Ngong House

I had the distinct pleasure of staying here for 3 nights at the end of November. I was picked up at the airport by a smiling representative of the hotel, John. He couldn't have been nicer, and gave me a history of Nairobi as we drove from the airport to Karen.

Upon arrival, I was greeted warmly by Simon, who presented me with a refreshing mango drink, and then led me to my room, telling me that dinner would be at 6:30. After showering, I headed to dinner, only to be diverted by a very welcoming bonfire, which I discovered was a nightly event. Paul, the owner, shows up each evening to greet his guests. As a single traveler on this journey, I found this to be a very welcoming aspect of Ngong House.

Meals are fabulous and served outside in the garden area. Every employee was warm, hospitable and caring - very impressive. Giraffe Manor and the Giraffe Center are a 10 minute walk away, and anyone at the hotel would be delighted to escort a guest to and fro. Rides to Nairobi National Park? No problem. I went for an evening game drive and an early morning drive, both of which were wonderful.

The accommodations at Ngong House are superb. Each room is it's own tree house - with the exception of the room located near the reception area and the private home. After touring the property, I can't say enough about it - the creativity, comfort and originality are all superb. There is something about the beds here as well - the comfort of the foam mattresses is unmatched, in my opinion. I slept like a baby each night, and didn't want to leave.

All expectations were not only met, but exceeded. I can hardly wait to go back, and would recommend this property to anyone. Overall? Fantastic!!

What a wonderful place to stay! Unfortunately, we were only here for one night, but how amazing it was. My husband and three kids (ages 10, 13 and 16) had booked two tree houses here after a two-week safari. One of the tree-houses wasn't ready, so the kids had the run of the 'log cabin' which has a billiard room, two huge bedrooms, living area, amazing bed on a raised level and a balcony. They could have stayed the night, but chose to then move to their tree house.

The host, Paul, is from Belgium and is an architect - he has designed and mostly built all the tree houses. Ours had a bath made from a canoe! Lovely furnishings, hand-made glass walls, wooden walls, balcony with views of the garden and hills. The bed was so comfortable - my best sleep in two weeks! Plus, Paul arranges for all his guests to dine in separate areas. Ours was a round building with 6 fires built into the walls and a huge fireplace.

The beautiful table in the centre made the whole evening magical - possibly the most special dinner I have ever had! The food was fabulous - so fresh and well-presented. Breakfast and lunch the next day were served on the lawn and each meal surpassed our expectations. The grounds are a delightful mixture of rolling lawns (next to the main building) and wild grasses (in between the tree houses). Paul's wife, Penny Winter, has a little shop where she sells her great jewellery and fashion she has designed.

Close to Nairobi National Park and the Diane Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage as well as about 15-20 minutes from Nairobi Centre. Paul went out of his way to make us feel like welcome guests. Every staff member we met was friendly, efficient and so willing to make our stay memorable. We would all love to return. It was worth every cent - stay if you have the chance.