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5.0
#1 of 2 special inns in Lake Elementaita
Location
Rooms
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Tucked among golden-barked acacia trees, under the shadow of ancient volcanoes, Lake Elmenteita Serena Camp is a truly magical holiday setting with a small, immaculately maintained tented upscale safari camp on the shores of Lake Elmenteita, a flamingo filled Lake in Kenya’s Soysambu Conservancy. Just a two-hour drive from Nairobi, Elementaita Serena Camp offers modern comforts of a five-star facility blended seamlessly with the rich history and culture for which Soysambu is famous. Activities include easy undisturbed game drives in the conservancy, nature walks, archery, horse riding, and note least birdlife too.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
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Nestled amidst a wildlife sanctuary, Lake Elmenteita Serena Camp is lauded for its luxurious amenities and a welcoming atmosphere that includes special touches like live music. Guests have called out the hotel's clean and spacious rooms with comfortable beds and stunning views, although a few have noted an issue with flies.
The staff's exceptional hospitality stands out, earning high praise for attentiveness. While the camp's setting and quality are appreciated, some travelers have reservations about the value, citing additional costs and occasional service delays.
Atmosphere
Luxurious
Rooms
Spacious
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Spotless
Service
Attentive
Amenities
Lavish
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The camp is set up for optimum viewing of the lake...and what a view it is! Everyone was kind and friendly making sure we were well taken care of. The food was great and entertainment each evening for guests. The tent was well kept and each evening the nets on the bed were lowered with warm water bottles placed in the bed. We were treated to a sundowner overlooking the lake, a beautiful memory.
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Date of stay: September 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from SerenaHotels, Resident Naturalist at Lake Elmenteita Serena Camp
Responded 11 Feb 2020
Thank you for taking time to review us. We are delighted that our team members were kind and friendly,ensuring you were taken care of during your stay.We note that you liked our food,entertainment,the tents and the sundowner up on the cliff and got a great experience. We look forward to your next visit,for even more great experiences in our camp. Best Regards, Richard Kipngeno
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The overall stay was amazing! This is a beautiful place with spectacular views, excellent facilities and wonderful staff who tend to all your needs and strive to make your whole stay extraordinary. The rooms are clean, peaceful and well appointed; food is great with the kitchen staff and Chef Kennedy providing great service including special meal requests, while the activities are varied and enjoyable with great suggestions from Denge, the naturalist and his colleagues...these include nature walks, birdwatching, hikes, game drives and more. Large groups and families or small groups and individuals will feel at home as there's lots to do and room to do "nothing" but relax, all in the same place.....highly recommended any time!
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Date of stay: February 2022
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Â The rooms are all spectacular but if you have kids or need to be close to the reception,...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from LakeElmenteita Serena, General Manager at Lake Elmenteita Serena Camp
Responded 21 Feb 2022
Thank you for the wonderful review. We are excited to note we were able to meet your expectation. We shall make sure to commend our teams and especially Chef Kennedy and Denge the Naturalist for going above and beyond to make you feel right at home. We look forward to your next visit. Regards, Elizabeth Njeri. Camp Manager.
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We stayed here for 3 nights after a hiking trip and we were very happy we choose this lodge. We were looking to simply relax and we got exactly this. The lodge is nicely placed by the lake so the views from everywhere is extremely picturesque. The rooms are large with luxurious bathrooms and nice king sized beds. A separate walk in wardrobe and a nice patio where one can enjoy the lovely views while having a drink
The best thing about this place was the food. Simply incredible. All our meals were amazing and we were spoilt with choice at each meal - the variety of dishes they offered was so wide.
The only negative about the place was the spa. The massages were not great for the price we paid and the hot stone massage I did was my least favorite massage I have had in a long time.
The conversancy itself is really nice. We got to see millions of flamingoes, which was a real treat. Place is highly recommended.
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Date of stay: December 2020
Value
Rooms
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I might have just had bad luck judging from previous guests’ reviews. I think I got the worst tent, must have visited during a very bad weekend because the food was nothing to write home about, bordering on mediocre considering the rave reviews. Had requested early check in days in advance but still had to wait on arrival even after confirming that morning and after arriving later than expected. Room had no towels and when requested, only got bath sheets no hand towels, no bathroom slippers even after requesting for them a second time. The shower cap definitely looked repackaged/used. Room looked poorly maintained with torn mosquito net, paint on the wall worn, generally not impressed at all. Only highlight were the views of the lake from the lounge and look out point and the staff who helped carry our bags on arrival and departure.
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Date of stay: December 2022Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip:Â Do not have high expectations, might get disappointed
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Elizabeth Njeri, General Manager at Lake Elmenteita Serena Camp
Responded 15 Feb 2023
We would like to extend our sincere apologies for not meeting your expectations as you have come to expect of Serena Hotels. We take our customer feedback very seriously and wish to assure you all the above-mentioned issues have been addressed. Please feel free to reach out to elizabeth.njeri@serenahotels.com for further engagement as we would like to make things right if you give us another chance. Thank you and looking forward to hearing from you. Regards, Elizabeth Njeri. Camp Manager.
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This place must be the feather in the Serena property’s cap. We’ve stayed at several on our vacation and all were wonderful but Lake Elementeita was simply perfect! Absolutely perfect! We were greeted with a champagne toast upon arrival and had the property amenities explained to us. As it was off season, there were only two other rooms booked besides our party of five. We were delighted that the staff still went all out, providing us opportunities such as a cooking class and tree planting activity both on site. I also must say I had one of the best massages of my life there. (Thanks, Dorkus!) Definitely book one! And a true visual highlight was a sunset happy hour high on a cliff overlooking the lake. It’s not to be missed! I literally lost myself in the moment up there.
Visually the property is breathtaking. It stretches out along the coast of the lake so while you’re walking anywhere on the grounds, you can see down to the water and all the wildlife gathering there. We saw from our dining table zebras, monkeys (whom came into the dining room!), impala, waterbuck, flamingos, storks, etc... You can also see them from the comfort of you front porch. One unexpected sighting was a black mamba! The accommodations are so gorgeously appointed. We brought my niece for her graduation present and she absolutely fell in love with Lake Elementeita and wants to bring the rest of the family back.
I don’t want to be remiss and forget to mention the food.... first, all meals are sit down menus of several courses. We tried to eat each course at first but then just had to pick and choose because it was just too much food! It was difficult because everything was divine! That said, the steaks were some of the best I’ve had anywhere. The service was impeccable. And as one of our party has Celiac Disease, the staff worked together to make sure he had something amazing and safe within his dietary restrictions.
We loved every second spent here and hope to return.
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from SerenaHotels, Resident Naturalist at Lake Elmenteita Serena Camp
Responded 11 Feb 2020
Thank you for taking time to review us.We are humbled and really impressed that you had the best stay with us in our absolutely perfect Camp! We note that you got a chance to sample our experiences including cooking lessons,massages (by Dorcus),sundowner up on the cliff and taking part in our environmental conservation programmes by engaging in tree planting and enjoyed every moment. We are delighted that you liked our appointed accommodations,breathtaking views, sit down menus and got a real taste of our cuisine and impeccable service! We will share the great feedback with our Chef and his team.Your strong recommendation is highly appreciated.We look forward to hosting you soon again. Best Regards, Richard Kipngeno
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One of the best Serena hotel. Staff always serve with a smile. Rooms (luxury tent) are large, clean with two showers ! (Best hot showers we have had to day). All tents face the lake. Clean, well thought room. Hot water bottles for cold nights. Sumptuous food. The chef definitely cooks fresh, wholesome meals. The horse riding is highly recommended for getting close to the animals. Sunset is spectacular from the top of the cliff. Surprisingly our car was washed. Eco friendly. Definitely exceeded our expectations. Zebras grazing just outside the tents. Kudos to the Serena team!!!
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Date of stay: August 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from LakeElmenteita Serena, General Manager at Lake Elmenteita Serena Camp
Responded 02 Oct 2021
Thank you for the wonderful review. Reviews such as this keep us smiling all the time as we serve our customers. We can't wait to host you back. Thank you, Elizabeth Njeri. Camp Manager.
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Thoroughly enjoyed my short stay here. While they say it is a "tent" these are very spacious and luxurious accommodations. The grounds are nicely maintained and they arranged a hike / nature walk for me outside of the "wire" and provided the needed protection from the animals. The food was delicious and the staff caring and helpful. By all means stay here!
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Date of stay: November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Elizabeth Njeri, General Manager at Lake Elmenteita Serena Camp
Responded 24 Nov 2022
Thank you for the recommendation. We are happy you took part in our various activities including the hike and Nature walk along the Lake. We are delighted you loved our food and found our staff to be caring and helpful. We hope to host you some other time, hopefully soon. Regards, Elizabeth Njeri. Camp Manager.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Elizabeth Njeri, General Manager at Lake Elmenteita Serena Camp
Responded 09 Dec 2023
Thank you for the recommendation and taking the time to write about your experience. We are delighted to note that you loved the camp set up and enjoyed our food offers, service and the different activities that the Camp has to offer . We look forward to your next visit. Regards, Elizabeth Njeri. Camp Manager.
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I was delighted by our sleeping room and the adjoining patio in the evening. Snacks & cakes in the bar in the afternoon, always bar service and terrific menu for hot prepared meals. Gracious staff with a little problem getting our "same day" laundry service delivered the same day after 2 follow ups. The pool closes at sunset which makes it hard to enjoy if you're on a game drive twice a day. The flamingos in the lake are at quite a distance but it is a pleasant vista. Unfortunately, you cannot walk up closer to it. I would skip the cooking class if offered...bit silly. The absolute best part was the parade of singing and decorated cake for our anniversary celebration! I will never forget it nor will the other people in our group. They hosted a "sundowner" reception on the cliff with appetizers, a full bar and entertainment. It was terrific.
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Date of stay: May 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Elizabeth Njeri, General Manager at Lake Elmenteita Serena Camp
Responded 01 Sept 2023
Thank you for taking the time to write about your experience. We are delighted to note you enjoyed our food and found our team to be gracious. We apologize we were not able to meet your expectations on the laundry and we assure you that has since been addressed. We hope to host you soon. Regards, Elizabeth Njeri. Camp Manager.
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We went to this property for a family weekend and everything was perfect from the start. The communication during the reservation to our arrival at the lodge continued through the stay. The staff were very accommodating and polite and went out of their way to ensure our comfort. I would like to mention Eduard, Cecelia and Weldon who stole our hearts during our stay with their kind service. The chef also prepared meals on request for us on different occasions. The Serena team kept the place very clean and we felt safe and comfortable despite the COVID situation. This property is located very strategically hence offers magnificent views of lake elementaita and sleeping warrior hills. I cannot express enough how happy we were. This is a property one MUST visit!
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Date of stay: October 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from LakeElmenteita Serena, General Manager at Lake Elmenteita Serena Camp
Responded 17 Oct 2020
Thank you for the recommendation and the amazing review. We are glad our team made your stay memorable, we shall make sure to commend the team. We note that you felt safe despite the COVID 19 situation, we assure our staff and guest of safety during these tough times. Thank you and we hope we shall get another chance to be of service to you. Regards, Elizabeth Njeri. Camp Manager
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There are more places to choose from in the Lake Elementaita area.
PRICE RANGE
RÂ 8,479 - RÂ 12,186 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
KenyaRift Valley ProvinceLake Elementaita
NUMBER OF ROOMS
25
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect average nightly room rates, including taxes and fees that are fixed, known to our partners, and due at time of booking. Please see our partners for more details.
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