Demand for presidential-style villas in the Maasai Mara is on the rise, but it is no longer driven solely by the A-list celebrities who occasionally visit Kenya. Instead, wealthy families travelling with grandparents, parents and children are emerging as the biggest customers.
Now lodges are responding to the growing demand by building standalone villas set apart from the main accommodation to give the guests more privacy.
The spacious residences come with multiple bedrooms and bathrooms, dining areas and private lounges, and some with bullet-proof windows.
“High-net-worth travellers remain an important market, but the demand is no longer driven solely by VIP guests. There is consistent demand from multi-generational travellers who are looking for family suites. They increasingly value privacy, exclusivity and experiences tailored specifically to them.
” Whether they are celebrating a honeymoon, travelling with extended family or marking a special occasion,” said Mike Vroom, chief operating officer at Hemingways Collection, which runs a tented camp, Ol Seki Hemingways in Naboisho Conservancy.
Mohammed Hersi, director of operations at Pollmans Tours and Safaris and former chairman of the Kenya Tourism Federation, adds:
“Kenya is attracting what we call FITs (fully independent travellers). Recently, we have also seen many solo travellers, both male and female. We are also seeing many older couples who travel with a grandchild, leaving their children behind to work while the grandparents explore the world with the younger generation.”
In the wilderness, however, the concept of a presidential suite looks very different from that of a five-star city hotel. Most are marketed as family tents or private villas, but they come with all the trappings of luxury: multiple bedrooms, jacuzzis and outdoor bathrooms, dining areas, private decks offering uninterrupted views of the savannah, and dedicated staff.
“We’re talking about [a villa] nothing less than 3,000 square feet. You can expect an outdoor shower as well as an indoor bathtub and a standard indoor shower. There is also a well-stocked bar with premium beverage brands and dedicated butler service. Wherever you look, somebody is waiting to serve you. Furthermore, when hosting VIPs, security is enhanced, just like in city hotels. When you enter a presidential villa, you often have separate, secure entrances,” says Mr Hersi.
Mr Vroom agrees the concept of luxury changes in the wilderness. And unlike city hotels, the safari market has evolved towards exclusive-use villas, private safari homes and intimate, ultra-luxury camps.
“What sets these villas apart is their location within the private conservancies where low visitor numbers create a quieter, more exclusive safari experience. For us, luxury in the bush isn’t about having the largest suite; it’s about having the freedom to experience the wilderness exactly as you choose, while knowing your stay contributes to conservation and the communities that protect it,” he says.
He adds: “At Hemingways Ol Seki Mara, for instance, the Chui and Simba villas are standalone within the private Naboisho Conservancy [which is 50,000 acres with about nine tented camps and has one of the high density of big cats, such as lions and cheetahs.]. Each villa has two bedrooms, spacious living and dining areas, expansive verandas and a private plunge pool.”
The Presidential Suite/Villa is modelled on the traditional manyatta, with a grass-covered roof that acts as a cooling system, reducing reliance on energy-intensive climate control while maintaining guest comfort. They excavated the ground to create additional space so as to preserve the Mara’s integrity, where no building should be taller than a tree.
Photo credit: Pool
Anything from Sh524,000 a night to Sh3.6 million a night, depending on the lodge, peak or low season and the number of guests.
What they are paying for isn’t really the spacious villa alone; it is the “itineraries built around the tourist’s interests, whether that’s photography, conservation, wellness, family travel or exclusive wildlife encounters. Private guides, exclusive-use vehicles, flexible dining and personalised experiences have become key expectations for today’s luxury safari traveller,” says Mr Vroom.
As visitor numbers to the Maasai Mara decline, tourism experts say the reserve has an opportunity to attract more high-paying travellers looking for quieter, less crowded safari experiences.
According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics’ Economic Survey 2026, the number of visitors to the Mara dropped sharply from about 420,000 in 2023 to 213,000 last year.
Pristine Mara Bay is among the latest to add a presidential villa in the Mara to cater for the new discerning guest.
Opened in July 2025, it has a house with six bedrooms, which come complete with bulletproof windows, an infinity pool, and an underground floor. The villa goes for Sh1.9 million.
Designed with conservation in mind, the hotel is built using locally collected stone, helping it blend into the surrounding wilderness.
“One of the regulations in Maasai Mara is that structures cannot be built higher than the trees. However, we wanted a unique lounge, compared to other properties. We excavated the area to create an ambient staircase. We built just one floor above ground and created underground space for the lounge. In the open spaces, we have used bulletproof, reinforced glass,” says Ronald Leyian, group general manager of Pristine Mara Bay Lodge.
Ronald Leyian, the Group General Manager Pristine Mara Bay Lodge.
Photo credit: Sila Kiplagat | Nation Media Group
Unlike other lodges that have decks outside the tents for animal sightings or sundowner dinners, Pristine has a roof-top garden. “Up on the roof, we have a small garden on a light roofing structure with grass on top. Some areas are accessible, allowing guests to walk up.”
Defending the villa’s eco-conscious architectural design, Mr Leyian explains that extensive research went into the structures.
“The Maasai people have lived in harmony with nature for as long as history has recorded. When researching what kind of structures to build here, one of our primary inspirations was the traditional Manyatta house. This heavily inspired the design.
“The rooftop garden design serves a dual purpose: it blends into the landscape and naturally cools the structure, ensuring no direct heat penetrates the rooms. In the luxury hotels market, the most difficult challenge is seamlessly combining a beautiful natural location with great design. Our greatest achievement has been bridging those elements.”
Demand for this villa has been steady throughout the years: “Our occupancy is at 40 percent at any given time,” he says, of the lodge which installed 1,300 solar panels alongside a power bank system that can store up to 1.2 megawatts of electricity. “Power runs seamlessly 24 hours a day.”
