Mount Meru Game Lodge

This lodge is filled with memories – old phonographs and photos, maps and a library full of cherished books. None is simply part of the decor – each object is linked with this historic home. The interior spaces are separated by broad archways, and furnished with stately yet unobtrusive pieces. There are a few sitting rooms with fireplaces, one of which has an unusual wall-to-wall stone hearth. Outside, the large patio is the ideal place to breakfast in the sun.

The lodge's 18 guest rooms are each decorated in their own style. The oldest rooms have walls clad horizontally with wood, and rich wood floors. Newer rooms have brushed concrete floors and high ceilings. All have four-poster beds draped in gauze, plush mattresses and quality linens. Thirteen of the rooms have two extra-large double beds, while two offer single beds. There are two family units – one with adjoining rooms, the other self-contained with a separate room for three.

If you've returned from a busy safari circuit, or Kilimanjaro's slopes, there's every chance you'll want to simply enjoy the lodge's pleasures. But, once rested, you'll enjoy the sights. From the lodge, walk along the river to see the local action, from fishing and markets to village life. Take a bean-to-beverage tour of a local coffee farm, mountain bike the trails at the foot of Mount Meru, or wander among the wildlife on the lodge's extensive grounds.