Loisaba Lodo Springs Hotel, Kenya: A Magical safari experience
This private Kenyan retreat in a sprawling wildlife conservancy offers luxurious lodgings with reclaimed furniture and a magical safari experience.
By Asih Jenie -
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Luxury hotel chain Elewana Collection operates 16 boutique lodges, camps and hotels in iconic locations across Kenya and Tanzania.
One of its latest is Elewana Loisaba Lodo Springs, an ultra-luxurious retreat comprising eight spacious villas in the sprawling 23,000-ha Loisaba Wildlife Conservancy in Northern Laikipia, Kenya.
Designed by architects Chris Payne and Jan Allen, with landscape architecture by Jo Silvester, the tented villas feature membrane roofing, wooden structuring and large floor-to-ceiling doors and windows that let in lots of natural light.
Each villa has a unique colour scheme articulated with an eclectic mix of antique and vintage pieces.
These range from French mahogany, glass-fronted Victorian cabinets built in the late 1800s to highly collectible ’50s chairs by British furniture manufacturer Ercol that showcase the first application of the steam-bending technique for wood.
The master beds are dressed with vintage Kente cloth native to Ghana. Other noteworthy decor items include upcycled cedar fence posts used as panelling and mid-century Americana parlour bar stools.
The antique pieces were hand-restored in Kenya to ensure their suitability for hospitality use. All guests need to do, for instance, is to sit at the authentic, handsome 18th-century desks, turn on the vintage lamps and channel the romanticism and glamour of safari trips of the colonial era.
A butler assigned to each room caters to every need. Guests also have access to a designated safari vehicle operated by a qualified field guide who accompanies them for the duration of their stay. The hotel even has an anti- poaching unit to protect wildlife around the clock.
Guests also enjoy the complete freedom to choose their activities that include trekking through the bush with camels, mountain biking down the escarpment, horseback riding through the plains, driving through the canyons between two great rivers flanking the property, and fishing in appointed rivers and dams.
There is also a walking tour by traditional Samburu guides who will share their knowledge of the land’s history and its native flora and fauna. For a unique cultural experience, guests can spend an afternoon at the Masai village and watch the dance performances or try their hands at traditional bead art.
Part of the revenue generated from the hotel goes towards conserving the private wilderness area and supporting community health, education and enterprise programmes for the Samburu and Laikipia Maasai tribes, who are the hotel’s long-time partners.