Travel

Super rich book new Marriot Mara Lodge

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A tented suite at JW Marriot in Maasai Mara. PHOTO | POOL

Wealthy travellers have started booking JW Marriot Maasai Mara's tented camps, only a week after the international hotel brand opened its first-ever bush lodge, signalling high demand for luxury safari.

Barnabas Wamoto, the general manager at Crowne Plaza Nairobi Airport and JW Marriott Maasai Mara Lodge says the lodge, which charges $1,715 (Sh228,609) per day, per person, has received bookings until October, with some days of the peak season - July to September- fully booked.

“We are foreseeing full bookings during the peak season because already the demand is there,” he tells the BDLife.

Marriot has over 8,000 hotels in 131 countries, but Kenya is its first tented camp. The Mara lodge can accommodate 40 to 45 people at full capacity.

Read: US hotel chain Marriott to open luxury safari lodge in Masai Mara

The international hotel chain comes into the country through local firm Baraka Lodges, which owns and manages the property.

“Marriot has always been city hotels with resorts. In terms of a bush property, this is the first one in their portfolio,” points out Mr Wamoto.

“The luxury market is growing and basically our main clientele is the luxury traveller. Of course, in Kenya, we have so many luxury properties in Mara. But not so many are branded and we felt that there was a need for us to enter the market with an international brand,” he adds.

JW Marriott Maasai Mara Lodge opened its doors to guests on April 1, targeting travellers from European markets and East Africa, especially from Uganda and Rwanda.

The hotels - Crown Plaza and the Maasai Mara Lodge - are franchised under InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) and JW Marriot, a luxury segment under Marriot International respectively, giving the owners access to the global network of markets and guests.

They are also operated by Lazizi Premiere and Baraka Lodges owned by Kiran Patel.

The Mara lodge is the sixth property in Kenya by the US hotel brand Marriot- marking its entry into the African safari segment - with other properties like Four Points by Sheraton in Hurlingham and Nairobi Airport, Sankara, Trademark Hotel and Tribe Hotel.

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The Fig Tree Lounge at the at JW Marriot in Maasai Mara. PHOTO | POOL

The entry of the JW Marriott Maasai Mara Lodge means an increased supply of luxury rooms in the destination preferred for wildlife tourism and safari holidays.

Read: Kenya's luxury lodges most sought-after by super-rich

Maasai Mara Game Reserve is also famous for the annual great wildebeest migration, when more than 10 million animals travel a distance of 1,800 miles from the Serengeti in neighbouring Tanzania between June and September.

The Marriot lodge joins other luxurious tented camps chasing the wild untamed Mara, and also targeting high-net-worth individuals such as Cottar’s 1920s Camp and &Beyond Bateleur Camp Kenya which have been named among the 10 most sought-after safari lodges in Africa by the world’s super-rich in the latest 2023 Africa Wealth Report located outside the park.

Others include Sir Richard Branson-owned Mahali Mzuri which charges about $1,485 (Sh197,950), depending on the season. Cottar’s 1920s Camp charges a daily rate of $1,248 (Sh166,358) while &Beyond Bateleur Camp goes for $870 (Sh115,971) per day.

Other lodges attracting the wealthy include Olare Mara Kempinski and Fairmont Mara Safari Club, and properties like the Mara Serena Lodge, Sarova Mara Game Camp, and Sala’s Camp located inside the Maasai Mara Park.

Most of the lodges are built on individual and community conservancies spanning thousands of acres.

The JW Marriot 20-tents lodge borders the park along River Talek, a watering hole, which Mr Wamoto says gives the new kid on the block an edge against other lodges as it is a perfect spot for wildlife viewings.

The property is a Sh1.3 billion (over $10 million) investment, paying an annual lease fee to the land owners and a bed night fee for every guest monthly.

“There was a need to have a luxury property in the park. Many other luxury properties are there but are not in the park. We felt we should capitalise on that,” he says.

“Apart from going to the park, the way our camp has been set up gives an experience of the sunset, views of the park and wildlife at the water source… just from the comfort of the tent. You don't even need to go for a game drive,” he adds.

The lodge is located near Keekorok Airstrip and just like many high-end hotels, they have adapted the farm-to-plate concept, to add adventure to travellers keen to trace where their food comes from.

It has a garden with fresh herbs, fruits, and vegetables.

“JW Garden also comes with a seating space where you can pick your herbs, tomatoes, ginger, salad, and lettuce and the chef will prepare as you watch animals or read a book,” Mr Wamoto says.

‘’The experience is customised and is very personal. The menu is as per your preference. We don't have a buffet, it’s all ala carte. We are focusing on both safari and wellness. You can go there and decide not to do any safari and just spend time in nature, enjoy a massage, go to the gym, swim and enjoy special menus, in the wild,” Mr Wamoto says, adding that Baraka Lodges will soon set up another bush property in Kenya.

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