After months of closure to pave the way for renovations, the iconic Treetops Lodge is set to reopen this weekend.
According to a two-day programme seen by KNA, the grand opening ceremony is set to begin on Saturday and will culminate on Sunday afternoon. The ceremony is scheduled to start on Saturday morning with the arrival of guests at the 92-year-old establishment. After speeches, the plaque will be unveiled shortly after noon, and thereafter, the invited guests will get an opportunity to plant trees in designated areas around the hotel, which is nestled at the heart of Aberdare National Park.
“This event will showcase the newly refurbished lodge featuring enhanced facilities designed to offer an unrivaled blend of comfort and adventure. You will have an opportunity to explore the lodge’s exquisite accommodation, savour delicacies prepared by our world-class chefs, and enjoy our stunning views,” reads an invitation to the occasion in part.
Lunch will be served after the guests have been treated to a tour around the newly renovated picturesque, three-deck hotel. The game drive will be flagged off in the evening before the invited guests settle for a sundowner.
“Dinner and entertainment will be served from 7:30 p.m. onwards,” says the invite.
The hotel, which was built by British hotelier Sir Eric Sherbrooke Walker in 1932, was first used as a wildlife viewing station. But after 1952, it gained popularity as the place where Britain’s longest-serving monarch, the late Queen Elizabeth II, ascended to the throne following the death of her father, King George VI.
The original three-bedroom treehouse was initially built on top of a Mugumo tree, and it offered a conducive viewing point for guests to watch the big five game animals that frequented the water pan and the natural saltlick situated at the foot of the house.
In 1954, Mau Mau freedom fighters razed it on suspicion that it was used as a sniper base by British soldiers. The destruction only paved the way for the construction of the new and bigger lodge.The new establishment borrowed a lot from the initial tree house in that it still had trees forming part of the stilts that support it. Along the corridors of the pristine lodge, tree branches skirt through and form part of the staircase leading to the upper deck.
The lodge boasts of 36 ensuite rooms. The dining experience is largely a communal affair, and it features long Victorian-style dining room tables that allow guests to interact. The hotel also boasts of a lounge and bar decked with elephant tusks that were donated to Sir Eric Walker. The lounge offers a near-close-up view of the water point from the second floor.
Since 1978, the hotel has been under the management of the Aberdare Safari Hotels. The lowest moment for the establishment was in 2020, when the hotel shut its doors following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in April this year, Dr. Kieth Rigathi announced the acquisition of the hotel and subsequent refurbishment.
In the invitation letter, the new proprietor terms the grand reopening as a momentous occasion which will mark the revival of one of the country’s most cherished lodges.
By Wangari Mwangi
