OUT OF THIS WORLD

We arrived by 20 year old VW van that rolled around corners at a 45 degree angle stopping at road side fruit and veg stands to pick up sugarcane to mix with the vodka in the van. I wasn't sure what to expect.

If you want to feel like you are staying at a Hollywood movie stars home, intimate, sprawling, luxiourious in the middle of nowhere, that is the Mount Kenya Safari Club.

I was fortunate to spend a couple of nights here on a three week trip to Kenya, luxury after Treetops, a remote night Safari tree house hotel where you get woken up to see the animals, hard core and not that comfortable at all. (Not to undermine the experience which was fabulous for different reasons)

In direct contrast is the Mount Kenya Safari Club, bought by actor William Holden as a place for friends to visit, socialize and be comfortable and that you do from the minute you arrive.

Even the welcome is homely. And that describes the place, a really beautiful home you get to stay at for a little while. Our room was massive, oldy English but comfortable with views over the swimming pool and the mountains. The nights are cold and a highlight was a fire being lit in the room around 5pm, a real fire in the room. I've never been anywhere where that has happened before.

This place is paradise at the equator for me. It is not cheap to stay, we bought it as a 6 day safari tour which included Tree Tops and the Mombasa Beach Club when we arrived in Nairobi and got a good deal, much less buying locally than online before you travel.