Treetops: Inside Nyeri Hotel Where Queen Elizabeth II was in 1952

At the heart of Kenya’s long standing diplomatic ties with the United Kingdom lies the Treetops Hotel, described by many as iconic. 

In 1952, amid the heightened agitation for independence against British colonial rule in Kenya, Queen Elizabeth, the then UK’s royal princess and her spouse visited Kenya for a vacation. 

The duo would settle for the Treetops, a hotel located in the Aberdares National Park in Nyeri as one of their destinations in their five-day long safari. 

Moreover, the young princess and her newly wedded spouse got a taste of the iconic lodge which is built on top of several trees hence the name Treetops. 

However, their planned vacation in Kenya was cut short after news about the death of Queen Elizabeth’s father, King George V broke. 

As the designated heir to King George V ‘s throne, the Queen was to be crowned as the next monarch, further entrenching Treetops and Nyeri in Kenya-UK history.

She spent her last night as UK’s princess at the Treetops hotel before learning about her father’s death and new role as monarch. 

The queen then set out to the Sagana Lodge which was by then a royal residence of the British Royal family.

Also Read: List of Places King Charles Will Visit in His Kenyan Tour

More than 70 years later, Treetops still exists and stands among the most covetable destinations for tourists.

Treetops Maintains Status

Despite the death of Queen Elizabeth in 2022, the amenity which played host to the longest serving monarch on the eve of her ascension to the throne is still prominent. 

To date, the hotel has maintained its unique tree-house character which associates it with the UK Royal Family. 

Located deep in the Aberdares Park, the hotel originally built in 1932 has a wide range of amenities.

Its location was initially an ancient Elephant migratory route, placed strategically at an animal water point.

The design was inspired by the need to set up an ideal platform for various tourists to take pictures and videos of the wildlife.

Also Read: Naromoru Church Celebrates Queen Elizabeth II

Among the intriguing features of the Treetops experience is a buzzer placed inside accommodation rooms which alerts guests whenever wild animals come to drink water. 

Its elevated position and semi-open design give guests an ideal view from a perspective featuring the Aberdares landscape and wildlife in the park. 

However, it has not always been rosy for the iconic hotel. In 2022, the hotel joined the list of businesses that closed due to the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic.

Notably, this was not the first time it was closed as history indicates that a group of Mau Mau freedom fighters burnt it down during the agitation for independence.