JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge

In one word: wow. We have just wrapped up 5 nights at the JWMMM and it exceeded all of my expectations. The property is beautiful, comfortable, and well located -- but what really makes the experience here is the staff. They have really nailed the delicate balance of delivering excellent service but without it feeling overly formal and manufactured. Everyone was so warm, friendly, and engaging (but not so much that I, as an introvert, felt uncomfortable). A few standouts to mention: - Noah in the Fig Tree restaurant was our server for nearly every meal we had. He always had a smile on his face and I'm pretty sure I gained a few extra pounds thanks to his insistence that I add a starter or dessert.. or both to each meal. - Dr. Victor behind the bar will make sure your glass is never empty. I loved the signature cocktails offered, but also went off menu a few times and Dr. Victor was happy to oblige. - Nelson, our room attendant, always made sure we had fresh towels, a minibar stocked with whatever we desired, nightly turndown service, and -- the absolute GOAT amenity -- daily laundry service. He also left us lovely notes each day, which was over the top. - Josiah at the coffee bar made sure that we had a cup of coffee and our choice of pastries even at 5:30am (the blueberry muffins are the best!), but his real talent is in leading the group in a raucous rendition of Jambo Bwana to celebrate guests' birthdays -- don't let his quiet demeanor fool you, he has a pair of lungs on him! - Resident photographer Moses in the Canon studio equipped us with high end cameras that allowed us to capture the best photos I've ever taken. This not only meant we have so many great photos, but the experience of having the camera and the challenge of trying to get the best shots made the game drives so much more engaging than they otherwise would have been. But it's not just the equipment -- Moses was always on hand to offer helpful tips for how to get betters shots, both in terms of using the camera and framing our shots. He also reviewed our photos, offered feedback, and at the end of the trip edited a selection of our best shots. Thanks to Moses, I feel like I got to live my childhood dream of being a National Geographic photographer. - Last, but certainly not least, our guide Joseph stole the show. From the moment we stepped onto the airstrip on day 1, until the moment we departed, Joseph was with us making sure we had the best experience. But more than that, he knows his stuff. His love of the wildlife, sharp eye, and skill with the Land Cruiser meant we not only got to see the Big 5 and then some, but also that more often that not we were the first ones to spot the animal and, even when that wasn't the case, somehow Joseph always managed to angle our vehicle such that we were able to get a great view. His sixth sense for where the animals might be, and they might react in any given situation was truly remarkable. There's more to say, and more people

We had an absolutely amazing trip to the JW Masai Mara. We saved up our Marriott points for 2 years in order to go and it was worth every point! The resort is truly luxurious and the service is top notch. The staff will help you arrange everything you need leading up to the trip and are extremely responsive. Shout outs to -Nicholas: An absolutely amazing guide and storyteller. He was extremely knowledgeable and authentic. He was very patient with everyone's questions. -Festus: Our second guide after Nicholas had to step away, was the rhino whisperer! He found an elusive rhino when our group made it clear this was a priority. He found the rhino laying down in the middle of a herd of buffalo. He was the first guide to spot it that day. Everyone in our group was ecstatic. -Naicherwa: Our sweet and helpful server. She always remembered our preferences. -Victor: Our favorite bartender. His positive energy, good vibes, knowledge and story sharing was awesome. He also made great drinks. -Patrick, Josiah, and Richard: Also great bartenders who were very personable and professional. Josiah was very light hearted and fun at the sundowner! -Moses and Felix: So kind and helpful with the camera and photos. We love our professional looking photos from the resort's cameras and we couldn't have done it without their help. -Ivy at the spa was amazing and I thoroughly enjoyed my spa treatments Tips for future travelers: -If you go in "summer" (May - September) - bring warm clothes! The first hour of the morning drive and the last hour of the evening drive was truly chilly. I thought about bringing my winter knit hat but didn't and regretted it. My ears were pretty cold at times and my safari hat was not doing it. Bring layers, the temperature at the beginning and end of every drive are vastly different and you want to be able to go up or down. -A full day private game drive seems unnecessary on several levels. We expressed interest in one, but after we explained to our guide that the reason was to see a "crossing" he explained that there were actually no crossings currently happening. Further, if we wanted to see the big river we could propose to our jeep group we have a longer morning drive to do this and then shorten the afternoon drive, which everyone readily agreed too. So we got to go to the river without an all day drive. Also, the animal activity during the middle of the day is pretty low. Mornings and evenings are the best time (considering night drives are not allowed). Finally, it is just a really long day to sit for hours in the jeep. Even if I wanted the privacy of a private driver I would still ask them to go back to the resort mid day. -Definitely use the resort's high tech cameras. This is a huge benefit of the resort and is baked into the rate so not using it is missing out. They charge only $25 for use of high tech cameras and huge lenses. But basically if you keep the camera on "auto" you don't have to do much to get really professiona

The JW Marriott is an awesome property set in Mara. The location is very convenient to seeing all parts of Mara. What sets apart this property is the staff! They provide a very individualized service and each detail is taken care of. The food is amazing and chef will prepare any additional requests. I highly recommend visiting this lodge if you plan a Mara vacation.

Amazing safari experience and an immersive service at the lodge. We couldn’t be happier with our trip, we saw the big 5 and many other animals, were treated amazingly by all staff, and cannot wait to return. I cannot recommend the staff enough, Victor’s cocktails, Patrick’s service, Allan’s guiding , and Milton rescheduling our itinerary as plans changed. Lastly, the onsite nurse was very helpful and appreciated. Allan really worked to make sure our safari group was cohesive and fun. He listened to what we wanted to see and somehow made it happen!

This lodge and experience exceeded our expectations in every aspect. The facilities, i.e. the common areas, and the tent suites were 12 out of 10. The staff aims and delivers in providing excellent service, from arrival at the air ***** to departure, everybody was extremely accommodating. Particularly: Erik, our game drive guide Stephen, general manager Milton, at the reception area Diana, also front desk and host Uttam, the chef Benjamin, our main waiter Victor, also waiter Dewy and Ivy, at the Spa Agnes, house keeping Ronald at the JW Garden (check it out!) The lodge, safari vehicles and tent suites were smart and thoughtfully designed. All civilized comforts were readily accessible. The best experience!

The entire property and staff work together to make an incredible experience for the guests. The rooms are gorgeous and comfortable. The entire staff goes out of their way to make sure that you have whatever you need when you need it and accommodate all sorts of requests. All the food, game drives and experiences are included. The guides for the game drives are so knowledgeable and share so much insight. The ability to rent a professional camera and get help with it made for incredible pictures for our family. Everything here works so well that going to another place afterwards was a tough transition. From pick up at the airstrip until the farewell it’s all perfect.