Eyeing luxury safari segment, Marriot to set camp in Kenya’s Mara
Hotel chain Marriott International has signed a deal with Baraka Lodges Ltd to open a lodge in Kenya’s Mara National Reserve in 2023 as it taps into the safari segment in Africa.
JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge will be located within one of Africa’s most renowned wildlife conservation and wilderness ecosystems. The lodge join’s the chain’s portfolio of 8,000 hotels globally.
“The signing of JW Masai Mara Lodge is a milestone in Marriott International’s growth in Africa as the company enters the luxury safari segment,” said Jerome Briet, Chief Development Officer, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Marriott International.
“We’re delighted to collaborate with Marriott International to debut this stunning luxury lodge and their first Safari offering in the Masai Mara” says Shivan Patel of Baraka Lodges LTD.
Overlooking the banks of River Talek and on the edge of the reserve, the lodge’s location will offer guests a camp from which to discover the Masai Mara National Reserve, its stunning vistas, abundant wildlife, and plains.
The new-build lodge features 20 private tents, including one presidential canvas-topped pavilion and two interconnecting canopied suites, ideal for families, each with a private terrace overlooking the river.
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Shared spaces will include a restaurant, lounge bar, spa, and a large outdoor terrace with fire pits that will play host to traditional Masai dance performances in the evening.
Masai Mara reserve offers guests the opportunity to observethe “Big Five”: lions, leopards, buffalos, rhinoceros and elephants.
Between June and September, the reserve is also host to the annual great wildebeest migration, when more than 10 million animals travel from the Serengeti in neighbouring Tanzania.
“As a brand rooted in mindfulness, we cannot think of a more perfect retreat for the mind, body, and soul than the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya,” says Bruce Rohr, Vice President and Brand Leader, JW Marriott.
“JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge will offer guests a luxurious backdrop to make once-in-a-lifetime memories as they connect with nature and wildlife as never before. We are thrilled that the JW Marriott brand will be welcoming adventure travellers, including families, to this breath-taking part of the world.”
The safari lodge will open 50 job opportunities for locals from the Masai community.
“This landmark project is in response to travellers’ growing desire for experiential offerings that enable them to build a deeper connection with their chosen destination,”says Jerome Briet.
Marriott International currently operates more than 120 properties in Africa across its portfolio.
