My travel agent suggested that instead of flying into Wilson from the Mara, crossing town to the international airport, and feeling rushed, I spend one night at the Emakako, and I was SO happy he did,. I didn't know about Nairobi NP, where I saw more close-by rhino than at Lewa, Syke's monkeys, and a displaying male Kori Bustard, and then to spend time in my gigantic room with rose-strewn bed (slightly over the top for just me!), big bathtub looking out at the hills and lie by the pool after two weeks in the bush: bliss. The lodge's house bushbaby and genet appeared at the bar for their dinner at 7pm precisely, and the food was maybe the best I've had in Africa, quite remarkable for a young and apparently self-taught chef: simple, fresh, beautiful, and imaginative. Anthony the host was interesting, and he and his family live on the property, which makes it feel almost like you are his house-guest.…
We stopped here as a last minute arrangement due to our flight being cancelled. We were collected at the gate of the national park and had an enjoyable drive to the lodge spotting various wildlife on the way, including giraffe, crocodile and hippo to name a few. We were greeted warmly on arrival and shown to our extremely spacious and comfortable room. Due to this being at the end of our trip we chose to spend our time relaxing so didn’t take any game drives but what we did enjoy was the exceptional service and incredible food that is on offer here. The chef here is self taught which is hard to believe when you sample the delights he creates, for example the pork belly we were served melted in your mouth, absolutely delicious. Rihaz, the manager was fantastic, nothing was too much trouble for him to arrange on your behalf, including a wonderful in room massage. Our stay here turned a frustrating situation in to an unexpected treat. A wonderful way to relax and finish our trip before we finally fly home.…
I visited Emakoko in May with my family. Its undoubtedly a beautiful place but a lot needs to be done to make it 5 stars. The food was not hot when served, My daughter didn't like it and kept saying he same thing. The rooms are nice but needs some attention. Perhaps work on adding new items, refreshing the whole experience. The owners are OK. Staff need some detailed training on what customers should expect.
You are looking to go on a safari? Or just a special place to stay within Nairobi? Look no further; Emakoko is your ideal place. I am an expat teacher in Nairobi, and I keep coming back to this stunning gem. This is a secluded hotel and the ideal location to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city life. The ideal place for some quality peace and quiet. I find Emakoko simply magical. It is right in the middle of Nairobi National Park, the perfect location for an early and/or a sunset game drive. The rooms are extra spacious, with breathtaking views . The interior is beautifully decorated and the hotel is eco friendly using the marvelous refillable CGs cosmetics. You will find it equally ideal to relax by the pool or sip a cocktail or two in the open lounge area overlooking the pool and the forest. The staff and owners are so welcoming, I can’t get enough of this boutique hotel and the more I come here, the more I feel at home. Thank you to the entire Emakoko team for always making me feel so rejuvenated and so welcomed every visit I make.…
The hotel is stunning and tastefully decorated. Incredible location, amazing views! Oh the food is excellent! Very friendly and welcoming staff. Anton was a gracious host. They certainly do have a personal touch. The rooms are huge and quiet! Excellent place for a gate-away. Totally loved it!
The Emakoko is everything you could possibly want or need in Nairobi. It’s incredible location (on the edge of Nairobi National Park), amazing views, 5 star food and the friendliness staff make this the best and only place you should considering staying while in the city. With a host of well known attractions nearby including the Sheldrick wildlife trust and the Giraffe center and easy access to both the domestic and international airports The Emakoko is perfect in everyway…. Oh and it doesn’t hurt that there are rhinos, giraffes, lions and zebras all waiting for you on an evening game drive!!
We were a group of three girls in need of a weekend away and decided to stay at Emakoko. We were promptly greeted by Anton who briefed us on the hotel and who along with his family, continued to be gracious hosts throughout our stay. It is a small hotel and therefore this personal touch with them constantly being around and available was much appreciated. The hotel itself is stunning and very tastefully decorated with a home away from home feel. The rooms are enormous and equipped with a fire place, large balcony, full size luxury toiletries, a safe, robes, slippers, amongst other small touches that added a great level of comfort to the room. There are large arrangements of beautiful fresh roses dispersed around the hotel. We opted for the late checkout which is available for a fee and includes lunch and use of your room until your desired check out time. Food - the food is absolutely delicious and it is evident a lot of care and thought has gone into the preparation of each dish in the way it tastes and is presented. There is no menu so you need to let the hotel know of any dietary requirements in advance. My only criticism is that the portions are quite small and there was no extra available. For example, for our first lunch we had a small starter followed by a beetroot burger which was delicious but would have been nice with a side of fries or salad (or both!). For dinner we were offered pizza as a starter and the main was two golf ball sized arancini with three pieces of roasted pumpkin. When I asked for another pizza to share at the table we were told that the dough had finished. Having said the above, lunch on our last day was plentiful and we left feeling very satisfied. Drinks - non alcoholic drinks are included in the room rate but any cocktails / wines / spirits are available at an extra cost. They had a good selection of drinks and I would recommend the expertly prepared dawa! Pool - the Nairobi sun is HOT and we were so looking forward to having a dip in the pool when we arrived. However, one look at it and we were totally put off as it was absolutely filthy and full of floaties. Another fellow guest from the States had a dip and described it as slimy and as if ‘it had been smeared with a layer of vaseline!’ For a hotel of this calibre to have a pool that is appropriate or safe for use is completely sub standard. Additionally, the sun beds were not the cleanest and the umbrellas kept flying away in the wind. In my opinion the pool area needs a total revamp to being it up to the level of the rest of the hotel. I would give the hotel 4.5 stars for this reason but I’m not able to. Overall we had an extremely relaxing stay at the Emakoko and would definitely return in the future. Hopefully by then the pool area will be of a usable condition!…
We went there as a large group of friends and the staff themselves were very welcoming and the private house was very nice to chill with a large group. However the hosts felt a bit cold and a bit abrupt to some of our requests. Compared to other places that I have visited in kenya I did not feel the warmth and welcomed atmosphere as could have been created whilst being there as well from the hosts However the food was average. The lunch was a nice spread but the dinner was very limited and breakfast also had limited options with a small selection of fruits, cereal, a muffin and eggs. I would have thought there would be a wider selection of foods and juices on offer. It is definitely a nice place to relax for a night with a group and the sceneries are beautiful. The amenities in the rooms were really nice including a really nice hot shower. However we all found that the beds were not that comfortable. Overall I would return back to emakoko for a getaway…
This was the second time we have stayed at the Emakoko and this stay was just as wonderful as our first! I knew we were in for an exciting stay when there were 3 Rino's greeting us as we approached the Lodge entrance.... The rooms are large, spacious and comfortable - overlooking the park. Fresh roses complete the finishing touch, no details are missed here. The food is excellent! One in our group was a fairly picky eater, and they catered to our dietary request (beyond expectations). The pork schnitzel was amazing!! We did game drives into the Park with Sammy, complete with an amazing sundowner. He was extremely knowledgeable, engaging and enjoyable to be with. The COVID protocols were excellent. All staff wore masks and everything was spotlessly clean....made us feel quite safe on that front. We are planning a return trip to Kenya and wouldn't stay anywhere else!!!…
Fantastic lodge in Nairobi National Park to stay. You cannot fault anything about Emakoko, from the luxurious comfortable rooms, attentive staff, whole ambiance, and delicious food. Hyrax around lodge all day. Bushybaby and Genet cat around the bar early evening.
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