After a long-haul flight to Kenya, the considered staying someplace luxurious and household pleasant to acclimatise (and discover the capital) simply beats transferring on instantly – so our first cease was a few nights at Hemingways Nairobi with youngsters.
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Flying from the UK, the three-hour time distinction means there’s not an excessive amount of jetlag however any excuse actually!
However can someplace five-star actually be nice for households? Checking in for our keep to evaluate Hemingways Nairobi with youngsters, I set about attempting to reply that query.
Hemingways Nairobi evaluate: very important statistics
The lodge is a part of the Hemingways Assortment, at present a set of 4 properties throughout Kenya – we went on to remain at Hemingways Ol Seki and Hemingways Watamu for our Kenya household vacation (plus lunch on the smaller Hemingways Eden).
There are 43 suites, all with the identical 80 sq. metre format (plus two greater presidential suites), adorned on six totally different themes together with writers, leaders and Africa.
In addition to twin and double rooms, you may as well get rollaway beds and cots added to the room for those who’re staying with youngsters, though realistically you’d want two interconnecting rooms or a bigger suite for a much bigger household or teenagers.
The lodge itself is ready within the Nairobi suburb of Karen; it’s round a 30-minute drive from each the worldwide airport and Nairobi Wilson airport for home flights, and only a brief drive from Nairobi nationwide park, the Giraffe Centre, and the Sheldrick Wildlife Belief amongst different points of interest.
There are all the standard amenities you’d anticipate from a luxurious lodge too: restaurant and bar, pool and spa, plus there’s an assigned butler for every suite, and golf buggies to take you from reception/the restaurant to your room if you’d like.
The lodge is ready in its personal grounds, so it’s straightforward to stroll between all the things, particularly for those who’re strolling as much as breakfast or dinner exterior the warmth of the day.
Hemingways Nairobi with youngsters
It’s at all times reassuring to test right into a lodge and see you’re not the one particular person with youngsters there – in truth the lodge’s weekend brunch was evidently a spotlight for plenty of households.
However even with out that, my 10-year-old was as warmly welcomed as I used to be, earlier than we had been whisked right down to our room – the Nelson Mandela suite.
The rooms are beautiful, and plenty of house for those who’re staying with one baby or a child. Our twin beds had been swathed in mosquito netting (and the double beds regarded equally tempting once I noticed another rooms).
There’s a separate house for baggage within the lavatory so that you’re not consistently falling over your suitcase.
Add in a residing space with couch and desk, plus a hidden TV which emerges from a retro-style trunk on the click on of a button, and we immediately relaxed with the welcome fruit juice and a few room service.
There are many different little touches relying how your room is themed: at one finish, images of elephants within the Masai Mara obtained us enthusiastic about our upcoming safari, whereas on the different, there have been images of Mandela together with different gadgets regarding his life.
I obtained a peek at among the different rooms, together with the largest Karen Blixen suite, and every had its personal little twist.
The lavatory appears much more spacious: there are twin sinks, one at both finish, an enormous deep oval tub (though our temporary keep meant I by no means obtained to strive it out) and a walk-in bathe with a blissfully highly effective showerhead and toiletries supplied.
There’s a number of storage and hanging house (with correct hangers!), which you’ll cover away behind the sliding doorways, together with a small protected.
Every room has its personal outside house too: a terrace for the bottom ground Deluxe Suites, a balcony for the primary ground Government Suites with comfortable furnishings and a beautiful view out throughout the grounds to the Ngong Hills. From this aspect of the rooms, there’s additionally a path operating as much as the lodge’s essential constructing.
And that’s the place you’ll discover the restaurant, bar, spa and pool, plus a lounge with squashy conventional leather-based sofas dotted round.
Breakfast with a view is at all times an effective way to begin the day, and right here, there’s the standard buffet plus further choices, together with some nice waffles and eggs, contemporary pastries and bread, beautiful fruit and much more.
The outside tables sit by a small pool with fountains – I by no means get uninterested in the climate being ok to eat breakfast outside – plus tables inside for those who choose.
As a result of whereas temperatures rise in the midst of the day, for those who’re up early (as we had been for an early flight on the morning of our departure), sitting exterior would have been on the chilly aspect, to allow them to come in useful.
Within the night, extra outside tables open up for dinner, together with heaters in the event that they’re wanted, candles and burners to repel any bugs.
There’s a terrific child’s menu together with the largest milkshake my daughter has ever been allowed to drink – her face was an image! – and a scrumptious tuna burger on the grownup menu.
When you have time to go to the bar beforehand, you will get some beautiful sundown views too, plus there’s the choice to have afternoon tea for those who fancy.
Sadly there was no time for me to take a look at the spa, however for those who’re on the lookout for a therapeutic massage after being crammed right into a aircraft for eight hours, the choice is there for those who can sneak away.
After exploring, we cooled off and chilled out by the stunning pool, snaffling a few loungers within the shade.
It’s price realizing that lodge swimming pools in Kenya shut at 6pm (and that is normally enforced), plus they are usually unheated.
With the solar on them, that’s not an issue, however you could wish to think about packing brief wetsuits for youthful ones. In February, it was undoubtedly refreshing however not important right here although.
For extra of my suggestions for visiting Kenya with youngsters, try all my recommendation for a household vacation
Issues to do in Nairobi with youngsters
Hemingways Nairobi can also be a terrific location for those who’d wish to see among the sights of the capital when you’re in Kenya.
Within the suburb of Karen, it’s not removed from both airport or from numerous the animal points of interest within the metropolis. A brand new expressway which has just lately opened has helped lighten a few of Nairobi’s site visitors, however sitting in queues of vehicles is rarely a enjoyable factor to do on vacation, so it pays to keep away from too many lengthy drives.
Giraffe Centre
One of many largest highlights in Nairobi with youngsters is a visit to the Giraffe Centre in Langata, house to endangered Rothschild giraffes.
Though the primary focus helps to guard the rescued animals, with guests capable of be taught extra about these stunning creatures, the large spotlight is having the ability to feed them.
Whenever you arrive, you’re given a coconut shell bowl full of a few sorts of pellets, and there’s a raised walkway the place the giraffes can come to eat out of your hand.
Beforehand you could possibly ‘kiss’ the giraffes by placing a pellet in your mouth however – fortunately, given how lengthy their tongues are – that’s now not allowed.
It’s unimaginable to have the ability to get so near them. In the event that they don’t wish to, there’s house for them to roam within the bushes close by, however as one positioned himself cleverly to take pellets from three totally different teams one after the opposite, I’m fairly certain we’re the equal of a breakfast buffet.
The Centre additionally has a brief nature stroll path throughout the street, the place you may uncover among the native bushes and vegetation. It’s price visiting early earlier than the crowds arrive and the warmth builds.
Sheldrick Wildlife Belief
In addition to getting up near giraffe, you may as well meet elephants on the Sheldrick Wildlife Centre close by, which rehabilitates orphaned elephants.
Guests are solely allowed right here between 11am and 12 midday so it does get booked up in a short time, particularly throughout holidays, so do be sure to type your tickets early if it’s in your listing.
It’s price realizing that there was once an possibility to go to later within the day for those who sponsored an elephant (and an opportunity to fulfill the one you’d sponsored on the similar time) however this feature has now been stopped.
Yow will discover skip-the-line excursions which go to each the Giraffe Centre and Sheldrick Wildlife Centre, together with transport
Nairobi Nationwide Park
Nairobi is the one metropolis on the planet with a nationwide park on its doorstep, and it’s a terrific place to get a style of safari with out an extra cease (or price).
You’ll be able to take a guided tour of the nationwide park, or a non-public tour of Nairobi Nationwide Park generally is a good possibility for those who’re visiting Kenya with youngsters, as there’s extra flexibility than with a bigger group.
When you have longer to spend, there are additionally day excursions from Nairobi to Nakuru Nationwide Park and the hippos of Lake Naivasha
Nairobi Museum
Barely additional away from Karen and Langata, you may go to the Nairobi Nationwide Museum, which is a good introduction to Kenya’s tradition, historical past, arts and nature.
Alongside shows on the ‘Cradle of Man’, centered on human origins in Africa, there are additionally displays on the historical past of Kenya, together with the totally different communities and language teams, colonial interval and independence.
Entry is round £7.50 for adults (1200 Kenyan Shillings) and half worth for under-16s.
Nairobi Snake Park
The Nairobi Snake Park is ready within the grounds of the museum if you wish to be taught extra in regards to the nation’s reptiles too. A rescue and rehabilitation centre, all its creatures have been rehomed right here after being taken from unlawful collections or deserted.
There are crocodiles and tortoises in addition to the snakes, which embrace puff adder, black mamba, Egyptian cobra, African rock python and Gaboon Viper (which has the longest fangs of any snake species on the planet) – for sure, all saved safely separate from guests!
You’ll be able to work together with among the extra innocent snakes and reptiles and even deal with them for those who fancy. Mixed tickets for the snake park and Nairobi Nationwide Museum can be found.
Hemingways Nairobi evaluate: the decision
With the prospect to go on a household safari and to lounge by the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean, it may be tempting to hurry by Nairobi and head straight on from the capital.
However not solely is it a good suggestion to interrupt your journey after a long-haul flight for sensible causes, it’s effectively price saving at the least in the future to get a style of the Kenyan capital.
Whilst you won’t have a number of conventional family-friendly choices like a child’s membership at this specific lodge, the placement makes it straightforward to discover and the pool and lovely rooms make it very tempting to remain on web site anyway.
The service is improbable too, so youngsters are as welcome as adults (if no more so), and there’s by no means a sense that households are merely tolerated right here.
With a lodge driver to gather us from the airport and ferry us to the following one, in addition to driving us round to see among the points of interest in our restricted time, it additionally made all the things really easy, particularly for those who haven’t travelled a lot in Africa with youngsters, are battling jetlag and don’t have lengthy to discover.
The downsides? Realistically, for those who’re travelling with older youngsters or bigger households, the room set-up isn’t designed for including a number of beds, however the rooms are spacious sufficient that it really works with youthful ones.
Evidently, it’s not the most cost effective keep, however with the prospect to bundle the evening right here in with each safari and seaside, yow will discover packages overlaying all three lodges with a greater total price than reserving particular person nights – ours was booked with Far and Wild Journey.
However for a totally indulgent begin to a visit, it’s onerous to beat Hemingways Nairobi with youngsters.
Disclosure: My keep at Hemingways Nairobi with youngsters was courtesy of the lodge as a part of a press journey, together with flight help from Far & Wild. All opinions, together with the very best issues to do in Nairobi with youngsters, stay my very own. This put up comprises affiliate hyperlinks – any purchases you make are unaffected however I’ll obtain a small fee
Nairobi Nationwide Park picture courtesy of Depositphotos, all different photos copyright MummyTravels
