Acacia Tree Lodge

Every shilling of profit from Acacia Tree Lodge goes to New Hope Initiative, a social enterprise working in Kibera, one of Africa's largest informal settlements, giving young people from the slum training and jobs at the lodge itself. The property sits on a tree-lined street in Nairobi's Karen suburb, a converted family house with 15 rooms arranged around a garden. Rooms mix custom African furnishings and locally-made artwork with king or twin beds, and some have their own fireplace for Nairobi's cooler evenings. Zeke's Café serves breakfast and lunch on the veranda, looking out over the lawn.

Guests can join a guided walk through Kibera itself, led by residents, to see the community and grassroots projects the lodge's profits help fund. Nairobi's more familiar draws are close by too such as feeding Rothschild's giraffes at the nearby Giraffe Centre, or visiting Karen Blixen's restored house and gardens, the setting for Out of Africa.