J.W. Marriott Masai Mara Review from a Celiac: Is it afe + What to Expect?

The JW Marriott Masai Mara Safari Lodge is an incredible safari property in Kenya’s Masai Mara. It’s an all-inclusive luxury lodge in the heart of the Mara. At $3,000 a night, it’s also expensive. Traveling with points makes it a great deal, but there are still a lot of Marriott points. So, is it worth it? Plus, if you have celiac or food allergies,s can you stay there safely?

I think it’s worth it on points, and I felt incredibly safe staying there. But this review of the JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge will help you choose for yourself. We’ll go through everything from getting there to what to expect from your stay.

The JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge was damaged in a flood, but it’s back up and running now.

Getting To the Masai Mara

The Masai Mara reserve isn’t very close to Nairobi. So, no matter where you stay in the park, you’ll have a long travel day to get there.

From Nairobi, you’ll take a bush plane out to the park. This airport in Nairobi is small. But, the cafe in the airport even had a few gluten-free options!

The propellor plane takes passengers to several landing strips in the park. So, you may take off and land at a few other strips before you get to the Keekorok landing strip, where you’ll get off for your stay.

It’s an airstrip and not an airport. We saw a family of warthogs scurry off in the bush when we landed on one of them. They were nowhere near the plane, but it was a new experience!

As a Westerner, it sounded a little stressful until we did it. The logistics are well planned and they do it every day. It’s not stressful.

Plus, the staff at the Marriott will help you book your transport, so you don’t even have to worry about that.

Alternatively, a driver can bring you to the property by car. The price of the car was about the same as the flight, and it didn’t take much longer.

In hindsight, we wished we’d taken the car one way and the flight on the other. You can see a couple of things that way, and it would’ve been nice to try both.

Either way, it’s easy to plan because the hotel helps take care of it. They took care of every step of it for us, and it was so smooth.

You will want soft-sided luggage for the bush flight out. These are some good options I’ve traveled with or had friends use.

I didn’t know this when I was planning, so I’ll share it with you. Have a night in Nairobi before and after your trip to maximize your time at the lodge,.

Take one of the early flights from Nairobi to Masai Mara. This way, you can go on a game drive that afternoon. If you leave later, you’ll miss out on one opportunity for a game drive.

Then, can take a later flight from the property and not be rushed in the morning. The flight times can be a bit unpredictable since there are several stops on the itinerary. So, you’ll really have to be prepared a few hours before your flight out. The Marriott doesn’t get the official flight times from AirKenya until the morning of the flight at the earliest.

I stayed at this airport hotel and was able to eat breakfast and dinner there, though there are some gluten-free-friendly restaurants in the city.

The Property at The Marriott Masai Mara

When you’re met at the airport, you may have the opportunity to go on a game drive, or you’ll go straight to the hotel. It depends on your arrival time and also on what you want to do to.

If you have the option for a game drive, take it.

We had some rain, but it was still a great mini-game drive! Luckily, the jeep was all prepped for the rain that came, even though we weren’t!

When you arrive at the property, a Masai team will greet you with a song and dance. They’ll encourage you to join in. I did, even though it was out of my comfort zone. Eventually, my husband did as well. We were prepared, and the introvert took over. Now, you know. 🙂

I loved that the property included the Masai people in the visit. Learning about their culture was a bit part of the experience.

Cross the bridge to the property. Even on a rainy day, it was beautiful!

Then, enjoy your welcome drink as you check in and enjoy a tour of the grounds.

It’s not that big of a property, but a lot is packed into a relatively small space.

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The Room

The rooms at the JW Marriot Masai Mara Lodge are called “tents.”  But they aren’t really tents.

There is a deck overlooking the river that includes a hot tub. You just have to let them know you want to use it so they can turn it on.

The main room includes a large (incredibly comfortable) bed, a sitting area, a desk, and a stocked mini-bar. 

Since they knew about my dietary restrictions beforehand, I had gluten-free snacks labeled for me! And, they were restocked as I went through them. The macarons were so good I had to stop myself from eating all of them at once!

The bathroom is spacious. It includes a double sink and a rainfall shower.

Plus, there is an additional outdoor shower. It was the only one I used, and I loved it.

It was unlike any other room I’ve had on a safari, in the best way.

During the day, the sides of the tent are open, so air and daylight can come in. There is a ceiling fan if it gets too warm.

At night, the turn-down service closes the sides of the tent and uses a hot water bottle to heat the bed. It was heaven.

There could be animals on the property, though I never saw any. But they ask that you call the main office to have someone escort you back to your room from dusk until dawn. A Masai warrior will walk with you to make sure you’re safe. One of the Massai escorts told us a leopard lives near the property. But, luckily, we never saw it!

The Game Drives and Daily Schedule

Each morning, you’ll leave for a game drive. Grab a coffee to go with you if you’d like, or you can drink one before you leave.

There are blankets in the safari vehicles if the morning is chilly.

But then, you’ll drive around looking for animals and stopping to watch when someone is interested in what you find. 

The game drives in Masai Mara are the best of the five parks I’ve been to. It was the stereotypical grassy savannah for much of the drive, but it was beautiful.

You have the chance to see all of the Big 5 here. Lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo, and rhinos are certainly incredible, but so are the other animals.

Please don’t go into it with expectations, though. Be excited to see what you see. There are incredible birds and animals that aren’t the Big 5. Rhinos are especially elusive, but leopards can be, too.

After the morning game drive, enjoy breakfast at the property. Then, some free time before lunch and your afternoon game drive.

After breakfast, you have time to exercise, go to the pool, get a spa treatment, or maybe just nap in your room. I did a lot of napping!

You’ll go out around 4:00 pm in the afternoon and return around dusk when the park closes. Animals are most active at dawn and dusk, so your game drives are situated the way they are.

After your evening game drive, come back to enjoy dinner. Then, maybe some drinks and time around the fire.

You can take a longer game drive or even an all-day one if you’d like. You just have to work it out with your guide and the property. Often, the safari jeeps are shared. But that didn’t cause any issues with the schedule we wanted to keep.

The Marriott provides binoculars so you can get a good look at animals if they’re farther away. You can also try your hand at spotting. We also brought our own binoculars and didn’t regret having an extra pair that we were familiar with.

The jeeps are remarkably comfortable. You shouldn’t feel too uncomfortable as you bounce around the roads. You’re in the vehicles a lot since you can’t really hike around in lion territory, so it’s important that they’re comfortable.

The game drives are the reason you go on this trip. You’ll have a great time here. I had a good experience with a few different guides, though. Sophie was my regular guide, though, and she was great!

The Food- JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge for a Celiac

Before arrival, the hotel sent us a pre-arrival packet to fill out. I was able to note the dietary needs there. I’ve stayed at other hotels where they don’t use this information. But, the staff at the Masai Mara Lodge did. It was incredible.

As a celiac, I loved that the same people helped me with my meals each day. So, they were aware of the allergies, and I had to explain myself to only a few people. Then, they knew what to expect of me and what clarifying questions I’d likely ask.

So, I had to explain my food allergy situation to very few people. “Explain” is a bit too heavy of a word. They already knew, but I asked questions to try to be safe. I expected to have to manage my diet at every meal. I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was.

I have Celiac. I’m also allergic to sesame. My husband is allergic to dairy. So, I was throwing a lot at the property regarding our diet.

Note none of my allergies are anaphylactic. That’s a wholly different level and I feel for you!

The staff will go above and beyond to help care for you.

Breakfast was incredible with juices, pastries (even gluten-free ones), cereals, yogurts, and what you wanted to order from the menu.

Lunch and dinner were each rotating menus.

Dinner seemed to have themes. We had Indian night, which was incredible. The most exciting was the night we had African cuisine. The staff was excited to share their food and culture with us, and that made it extra fun.

No matter what, they were able to tell me what was gluten-free and what wasn’t.

The most shocking part of the whole stay for me was that you could easily order off the menu. One day, my husband wanted a repeat of the previous day’s lunch option, and they had no problem making that happen for him.

For me, there was one day I just couldn’t eat much for lunch because all I’d done was eat! I asked for a bowl of yogurt and some fruit. They were surprised. Then, I received a visit from the chef to let me know he could make me whatever I wanted. It was so kind. But I truly wanted the yogurt and fruit. They accepted the answer and brought me the largest bowls of yogurt and fruit. With a smirk as it was delivered; they knew what they were doing.

It was so nice to know what I could eat and to know I could ask for another option if nothing worked for me. It wasn’t just an option. The staff was more than happy to go above and beyond as a celiac, which makes the trip so much easier for me to manage. 

Spa/Pool/Gym

The property has a spa, a pool, and a gym for you to enjoy when you’re not on game drives.

The gym wasn’t massive, but it was more than enough for a good vacation workout.

The pool was nice, and you could have food or drink delivered there if you wanted to. It was a bit too chilly for me to enjoy the pool. Plus, I didn’t think to bring a suit. Don’t be like me.

The spa services book up quickly since the whole property is more or less on the same schedule. So, you can book a service in the afternoon. Or, you can book a service in the evening after your game drive. Our Jeep mates went for option two and were very happy with their choice!

There are also activities you can book for your afternoons at the property. You can tour their garden, try out spear throwing, or make a traditional bracelet with the cultural ambassador on staff.

You can also book a hot air balloon ride.

The tour of the Masai village was a fun afternoon activity. They are so welcoming and fun. I enjoyed learning about the Masai culture. They were able to share how it has evolved over time and what has stayed the same. You can buy some trinkets from the village. Just bring cash with you.

Cannon Camera Library

As someone who loves photography, the camera library was my favorite part of this property. I brought my own camera but we were able to borrow one from the property so my husband and I could share.

The cameras they have make taking good pictures on safari incredibly easy. I’ve been able to capture several with mine. I really enjoyed watching my husband (who is not a photographer) experience the joy of capturing a cool moment.

Now, some of his photos are hung up in my house. It makes me really happy to know he gets to see his photography represented too.

So, even if you aren’t a photographer, you’ll get such a great benefit from the camera library.

The staff will even help you edit a few of yours after the safari drives if you want. The two photographers are truly incredible. Like award winning photographers incredible. If you’re interested in photography at all, don’t pass the chance to learn from them. 

Bring an SD card with you so you can take home all of your photos instead of the small number they can load for you.

Masai Mara Park Entrance Fees

The park entrance fees are the heftiest addition to the cost. As of 2024, the fees have increased. They’re now more comparable with the fees in Tanzania at Serengeti National Park.

January 1 -June 30. – $100/day for adults and $50/day for Kids
July 1- December 31- $200/day for adults and $50/day for kids.

It adds up quickly! But this fee is the same no matter where you stay in the park. I try to remember that it’s just the cost of going and that it helps protect the park and its animals.

Kenyan Visas for Americans

As an American, you’ll need a visa to enter Kenya. It costs $30 per person as of 2024.

You can apply online.

I recommend applying several weeks before your trip. It wasn’t a long process, but it can ruin your trip if you push it too late.

What to Bring With You to The JW Marriott Masai Mara

• Cash so you can buy things if you decide to go to the Masai village. There are also some small things to buy as you go into and out of the park each day.
• Credit Card or cash to tip staff at the property. You can designate tips for specific people who help you throughout the week. It’s not required. But, they’re going to take great care of you and you’re going to want to tip something. So, be prepared.
• Bring medications. Of course, you’ll want any daily medications you take. But, also bring tylenol, ibuprofen, anti-diarreal, etc. Any basic OTC medicine you may want would be beneficial to have as they likely won’t have it at the resort. Plus, if you’re celiac you should do this anyway since gluten-free meds are hard to find.
• An SD Card so you can take home more of your photos.
• If you don’t pay your park fee before you go, bring cash to purchase it when you land at the airstrip. They may also take card but you’re way out so I would’t count on it.
• There is sunscreen and bugspray if you need it but it’s always okay to bring your own too.
• If you aren’t sure what to pack, I have a safari packing list.

Should You Stay at the JW Marriott Masai Mara?

If it’s in your points or real dollars budget, absolutely. There is no better way to safari. If you have celiac I will say that this was the absolute best experience I had in Kenya. I stayed at several other lodges in other parks. They were fine with celiac. But, I did have to ask and advocate for myself much more than I did at the Masai Mara.

A big part of the luxury as a celiac at the JW Marriott was that my celiac didn’t become a hard and fast focus for me multiple times a day. If you have celiac you know that’s a rarity. So, I’ll pay lots of Marriot points for that experience in the future. 

All of your food, drinks, and game drives being included in your stay does make a big differences. Some lodges charge for game drives (upwards for $450 for each drive). 2 game drives per day for 5 days would add up quickly.

But, I’ve had plenty of other good safari experiences (even as a celiac) that weren’t this level of luxury.

You can camp in Botswana.

You can self-drive in Kruger.

Or, you can stay at a multitude of other properties. I’ve been able to explain my celiac everywhere I’ve been in Africa. They seem to understand and even if they don’t they ask questions to get you what you want. Service and hospitality in Africa have been a step above everywhere else I’ve traveled. I hope you have the same experience.

Safaris are incredible no matter what. But, the JW Marriott Masai Mara is next level. Seriously, we’ve debated going back several times but are trying to wait to go to Tanzania. I don’t know if we’ll hold out. I really want to go back.