Bilashaka Lodge — Attraction in Malewa West ward

We, four couple friends from India, stayed here for 4 nights in second week of August 2019. The place is amazing with zebras, giraffes, waterbucks, wild buffalos and hippos coming and grazing on the premises. The ambience and serenity of the place is so mesmerizing that we cancelled our one day excursion to Aberdare national park to enjoy this place.

Right from the time of our first enquiry about the place, Ingrid, one of the owner of the place had been very prompt with all our querries and managed all our requirements. Unfortunately we could not meet her as she was away with her family to Netherland.

Henry & Gladys are two lovely personalities we met there. Henry is a chef who cooked excellent dishes for us and we had great feast daily. Our apprehension of getting good vegetarian food in Kenya was proved totally wrong by him.

Gladys manages the place. She was available all the time for all our needs and concerns. My wife had forgotten lots of USD in her trouser pocket which was given for laundry but when she informed it to Gladys, she immediately went , picked up and returned money to her. While planning this trip we were warned by many people on the web that in Kenya thefts are very common and crime rate is very high but once again, after meeting people over here we felt that our concerns and information was out of place for interiors in Kenya. Here all members felt like extended family members – same experience we had later at Mara.

Guards were very helpful and will always accompany us for small mountain treks and going to the lake to safe guard us from unexpected moves of wild animals. They took us to nearby village and showed all their fishing activities and lots of birds of different species.

We would definitely like to return to this place and highly recommend the place for visitors...

A hidden gem by Lake Naivasha! It became one of the most wonderful memories of my stay in Kenya.

We stayed for one night and two days, and from the time of booking (which was arranged simply by email), Ingrid was quick to respond and made everything go smoothly. It was truly moving to be greeted by giraffes and zebras right after our arrival.

Surrounded by the biodiversity of the lakeside environment, we took a guided walk on the first day and even caught sight of hippos. On the second day, we joined a morning birdwalk where the guide explained the local ecosystem, and in the afternoon, Ingrid kindly gave us a tour of the flower farm.

Meals were wonderful too—dinner on the first day and breakfast on the second were prepared by the local staff, and we even enjoyed a cup of chai during our free time. In most hotels, there’s usually at least one moment of minor frustration or miscommunication, but this time, my spouse and I felt nothing but comfort and hospitality throughout our entire stay. It was truly a fulfilling experience.

The amenities, including the Kenyan soap brand, were of high quality—I even bought some as souvenirs at a shopping mall in Nairobi after returning. Since it’s by the lake, mosquito protection is a must, and as there is no public transportation nearby, arranging your own transport is necessary. But it is absolutely worth it.

Many thanks to Ingrid and all the staff for their warm hospitality. I sincerely hope to stay here...

Rustic and basic but absolutely charming. This is a genuine special piece of Kenya. Here you can experience what Kenya was like 30 years ago. Unfortunately, the charm doesn't extend very far beyond the house, you don't need to venture more than a few hundred meters to see how this part of the world has been developed with a modern flower farm but right here, at this lovely old colonial home this is still untouched. The house is basic, extremely so, just as it would have been in 1976, hot water is a precious commodity and you share it with the other guests. Bring your own shampoo, a lot of mosquito repellent and insecticide. The mosquitos here are the worst I've ever seen in Africa and only rival British Columbia. At the wrong time of night they swarm! I would add that this is the rainy season and there have been a good number of showers through here this week, but the proximity to Lake Naivasha mean that there is no shortage of water source. Of course there's no malaria here so it's merely an inconvenience. There's a sweet pool and the wild animals graze on the lawn. The zebra, giraffe and hippo come within a few meters of the house at night. Note the gate on the front porch, it's not optional! This is a lovely place to bring your family and it would be lovely to rent out in its entirety. Ingrid, the host is wonderful and is working on building a reputation on AirBnB. I...