***The JW Marriott Masai Mara was devastated by severe, once in a lifetime flood on April 30, 2024. The lodge is currently closed pending renovations, without a confirmed reopening date.  No one staying or working at the lodge were seriously injured according to first hand accounts. We are thinking about all the staff and hoping they get back on their feet quickly.***

Dan and I went on our third safari last month at the brand new JW Marriott Masai Mara lodge in Kenya! Having opened exactly one year ago, the JW Marriott Masai is modern, shiny, and extremely popular with Americans. This post reviews our stay at the JW Marriott Masai Mara in March 2024. In brief, we had a lovely time with fantastic animal sightings! Keep reading for a super in depth review, starting with how we arrived at the safari lodge!

HOW TO REACH THE JW MARRIOTT MASAI MARA

The JW Marriott Masai is located just outside the Masai Mara National Park in Kenya, about a 30 minute drive from the Keekorok Air Strip. And yes, I said air strip, not airport (big distinction!). Most reach the JW Marriott Masai by flying to Nairobi and taking a 30 minute “bush flight” to the Masai Mara, which is what we did. Particularly, we flew to the JW Marriott Masai Mara on the SafariLink airline, which flight is 30 minutes flight, but we had two stops en route making the transfer closer to 90 minutes. We booked our flight through the JW Marriott Masai directly, and the cost was $420 USD per person round trip. Luggage is limited to 33 pounds per person total (SafariLink was not strict on our flight, but I understand they are on smaller planes). The flight was easy, and we would both fly SafariLink again.

The other option is to drive from Nairobi to the Masai Mara National Park entrance, where the JW Marriott Masai Mara will pick up guests. I didn’t explore this option, but I would in the future after hearing from other guests that the road is mostly highway and there are some interesting stops en route.

On arrival at Keekorok Airstrip, the JW Marriott Masai Mara met us in a safari jeep and set out a spread of snacks and Prosecco! A really lovely welcome! We then drove around 35 minutes to the safari lodge, even seeing a sleeping male lion on the side of the road!

THE JW MARRIOTT MASAI MARA PROPERTY

Ah, the JW Marriott Masai Mara, a lovely safari lodge property! The JW Marriott Masai Mara is a safari lodge located on the Talek River – the only thing separating the JW Marriott from Masai Mara National Park. Guests enter the safari lodge via a “jumping” bridge over the Talek river, a/k/a a suspension bridge that moves (kind of a lot) when you walk across it. I enjoyed this feature very much; Dan did not, LOL. All guests enter and leave the safari lodge via this bridge.

Once one crosses the bridge, you are in the safari lodge! The heart of the lodge is a main area containing the hotel’s single bar, the Fig Tree Lounge & Deck, and its single restaurant, Sarabi, as well the gift shop, and the camera library (more on that below). This main area is open air, with half being covered to protect against the elements, and the other half totally open with views of the Talek River. There is a huge fig tree in the middle of this main area, giving rise to its name. A fire pit is lit here in the evening, solidifying it as the place for socialization at the lodge.

Aside from this main area, guest tents spread out from either side of this area, each tent with views of the Talek River and either sunrise or sunset.  The spa, pool, and tiny gym are located behind the sunset tents.  Aside from what I mentioned, there is not much public space on the property. You will really need to work to get in your steps, but this is common at safari lodges!

There is also a JW Hippo Pool just on the other side of the Talek River directly across from the Fig Tree Lounge & Deck. Your driver will probably drive by, but you can hear these hippos frequently and occasionally one comes to the river!

THE ROOMS AT THE JW MARRIOTT MASAI MARA

We stayed in a Deluxe “tent” with “sunset views” – Tent 07! While described as a “tent”, these tents are honestly hotel rooms with “tent aspects,” as you can see from the below pictures. While I think there are two larger tents on site (a honeymoon suite and a family tent), every tent look similar. Each is located riverfront on its own little plot of land with privacy barriers on either side made to look like a Masai village! Guests walk up five steps to enter the tent’s deck area, which offers views of the Talek River and a hot tub that takes 3 hours to heat (pretty standard in the bush). While our room was a “sunset view”, all rooms have either a sunset or sunrise view and I wouldn’t prefer one over the other, as you will be on game drives for both most days. Those wanting privacy can put up the Masai wooden stick just to the right of the stairs to prevent staff entry (there is a hole for it right in front of the stairs).

Guests enter the “tent” via real doors with a standard key card. Rooms open into the large bedroom/living area. Going around the room, to the left is a minibar with water, soft drinks, beer, Jameson Whiskey, gin, and a couple snacks in jars (nuts, cookies, and chips), in addition to coffee and tea. Everything in the minibar is complimentary, and staff replenish  it daily.

The center of the room is a living area, and a small desk is located opposite the minibar. Our bed was king size and very comfortable. Two armoires behind the bed provide plenty of storage and a safe, in addition to big spray, robes, bedroom slippers, and laundry bags. Staff come in every evening to draw the blinds and set up the mosquito net surrounding the bed. There is no air conditioning in the rooms (or actually on the resort period!). Instead, rooms are cooled by fans, but it only got really hot during the middle of the day. In fact, it was so cold one evening that staff brought us hot water bottles for our bed. And on the laundry front, the lodge does 5 pieces of laundry per guest per day for free.

Off the main room is a spacious double bathroom with tons of amenities, including decent razors, a loofah, insect repellant, after sun cream, and the usual soap, lotion, etc. A hair driver is also present, but I didn’t use it. A separate toilet and shower are located off this area, and another shower is outside! I love the outdoor shower and used it every day.

For those concerned about animals, we heard animals every night, but only once saw any animals, a hippo, from our room. He was lounging in the river below early one morning. The hotel asks that guests call for security to accompany you if you need to leave the room after dark or before dawn. There is a phone in the room to reach the front desk, and wifi worked really well in the rooms (WFH well!).

THE SAFARI GAME DRIVES AT THE JW MARRIOTT MASAI MARA

Two daily game drives are included in the room rate at the JW Masai Mara: a morning game drive and an evening game drive. All game drives are taken in the JW Masai Mara’s new safari jeeps, which seat a maximum of 6 people, including the driver, and are very comfortable for a safari jeep. Unlike many safari vehicles we saw out, the JW Marriott Masai Mara jeeps are entirely open air, meaning no standing up and looking out of a roof. Guests are randomly paired with another room for the game drives. However, the guests we were paired with left and they were not replaced, so we got three days of safaris just to ourselves! The jeeps include complimentary blankets, rain ponchos, water, sunscreen, and bug spray for guest use.

The Morning Game Drive

Morning game drives at the JW Marriott Masai Mara generally start just after sunrise and last until  10 AM, but the times do vary (for example, we stayed out until 2:00 PM one day). Before the drive, coffee and pastries are available. Coffees can also be taken to go. We departed daily around 6:45 AM and almost always had great animal sightings on the morning game drives. We saw a leopard, multiple cheetah, a cheetah stalking another animal, so many lions, in addition to elephants, including babies, giraffes, and zebras. It could have just been luck, but I found our animal sightings to be better on the morning game drive. Our driver did bring a couple sweet snacks for us to eat toward the end of the game drive.

Evening Game Drive at the JW Marriott Masai Mara

Evening game drives start around 4:00 PM and last until 7:00 PM (when the Masai Mara National Park closes). These drives often start off hot and cool down as the sun sets. Unlike other safaris we have done, there is no daily “sundowner” stop. Instead, guests often bring a to-go beverage from the hotel bar for the drive.

Those not looking forward to sharing a jeep can go solo for $800 USD per day. I personally do not think a private safari is worth that cost, especially since the JW’s jeeps are so nice and spacious.

THE FOOD AT THE JW MARRIOTT MASAI MARA

Three meals daily are included, and I guaranty that you will not go hungry. Each meal is served at the Sarabi Restaurant, the only restaurant on site, unless you take breakfast in the bush or lunch in the JW Marriott Masai Mara’s private garden. The JW Marriott Masai Mara definitely feeds guests well and a lot. Every meal had multiple choices, and there was always at least one vegetarian option available. I discuss each meal below, but I would point out that if you have a special request, ask. The hotel will likely accommodate the request. Also, don’t miss the fantastic chicken sandwich at lunch!!

Coffee Bar at the JW Marriott Masai Mara

The first “meal” served at the JW Marriott Masai Mara is a fruit, pastry, water, and coffee bar set up in the restaurant from about 5:00 AM. The purpose of this meal is for guests to grab a bite before the morning game drive. I understand the pastries are made in-house, and they were very good. Be sure to ask for a coffee to go. Unlike some safaris, there is no morning game drive coffee/tea break. Despite being opening very early, this coffee bar operates all day. We opted for cappuccinos and French Press at breakfast.

Breakfast at the JW Marriott Masai Mara

Breakfast at the JW Marriott Masai Mara is served until around 11:00 AM at Sarabi, with most safari drives returning around 10:00 AM. The daily menu is pictured below. We routinely ordered the Eggs Benedict, which was very good! I also really liked the bananas in Kenya; they are sweeter than the ones I am used to eating.

Breakfast in the Bush

In addition to the normal restaurant breakfast, the JW Marriott Masai Mara tries to take guests on a bush breakfast at least once, meaning that you take your breakfast during a break on the morning safari. We did this one day, and I honestly prefer to eat at the restaurant. My preferences aside, breakfast in the bush is a cool experience and the food stayed warm and tasted good. The hotel apparently also does a cook on-site bush breakfast, but we missed that.

Lunch at the JW Marriott Masai Mara

The hotel serves lunch daily from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM by way of a three course menu: always a soup, a main course with two side options, and a dessert. Guests can order as much or as little as desired. We ate lunch daily at 2:30 PM, and it was our absolute favorite meal! The lunch soups, always cold, were incredible, and I ate the absolute best chicken salad sandwich of my life (called the “chicken sandwich”). We ate lunch in the on site restaurant, but guests also eat lunch by the pool. My recommendation, don’t miss out on the JW Masai Mara lunch!!

Dinner at the JW Marriott Masai Mara

I’m likely in the minority here, but while we loved breakfast and lunch, dinner was consistently our least favorite meal. The hotel serves dinner from 7:00 PM, and guests eat with their party in the small dining room or on the deck overlooking the Talek River. Most nights offered a 3 course theme menu, with multiple choices for the main course. For example, the JW Marriott Masai Mara did a Kenyan night, a Thai night, an Indian night, and a Chinese night. We found these dinners, except the Kenyan night, to be downplayed to fit the American palate. For example, I ordered the Butter Chicken on Indian night, and it was not spicy at all. That being said, we asked for a second round of chicken and if they could make it spicy, and the chef certainly did! I am also pretty sure guests can order off menu, as we heard one table order steaks that were not on the menu. If the JW Marriott is reading this, the Kenyan night was really good, and we wish you would incorporate more Kenyan food into the dinner menus.

Desserts at the JW Marriott Masai Mara

Lunch and dinner offer a choice of proper desserts. While we were often too full to enjoy it, the dessert was always tasty and presented well.

THE BAR & DRINKS AT THE JW MARRIOTT MASAI MARA

The bar at the JW Marriott is located in the Fig Tree Lounge. It’s small, with only four bar stools, but the selection is fantastic. Upscale liquors fill the shelves, serving everything from Italian Gin Mare to Japanese whiskey, and of course, Amarula (my favorite safari drink!). The bar menu features numerous cocktails, in addition to many wines and a couple beers. We particularly enjoyed the South African Merlot and the South African sparkling wine on the menu. Generally, everything at the bar is complimentary, with the exceptions of a few wine bottles that list a price on the menu. Staff was friendly and drinks will flow if you want them. The one thing missing was a cider – JW, please put a cider on your bar menu!

THE SPA, POOL, & GYM AT THE JW MARRIOTT

Aside from the restaurant and lounge area, the spa, pool, and gym are the only other common areas at the JW Marriott. First, the pool, which is the most popular of these three facilities, is a gorgeous clear pool surrounded by several loungers. The pool is about 3 feet deep and cold, which feels great in the middle of the day sans air conditioning. Complimentary magazines, water, and sunscreen are available at the pool. Staff also comes by somewhat regularly to take drink and lunch orders. If you definitely want food or drinks, its best to make it known to the staff so that they visit more regularly.

Behind the pool is the JW Marriott’s tiny gym. The gym holds a treadmill, bike, and rowing machine, as well as various weights and yoga mats. The gym is entirely open air with fans cooling the space. I didn’t see anyone at the gym during our entire visit.

Opposite the gym is the JW Marriott’s spa. The spa offers a full suite of treatments, of which I selected a Masai massage and a facial another day. Prices are comparative to what I pay around New York. Treatments can be booked day-of, but I suggest calling a day early to ensure you get the time you want. For those not wanting to pay of a treatment, or commit that much time, the spa has a complimentary cold pool, sauna, and steam room for all guests. Dan used these almost daily, and I went twice. We were the only people there every visit. To use these facilities, the spa needs at least 45 minutes notice to properly heat the sauna and steam room. Water, nuts, and dried fruit are available here.

THE JW MARRIOTT CAMERA LIBRARY

The JW Marriott Masai Mara offers one of the most amazing amenities of any resort we have  visited, a camera library! Yes, the JW Marriott dedicates a small tent to DSLR cameras and fancy lenses, as well as editing software and professional photographers, including the very talented Moses! Each room is offered one loaner Cannon EOS R6 Mirrorless DSLR camera, a Cannon 100-500 lens, and a backpack that perfectly fits both. Most rooms check out a camera on arrival, but we got ours right before our first safari. The camera and lens worked wonderfully on automatic settings, just confirm that your camera has a memory card and is sufficiently charged before each safari. Cameras are returned before check out, when the professionals (likely Moses) will assist in downloading your photos to your computer. Borrowing this camera was a huge benefit to us, as we did not have to lug our DSLR from NYC and it saved us weight on the SafariLink flight.

For those super interested, the camera library does have larger lenses and other camera accessories. I am not sure of the rental policy regarding the other models. Moses also offers photography and editing lessons for an extra fee (although I think a bit of editing is complimentary – ask!).

THE GIFT SHOP AT THE JW MARRIOTT

For souvenirs, the JW Marriott has a nice, albeit small, gift shop selling JW branded shirts, jackets, and hats, nice jewelry, and a range of standard Masai Mara souvenirs (t-shirts, carved animals, bath products from the area, etc.). I purchased a set of etched drinking glasses, a Tusker [beer] t-shirt, and a JW Masai Mara tote bag, and I found the prices to be reasonable (I saw the glasses in Nairobi for only $2 USD less). I didn’t see any souvenir shops inside the Masai Mara (like there are in Kruger Park in South Africa for example), so this gift shop serves a purpose. Note that the gift shop does not sell any “necessities” (grooming products, etc. or bathing suits), so I would not rely on this shop for forgotten items. Souvenirs are also available in the Masai villages and at the entrances to the park (cash only!).

EXTRA ACTIVITIES OFFERED BY THE JW MARRIOTT MASAI MARA

The JW Marriott offered three optional “extra” activities: sunrise hot air balloon ride ($500 USD/pp), horse back safari ($200 USD/pp), and visiting a Masai village ($40 USD/pp). Having just taken a hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia and not knowing how to ride horses, we only did the Masai village tour. However, the hot air balloon rides looked pretty, and one of our fellow guests raved about the horse safari. These activities are offered by outside companies, and participating will likely require skipping a morning game drive.

The Masai village tour lasted around 1 hour and took place during an evening game drive. The visit was educational, but we wouldn’t do it again. The $40 USD fee is donated to the local Masai school, and guests have the option to purchase hand-made goods at the end of the tour (bring cash!). We purchased three beautiful painted wood bowls and a zebra made of beads!

TEN TIPS FOR VISITING THE JW MARRIOTT MASAI MARA SAFARI LODGE

1. You tip on safari, especially your safari guide. The JW allowed tips on credit card, and we were allowed to allocate tips how we wanted (to a certain person, to a team, etc.). Cash is preferred but since there was no ATM on site, we had to leave most of our tip via card.
2. The JW Marriott Masai Mara, like many safari lodges, is all inclusive, including food, alcohol, soda, wine bottles, minibar, the game drives, etc. Staff does bring a receipt after each drink or meal but there is no charge unless you tip (which we did). The only thing not included are the optional activities, certain liquors and wines with a price next to them on the menu (not many), cigars, spa services, and the gift shop.
3. Take some cash when you go out on safari. One day we did a walk with a local guide and I had no money to tip him (although my driver covered the tip and I paid him back later).
4. If you stay for lunch on your checkout day, lunch is $45/person (no matter how little you order).
5. Masai Mara National Reserve charges an entrance fee of $100 USD per person per day, which goes up to $200 USD during high season (approximately June – October). All guests must pay this fee each day they leave the resort for a safari drive. We paid in advance via credit card to the hotel, and the JW purchased our entrance ticket in advance. Those who do not pay in advance will have to buy the day-of.
6. The loaner camera with the lens is heavy, especially if you are using it for a whole safari. You may want to lift weights before.  And no, this is not a joke.
7. We heard multiple guests talking about splinters at the pool and in the outdoor tent area. I guess don’t walk barefoot?
8. The JW Marriott Masai Mara is located at almost 6,000 feet above sea level. Wild! We didn’t take any precautions and had no issues, but its worth noting.
9. Masai people are often at the Masai Mara park entrances and at the airport selling souvenirs. They would come up to the jeeps but were not too pushy. Bring cash if you want to buy.
10. The tiny airstrip has nothing more than a dirty restroom and Masai people selling souvenirs. Don’t get there too early (the JW will handle this!).

STEAL OUR TRIP

JW Marriott Masai Mara: Located steps from the Masai Mara in Kenya.

ON A BUDGET

One can redeem Marriott points for this property, which is a fantastic deal. If you aren’t into points and the JW is not in your budget, there are plenty of budget friendly safari options in Kenya, including in the Masai Mara.  Steer clear of tour companies and book directly with lodges for the best prices. The safari lodge we stayed at in South Africa, Vuyani, was much more reasonably priced.