Marriott’s Smallest Hotel in the World is a… JW Marriott?!?

The JW Marriott Masai Mara is now open and in full operation. This was just in time as peak safari season in Kenya rolls around for the Great Migration. Located in Masai Mara and built with views along the Talek River, this is an incredible Marriott property.

As Marriott’s first venture into the safari space, many were curious about how the property would perform. Especially compared to luxury seasoned camps and lodges. From my personal experience at the property, when I was fortunate enough to visit for five days in May, it was an all-around incredible experience. Everything was included, including all meals, drinks, and game drives, from airport pickup to drop off. 

Marriott’s Smallest Hotel in the World

The JW Marriott Masai Mara is Marriott’s smallest property in the world, with only 20 ‘rooms.’ Although the ‘rooms’ are more along the lines of deluxe (and very luxurious) tents. 

Of the tents 1 through 21 at the property, since there is no tent numbered ‘13,’ most are standard King Deluxe Suites. There is one honeymoon suite that is more secluded, one family tent which is essentially two traditional tents connected with a collective living room, and two two-double bed tents, but the rest are standard kings. 

Until this property opened, Marriott’s smallest property by room size was Al Maha, a Luxury Collection property in the UAE. However, that property hosts 40 rooms, twice as large as this JW Marriott in Kenya. 

My Thoughts on the Marriott’s Smallest Property

When Marriott announced the safari lodge, I was confused why they chose the JW Marriott branding. With all of the options available aong Marriott’s 31 brands, I am curious why they would not flag it as a Luxury Collection boutique property. 

I will say that it makes more sense under the brand same of JW Marriott than, maybe a Courtyard. However, I think of JW Marriotts as significant, 300-500 room properties with on-site conference centers. 

During my stay, I spoke with a Marriott executive in charge of the JW Marriott brand, who happened to be visiting simultaneously. It seems that the property owner has had very positive experiences with hotels under the JW Marriott brand throughout their travels and in their own country. So, when it came time to open up a safari lodge, they wanted to brand it under what they were familiar with, JW Marriott. 

JW Marriott apparently has also been trying to move more into the wellness and lifestyle space. In this case, such a boutique property does make sense, especially in a post-covid world that requires less conference space with fewer conferences. 

The Last Point

Everything seems to be going well at Marriott’s smallest hotel in the world, the JW Marriott Masai Mara. After all, Marriott just announced that they are opening their second-ever safari lodge. Can you guess what it is? It is a JW Marriott in the Serengeti in Tanzania. 

This property is a fantastic use of Marriott Bonvoy points, with rates as low as 76,000 points per night. Of course, this compares to cash rates often exceeding $2,500, making it a great-value redemption. Regardless of how you book the JW Marriott Masai Mara, staying there is an all-around fantastic experience. Worth a visit as one of my favorite properties in the world.