When Sawela Lodges asked us to visit their beautiful lodge…
And so on a slightly chilly Friday afternoon we set off for Naivasha with the city slowly fading into smaller and smaller towns. It is almost impossible to ignore the breathtaking escarpment at View Point; so we had to stop and take it all in before we continued to Naivasha. And that view never gets old.
Sawela Lodges is just a 2 hour drive away from Nairobi, so by 3pm we had arrived at the lodge. Even the gloomy weather could not dampen the cheerful mood of the staff; everyone was so upbeat! Nobody likes to be kept waiting at the reception so thankfully, check-in was swift and we were soon headed to the room with Leshan our porter and our luggage in tow.
Our room was jaw-dropping gorgeous! Can you believe that we had our own lounge? With such comfy seats and a huge flat screen TV. Somewhere you can relax and cozy up with your spouse or just watch some TV. At the far end of the lounge, was a sliding door that led to a spacious room.
The décor in the other room was exquisite you could tell that a lot of thought had gone into putting the pieces together; from the lampshade which resembled a branch to the design on the headboard. Sawela Lodges has really gone all out with their new rooms.
And when we go to the bathroom we were blown away! There was a huge and very inviting bathtub; perfect for soaking in after a long wedding day. And if you prefer a shower, there was a spacious one with glass doors and a rain shower head.
It was soon time for dinner, so after freshening up we were off to the restaurant. Nothing could have prepared us for the delectable meals at the buffet table. We started with some delicious tomato soup, followed by saffron rice, roast chicken, braised lamb and vegetables. Just the thought of it is making me hungry. To finish off our dinner we had chocolate cake and fruits. Chef Kennedy was spoiling us rotten!
When you are used to the noise and sounds of the city you might forget what peace and quiet sounds like. That night at Sawela Lodges, we fell asleep to the sound of serenity.
The next morning we woke up to the sound of birds chirping. I drew the blinds to watch Sawela slowly stir to life. There is nothing like a great cup of coffee to start the day, so we just had to have some coffee during breakfast. And then we moved on to bacon, sausages, cereal and yoghurt. One of the best things about the restaurant, other than the food, is that there are glass walls all around bringing in the natural light and allowing you to look at the gorgeous lawn as you dine.
Later that morning we took a walk to the lake. As we walked beside Joakim, the in-house naturalist, he pointed out various birds and told us intriguing facts about them. If you love bird-watching, you will love the variety of birds at Sawela Lodges and the vast knowledge Joakim has. We got to the lake and stood there looking out into the horizon. If you are a couple on honeymoon or holiday be sure to plan for a boat ride.
It was now time for lunch and once again the chefs had gone above and beyond. There was a spread that can only be described as scrumptious. We started with butternut soup and then later on we had potato wedges and some tender, juicy, fall-off-the-bone pork.
We were looking forward to a lazy afternoon relaxing at the lounge but if you have the energy for it, now would be a good time to take dip in the swimming pool. Or you could take one of the bikes at Sawela Lodges and go on a ride on the expansive lodge. We later stopped by the kids play area and wondered whether the term ‘kids’ also covered ‘kids at heart’ because that play area was designed to thrill!
It was time to leave for the city. Our hearts were full. We had enjoyed a restful time at Sawela Lodges and we vowed to return.