Betty-the-giraffe was born in 2000 and came to Giraffe Manor in 2002. She is one of the smallest and prettiest giraffes here but she is also the shyest. Betty is named after Betty Leslie-Melville, otherwise known as “The Giraffe Lady”. Betty Leslie-Melville and her husband Jock purchased the manor in the 1970s and she always said that the purchase of the stately home in a leafy suburb of Nairobi changed her life. The same week that the couple moved in to the manor, they learned about the plight of the Rothschild Giraffe and decided to do whatever they could to conserve them. Today, the breeding & conservation program that continues on the grounds of the manor remains Betty’s legacy.In the room named after Betty, you will find Betty’s portrait hanging on the wall. It is a lovely, 32 square-metre south-facing room in the original manor house which was built in 1932. It has a king-size bed, fireplace and adjoining balcony from which the giraffes can be fed. The en-suite bathroom remains to this day in its original, quirky Art Deco style. We have opted not to modernize it as we prefer to embrace the period feel and protect the heritage of the building since so few tributes to Kenya’s past architecture remain. This room cannot be made into a twin and is therefore ideal for couples..

Daisy II was named after the original Daisy Rothschild, who was hand-raised by Jock and Betty Leslie-Melville. Her last calf, Ibrahim, was born in October 2011. Helen, her daughter, was born right here in front of the Manor in August 2009. She also had other calves like Frank who was released at two years of age into Lake Nakuru National Park in December 2008. The Leslie-Melvilles wrote a book about their experience with the first giraffe, “Raising Daisy Rothschild”, which became an international bestseller and helped to raise money to move the last of the extremely endangered Rothschild herd to the safety of Kenya’s national parks. There have since been two more Daisys at the Manor and it is Daisy IV who remains with us today. She was born in August 2009 and is identifiable by her right ear which is missing its pointed tip.

Jock-the-giraffe was named after Jock Leslie-Melville; he lived to be 22 years-old, 19 feet-tall and was responsible for fathering over twenty calves, most of which have now been successfully released into Kenya’s national parks. He sadly passed away in July 2009. This lovely south-facing room is still frequented by giraffes looking for treats in the early morning hours. There are pellets in the room from which the giraffes can be fed from the window just like the Leslie-Melvilles once did with the very first giraffes they raised at the Manor. From Jock’s room you can also see the Giraffe Center, headquarters for the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (AFEW), which was founded by Jock when he bought the Manor in the 1970s.

Back in 1932 when the manor was built as a private residence, the rooms were naturally built according to the original family’s needs and in keeping with the style of a traditional Scottish hunting lodge. Some rooms are therefore large and stately, whilst others are more modest in size. Marlon’s room is a small standard double/twin room, measuring approximately 92 square-feet in size. It is a side-facing room in the main manor and is not dissimilar to the sort of hotel room one would find in a major European city like Paris or Rome. Historically, Marlon did not have its own en suite facilities and, like many homes of the day, children or guests would use the water closet across the hall.

Lynn’s room is named after a giraffe who was, for many years, the guardian of our herd of Rothschild’s Giraffes. She was born in 1996 and was blessed with five calves while here at the sanctuary. She was kind, solid and reliable. Lynn, who sadly died in 2015, was named after Lynn Sherr, the award-winning news correspondent for the ABC news programme 20/20, who is also an avid admirer of giraffes and has often stayed at the Manor. Sherr’s book, “Tall Blondes”, illustrates her love and knowledge of the animals and, in our view, is the definitive work on giraffe. The room of the same name is located on the top floor of the Main Manor and, back when the residence was built in 1932, it would have served as the room for a nanny, child or visiting guest. The bedroom itself is relatively small at 15 square-metres with a beautiful, four-poster king-sized bed dominating the space.

Karen Blixen came to Kenya from Denmark to marry her friend, Baron Bror von Blixen Fincke, and start a dairy farm. When she arrived in the country, however, she found, much to her surprise, that the Baron had invested in coffee instead. Whilst her attempts at growing coffee heartbreakingly failed, her courage, incredible fortitude and kindness to her Kikuyu workers, as well as her amazing grace in defeat, earned her enormous respect from the local people. As the area in which she once lived became more developed, the district of Karen was named after her. The Danish government gave Blixen’s house to the Kenyan government as an independence gift in 1964. In 1985 when her autobiography, “Out of Africa”, became an Academy Award-winning Hollywood film, the house was turned into a museum. The dressing table and cupboard in the Karen Blixen Family Room at Giraffe Manor were part of Karen Blixen’s original guest bedroom suite. The mother of Jock Leslie-Melville (who bought the manor in the 1970s) was a friend of Karen’s and the furniture was given to her as a parting gift when Karen returned to Denmark in 1931.

Helen the Giraffe was born in front of the Manor on 1 August 2009 but she sadly passed away in May 2015. Helen was a natural leader but she was also extremely naughty! She was the daughter of Daisy II. Helen was named after a catholic sister who was a friend of Betty Leslie-Melville who bought the manor with her husband Jock in the 1970s and began the giraffe breeding program. Sister Helen was based in Tanzania and was responsible for bringing Betty to Africa for the first time. At 43 square-metres, this large corner room in the Garden Manor is one of the most spacious and is often visited by hungry giraffes looking for treats in the morning. Guests who stay here are most welcome to feed them from Helen’s windows before breakfast. The room has two four-poster beds which can be put together to make a large double bed or separated for two singles. The room is large enough to accommodate a small extra bed for a child or baby cot if required upon request.

Kelly-the-giraffe was born in Nakuru National Park and was brought to the Giraffe Center in 2002. She is nicknamed Grace Kelly due to her aloof and graceful nature! She is easily recognizable due to her light coat and large ossicone on her forehead. She is often the first to arrive for treats and the last to leave and she has become infamous as the resident “head-butter” so one needs to be careful to always stay in front of her. Kelly was named after Kelly O’Connell, an avid US-based wildlife supporter and one of the directors of The African Fund Endangered Wildlife (AFEW). Kelly’s room is located upstairs in the Garden Manor, is approximately 45 square-metres in size and is beautifully appointed with traditional cane furnishings and a striking stained-glass wall in the bathroom.

The giraffe named Arlene was born in June 1994 but sadly passed away due to natural causes in early April 2012. She was petite in size but that did not deter her from sharing her affection with visitors. Arlene was named after Arlene Burzinski who was head of the British Airways Conservation projects which provide the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (AFEW) with a tremendous amount of funding and support.

Salma-the-giraffe was born here at Giraffe Manor in November 2011. She is Betty’s daughter and although she is friendly, she is also a bit shy and we attribute this to the fact that she was attacked by a lion that had wandered away from Nairobi National Park when she was only a year old. Salma still bears the scars of this attack and is one tough lady who has also survived the unfortunate loss of two calves, both of whom died shortly after they were born. Salma’s room is amongst the newest rooms at the manor having been recently built and added to the Garden Manor section of the property in April 2017. It is located on the top floor of the Garden Manor section of the property and enjoys south-facing views over the lunch courtyard & sanctuary forest beyond. The room is 35 square-metres and can be either a double or a twin.

Edd-the-giraffe, son to Jock & Lynn, was born here at Giraffe Manor in July 2011 and is now the dominant male and father to all the young calves presently roaming the sanctuary grounds. He enjoys being fed from Jock’s room more than anywhere else and is a gentle giant who will happily welcome a hug in exchange for a few pellets. He is easily recognizable as the largest giraffe here and by the way his offspring hurry out of the way in deference to him when he arrives on scene. Edd’s room is amongst the newest rooms at the manor having been recently built and added to the Garden Manor section of the property in April 2017. It is a ground-floor room of 39 square-metres with striking stained-glass windows above an enormous super-king-size bed. There is also a sofa in the room which can pull out into a bed for a child if needed.

In 1911, Denys Finch Hatton travelled to British East Africa with money left to him by his deceased uncle. He bought some land on the western side of the Rift Valley near what is now Eldoret. He met Karen Blixen at the Muthaiga Club in 1918 and when Karen got divorced in 1925, Denys moved into her house where he lived until a few weeks before his final flight in May 1931 when he crashed his beloved Gypsy Moth in Tsavo National Park. As per Finch Hatton’s wishes, Blixen buried him in the Ngong Hills. The room named after him is on the ground floor of the Garden Manor from where you’ll often see the legs of our spotted residents when you open the curtains in the early morning as they come looking for treats from the rooms above and the adjoining dining room.

Enjoy a romantic dinner in the orchid house, which makes for one of the few places in the world where you can enjoy a delicious gourmet supper in the company of a rare selection of sweet smelling orchids bathed in candlelight.

Enjoy a candle-lit dinner in Giraffe Manor’s wood-panelled dining room.

The Giraffe Manor offers an unparalleled dining experience. Guests can expect to dine with the giraffes who often pop their heads in for a tasty treat at breakfast, lunch and dinner.Breakfasts can be enjoyed in the sunroom while dinner is in the cosy drawing room with roaring fire. Alternatively, guests can enjoy romantic dinners under the stars on the outdoor terrace. Home cooked meals are the order of the day at Giraffe Manor with traditional meals served with a touch of modern edge.Share the most important meal of the day with the most unique guests only at Giraffe Manor.Enjoy lunch on the terrace with amazing views of the Ngong Hills in perfect weather.

Our treatment room offers a selection of massage and beauty treatments designed to restore your body’s natural balance and soothe away your stresses.