At This New Masai Mara Lodge, Five-Star Comforts Meet Thrilling Adventure

Just as exhilarating as your first glimpses of the vast wilderness of the Masai Mara, you could argue, is the journey it takes to get there. First, you’ll fly into Nairobi, where you can spend the night somewhere in the leafy, genteel suburbs of Karen or in the heart of Westlands’ lively streets, and head out for a late-night dinner at one of the city’s buzzing culinary hotspots. Then, you’ll be all set for an early rise (you’ll need to get used to those on a safari trip, with all the 6 a.m. game drives) and ready to head over to Wilson Airport, where you’ll jump into one of the dozens of nimble propeller planes lined up to spirit away travelers deep into the bush.

From there, as you soar above the airstrip and the sprawling tangle of the city begins to fade into the distance, the show begins: the rolling savannah reveals itself as you skirt the dramatic landscapes of the Rift Valley, and then, eventually, the dotted scrubs and snaking rivers of the Masai Mara come into view. As the 16-seater plane I was traveling on touched down at Keekorok airstrip—located in the southeastern corner of the 1,510-square-kilometer reserve—the vast plains appeared exactly as they do in the movies: rolling hills of golden grassland, punctuated by towering acacia trees and shrubby green thickets.

Upon being greeted by a fleet of juniper green safari vehicles, however, a more unexpected detail was visible: the winged lion emblazoned on their sides, which serves as the logo of JW Marriott. (The five-star brand was launched in 1984 as a more luxurious counterpart to the global hotel chain the name is more commonly associated with, and was named after its founder.) Less expected, I should explain, because you’d be forgiven for associating the brand more closely with hotels in urban centers that count hundreds of rooms to their name. With the 20-suite JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge, they’re making their first venture into the now highly competitive world of luxury safaris—and indeed, their first property in sub-Saharan mainland Africa, with a more traditional JW Marriott hotel set to open in the heart of Nairobi next year.

It stands to reason, then, that the property comes with all the high-end bells and whistles you might expect. Before you get to the tented camp itself, you’ll be whisked off directly from the airstrip to the shade of an acacia tree, under the foliage of which a long trestle covered with plaid tablecloths hosts a selection of refreshments; homemade arrowroot chips and spiced nuts washed down with fresh juices, Champagne, and Tusker beers. Then it’s onward to the camp, where an Indiana Jones-worthy suspension bridge crosses a river (keep an eye out for hippos) and a local Maasai guide will escort you to your own expansive tent, each one of the resort’s suites featuring spectacular views of the surrounding countryside.

Once inside, the sprinkling of blue-chip hotel magic feels most apparent: plush four-poster beds, canopied balconies, rainfall showers (indoor and even outdoor, if you’re feeling bold), and even hot tubs on the deck for some late afternoon sundowners and some wildlife spotting from your very own room. There’s lightning-fast Wi-Fi, a pillows menu, and a turndown service that includes a hot water bottle tucked between your sheets. But the comparisons to any other hotel in the chain end there. The decor, designed by Kristina Zanic Consultants with deliberate nods to local craft traditions and an emphasis on natural materials, fosters a warm and welcoming sense of place, while a few more playful touches—a spear in lieu of a do not disturb sign, for example—make it clear you’re somewhere unlike anywhere else in the world.

Even the fully-kitted-out spa complex—replete with a steam room, sauna, two treatment rooms, and a jacuzzi overlooking the edges of the nearby reserve—is firmly rooted in the surrounding environment, with floor-to-ceiling windows should you wish to turn your head up and spot a baboon or two mid-massage, as well as organic products from the South African skincare line Healing Earth, featuring organic jojoba and coconut oils to soothe your muscles after navigating potholes all morning on the game drive. 

And while the culinary offerings here meet the high bar of quality you’d expect, there’s a charming informality to it all. The menus are whizzed up daily depending on the best produce available at that moment, which may well be accented with ginger or mint plucked from the on-site herb garden; the chefs prepared everything from an Indian feast featuring mouthwatering curries and perfectly charred, garlic-slathered naans, to an impressive spread of Kenyan delicacies for the final night, including the doughy cornmeal bread ugali served with various roasted meats and fish, fried plantains, and salty sauteed kale.

Of course, you’re not out here simply to luxuriate in the spa, or lounge by the outdoor pool, or indulge in the endless supply of hearty meals on offer—you’re here to see the animals. And on the doorstep of the Masai Mara, there are few places better in the world to do it. It merely took the ride over from the airstrip to catch our first sightings of herds of giraffes and zebra—the sheer concentration of animals of all stripes in this corner of the world is truly head-spinning—and over the course of the following days, our guides got us up close and personal with a pair of cheetahs prowling the open landscapes for prey, a female leopard and her cubs luxuriating in the grasses by a waterhole, and most breathtaking of all (or stomach-turning, depending on your constitution) was stumbling upon a pride of lions feasting on the carcass of a buffalo at twilight. It’s a cliché, but out here in the depths of the wilderness, you realize just how small and inconsequential you really are.

It doesn’t take long, either, to realize that the animals—however gripping their domestic dramas and their attack strategies may be—wouldn’t be half as fascinating without the people. There are the thoughtful safari guides, who will get you up to speed with the nuances of the dog-eat-dog hierarchy out here in the badlands, or regale you with their jokes and euphemisms. (Anybody needing to relieve themselves can politely suggest they wish to “pick some flowers,” while the suspected glimpse of a leopard in the faraway scrub was quickly corrected as an “ALT”: animal-looking tree, of course.) There is the impeccable service from the resort’s manager Barnabas and the delightful restaurant manager Thelma, which is underscored by the fact the resort is aiming to have the makeup of its staff be over two-thirds Maasai, a goal it has almost achieved already. It’s cheering, too, to see the efforts being made across the board to ensure that the local communities are being engaged with respectfully here; the hotel is working with an array of local nonprofits to give back to the Maasai people, and has launched its own apprenticeship program to support young women in the region with education and a first step into the hospitality industry.

Nowhere was the efficiency and expertise of the hotel’s staff more in evidence than on the final night of our safari. After hopping in our Jeeps and plugging our way through the bush and up the side of a majestic hill—with a lone acacia tree dramatically silhouetted at the top, naturally—a jaw-dropping Masai sunset began to glow, casting honey-colored light across a semi-circle of chairs arranged around a roaring fire while cocktails were whizzed up and served from a makeshift bar.

 Soon enough, however, tendrils of rain were visible on the horizon with the billowing clouds above souring from deep blue to an ominous grey. Suddenly, the skies opened and lashings of rain snuffed out the fire, but before you could say asante (“thank you” in Swahili) we were wrapped up in ponchos, the waterproof sides of the vehicles had been rolled down, and we were cozily ensconced in the back of the Jeep, our drinks in hand. Pure magic. 

Booking details for JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge

In the heart of the Masai Mara Game Reserve, the first luxury safari property from JW Marriott offers adventurous game drives alongside all of the five-star mod-cons you’d expect from an international hotel brand. Highlights include the tranquil atmosphere of the outdoor pool and spa area, as well as top-tier service and close ties to the local Maasai community. 

Amenities: Spa, gym, outdoor pool, all-inclusive dining, photographic studio, herb garden, outdoor viewing decks in every suite

Address: River Masai Mara, Talek, Masai Mara, Kenya