Marriott has announced it’s preparing to enter the safari segment in Africa. The international hotel chain as signed an agreement with Baraka Lodges LTD, and the JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge expects to be open to guests in 2023.
The luxury lodge will be located within Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve, which is one of Africa’s best wildlife conservation and wilderness regions.
JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge’s prime location within the reserve will allow guests to see stunning vistas, abundant wildlife, and endless plains.
The lodge will feature 20 private tents, including one presidential canvas-topped pavilion and two interconnecting canopied suites, ideal for families, each with a private terrace overlooking the river.
Junior Suite Tent Bedroom
The lodge will also offer a restaurant, lounge bar, spa and a large outdoor terrace with fire pits. The latter will offer entertainment in the form of traditional Masai dance performances in the evening.
Marriott’s goal is to employ up to 50 locals from the Masai community, along with learning opportunities, so guests can immersive themselves in the Masai Mara National Reserve.
“The signing of JW Masai Mara Lodge is a milestone in Marriott International’s growth in Africa as the company enters the luxury safari segment. This landmark project is in response to travelers’ growing desire for experiential offerings that enable them to build a deeper connection with their chosen destination. JW Marriott encourages guests to be mindful and present, which perfectly lends itself to meaningful safari holidays,” said Jerome Briet, Chief Development Officer, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Marriott International.
Lounge and Bar
The surrounding landscape of the reserve will offer guests the opportunity to see the animals in the area, including lions, leopards, buffaloes, rhinoceros and elephants. Between June and September, the reserve is also host to the annual great wildebeest migration, “when more than 10 million of the animals travel a distance of 1,800 miles from the Serengeti in neighboring Tanzania.”
Special care to consider the surroundings will be taken in both design and architecture. The location and landscape will continually be reflected throughout the lodge, “creating harmony with the natural world and drawing inspiration from the elements: earth, wind, fire and water.” Utilizing neutral and natural materials, the overall ambiance will be warm., while the color palette will focus on earth tones.
“We’re delighted to collaborate with Marriott International to debut this stunning luxury lodge and their first Safari offering in the Masai Mara,” said Shivan Patel of Baraka Lodges.
Marriott currently operates over 8,000 hotel worldwide, including over 120 properties in Africa.
All photos: Marriott
Want to comment on this post? Great! Read this first to help ensure it gets approved.
Want to sponsor a post, write something for Your Mileage May Vary or put ads on our site? Click here for more info.
Like this post? Please share it! We have plenty more just like it and would love it if you decided to hang around and sign up to get emailed notifications of when we post.
Whether you’ve read our articles before or this is the first time you’re stopping by, we’re really glad you’re here and hope you come back to visit again!
This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
