Nairobi's Giraffe Manor Under Fire Over Racist Policy

File image of guests enjoying breakfast with giraffes at Giraffe Manor in Nairobi
File image of guests enjoying breakfast with giraffes at Giraffe Manor in Nairobi
Twitter

UPDATE 10/06/2020: Giraffe Manor issued a statement in response to the uproar on June 9, maintaining that their policies were not discriminatory.

They argued that many luxury safari hotels did not offer breakfast only packages, explaining that it was necessary for their business.

They further directed some of the blame to a poster from an independent agent that indicated the hotel was 'open to Kenyans' fueling the uproar.


World-famous hotel Giraffe Manor, known for its proximity to giraffes which visitors can feed while taking breakfast, came under fire from a section of Kenyans on Sunday, June 7.

Wildly popular with tourists and social media influencers from around the world, it attracted backlash after announcing its re-opening on Friday, June 5, after closing due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The backlash was driven by several Kenyans who recounted discriminatory experiences with the hotel due to policies which are seen to be disadvantageous to Africans.

The hotel has been accused of currently targeting local tourists when they had previously shunned them, opting for international  [White] visitors.

Contacted by Kenyans.co.ke, the Duty Manager at the hotel refused to respond to various queries that emerged from the uproar.

File image of Giraffe Manor in Nairobi
File image of Giraffe Manor in Nairobi
Twitter

"I cannot comment on any social media post for now. You will have to pursue this through other channels," he stated.

Apparently, Nairobi residents who previously sought to have breakfast at the hotel were informed of a policy that required them to pay up to 600 dollars (Ksh60,000) for unnecessary add-ons like an airport transfer, car and chauffeur. 

This policy was seen as a strategy to lock out Kenyans, as it was impractical for many city residents seeking breakfast or accommodation for a few nights to have to pay for an airport transfer.

The move to re-open without the policy in place was seen by the hotel's critics as an attempt to make up for lost business by turning to Kenyans they previously discriminated against.

"Giraffe Manor wants you to pay for a breakfast package that includes airport transfers and you live in Nairobi and there's nothing wrong with that? It is very obvious who their target audience is," wrote Bloggers Association of Kenya (BAKE) Director James Wamathai.

Among those who revealed their experiences with the hotel was renowned publicist Anyiko Owoko who recounted the experience she had with a friend.

She revealed that after trying to book a room at the hotel to stay for one night in 2019, they were informed that it was fully booked, which they understood.

When they sought to have breakfast instead, however, they were informed by the hotel's Booking Department of the policy that made it mandatory for them to pay for the airport transfer despite their objections.

"For the longest time, your policy has been to have these type of pricing that only benefit non-Kenyans and tourists coming from outside Kenya. I wonder why all over sudden you are welcoming Kenyans into your establishment.

"Is it because you now need us for your business to survive? You would not have invited us had it not been for the fact that your business, just like all others, is suffering because of the Covid-19 restrictions," she claimed.

Questions were also raised on the intersection of tourism and conservation and how it affects local communities, adding to a long-running intellectual debate.

Others, however, argued that the hotel was free to pursue whichever business model it considered ideal, asking critics calling for boycotts to consider the possibility of lay-offs and loss of livelihoods if the business ceased operations.

File image of guests at Giraffe Manor hotel in Nairobi
File image of guests at Giraffe Manor hotel in Nairobi
Twitter
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