About this hotel
General information
JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge is a tented lodge on the banks of the Talek River, set on community land and looking out over the Masai Mara National Reserve. Right in front of it lies a hippo pool, a watering hole that draws animals within sight of the decks. There are 24 tented suites, among them a two-tent family suite, and each has a private deck with an outdoor whirlpool bath. Interiors use sustainable materials, and Maasai culture runs through the décor and the stories told to guests.
Stays are all-inclusive: meals, selected drinks, daily game drives, airstrip transfers, the Canon photo studio, the gym and the pool are covered. Before arrival, the general or camp manager calls each guest to shape the stay around their wishes. The lodge runs on a large solar plant, harvests rainwater, filters its own drinking water, grows produce in its organic JW Garden and turns food waste into compost and feed with the help of black soldier flies. With the local community it protects the nearby watering hole, plants trees and supports children’s schooling.
Location
The lodge sits on the Talek River at the edge of the Masai Mara National Reserve. The nearest airstrip is Keekorok, about an hour’s flight by light aircraft from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport, which lies some 12 km from Nairobi’s international airport. The lodge team meets guests on the strip, and the hour-long drive to the lodge doubles as a first game drive; return airstrip transfers are included. Luggage on these flights is limited to 15 kg per person in soft bags, and anything extra can be stored. A private road transfer from Nairobi, five to six hours, can be arranged at an extra charge.
Spa
Spa by JW is a quiet pavilion with floor-to-ceiling windows onto the savannah, earth-toned treatment rooms, a plunge pool, a sauna and relaxation lounges. Treatments use Healing Earth products built on African botanicals such as Pinotage grape, Kalahari melon and mongongo nut oil. The signature journeys are The Big Five Self Journey (exfoliation, full-body massage and a mini facial), Masai Celebration (a Kalahari melon hydration ritual with a 90-minute massage) and Elephant Clay Detox Journey (a clay body mask followed by deep-tissue work); couples can book the Duos Connection Massage side by side. Spa treatments are charged separately.
Sports & leisure
Game drives run daily in four- or six-seat vehicles, as a morning or afternoon outing or a full day, often with a bush breakfast or a sundowner. The Masai Mara holds the Big Five as well as cheetahs, giraffes and hippos, more than 450 bird species, and from July to September the wildebeest migration crosses the Mara River. The lodge also offers:
- sunrise balloon safaris over the Mara, ending with a champagne breakfast in the bush;
- a Canon photo studio, with mirrorless cameras and lenses to borrow and resident photographers on hand for wildlife, birds and landscapes;
- Maasai cultural experiences: a visit to a nearby village, beadwork with the lodge’s own artisans and Maasai dance evenings at the lodge;
- tree planting on the property and chef-led walks through the JW Garden;
- a gym, an outdoor pool and yoga mats in every tent.
For children
Young travellers get activities of their own — guided nature walks, storytelling sessions, beadwork and fire-making — and the lodge can tailor a family programme on request.
Restaurants & bars
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included, and much of the produce comes from the lodge’s own organic garden:
- Sarabi — the main restaurant, serving set menus of African cooking with a modern twist, indoors or alfresco, with private dinners on the Sarabi Deck;
- JW Garden — lunches served in the lodge’s organic garden;
- Fig Tree Lounge — a lounge bar beneath an old fig tree, for cocktails at dusk;
- an outdoor viewing deck with a fire pit;
- boma dinners around an open fire, with nyama choma grilled meats, ugali and Maasai dancing;
- bush breakfasts cooked to order on the plains and sundowners on game drives;
- Kosher Kitchen — a dedicated kosher kitchen run under mashgiach supervision;
- in-tent dining on the private deck from its own menu.
Swimming
The lodge has an outdoor swimming pool and a whirlpool; every tent has its own outdoor whirlpool bath on the deck, and the Executive Suite adds a heated plunge pool.
Pets
Pets are not allowed.
Rooms
The 24 canvas-topped tented suites line the Talek River and look across the reserve’s plains; they include the Executive Suite with its plunge pool and a two-tent family suite.
A private deck with an outdoor whirlpool bath, a lounge, solar-heated indoor and outdoor showers, double vanities, a complimentary minibar, tea and coffee, a safe, a writing desk with charging points, complimentary Wi-Fi, yoga mats, robes and slippers, evening turndown and an in-tent dining menu.
Deluxe King
A tented suite on the Talek River with a king-size bed, a lounge and a deck with an outdoor whirlpool bath and shower; river views. Sleeps three.
Deluxe Twin
The same river-view tented suite with two queen-size beds, a lounge and a deck with an outdoor whirlpool bath. Sleeps three.
Deluxe Sunset
A one-bedroom tented suite with a king-size bed, river views and a deck with its own whirlpool bath. Sleeps three.
Executive Suite
One of the lodge’s most spacious and secluded tents, with a large lounge, a king-size bed, floor-to-ceiling openings and an extended deck holding a heated plunge pool, a whirlpool bath and an outdoor shower. Sleeps three.
2-Bedroom Suite
A family suite of two interconnecting tents — one with a king-size bed, one with twin beds, each with its own bathroom — sharing a lounge and a long deck with two whirlpool baths, overlooking the Talek River and the reserve. Sleeps four.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.