Monday, April 16, 2007

Kenya Budget & 5 (Five) Star Hotel- Price of Kenya hotels, camps & Lodges

African Kenya accommodation hotels, camps and lodges info. The accommodation hotels in Kenya are divided into budget/economy, medium/midrange and Luxury/top-end. The prices of kenya budget is under Kshs 1000 while midrange is from Kshs 1000-3500 while top-end is anything from Kshs 3500 or US$80.

Types of Accommodations Kenya

Kenya has a good range of accommodation options, from basic cubicle hotels overlooking city bus stands to luxury tented camps hidden away in the national parks. There are also all kinds of campsites, budget tented camps, simple bandas (often wooden huts) and cottages scattered around the parks and rural areas.

Getting more info on Kenya accommodation ranges

During the low season, many companies offer excellent deals on accommodation on the coast and in the main wildlife parks, often working with airlines to create packages aimed at the local and expat market. The websites of some operators displays almost all major hotels and lodges in Kenya, giving price ranges and descriptions; others are a good port of call for discounted Kenya hotel bookings at some of the more expensive camps, loges and hotels.

Kenya Budget accommodation price range

Where appropriate, Kenya accommodation options are split into budget, midrange and top end categories for ease of reference. In general, a budget double room is anything under Kshs 1,000. You can pay as little a Kshs 150 for four walls and a bed, with foam mattress and shared squat toilet; for Kshs 400 and up you’d usually get a private bathroom, and at the upper end of the scale shower heaters and breakfast may be on offer.

Surprisingly, bedding, towels and soap are almost always provided however much you pay, though cleanliness varies widely and toilet seats can be rare luxuries.

Mid range/Medium accommodation

In most of the country, midrange accommodation falls between Kshs 1,000 and Kshs 3,500 for a double room-the major exception to this is Nairobi, where you can pay anything up to Kshs 6000 for the same standards. In this bracket you’d usually expect breakfast, private bathroom, telephone and good size double beds with proper mattresses; the more you pay the more facilities you get, from restaurants and bars to TV’s hot showers and the odd swimming pool.

Top-end/Luxury accommodation

Everything over Kshs 3,500 (or US$80 in Nairobi) counts as top end, and what you get for your money varies enormously. Once you hit US$ 100 you should count on breakfast, TV, Phone, air-con (on the coast), room service and toiletries as standard, and in the upper realms of the price range the extras can include anything from complimentary minibar to casinos, Jacuzzis and free activities.

Exclusive/Luxury accommodation in Kenya

The most expensive places are the exclusive getaways tucked away in national parks and other remote areas of Kenya, which can exceed US$600 for a double but don’t necessarily include all the trappings you’d expect elsewhere.

Although most midrange and top-end places quote prices in US dollars, payment can be made in local currency. Note that most places have separate rates for residents, and these are often much less than for nonresident rates.

Kenya Hotel Prices and seasons

Many midrange and (especially) top-end options also change their prices according to season, which can be confusing as very few places use exactly the same dates. In principal there are high, low and shoulder seasons, but some hotels can divide their year into five or more distinct pricing periods.

For lodges in the national parks, the norm is to charge high-season prices from July to march, with low-season prices only applicable from April to June.

On the coast, where things are much more seasonal, peak times tend to be July to August and December to March, and a range of lower rates can apply for the rest of the year.

Note that, however high season is defined, premium rates or supplements always apply over Christmas, New Year and Easter, and can be as much as double the high season tariffs. Conversely, hotels that are near empty in low season may be open to some negotiation on rates.

Exchange rate at time of publishing is US$1 for Kshs 70
Robert is a travel expert with Landmarksafaris.com. Degreed in tourism management, he has authored more than 1000 articles on Kenya Holiday accommodation. See the most luxurious lodges and camps here:
http://sojournsafaris.com/kenya-hotels-

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