Sanctuary Olonana, the latest lodge within the Sanctuary Retreats’ extensive investment programme, opened last month.
Set in the woodland on the banks of the Mara River in the Maasai Mara, the lodge now offers 14 new, spacious, glass-fronted suites, each with an en-suite bathroom and deck – three of these have an additional bedroom to accommodate families. The rooms were designed to blend the indoors and outdoors with nature-inspired furnishings, specially commissioned African art, and marble- and slate-accented bathrooms that have a generous tub, double vanity and a rain shower. Floor-to-ceiling glass doors open to views over the Maasai Mara, and king-size beds and fully stocked mini-fridges complete the luxurious interior.
The new main lodge has a Kenyan Greenheart tree, and carved wooden weapons adorn the walls along with hand-crafted spears and patterned prints. A restaurant and relaxation area extends on to a deck with an outdoor dining area and a boma encircled by deckchairs. Guests are able to watch the resident hippos from this vantage point, along with the exotic birdlife that is abundant in the area.
Sanctuary Olonana is one of only a handful of properties in Kenya to have been rated ‘gold’ by Ecotourism Kenya as a result of the initiatives it has put in place in its commitment to conservation and responsible tourism. These include a natural water treatment system, a tree-planting project and an organic garden where the vegetables served in the lodge are grown. Local bead workers also visit the lodge daily to create handcrafted jewellery – their work can be observed by tourists in the remodelled shop.
