tl;dr – Yet another leading hotel chain will introduce a points-ready safari property.
Arguably, enjoying a bucket-list wildlife experience has never been more accessible than now, as several leading hotel chains have onboarded properties that allow guests to redeem points for an African safari. Several chains seem to see a lot of room for growth in chasing these outdoor experiences. For example, just earlier today, I wrote an article about Marriott CEO Anthony Capuano hinting at his company’s search for a Rwandan gorilla trek lodge. A new player to the safari game – Choice Hotels – has provided a major update on its previously announced safari plans. Choice Hotels will welcome the 22-key La Maison Royale Masai Mara to its Ascend Collection.
The news of this new Choice safari property is part of the chain’s larger push into Africa. Choice announced two other properties in Kenya – both in Nairobi – and the chain will allegedly add over 100 properties across Africa by 2035.
Set within the Olare Motorogi Conservancy, the 22-key La Maison Royale Masai Mara will be an Ascend Collection property that delivers an immersive safari experience.
From the looks of things, I’d describe the La Maison Royale Masai Mara as more of a camping/glamping safari experience. There also appears to be an authentic local feel to it, a good opportunity to learn more about the culture of the Maasai people. I’m curious to see what potential upgrades the link-up with Choice Hotels might bring. For what it’s worth, the property is reasonably well-reviewed on Google and TripAdvisor.
While the property does have a page on Choice’s website already, there aren’t any published rates, and it’s unclear exactly when the property will ‘go live’ on Choice. In its current iteration, a night at the La Maison Royale Masai Mara costs anywhere from $250 to $500 per night, depending on which channel you book through. Unclear if it’s an all-inclusive offering.
Choice Hotel redemptions cost between 8,000 and 30,000 per night and the chain frequently runs point sales. I have the feeling that this property could be another great opportunity to save big money on a legitimate African safari, even if you’re starting from zero!
