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HEMINGSWAY COLLECTIONS
THE BEST 5 STAR LUXURY HOTEL IN KENYA
Hemingways Collection represents the definitive portfolio of luxury boutique hotels in Kenya. The three iconic properties–Hemingways Nairobi, Ol Seki Hemingways Mara and Hemingways Watamu, are all built on decades of experience in tailored travel and continue to make the travellers feel at home in the myriad landscapes of this diverse country called Kenya.
From the glowing amber sunsets of the Maasai Mara to the azure horizon of the Watamu coastline, Hemingways will host you with the effortless refinement for which Hemingways is renowned.
The original Hemingways opened in November 1988 on the Kenyan coast in Watamu. Named after the famous author, explorer and fisherman, Ernest Hemingway, who travelled throughout Kenya, this iconic hotel has been a favourite holiday destination for many years seeing the same guests return year after year for a hit of the famed Hemingways hospitality.
The Collection was expanded in 2012 with the addition of a luxury boutique safari camp, Ol Seki Hemingways Mara, and then again in 2013 with the opening of the Collection’s flagship property, Hemingways Nairobi, a first of its kind 5-star luxury boutique hotel in Nairobi which is now considered one of the finest hotels in Africa.
Hemingways Collection is staffed by a dedicated team of hotel and hospitality professionals who all have the same vision–to be the best luxury boutique hotel collection in Africa.
A discerning traveller can combine a stay that includes all the three unique 5-Star properties situated in all the three incredible locations that offers guests the ultimate travel itinerary in Kenya.
Spend two nights at Hemingways Nairobi Hotel with a day out mingling with baby orphan elephants and Rothschild giraffe. Wake early on day 3 for a short flight to the Maasai Mara and spend the next three days enjoying the wonderful wildlife and culture that a safari in Kenya has to offer. See the sun rise as your hot air balloon drifts over the famous Mara plains and after an exhilarating day seeing the Big 5, relax with a refreshing sundowner as the sun bids farewell for another day and the stars start to shine. Hop back on a plane for a short flight to Malindi and feel the warmth of the Coast as you step off. Spend the next five nights among the palm trees of Watamu and enjoy the white golden sands and turquoise water of the Marine Park. Catch a Marlin, learn to Kitesurf, enjoy a sunset cruise among the mangroves or just simply lounge by the pool with your favourite book. It’s all possible with Hemingways Collection.
Starting with a warm welcome to Hemingways Nairobi, this 45-suite boutique hotel elevates the standard of luxury for travellers in the region. Beautiful in its symmetry and flooded with natural light, this plantation-style property is airy and spacious. Each of our 80m² suites have a private balcony overlooking the iconic silhouette of the Ngong Hills, a magical view which can also be enjoyed over sundowners at the Bar.
The service is personal and sincere, offering a luxury experience from the moment you touchdown in Kenya. Your dedicated butler will know that you prefer Earl Grey to Assam with your scones, and will remember which trousers you like pressed flat and which ones need a central crease.
So, while you are indulging in the spa, relaxing beside the pool or meandering through the gardens, back in your suite, your butler will have dimmed the lights, adjusted your personalized pillows, set out your nightcap and arranged the morning’s outing down to the finest detail. In a nutshell, the butler service is personalized and bespoke and discrete.
Deluxe rooms
These spacious rooms are 80m² and are located on the ground floor of each wing. Each room features a seating area and private terrace. Large en-suite bathrooms feature walk-in closets, double vanity units and separate bath, shower and WC.
Executive Suites
Located on the upper floor of each wing, these 80m² suites are luxuriously furnished and feature high vaulted ceilings, a separate seating area and a private terrace. Large en-suite marble bathrooms feature walk-in closets, double vanity units and separate bath, shower and WC.
The Blixen Suite
At 160m² this is a large one-bedroom suite which includes an elegant living room with dining area, guest WC and kitchen with butler access. The master bedroom has a spacious en-suite bathroom featuring a walk-in closet, standalone bath, shower and WC, and a separate terrace with exquisite views of the surroundings.
The Hemingway Suite
This generous suite is 240m² and includes a beautifully appointed living room, study, dining room, guest WC and kitchen with butler access. The living room and dining room open to a large connected terrace. The master bedroom has a very spacious en-suite bathroom featuring a walk-in closet, standalone bath, shower and WC, and a separate terrace looking out over the rolling lawns and Ngong Hills.
Climate and weather
High on a hilltop near the equator, Nairobi and its surroundings enjoy a temperate climate most of the year. At an altitude of 1700m or 5500ft. humidity is very low and nights are cool.
The summer months are sunny and hot but not unbearably sweltering whilst the winters are mild but never shivering cold. There are two monsoons and rainfall is moderate; the wettest months of the year are April and May, when days are typically cloudy with downpours. There are four seasons but these are not always distinct with the rains sometimes early and often late.
Location
Just 40 minutes’ drive from Nairobi’s international airport and set between Nairobi National Park and the foot of the Ngong Hills, Hemingways Nairobi Hotel is located to the South West of the city in the peaceful suburb of Karen. It is generally believed that the suburb was named after Karen Blixen, the Danish author of Out of Africa; her farm was located just 2 minutes’ drive from the hotel.
Major tourist attractions are within close proximity to the hotel including the Nairobi National Park, the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, famous for rehabilitating orphaned elephants, and the Giraffe Sanctuary. Hemingways Nairobi is also well positioned for business travellers visiting Kenya with excellent transport links to Jomo Kenyatta and Wilson Airports and easy access to the CBD.
Ol Seki Hemingways Mara
This stunning private tented camp is your enclave of luxury in the wildest terrain of Kenya. 10 exclusive luxury tents with 270° panoramic views of the Mara plains.
Ol Seki Hemingways Mara is located in the heart of the Naboisho Conservancy which borders the Maasai Mara Reserve. The conservancy limits entry to clients actually staying inside the area and offers an incredibly private safari experience. There is a choice of ten exclusive tents in which to host you accompanied by some breath-taking views and the warmest Kenyan hospitality you could wish for. There is no typical day at Ol Seki Hemingways Mara. This iconic property is small and niche and aim to personally tailor every day to suit what you want making your time in the Mara an unparalleled adventure in the realms of safari.
In the Simba tent, a complete privacy awaits you, complete with a private dining room and living area, which connects two enormous double bedrooms, both en-suite. The Simba tent is perfect for families. There’s a fully stocked bar and fridge and you can decide the level of service you require. A butler can be present at all times or be invisible and give you complete privacy.
Nina tent
These tents are ideal for couples. The high dome centers over a double bed decked out in fine linens. Six opening panels encompass the bed on three sides, which mean that from the comfort of your pillow, you can watch the dawn break in panorama. The rear section of the tent houses your en-suite bathroom and dressing area and in front of the tent is a large deck where you can enjoy private dining, sunbathing and star gazing.
Chui Tent
Featuring two large en-suite double bedrooms separated from a large central living space housing a private kitchen, lounge and dining room. A stone boardwalk connects the three distinct structures which means that if other members of your party want to stay up late in the private bar, you can retire to the quiet seclusion of your room next door. The Chui suite is ideal for families or friends travelling together who would also like some privacy within the group.
The Maasai Mara is cooler than Nairobi and the Kenyan coast. It sits at an altitude of 5,000 to 7,000 feet above sea level, so it is greener and more moderate in temperature than other regions of Kenya. Temperatures range from 30° C maximum during the day to a cooler 10°C at night.
Then a chopper hop to Watamu, the iconic tropical paradise on the Kenyan coast sitting right in the middle of the pristine Watamu Marine National Park with its idyllic white sand beach and turquoise waters. The exceptional personal service and sincere charm of this established hotel has come to represent Kenyan coastal luxury to so many travellers for close to 30 years. And it’s just got even better with a mega makeover.
There is so much to do here–learn to kite-surf; get your PADI certificate, take a sunset dhow cruise on Mida Creek, play a round of golf on the nearby world class golf course, Vipingo Ridge; or go on safari for a few days in Tsavo or the Maasai Mara. If that all sounds a little too energetic, relax around the pool with a good book as you work your way through our cocktail menu.
Watamu–meaning “home of the sweet people” in Swahili–is a small village on the Kenyan coast approximately 120kms north of Mombasa–Kenya’s second largest city. It is also 20kms south of Malindi–Vasco de Gama’s first landing point on the coast of East Africa. Watamu’s shoreline features pristine white sand beaches and offshore coral formations arranged in different bays and sheltered by a reef. The area is protected as part of the Watamu Marine National Park and is considered one of the best snorkeling and diving areas on the coast of Africa. The Marine Park is renowned worldwide for its natural beauty and boasts a diverse marine life from the visiting whale sharks and manta rays to three species of sea turtle.
The low-lying coast of Kenya creates a tropical climate with wonderful sea breezes. It is at its hottest in March but cools off in July with temperatures ranging between 26C and 32C throughout the year. The monsoons bring two distinct seasons–when the warm air moves south in March, the longer rains follow in April and May. It moves north again in September bringing the shorter rains of October and November. The southeast wind, called Kusi, blows from mid-March to November, cooling the waters. The northeast breeze, called Kaskazi, brings warmer, calm seas throughout the months of December, January and February.
Swahili culture of the coast is an exotic mix of Omani, Portuguese and Bantu influences. Built on trade, the coastal town of Watamu was once an outpost for ivory, slaves, spices and shells. Local people are predominantly fishermen and farmers and the coast is rich in exotic fruit and sisal plantations. There is a languid pace to life here, quite different to the hectic rush of Nairobi. Middle Eastern influences are more apparent at the coast in the architecture and religion and both Malindi and Watamu have elements of an Italian feel with great pizzerias and delicious gelato available.
Hemingways Watamu sits just off Turtle Bay Road outside Watamu village. Watamu itself lies approximately 120 kms north of Mombasa and 25 kms south of Malindi. Our nearest airport is in Malindi which is 30 minutes by road whilst the nearest international airport is Moi International in Mombasa.
According to reviews read on the website, the Watamu property is a most awesome paradise. ‘This hotel/resort is so beautiful after the recent renovations. Extremely clean, the politest of the team here to serve you, foods menu has an excellent choice and served very tasty. Serves vegetarian foods upon request to the chef who is willing to cook for you. Excellent facilities throughout this complex. 4 pools in total for children/adults. Awesome beach frontage. White heavenly sandy beach. Need I say more! Overall, this feels like a 7stars resort. Recommend to anyone’. This best summarises the original property of the Hemingway Collection.
