One of the world's top luxury hotel chains has chosen Kenya to open its first exclusive lodge in the savannah.
It is Marriott International, which has signed an agreement to open its first safari lodge in the Maasai Mara.
Under its most prestigious brand, "JW Marriott" the Masai Mara Lodge in Kenya is expected to open in 2023, and will be Marriott's first luxury safari property in Africa.
The U.S. hotel brand in a statement announced that the new property to open next year in the Maasai Mara National Reserve will mark its entry into the safari segment in Africa.
"This landmark project is in response to travelers' growing desire for experiential offerings that allow them to build a deeper connection with their chosen destination," said Marriott International's director of projects for Europe, Asia and Africa, Jerome Briet.
The lodge will overlook the famous banks of the Talek River and the edge of the reserve. The property will join other luxury brands in the reserve including British billionaire Richard Branson's Mahali Mzuri, Keekorok Lodge owned by Sun Africa Hotels, Olare Mara Kempinski and Ol Seki Hemingways Mara Camp among others.
"JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge's prime location will offer guests a distinctly elevated camp from which to discover the Masai Mara National Reserve, its breathtaking views, abundant wildlife and endless plains," the company announced in a statement. The new facility will include 20 private tents, including a canvas-covered presidential pavilion and two interconnected, family-friendly four-poster suites, each with a private terrace overlooking the river. More than 50 Kenyan employees will be involved in the facility.
"Shared spaces will include a restaurant, lounge bar, spa and a large outdoor terrace that will host traditional dance performances in the evenings amid bonfires," reads Marriott's statement. "The wild landscape will offer guests the opportunity to observe the 'Big Five' and the great migration."