Giraffe Manor
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Salma Superior Room
Salma the giraffe was born here at Giraffe Manor in November 2011. She is Betty’s daughter and although she is friendly, she is also a bit shy and we attribute this to the fact that she was attacked by a lion that had wandered away from Nairobi National Park when she was only a year old. Salma still bears the scars of this attack and is one tough lady who has also survived the unfortunate loss of two calves, both of whom died shortly after they were born. The Salma superior room is amongst the newest rooms at the manor having been recently built and added to the Garden Manor section of the property in April 2017. It is located on the top floor of the Garden Manor section of the property and enjoys south-facing views over the lunch courtyard and sanctuary forest beyond. The room is 35 square-metres and can be either a double or a twin. It also has a sofa which converts to a bed that is suitable for a child if needed. The en-suite facilities consist of a bathtub, shower and single sink. Salma has a private balcony with chairs and table from where guests can enjoy wonderful views of the giraffes approaching the manor in the early morning. Although the giraffes do not have access to the Salma superior room, it is a quiet room offering privacy and understated comfort to guests who also need to catch up on some rest after a long flight or busy safari. It is worth noting that the stairway up to Salma is a little bit steep and thus not ideal for guests with mobility issues.
King-size bed or twin beds
en-suite bathroom with bathtub
shower and single sink
balcony
Wi-Fi
Coffee/Tea machine
hair dryer
in-room safe
mosquito nets
handmade Kenyan toiletries
laundry is included
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Kelly Superior Room
Kelly-the-giraffe was born in Nakuru National Park and was brought to the Giraffe Center in 2002. She is nicknamed Grace Kelly due to her aloof and graceful nature. She is easily recognisable due to her light coat and the large ossicone on her forehead. Often the first to arrive for treats and the last to leave, she has become infamous as the resident ‘head-butter’ so be careful to always stay in front of her. Kelly was named after Kelly O’Connell, an avid US-based wildlife supporter and one of the directors of The African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (AFEW). Kelly’s room is located upstairs in the Garden Manor, is approximately 45 square-metres in size and is beautifully appointed with traditional cane furnishings and a striking stained-glass wall in the bathroom. The room has three single beds, two of which can be put together to accommodate a couple if preferred. It also has a fireplace and views towards the south over the sanctuary forest. The en-suite facilities consist of a bathtub, shower and twin sinks. Guests can feed giraffes from Kelly’s window as they often come to visit this room in the early morning hours before breakfast.
King-size bed or twin beds and an extra twin bed
access to feeding giraffes through the window
en-suite bathroom with twin sinks
bathtub and shower
Wi-Fi
Coffee/Tea machine
hair dryer
in-room safe
in-room fireplace
mosquito nets
handmade Kenyan toiletries
laundry is included
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Helen Superior Room
Helen-the-giraffe was born in front of the manor on 1st August 2009 but sadly passed away in May 2015. The daughter of Daisy II, she was a natural leader, but could also be extremely naughty! Helen was named after a Catholic sister who was a friend of Betty Leslie-Melville – the lady who bought the manor with her husband Jock in the 1970s and began the giraffe breeding programme. Sister Helen was based in Tanzania and was responsible for bringing Betty to Africa for the first time. At 43 square-metres, this large corner room in the Garden Manor is one of the most spacious and is often visited by hungry giraffes looking for treats in the morning. Guests who stay here are most welcome to feed them from Helen’s windows before breakfast. The room has two four-poster beds which can be put together to make a large double bed or separated for two singles. The room can accommodate a baby cot if required upon request. The en-suite facilities consist of twin sinks, a bathtub and shower. Helen’s room has west-facing views towards the Ngong Hills as well as southward views over the giraffe sanctuary and forest. On a very clear day, guests might even glimpse Mount Kilimanjaro’s snowy peak in the distance from this room.
King-size bed or twin beds (possible to add a baby cot)
access to feeding giraffes through the window
en-suite bathroom with twin sinks
bathtub and shower
Wi-Fi
Coffee/Tea machine
hair dryer
in-room safe
mosquito nets
handmade Kenyan toiletries
laundry is included
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Finch Hatton Suite
In 1911, Denys Finch Hatton travelled to East Africa with money left to him by his deceased uncle. He bought some land on the western side of the Rift Valley near what is now Eldoret. He met Karen Blixen at the Muthaiga Club in 1918. When Karen got divorced in 1925, Denys moved into her house where he lived until a few weeks before his final flight in May 1931 when he crashed his beloved Gypsy Moth in Tsavo National Park. As per Finch Hatton’s wishes, Blixen buried him in the Ngong Hills. The room named after him is on the ground floor of the Garden Manor from where you’ll often see the legs of our patterned residents when you open the curtains in the early morning as they come looking for treats from the rooms above and the adjoining dining room. It is possible to feed the giraffes directly from your open doorway, should they choose to say hello. This ground floor room of 74 square-metres has a king-sized bed as well as two single beds in a loft area accessed by a small spiral staircase. There is also a small sofa bed which can accommodate a third child if needed. The en-suite facilities have a uniquely large double-headed shower, twin sinks and a bathtub. There is also a small seating area with a fireplace which keeps the space wonderfully warm on the chillier Nairobi nights. Maximum occupancy: 2 adults + 2 children under 12 years
King-size bed
6ft twin beds and a small day bed
access to feeding giraffes from the doorway
en-suite bathroom with a uniquely large double-headed shower
twin sinks and a bathtub
Wi-Fi
Coffee/Tea machine
hair dryer
in-room safe
in-room fireplace
mosquito nets
handmade Kenyan toiletries
laundry is included
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Karen Blixen Suite
Karen Blixen came to Kenya from Denmark to marry her friend, Baron Bror von Blixen Fincke, and start a dairy farm. However, when she arrived in the country she found, much to her surprise, that the Baron had invested in coffee instead. Whilst her attempts at growing coffee failed, her courage and stamina earned her enormous respect from those around her. As the area in which she once lived became more developed, the district of Karen was named after her. The Danish government gave Blixen’s house to the Kenyan government as an independence gift in 1964. In 1985 when her autobiography ‘Out of Africa’ became an Academy Award-winning Hollywood film, the house was turned into a museum. The 113 square-metre Karen Blixen room at Giraffe Manor is located on the top floor of the Historic Manor. Its spacious balcony enjoys lovely south-facing views and provides guests with the opportunity to feed the giraffes in the early morning hours. This two-bedroomed suite – the largest of all the rooms at the manor – was rebuilt and moved to its new location in 2019. Each bedroom has its own en-suite facilities with bathtub, shower and twin sinks. The master bedroom has a king-sized four poster bed, whilst the second bedroom has two single four poster beds and a small daybed which can accommodate a young child. The room also has a spacious lounge with a fireplace and a writing desk. This delightful suite is adorned with a little piece of history; a dressing table and wardrobe that were both from Karen Blixen’s original guest bedroom. The mother of Jock Leslie-Melville (who bought the manor in the 1970s) was a friend of Karen’s and the furniture was given to her as a parting gift when Karen returned to Denmark in 1931. Maximum occupancy:
Two separate en-suite bedrooms both with a bathtub and shower
shared living room area with fireplace
large balcony with access to feeding giraffes
Wi-Fi
Coffee/Tea machine
hair dryer
in-room safe
mosquito nets
handmade Kenyan toiletries
laundry is included