Inside Sirai House, Kenya’s ‘exclusive lodge for billionaires’

The United Kingdom’s Sunday Times recently listed it among some of the world’s exclusive locations where bookings are made not only in terms of the money one has but also the extent of their character.

Sirai House, a private home in the Borana Conservancy in the Laikipia region of Kenya, has been a household name for the world’s rich and mighty since 2012 when it was opened.

Hosting what has been described as the most exclusive clientele, bookings, as already mentioned, are not made only based on the amount of money one has in their account.

UK-based Browne and Hudson, one of the world’s luxury travel companies, features the first-class private property in its portfolio. Before it creates a travel plan or an itinerary for anyone who would want to travel to Sirai House, that individual must pass their holiday personality test.

According to a report by the Sunday Times cited by Kenya’s Standard Digital, the individual may have to answer a few personal questions such as: “What elements best describe you? What is your best culinary experience? Why do you want to know more about us? Who recommended you to us?”

That is how exclusive an online booking is for Sirai House. If you succeed, it will cost you about $11,000 a day at the private property to a group of six (as of 2016). Note that the rooms are exclusively booked for a minimum of three nights.

Sitting in a secluded 250-acre estate high on a ridge with spectacular views in all directions, Sirai House is surrounded by indigenous forests and game-rich Kenyan hills and plains.

Consisting of a main house and six sleeping rooms, the property has become a holiday haven for some of the world’s richest personalities, including kings and queens, international movie stars, renowned athletes and businessmen.

Owned by British billionaire politician Michael Spencer, the main house of the property includes a drawing-room, a bar, billiard room, a pool, multiple seating areas, library, dining room, gallery, cinema, boma and veranda.

“Characterised by a mixed interior design, the main house at Sirai House is marked by great and naturally lit open spaces and by more restrained and modern looking spaces. Thus, the drawing-room, library and billiard room, with their wood floors, cavernous ceilings and typically upcountry arrangements, have a very smart, traditional feel to them,” writes journeysbydesign.com.

Rooms at Sirai House includes a separate sitting room, double bed, en suite bathroom, plunge pool and private veranda. There is also the private wine cellar which has over 3,000 carefully selected wines.

Doubling up as a conservancy, the property is home to the Big Five (buffalos, leopards, elephants, lions and rhinos) which can be seen during game drives. Other activities at Sirai House includes guided walks, horse riding, bush picnics, flying safaris, among others.

As a way of giving back, the property has set up The Borana Conservation Trust, which has, over the years, made donations towards initiatives aimed at conserving the environment and improving healthcare and education in the area.

If you want a holiday hideout only big money can buy, get some millions and you can access the first-class private property by flight, 50 minutes from Kenyan capital Nairobi. Upon landing, you will be driven for about 45 minutes for you to access the lodge.

But that is if your exclusive online booking goes through.