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tl;dr – In 2026, Marriott will open its third high-end African safari lodge at Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. After the success of its properties at Masai Mara in Kenya and Kruger in South Africa, the JW Marriott Serengeti Lodge is likely to be one of 2026’s most anticipated ‘points’ hotel openings.
Marriott is back at their safari hustle. Next year, Marriott plans to open a safari lodge at Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, completing the ‘Big Game Trifecta’ (I’m still working on that one) – giving the global hotel chain properties at the three most popular safari parks in Africa – Masai Mara (Kenya), Kruger National Park (Safari), and Serengeti (Tanzania). The property will be a JW Marriott – the JW Marriott Serengeti Lodge, to be specific. The first announcement of this news was back in 2023, but it has largely gone under the radar. While details remain sparse, given that I’ve recently written about my experience at Marriott’s Leopard Sands in Kruger and shared a list of where travelers can redeem points for a safari around Africa, sharing the little we do not know about this property made sense. Let’s dive into it!
What We Know about JW Marriott Serengeti Lodge
The JW Marriott Serengeti Lodge will be constructed inside Serengeti Park in Tanzania, allowing for a more immersive experience. According to a press release from Further Africa, the lodge will be between the Grumeti and Mbalageti rivers, a prime spot for animal crossings. The greater Serengeti-Mara area is home to one of the largest mammal migrations on earth, so a timed visit to this property might be a bucket-list experience. Your entry point to the region will likely be Kilimanjaro International Airport, and from there you’ll need to either hop on a prop to a domestic airstrip or take an eight-hour drive.
While there are no photos or renderings of what the property will look like, we do have some key details. It’s a 30-key all-suite outlet, two of which are presidential suites. All the rooms will have a private deck and swimming pool.Â
You can also expect “extensive food, beverage, and meeting facilities” at the property. Though the team behind this lodge is not the same as that of the JW Marriott Masai Mara, there may be a similar vibe. Given the similar size (Masai Mara has 20 rooms) and both branded as JW Marriott’s, I imagine this Serengeti property has a comparable level of luxury and service. Delaware Investment Limited, the firm behind the project’s development, is also bringing a Le Meridien to Zanzibar later this year. While they aren’t the same destinations, I’m confident the team’s experience operating a core brand of the Marriott portfolio will translate and help ensure that the Serengeti Lodge is a success.Â
As of now this lodge is expected to open in 2026. I’ll let you all know if there are any more updates on this property. In the meantime, I’d love to hear if you’d be willing to give this property a shot or have any other safari destinations in mind. To the comments!
