10:00 am

Facilities at Giraffe Manor

Property facilities

24-hour Security, Internet Access (Complimentary), Library, Mobile Connectivity, TV Room

Room facilities

Dressing Gowns, En-Suite, Fireplace, Hair Dryer, Internet Access (Complimentary), Laundry Service (Complimentary), Mosquito Nets, Safe, Shower, Tea / Coffee

Facilities at Giraffe Manor

Afew  Giraffe Centre

Included in your stay at the manor is access to the AFEW Giraffe Centre which is a gentle stroll across the front lawn of the house. The centre has some interesting background information about the rare Rothschild’s giraffe and a small nature trail for stretching your legs.

Afternoon Tea With Giraffes

A traditional afternoon tea at the manor is a delightful occasion not to be missed. Relax in the tranquil gardens with a giraffe or two in view, as you enjoy a tasty assortment of cookies, cakes, sandwiches, scones and fruit platters.

Breakfast With Giraffes

Waking up to breakfast with a giraffe is a unique and unforgettable experience. Depending on where you are staying, you will have breakfast either in the main manor or in the Garden Manor breakfast room, but don’t worry, the giraffes know exactly where to find you! Watch out for their long inquisitive tongues as they investigate what’s on offer; luckily, it’s nutritious dried pellets of grass, molasses and corn that they’re after, and not pancakes and bacon!

Chess

Enjoy a game of chess at any time. We have a lovely handmade chess board, which of course features giraffes, as well as lions, cheetah, zebras and rhinos in place of the traditional figures!

Karen Blixen Museum

Step back in time at the Karen Blixen Museum. Once the farmhouse of Baroness Karen Blixen, the museum provides guided tours of the beautifully serene grounds and gives a sense of the style of Blixen’s home, with a number of original pieces of furniture still in place. It is open from 09:00 am to 06:00 pm and entrance costs US$ 12.

Lawn Games

Our luscious lawns are perfectly suited to a leisurely game of croquet or boules, and we have both here at the manor. Our friendly staff will be happy to assist you in setting up either game. This is best enjoyed during the daytime, when the giraffes are out browsing in the sanctuary.

Orchid House

Fragrant and filled with light, the orchid house is a delightful hidden corner of the manor. Reading, meditating or sketching one of the 150 orchids that grow there can be a soothing escape. If a romantic, candlelit dining experience amongst the foliage appeals to you, then we would love to make it happen. Please note that this activity is subject to availability and may not always be possible.

The Garden SPA

Tucked in the corner of the manor’s garden is a tranquil treatment room offering a range of massage and beauty treatments designed to restore your body’s natural balance and soothe away your stress. We use products by Healing Earth, a premium organic brand inspired by ancient African healing traditions.

The Retreat SPA

The Retreat’s spa offers a range of massage and beauty treatments designed to restore your body’s natural balance and soothe away your stress. We use products by Healing Earth, a premium organic brand inspired by ancient African healing traditions.

The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

Visit Sheldrick’s Elephant Orphanage on the edge of Nairobi National Park where you can foster a baby elephant and watch the keepers feed and interact with them. Elephant adoption costs US$ 50 (per couple adopting) and allows you the special privilege of visiting at 05:00 pm when your baby is put to bed. Alternatively, attend the 11:00 am public visiting hour for a donation of US$ 7 per person. Please note that the 05:00 pm visit clashes with Giraffe Manor afternoon tea, so you might want to opt for the 11:00 am visiting hour

Giraffe Manor rates include airport transfers (within the check in and check out times) and transport

around the local Karen and Langata area during your stay. Any entrance fees need to be paid directly.

African Fund for Endangered Wildlife(AFEW) Giraffe Center

Included in your stay at the Manor is access to the AFEW Giraffe Center which is a gentle stroll across

the front lawn of the house. The center has some interesting background information about the rare

Rothschild’s giraffe and also a small nature trail that can be good for stretching your legs.

Nairobi Museum

Visit the Nairobi National Museum for an education in Kenya’s wonderfully rich heritage. Afterwards, you

can enjoy the museum’s botanical gardens and something to eat or drink from the restaurant/food hall.

This activity takes up half a day. Transfers can be included in a half day hire of a vehicle and driver. Five

hours costs US $250 – for anything less than five hours please ask for a quote as we can be flexible. An

entry fee of Ksh 1200 or US $14 is payable directly to the museum. Open 8.30am to 7.30pm.

Matbronze Art Gallery and Foundry

Featuring a large selection of hand cast bronze sculptures by Denis Mathews, including lion spoor, lifesized crocodiles and jewellery, all set in a beautiful garden with a lovely café on the veranda. Open

9am to 5pm. Transfers from Giraffe Manor are included at no extra cost.

Nairobi National Park

This incredibly unique park is the only national park within the limits of a capital city. It is home to a

diverse array of wildlife including lions, leopards, buffalos, zebra, antelopes, giraffe and over 400 species

of birds. Game drives into the park can be arranged with a special vehicle and guide. Depending on

the type of car that you opt to book, half day excursions can cost from US $ 250 per vehicle (park fees

of US$ 50 per person is payable directly).

Bomas of Kenya

Bomas of Kenya offers a small-scale glimpse of the entire country and emphasises the wonderful

diversity of culture, lifestyles, crafts, music and dancing found across the many tribes throughout the

nation. An enchanting traditional dance and acrobatic show takes place here from 2:30pm to 4:30pm

every weekday and from 3:30pm to 5:15pm on weekends and public holidays. Entry is Ksh 600 or US $8

and transfers from Giraffe Manor are included at no extra cost.

Giraffe kisses

Pretty gardens and Scottish-style luxury

close to the centre of Nairobi.