Hotel Review – Mahali Mzuri – Christopher Cisneros-Smith

Mahali Mzuri is Sir Richard Branson’s luxurious Kenyan safari camp, which is part of the Virgin Limited Edition collection. It’s located in the small Olare Motorogi conservancy, a beautiful stretch of the northern Masai Mara that has rocky slopes, wide open plains, rivers and, most importantly, an abundance of wildlife.

Compared to the tourist-packed national park further south, Olare Motorogi is relatively human-free; with only four other small hotels in the area you’re likely to only pass another couple of vehicles when out on game drives.

Style

Mahali Mzuri is made up of 14 spaceship-like tents perched on a slope above a shallow valley. Two large central tents house a restaurant and bar, while spread out on either side are six guest tents. The word ‘tent’ is fairly misleading here of course – the walls are indeed canvas material but that’s where the similarities with camping end. Inside the rooms you’ll find dark teak floors, leather sofas, bookshelves, artworks and even a traditional Masai spear which doubles as a ‘do not disturb’ sign depending on where you place it.

The public areas continue this same safari-chic aesthetic, with a bar filled with old travelling trunks, a library, and armchairs, plus a large outdoor deck with a fire pit that’s lit up at night.

Facilities

Despite its remote location Mahali Mzuri still manages to offer many of the usual luxury you’d expect from a 5 star hotel. There’s a spa in a separate building down on the valley floor, where animals are often strolling by during treatments. There’s an excellent range of massages and beauty treatments on offer but it’s advisable to book these well in advance as there is only one therapist working at a time. There’s also a small infinity pool which is perfect for swimming a few lengths between game drives.