Sweetwaters Tented Camp :: Serena Hotels :: Holiday Destinations

About Sweetwaters Tented Camp :

Sweetwaters Tented Camp lies in the heart of privately owned 24,000 acre Sweetwaters Game Reserve, enjoying magnificent views across the game - studded plains to the snowcapped peaks of Mount Kenya. Sweetwaters Tented Camp is a two and a half hour drive from Nairobi. Alternatively, Nanyuki airstrip is a one hour drive away.

Accommodation: Accommodation is provided in luxuriously appointed tents, set under thatch, with en-suite facilities and private verandah. 25 of the 30 tents overlook the waterhole. Some of these tents are built on stilts to gain a better view of the waterhole.

Restaurants and Bars: Within the quaint, orginal farmhouse is the dining room, bar and reception with its superb accommodation, personal service, first class cuisine and outstanding array of activities. Sweetwaters is in a class of its own.

Leisure Activities: Being a very eco-conscious camp, Sweetwaters offers activities related to its surroundings. Tree-planting, bird and nature walks, camel rides, day and night game drives and walking safaris just to name a few. For those who want to stay "closer to home", the camp offers a swimming pool, activities to amuse both young and old in the form of table-tennis, board games and satellite television.

Incentive Activities: As Sweetwaters is privately owned, we have the possibility to offer any type of bush activity our clients want. Bush meals in the form of breakfasts, banquets, dinners or picnics are available. These can be combined with the nature walks or game drives to ensure a very memorable safari. We have extraordinarily unique photographic opportunities with Morani and the other "tame" wildlife in the Sanctuary.

Sweetwaters Game Sanctuary: The accommodation price includes the entrance fee to the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Information Centre, a boat ride on the river (weather permitting) to see the young chimps and also to Morani's Boma which includes the Visitor's Information Centre, Carol the tame warthog and Morani, the tame black rhino.

Facilities: Facilities at Sweetwaters Tented Camp include:

30 en-suite tents	Bush luncheons & dinners
Waterhole and salt lick	Safari sundowners
Swimming Pool	"Out of Africa" weddings
Day & Night game drives in 4x4 vehicles	Morani's Visitor Information Centre
Bird Walks	Multi-Cultural Manyatta
Walking Safaris	Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary
Camel safaris	Chimpanzee Information Centre

Information :

GENERAL INFORMATION

Bureau de Change Our Bureau de Change can exchange reasonable amounts of foreign currency.

Business Centre There is a business centre situated in the main building offering e-mail, internet browsing, secretarial facilities and photocopying.

Check In and Check Out Times We cannot guarantee rooms will be ready for occupancy until 12.00 p.m. Guests are requested to check out by 10.00 a.m..

Children Sweetwaters Tented Camp is ‘family friendly’. Children are most welcome. If desired, an early children's supper can be served in the Rhino Restaurant from 06.30 to 07.30 p.m., where a special menu will be offered. Baby-sitting and listening services can be made available, and should be requested through the Reservations Office at the time of making bookings. 4 baby cots and 2 high chairs can be made available. Ayah/nanny's accommodation is also available. Depending on the number of children resident at Sweetwaters Tented Camp, group activities such as treasure hunts can be organised.

Communication There are no telephones in the tents but the office in the property does have a telephone and facsimile.

Credit Cards We accept payment by the following credit cards: American Express, Visa, ACCESS/Master Card.

Driver/Maid Accommodation Accommodation is available in the form of 2 twin rooms. Accommodation is also available at Nanyuki town at a reasonable cost.

Disabled Persons There are no special facilities for the disabled as such, however the public areas and 20 tents are located on level ground and can be easily accessed, wheelchairs manoeuvring easily around and into these areas.

Electricity Sweetwaters Tented Camp is not on mains electricity, but has generators providing 24 hour electricity.

Hair-dryers and Adapters Adapters are available from the reception. Hair dryers are not available.

Laundry/Dry Cleaning Sweetwaters Tented Camp offers the same day laundry service from Sweetwaters Tented Camp, weather permitting. Providing garments are handed in to the room steward before 07.00 a.m. they will be returned by 08.00 p.m. There are no dry cleaning facilities at Sweetwaters Tented Camp.

Lunch Boxes These are available on request. Orders must be placed the previous night.

Medical Facilities A doctor is on call from Nanyuki town 24 hours a day. There is a comprehensive First Aid box at the Camp. All Lonrho Hotels are corporate members of the Flying Doctors Society of Africa. In the event of a medical emergency the patient can be evacuated by air to a Nairobi Hospital.

Petrol There is no petrol available for sale. A mechanic is available to attend to minor vehicle defaults.

Shoe Cleaning Guests' shoes are cleaned free of charge. Shoes can be left outside the rooms and reception advised.

Safety Deposit Boxes The cashier offers the use of a safety deposit box, free of charge.

Secretarial Services Secretarial facilities and photocopying services are available from 08.30 a.m. to 05.00 p.m. . We also have e-mail and internet browsing facilities in the office.

Shop The "Sweetwaters Curio Shop" sells batiks, curios, Africana jewellery and clothing, postcards, stamps, guide books and Sweetwaters Game Reserve maps as well as basic necessities such as film and toiletries. It is open from: 07.30 to 10.00 a.m., 12.00 to 02.30 p.m., 06.00 to 08.30 p.m.

Recreation :

RECREATION ACTIVITIES

These activities are free of charge, and available at Sweetwaters Tented Camp:

Badminton: A small court is situated just off the pool. 4 rackets are available for use and shuttlecocks can be borrowed.

Board Games: Such as Scrabble and playing cards are available from Reception.

Game Watching: The floodlit waterhole is frequented by elephant and plains game such as giraffe, zebra and impala. The Waterhole Bar is ideal for night game watching, for those who do not wish to venture too far from their tents.

Satellite television: There is a television in the lounge area, where guests can catch up on the latest news or watch films. A children's channel is also available for children to watch cartoons and other kids' films.

Swimming: The swimming pool is manned by an attendant from 0600 hours to 1800 hours. The wooden trellis with bougainvillea, African Violets and Golden Shower creepers allow dappled sunlight through on some spots, a relief from the sometimes scorching sun. Sun-beds and mattresses are available. Towels are provided. There are men's and ladies' changing rooms, each with showers. Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

Table tennis: Table tennis is available for guests use.

Videos: Wildlife movies are screened in the Morani Room on guests’ request.

Accommodation and Food & Beverage:

ACCOMMODATION:

There are a total of 30 tents composed of 7 doubles, 19 twins and 4 triples. 10 of the tents are raised on a platform, 20 on the ground floor. 10 extra beds can be made available. 4 baby cots and 2 high chairs can be made available on request. 25 of the 30 tents face a large waterhole and beyond, the magnificent views of Mt Kenya. Behind the tents on the ground level, erected on concrete plinths, are those on raised wooden platforms. All tents are covered by a thatch roof and are cool even during the hottest day. Each spacious tent has a verandah with two camp chairs and a table.

Every tent has both overhead and bedside lights, a dressing table and cupboard with hangars and a suitcase rack. Also in the tent is an umbrella, boiled water and glasses, insecticides and air fresheners and a flashlight. Mosquito proofing gauze and flaps cover the windows, and the tents are front zip-up. Each bathroom is provided with a shower stall, flush toilets in the bathroom, washbasin. The camp provides shampoo, body lotion, bath and shower gel, and bathrobes and freshly laundered towels. There is hot and cold running water in each tent, but no electrical outlets in tents.

FOOD & BEVERAGE FACILITIES:

Rhino Restaurant : Set in the main building, the Rhino Restaurant’s windows let in a lot of natural light and a delightful breeze in this warm climate. The restaurant has a view of the waterhole. The menu is a combination of European, African and Asian dishes, made from an abundance of fresh Kenyan produce. Both breakfast and lunch are served buffet-style, while dinner is a 5-course Table D’hôte, with a choice of main courses. The restaurant can seat 80 people, and is open for breakfast from 07.00 to 09.30 a.m, lunch 12.30 to 02.30 p.m. and dinner 07.30 to 09.30 p.m . Children's early dinner (on request) is from 06.30 to 07.30 p.m.

Khashoggi Bar and Lounge : Also located in the main building, the Khashoggi Bar is a comfortable lounge which extends into 3 sections: 2 of these have a shared fireplace lit from 05.00 to 11.00 p.m. , while the third is an annex to the rhino Restaurant. This annex has a small verandah which leads out into the Waterhole Bar, and is decorated in warm colours with cushions and deep stuffed sofas and rugs. Afternoon tea is served here from 04.00 to 05.30 p.m. . The bar serves liqueurs, beers, soft drinks, wines, spirits, cocktails, tea and coffee, and is open from 10.00 a.m. to 11.00 p.m. The seating capacity is 40 people.

Waterhole Bar : Elevated some 20 feet off the ground, this Bar overlooks the waterhole giving you a superb view of the wildlife visiting to quench their thirst. The Waterhole Bar is an ideal venue for small cocktail parties or dinner parties. This bar serves liqueurs, beers, soft drinks, wines, spirits, cocktails, tea and coffee, and is open from 10.00 a.m. to 11.00 p.m. The seating capacity is 30 people, or for cocktails 20 people. Private dinners can be arranged here for up to 12 people.

Swimming Pool Bar: Located by the swimming pool, the bar is really a verandah with a generous barbeque pit. The area around the swimming pool is ideal for private cocktail parties, dinners and barbeques. Barbeque dinners are served on request, and curry lunches on Sundays, weather permitting. This bar serves liqueurs, beers, soft drinks, wines, spirits, cocktails, tea and coffee and is open from 10.00 a.m. to 11.00 p.m. The seating capacity is unlimited.

Room Service: Room service only offers tea/coffee with wake-up calls. This service is not a common feature at Sweetwaters but meals and beverages can be served in tents on request.