Safari254

I (and a couple of other people from the media) recently got invited by the management of the Panari group of hotels to check out their new resort in Nyahururu. It had been a while since I had been out of town so I was more than glad to take them up on their offer.

The resort is a 2.5 hour drive from the capital Nairobi, the journey is pretty straightforward and with Google maps there is no getting lost.

 

 

 

 

Once we got to the resort there were refreshments waiting for us. Afterwards we were taken to our rooms, the best part being riding on a cart.

 

Sadly they wouldn’t let me drive

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There is a total of 22 cottages on the property each with 4 rooms. Additionally there are family rooms in the same building as the reception. To keep the little ones entertained there is a play area right behind and if you’re concerned for their safety you can watch over them from the comfort of your room.

All the rooms in the resort have a similar layout. The artwork in the room are inspired by pictures from a book written by the adventurer Joseph Thomson. The nearby Thomson’s falls and Thompson’s gazelle were named after him.

 

 

 

I do love a well lit room and there was plenty of natural light in my room thanks to large windows which lead to a balcony that provides a view over the rest of the resort.

 

The first thing I wanted to do was freshen up so I went straight to the shower. I loved the shower-head but one thing I felt that they overlooked was having a door/ curtain for the shower. Privacy aside, you also end up having lots of water splashing onto the floor outside the shower.

 

For lovers of tea there is a tea station, stocked with a variety of flavored teas. In addition to this there is a minibar.

 

It is not every day that you get to stay in a room with a fireplace. The fireplace adds a cosy element to the room. Nights in Nyahururu do get quite chilly and a fireplace is the perfect way to stay warm and toasty in your room. While at dinner you can request to have the fireplace lit so that by the time you get to your room it is warm.

 

Apart from the standard cottages and family rooms, if you want something a little more luxurious there is an executive villa and a presidential villa all with a lounge and kitchenette.

 

After relaxing in my room it was soon time for dinner. Fortunately my room was not too far from the restaurant. If you’re feeling lazy and the distance seems too far you can always phone up the reception and have them send someone to pick you up.

 

 

 

The main restaurant is the Brown Olive. Right Next to the restaurant is the Silky Oak bar.

 

 

After some pre-dinner drinks I was more than ready to go have dinner. There was a wide variety including vegetarian options.

 

The restaurant is beautiful, lighting compliments the decor.

 

 

 

The dessert is without a doubt the highlight of my meal.

 

After dinner I was back at the bar. The ambiance is great perfect for a drink or two to wind down after dinner. I have to mention that all the staff were really helpful, the service was exceptional.

 

 

There is a pool and table tennis table in a separate area right next to the bar. This was where I spent the rest of my night while trying to brush up on my rusty table tennis skills.

Come the next morning all I had on my mind was food. Once gain there was a wide array of options to cater to everyone’s needs. However as a self-confessed potato addict and I was a bit disappointed that there were no Irish potatoes in the breakfast menu.

 

Seeing as this was our last day at the resort we were all given a tour of the facilities. We toured the gym, salon, spa and sauna. You can swim anytime no matter the weather, the pool is heated and once you’re done with your laps you can have a meal or a drink at the pool bar and restaurant.

 

 

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If you want to take a minute or two to enjoy the nature you can walk to the South Marmanet forest reserve which is less than a kilometer away from the resort. You can also go to the Thomson’s falls.

Thompson Falls. Image Source

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View of the resort from the falls

 

Rates:

Full Board	Rate 24th March to 31st May 2016 (Ksh)		Rate from 1st June to 31st December (Ksh)
	single	double	single	double
Standard room	16,200 ($160)	23,400 ($231)	20,700 ($204)	27,900 ($276)
Cottages	18,000 ($178)	26,000 ($160)	23,000 ($227)	31,000 ($227)

 

	Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner
Rate Ksh	2,000 ($19)	3,000 ($29)	3,000 ($29)

 

 

Children 0-3 years – free

4-11 years – 50% of the rate

For more information about the resort you can go to their website