Chui Lodge — Hotel in Maiella ward

I was very excited to return to Chui Lodge for the second time in February and it was as magical as I remembered from my initial visit two years ago. The lodge is situated in the Oserengoni Sanctuary near Lake Naivasha just two and a half hours from Nairobi. With only eight cottages (banda), each guest is treated as a cherished friend by the staff from reception to the dining area and housekeeping. The banda itself is charmingly decorated, well designed, and immaculate. The fireplace is lit on slightly chilly evenings and one can relax in the massive walk-in bathtub after a day (and night) of wildlife watching. The food and dining staff is absolutely fabulous and as a vegetarian, I enjoyed exquisite cuisine, much of which was locally grown. Depending on the weather, meals are served al fresco in the garden where you can watch the many birds or grin at the antics of the cavorting vervet monkeys, and the warthogs wallowing beyond the fence, poolside, or in the beautifully appointed lounge. I was delighted to meet the vivacious and multi-talented Joyce again (she is a great singer as well as hospitality staff) and to become acquainted with Benson, Annie, and their colleagues. Of course, beyond the genial atmosphere of the lodge, one goes to Chui Lodge to view wildlife. I was so fortunate to be paired during my stay with Bernard, an incredibly knowledgeable guide, who did his best to ensure that I had the best experience I could have. Bernard knows every metre of the enormous conservancy and is well aware of the habits of every species. I learned so much and while the leopards still hid from me (meaning I must yet return), watching an aardvark digging in soil, and spotting the colobus monkey were among the highlights. All in all, I highly recommend a visit...

My husband and I stayed at Chui for 3 nights and had a lovely stay. We received a warm and friendly welcome on arrival and that set the tone for the rest of the stay. Nothing was too much trouble and everyone went out of their way to ensure we enjoyed our stay. The whole experience exceeded our expectations. It took us some time to decide on we’re to stay around Nakuru & Naivasha and we spent more than we anticipated in booking Chui, but we agreed that with the service, food and fact that there were no additional costs or fees once you are there, it offered good value for money. There are only a handful of cottages so it feels quite exclusive. The cottages are authentic in style and build with thatched roofs and open fires, which was lit every evening, which made it feel very cosy. Being in the hills it can get a bit cool at night. |The staff put hot water bottles in the bed at turn down service which was a lovely touch. |The bush breakfast set out with a lovely view was also a lovely experience. The food was all delicious and of good standard. The main building where you have evening meals is beautifully done, with an open fire. |It felt a bit like what I image it would have been like to been in Kenya I’m the early 20th century Out of Africa.|Our guide Aaron, was friendly and knowledgeable, with very good English. He did his best to find us all the locations to see the wildlife, which was abundant. There are no lions, elephant, rhino or cheetahs here, but there is so much more to see. We were surprised at just how much wildlife there was. |All in all we thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience and would recommend.|Must also add the evening drinks out on the plain with a fire and snacks was also wonderful...

We had visited Chui lodge in Dec and must say this a true gem of a place. The place is beautiful and they have maintained high standards.. the rooms are beautiful, the gardens are luscious with amazing views, they have a heated pool which was awesome to take a dip.. the game drives were very good and James was a very goo guide.. the bush breakfast we loved.. sadly we could not do the boating due to the weeds in the water. The food was absolutely delicious, very fresh as they grow their own vegetables and they were very accommodating to any requests... they also have an indian chef too. Eric was such a gem and took so much care of our every need and spoilt us! their cappuccino was also yummy! Joseph the manager also came to see us and was very nice and is him and his team are doing a fantastic job! Evelyn at the reception was also very friendly and made sure our stay was comfortable. Chui lodge is the best place to stay in Naivasha and i cant recommend this place enough as its a must visit. plus their rate includes all game drives, bush breakfast, sundowner, boat ride and flower farm visit which is a bonus! i would come back again and again as love this place! thank you to the team for making our stay so memorable and for making us...