Nairobi News

Mahali Mzuri (meaning ‘beautiful place’ in Swahili) is a 12-tented luxury safari camp located in the private Olare Motorogi Conservancy in the wider Maasai Mara ecosystem in Kenya has been ranked as the top tourist destination in the world.
The property, part of Richard Branson’s Virgin Limited Edition, was named not only the best safari lodge in Africa but the best hotel in the world by Travel + Leisure readers in the 2021 World’s Best Awards.
Readers credited the picturesque view of the Kenyan bush and the luxurious tented suites.
“We are delighted to announce that Mahali Mzuri has been voted the #1 Hotel in the World in the Travel + Leisure Awards 2021! We are thrilled to have won this prestigious award and want to say a huge thank you to everyone who voted for us – we are so grateful! We are also very happy to have won the #1 Safari Lodge in the 2021 Awards, so we have plenty of reasons to celebrate!” the hotel said after winning.
Travel + Leisure, one of the world’s leading travel magazines has pinpointed one particular place in Kenya and ranked it the top tourist destination in the world.
The 12-tented luxury safari camp received the highest brand index rating for customer familiarity, employee satisfaction, and corporate reputation, as well as its world-class customer service
According to the hotel website, Mahali Mzuri charges Sh104,000 ($1000) per person, per night for guests visiting during low tourism seasons, Sh167,000 ($1700) per person for peak seasons, and Sh157,000 ($1500) for a tourist seeking a wilderness escape in December to early January.
The hotel can accommodate up to 24 guests at any given time, and sometimes a family or a group of friends can rent out all the 12 tents for Sh3.8 million ($35000) during the festive season.
The tents are ensuite with beautiful décor, cosy bedding, expansive windows, and a door leading to a deck. There, tourists can catch sunrise, sunset and watch wild animals on the prowl.
To ensure quality and a next-level dedication to service, the magazine reviewed each top-ranked hotel featured in the 2021 Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards and put together a curated list of just 14 properties with fewer than 20 rooms.
1. Mahali Mzuri, Masai Mara, Kenya
2. Grace Hotel, Auberge Resorts Collection, Santorini, Greece
3. Savute Elephant Lodge, a Belmond Safari, Chobe National Park, Botswana
4. Nobu Ryokan Malibu, California
5. Beyond Phinda Vlei Lodge, Phinda Private Game Reserve, South Africa
6. The Roundtree, Amagansett, New York
7. Gibb’s Farm, Karatu, Tanzania
8. Matetsi Victoria Falls, Matetsi Private Game Reserve, Zimbabwe
9. Khwai River Lodge, a Belmond Safari, Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana
10. The Bushcamp Company’s Mfuwe Lodge, South Luangwa National Park, Zambia
11. Beyond Ngala Safari Lodge, Kruger National Park Area, South Africa
13. Sasaab, Samburu, Kenya
14. Casa Chameleon, Mal País, Costa Rica