Two things make Kenya a special destination. First, the country's glorious variety of ecosystems and habitats - from tropical reef and grassland savannah to semi-desert and glacial equator snows. What African country has more? Second, the splendid choice of accommodation and facilities. Excellent hotels and lodges, luxury tented camps, tropical beach resorts, island retreats, distinctive private homes and exclusive hideaways are part of the rich diversity Kenya offers.

This depth of choice has come about because Kenya has been a major destination for safaris for over thirty years. Following independence in 1963 its mixed economy encouraged entrepreneurial investment. Avoiding the political stagnation and armed conflicts which have plagued neighbouring countries, it got on with the job of creating a really competent tourism industry.

The depth of Kenya's facilities is impressive. There really is something for everybody: well established hotels and lodges in the best traditions; tented camps with the comfort of lodges but the frisson of sleeping under canvas; mobile tented camps set up for particular groups - some luxurious, others budget; luxury hideaways where exclusivity reigns; private homes which welcome guests (and I don't mean bed and breakfast British style).

This huge range of options is available in every environment from the coast to islands in Lake Victoria; from sea level to 8,000 feet; from grassland teeming with game to the land of camels and nomads. And most of it is accessible by air.

Nairobi

In this cosmopolitan city all the good hotels have swimming pools, room service, a choice of restaurants, satellite TV and warm, professional service. For my money, the very best currently available is the Norfolk. Founded 100 years ago this is the oldest hotel in inland Kenya and has unique character and ambience. If you prefer a latter-day design go for the impeccably managed Nairobi Serena Hotel - flagship of the excellent Serena Group. Stylish and modern with a beautiful pool and magnificent health centre this would rate as a good hotel in any city. Other first class inner city hotels include Hilton International, the Intercontinental, The Stanley (recently extensively refurbished to five star standards) and the Grand Regency. Only a ten-minute taxi ride away, a wide choice of lower-priced but still good hotels includes The Panafric, the Mayfair, the Landmark and The Fairview.

Lodges

The backbone of Kenya's wildlife safari industry consists of lodges accommodating 100-150 guests in en suite cottages with a central dining area, bar, swimming pool and boutique. Such lodges ensure comfortable living in the best game viewing areas. Among the prime companies operating in Kenya is the Serena Group, which has consistently applied high standards of design and management to create a model chain of properties, which give access to the prime wildlife destinations of Amboseli, Samburu and the Masai Mara. Two recent additions - Kilaguni in Tsavo West and Mountain Lodge on the slopes of Mount Kenya - are already benefiting from Serena standards and expertise.

Permanent Tented Camps

Back in the late 1970s, Tanzania slammed its northern border shut and caused a sudden upsurge in demand for beds in Kenya. This gave rise to a number of so-called Permanent Tented Camps offering all the facilities of a stone-built lodge but using spacious tents built on permanent platforms, instead of cottages. En suite bathrooms with hot showers and flushing toilets, along with electricity, real beds and good furniture, ensure that visitors enjoy the thrill of sleeping under canvas with no loss of comfort. There are a string of companies which run successful tented camps and lodges: Lonrho, Block and Sarova are all good. Governor's Camp and Kichwa Tembo in the Mara are justifiably well known. Finch Hatton's in Tsavo West offers impeccable food served with cut glass and silver.

There are scores of others: some run by family concerns with a conservation label, some on private ranches. A relatively recent development is the opening of small, luxury camps, which try to dazzle clients by providing immense tents equipped with lifestyle designer fittings, Olympic size showers and the promise of gourmet food. Here, you are pushing US$1,000 a day (double) so try to get some first-hand advice, and ask about the camp vehicles. These may not be as new as the tents.

What is emerging is a sort of A, B, C system in tented camps: good, excellent and superb. The recently re-named Heritage Group now designate their camps along these lines as Voyager, Intrepids and Explorer. As the price goes up the size of the camp is reduced and the tents get bigger. Voyager camps in Tsavo West and the Masai Mara charge US$210 per double. Their Intrepids properties in Samburu and the Masai Mara, with around 50 beds, are outstanding camps on great sites. These sell at US$300 to $515 per double depending on the season. The new Explorer camp, pitched on a bend of the Talek River in the Masai Mara, aims to be sumptuous and exclusive with just eight tents. Abercrombie & Kent's Olonana Camp on the western side of the Masai Mara is another example of this type of luxury camp with twelve very spacious tents pitched on the river bank close to a Maasai village only two miles outside the reserve.

Be careful to decide your own priorities when choosing the level of accommodation. Don't forget that many of the older lodges, established 20 or 30 years ago, have the real-estate aces of "location, location, location". The old-time wardenswho chose these sites really knew what they were doing and selected the very best wildlife areas.

Today this paradox affects many parts of Africa. The finest game viewing areas are popular and attract many cars and visitors. This is true in Amboseli and the Masai Mara in Kenya; Etosha in Namibia; Moremi and Chobe in Botswana; Ngorongoro in Tanzania. But don't let snide remarks about minibuses stop you enjoying these prime areas where you really will see fantastic wildlife.

Small, luxury hideaways

If it's solitude you crave, let me emphasise that Kenya's huge perspectives can give you this as well. Being twice as big as Great Britain, New Zealand or Italy - the same size as Texas - Kenya has the space to cater for all tastes. Small, exclusive and luxurious properties are available in many parts of the country. Most can be reached by air and they offer a different, more personal experience for the well-heeled, second- or third-time visitor to Kenya. The best are exquisitely tasteful, individual properties full of character. Some are almost works of art, full of clever ingenuity. There are dozens, but two stand out.

Elsa's Kopje is a tiny new lodge in Meru National Park. Long neglected after bandit problems years ago, Meru is now making a comeback. Clinging to a rocky hillside, this delightful property of just eight cottages makes tasteful use of thatch, wood and stone. Each cottage is unique and open-sided to enjoy the vast views. Nets keep you safe from bugs at night; there is a small pool and gorgeous food. On our drives last September we saw no other cars and felt as though we owned the whole 1200km2 of Park with its vigorous streams, graceful palms and layered views of the foothills of Mount Kenya.

Kilalinda on the edge of Tsavo East is another dream home come true: charming stone cottages on the banks of the Athi River, breakfast in a tree-house in a baobab, with great food and friend-of-the-family service; in the evening a sundowner with views over 4600km2 of Tsavo East from the rim of the Yatta plateau. Such properties offer guided walks, and 4x4 game viewing. You will enjoy peace in the wilderness, but you won't have the spectacular sightings of huge numbers of animals that you can still find close to the older, larger properties set inside the major National Parks and Reserves.

Mobile Safaris

Mobile camping can also put you in the wide-open spaces, but be careful what you choose. A good outfit will have spacious tents, real beds, cold drinks, hot showers, waiter service and wonderful food. Overland trucks will have backpacker tents, no cold drinks, you will wash in the river and pay less than a tenth of the price. Ask specific questions before you book.

The Coast

On Kenya's coast the same wide variety applies, although some hotels have suffered badly due to recent drops in sales. Now desperate for business, they are offering incredible deals. But lack of revenue means they have not been refurbished lately and standards may have fallen. The more substantial companies with several properties up-country are probably the safest choice.

For resort type hotels with big pools, windsurfing and scuba diving, I would suggest the stylish Serena Beach, the revamped Voyager or Whitesands. Here the hotel watchmen shield you from beach-boy hawkers and you can enjoy a range of activities close to Mombasa with its old stone town.

If you want something more exclusive try Hemingway's, where deep-sea fishing is an option. On Lamu Island you can be Robinson Crusoe in the palm thatch cottages of Kipungani with fresh fish for every meal. Or Pinewood Village offers two kilometres of pristine deserted white sand on Galu Beach - the last beach on Kenya's south coast.

Published in Travel Africa Edition Fifteen: Spring 2001 Text is subject to Worldwide Copyright (c)