What it’s like to visit Giraffe Manor

*Disclaimer: Some links in this post are affiliate links. If you click through and pay for a service, I’ll be compensated at no cost to you. I only recommend items and services I use myself.

By this point, I am sure you’ve seen photos on social media of people having breakfast with the giraffes and probably wondered if this place is worth all the hype. Today I am here to share with you my experience at Giraffe Manor and let me tell you, it is 100% worth it. Not only for the amazing memories (and photos) you’ll take with you at the end of your stay, but the hospitality at the Manor is next level.

Giraffe Manor has been on my bucket list for quite some time. For my 30th birthday my plan was to visit Giraffe Manor and then go on a safari but little did I know the Manor is booked years in advance. Aside from the price tag, it is ridiculously hard to secure a room in the Manor. The manor has only 12 rooms and given its popularity if you want to visit you must plan ahead. A month after I got engaged, I knew that if I wanted to spend part of my honeymoon at the Manor I needed to act fast. I think given the COVID restrictions at the time we were incredibly lucky to find some availability. It was a huge risk making this booking with all the restrictions but one that I was willing to take. I booked over a year in advance and had to give a hefty deposit to secure my spot. Listen, I know this blog is focused on budget traveling, which I still very much do, but for my honeymoon I was willing to make some sacrifices and visit this place I long waited for.

Giraffe Manor

The Manor is an exclusive boutique hotel in the suburbs of Nairobi, owned and operated by the Safari Collection. What makes the manor a unique place, is that it is home to endangered Rothschild’s giraffes who make daily visits to its guests before retreating to their forest sanctuary. Together with its associated Giraffe Center the Manor has long been a part of a breeding program to reintroduce and grow their numbers back in the wild.

Built in 1932, Giraffe Manor was modelled on a Scottish hunting lodge by Sir David Duncan. By 1970 the Manor was purchased by Jock and Betty Leslie-Melville who adopted an orphaned Rothschild’s giraffe called Daisy. Since then these majestic long legged friends have roamed its lawns.

Inside Giraffe Manor

Giraffe Manor has 12 guest rooms split between the Main Manor and Garden Manor. The Main Manor house has 6 rooms; Betty, Daisy, Jock, Lynn, Marlon and the Karen Blixen Suite. Each room’s name at both manors reveal a little piece of its history.

The Garden Manor is a replica of the original manor house built in 2011, with also 6 rooms; Salma, Edd, Arlene, Helen, Kelly and the Finch Hatton Suite. The main difference between the two is that Garden Manor is exclusively for guests of the Safari Collection, meaning you need to have an additional booking within the Safari Collection portfolio to stay here. This is essentially how we were able to get a room. Knowing we wanted to go on a safari, we booked our stay at Sala’s Camp and secured our spot at the Manor.

The Manor is soooo dreamy! Every room is perfectly decorated in a vintage glam style and the lush gardens surrounding the manor provide you with serenity. We stayed at the Garden Manor in the Helen Room. “Helen was a giraffe born at the manor, who sadly passed away in May 2015. Helen was named after Sister Helen who was responsible for bringing Betty (the lady who bought the manor in 1970) to Africa for the first time.”

There’s really no difference between the houses, Garden Manor is an exact replica built with reclaimed materials from 1930’s. They have a shared courtyard and patio, and guests can access both houses. There’s no bar or restaurant at the Manor, all meals are served at a specific time, but if you want a drink while you sit out on the patio a staff member will be happy to bring you one!

The Retreat

Just steps away form the Manor there is a Retreat with a swimming pool, spa and sauna. While we waited for the giraffes to come back to the Manor, we were able to enjoy the spa and even sneak in a much needed massage after our long trip. Spa services, food and beverages at The Retreat are not included in your stay.

Arriving at Giraffe Manor

Staying at Giraffe Manor is quite pricey, but the services and experiences are well worth the price. At our arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport we had a staff member of the Safari Collection waiting for us to assist us through the immigration process and customs line.

Once we were out of the airport we were transported to our hotel, Palacina The Residence & The Suites where we stayed to sleep off our jet lag before heading over to Giraffe Manor.

The following day we were picked up by a driver of the Safari Collection to take us to the Manor. Before our arrival we made a quick stop at the Kazuri Bead Factory to learn how beads are made using clay. This factory is a women’s cooperative which provides employment to over 300 single mothers in Kenya. After learning, dancing and buying a few souvenirs we were finally on our way!

Arriving at Giraffe Manor feels like you are being transported to a whimsical storybook. At our arrival we were greeted by the amazing staff at the manor with a cold beverage and a fancy lavender scented towel. Our check-in was done out by the patio by one of the property managers, there’s no lobby to check-in or out.

It’s kinda funny to arrive at Giraffe Manor while their main hosts are away, the giraffes spend most of their day at the Giraffe Center, but this gave us time to explore the property and see the warthogs roaming the property. Beware warthogs are not very friendly so it is best to keep your distance and just watch them play from afar.

After getting settled in our room we headed down to the courtyard for lunch. Everything at Giraffe Manor follows a strict schedule and since there’s no restaurant on site, you want to make sure you get your meals in at the scheduled times.

Schedule at Giraffe Manor:

Breakfast with the Giraffes is served 6AM- 8AM after 8AM the giraffes head over to the Center and don’t come back until Tea Time.
Lunch is served in the courtyard at 1PM
Tea Time with the Giraffes is served out in the patio at 5PM
Dinner is served at the Manor at 7PM

Although it is a strict schedule it allows you plenty of time to relax, enjoy the scenery and do outside activities. Also while you wait for the giraffes to come back to the manor you can go visit them to the Center and practice interacting with them. Even though they are used to being around people you still want to be careful with them so you are not standing in a place where you can get smacked in the face and get hurt.

Tea Time with the Giraffes

I feel so posh even writing this, but yes at 5PM the giraffes come back from the Center and join the guests for Tea Time. This was our first time seeing and interacting with the giraffes. Although it is very exciting, they can be very intimidating and scary, it takes time to get used to petting and feeding them, without fearing they will swallow your hand while reaching for a treat. The staff at the manor is there to ensure you are safe, and to snap that amazing photo you’ve been dreaming of. There are plenty of good spots around the manor to get those great photos and plenty of giraffes to feed. The staff at the Manor are great photographers, and very good at directing you, so you can capture that perfect moment. Tea Time is also a great time to get to know your fellow guests. We met so many great people traveling from all over the world to come see the giraffes.

Food at Giraffe Manor

Every meal at Giraffe Manor is exquisite! Unlike most hotels Giraffe Manor does not have a traditional “à la carte’ restaurant. There’s a kitchen that especially curates delicious 3 course meals, and accommodates any food restrictions and allergies. Each meal is presented with custom menu, and the whole table setting is safari themed.

The food and drinks are all included with your stay. Make sure you save your tips for the Tip Box at the end of your stay.

Dinner at the Orchid House

Although dinner at the manor is delicious and beautiful, through my research I learned that you can book a private candlelit dinner at the Orchid House at no additional cost. This is on a first come first serve basis, so as long as you are the first one to request it, it is yours! Do not sleep on this, it is truly a fairytale like experience and a great way to celebrate a special occasion!

Waking up at The Manor

Be ready to be awakened by giraffes in the morning! The giraffes are early risers and they will come tapping on your window for snacks. They came tapping on our window as early as 5:30AM. Each room at the manor has a bowl full of pellets for you to feed to the giraffes in the morning. We were lucky to stay at the Helen room (the giraffes’ favorite) and have the first visitors make a stop at our room. One of our favorite visitors was Edd. Edd is the dominant male around the sanctuary and by far the loftiest giraffe on the grounds. Once our pellets were gone, we got ready and headed down to the dinning room for breakfast.

Breakfast with the Giraffes

Having breakfast with the giraffes is the most fun! The staff at the manor will be around to make sure you are safe and stock up on pellets to feed to the giraffes. At this time, the giraffes are super social, stopping for snacks wherever you have them and even poking their heads through the window while you are having breakfast. So make sure to head down early to the dining room and secure a spot near a window. For those not sitting near a window, no need to worry, there’s plenty of opportunities for you to snag a table by a window and get that photo moment you’ve been waiting for.

Things I wish I had done:

Visit the orphaned elephants at Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. Unfortunately I didn’t find out about this before our arrival, and were unable to make a trip to see the elephants. At the the sanctuary visitors can watch baby elephants play, get fed and enjoy their midday mud bath. We heard from other guests that it was an amazing experience and worth making the time for it. We were truly bummed to have missed out on this.
Visit the Giraffe Center. Although it is only a few steps away from the Manor we were so jet lagged and tired to make a trip out to the Center. The Center is a great place to get some extra time and practice with the giraffes.

Tips for making the most out of your stay:

Start your research NOW! Book WAYYYYY in advance. I was curious to see what the availability was for the Manor, and there are no rooms for the next two years. Crazy right! So plan your stay now.

Although staying at Giraffe Manor is one in a lifetime experience I really don’t think you need more than one day there. We spent two days, had plenty of time to relax before going on a safari but the second day felt repetitive. Many guests at the manor only stay for one night and most book it at the end of their trip.
Get your alarms ready. The giraffes are not at the manor all day. They only visit the manor during breakfast and tea time. So go to bed early, get your naps in, get your outfits ready to spend quality time with the giraffes. After all that’s the reason you are there.
Visit The Retreat. Make sure you enjoy the amenities at The Retreat, it is a perfect way to feel rejuvenated after long travels. You can also book a day at The Retreat if you are not staying at the manor, and use their amenities. Retreat guests are not allowed in the Manor.
Dinner at the Orchid House. I 1000% recommend this. As soon as you book your stay request to have dinner here.
Tips, make sure you follow the recommended tipping amount outline in the package Giraffe Manor sends you. The staff is amazing. You can truly tell their main priority is that their guests have the most amazing time at the Manor, so tip them well.
Charge your phones and cameras! The last thing you want is a dead battery when you are trying to capture that perfect moment with a giraffe.
Lastly, relax and enjoy your stay!

Cost to stay in Giraffe Manor

I am sure you are all wondering what the cost is to stay at Giraffe Manor. I looked at the current 2023 rates of Giraffe Manor, which have gone up since we initially did our booking. The current rate for a Superior Room is about US$ 1,062 per person, per night. There are two suites available for US$ 3,267 per night.

Giraffe Manor is an all inclusive hotel. Rates include transfers to and from the airport. Transportation around the Karen & Langata area. All meals, house wines, house soft drinks, house beers, house spirits, laundry, wireless internet access, entrance to the Giraffe Centre, Orchid House dining, access to The Retreat, boules, croquet and VAT are all include with your stay.

Where and how do I book my stay at the Manor

Before get all excited and ready to make your booking, check their availability. Currently the Manor is completely booked for 2023 with very few rooms left in 2024. The rooms book so fast and there’s no way to book online. You need to fill out your booking request on the website and an agent of the Safari Collection will assist you with your booking.

SO.. Was it worth it?

1,000 times YES! This is a one in a lifetime experience, and although most of us initially came to visit and snap some photos with the giraffes, the hospitality at Giraffe Manor really makes this exclusive experience worth the price tag.