Mara Serena Safari Lodge

I wish there were enough words to explain how magical Mara Serena Lodge is! From the moment you enter the lobby to the second you leave, staying here is nothing short of spectacular. This was the first stop on our honeymoon and it couldn’t have been more special. We stayed for 5 nights. It was deep in the heart of the reserve and the views from the room/pool were spectacular. We saw a river crossing and a pride of lions from the swimming pool and the migration of hundreds of zebras from the lobby balcony. Our top tip would be to bring binoculars - you’ll use them ALL the time! The food is fantastic. I had seen some criticisms about the food being repetitive but this wasn’t my experience at all. Everyday - 3 meals a day(!) - the kitchen team turned out so much delicious food. The Indian food in particular was so good - the chilli sauce properly spicy and phenomenal dal!l This was partnered by wonderfully warm and hospitable front of house staff - a particular shout out to Jeremiah and Ann in the restaurant/bar and Leshane by the pool. Nothing was ever too much to ask. The rooms - whilst a little small - were beautifully designed with a very comfortable bed and impeccable housekeeping service. Festas and Richard were fantastic. And then the main event - the safari. We’d initially only booked in for one safari drive per day but after first meeting Dedan, we immediately switched to two drives per day. To say Dedan and Alex were experts who went above and beyond would be underselling the experience they offer to clients. They know the Mara so well and are in constant communication with other drivers and rangers to ensure a great drive whilst remaining respectful of the environment. We managed to see the big 5 (up close!), some cheetahs eating their breakfast, and a zebra crossing. I so hope we get to return to this special place again in the future, and I’d encourage everyone else to visit in the meantime! Thank you to all who made our stay so special!

If I were to offer one piece of feedback it would be that whilst the bathrooms were always kept very clean - they’re quite old and tired. If the shower was updated to something more modern, I wouldn’t have a single complaint from our whole stay.

The location is stunning, the views are incredible and it’s extremely comfortable, clean. The staff, especially Duncan is very accommodating and hats off to Wilson for being the best game drive guide. I loved that the team was very attentive to any request at any time.

Getting a response from the team was hard via booking.com or their phone number. Need to improve this to guide people better on how to get to the hotel or any other questions

The Rooms, the location, the staffs, the safari games, and the view. Everything was great overall.

They did not refill or restock some stuff in the room like distilled water, the insect repellent wipes, and when I asked for a dental tool kit (actually I only asked for toothpaste) they said they don’t provide it to guests and I can buy it from the souvenir shop. For the price paid per night I think these things should be restocked and refilled, and they should provide a dental tool kit.

Habitaciónes muy cómodas y excelente atención

El desayuno muy básico, el almuerzo no lo probamos pero la cena sí es excelente.

Everything.

Nothing.