Imagine waking up inside a sprawling 1930s brick manor that flaunts elegant windows opening up to the breathtaking landscape that is Nairobi, Kenya. Not far beyond the mansion’s brick walls is yet another enchanting feature of the estate: Rothschild giraffes. These majestic animals roam the property freely, even venturing right up to the manor’s windows, where they peek their heads in for a bite to eat.
This dreamlike place is called Giraffe Manor; it’s a boutique hotel located on 12 acres backed against an abounding forest, as described by The Safari Collection. Operated like a high-end hotel bed and breakfast, Giraffe Manor is an acclaimed luxurious retreat that features 10 bedrooms, each with its own unique character and impeccable design. According to Soft Kenya, the manor was built in 1932 by David Duncan and was inspired by a Scottish hunting lodge. The site proceeds to explain that 1974 marked the beginning of opening the premises to Rothschild giraffes, a greatly endangered species. Since then, the giraffes have been accepted as “residents” on the manor grounds.
Despite the hotel’s long list of grand amenities and features, the most alluring part about the destination is, undoubtedly, the Rothschild giraffes. Giraffe Manor is not a place where guests merely get to sit and watch the wildlife, they get to have a much closer experience with the animals. Hotel guests have the opportunity to interact with the giraffes quite frequently through feeding them food.
Footage from below shows hotel guests interacting with giraffes in many areas on the estate, sometimes even during breakfast when the hungry giraffes stick their heads inside to snag some food. The giraffes can typically be found near the manor during morning and evening times when they’re seeking food, but will otherwise make their way into the surrounding forest, as explained by The Safari Collection.
Giraffe Manor is a part of The Safari Collection, a network of luxury boutique accommodations founded by the Carr-Hartley family in 2009, as reported on the company’s site. The manor has long been the recipient of praise from the countless guests it welcomes every year. While many would love a trip to Giraffe Manor, the luxury retreat comes with a hefty price tag that can be deterring. According to The Safari Collection, a standard room during mid-season at the hotel will cost $525 per person per night.