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Treetops Hotel is a hotel in Aberdare National Park in
Kenya near the township of Nyeri, 6,450 feet above sea level on the
Aberdare Range and in sight of
Mount Kenya. First opened in 1932 by
Eric Sherbrooke Walker, it was literally built into the tops of the trees of the Aberdares National Park as a treehouse, offering the guests a close view of the local wildlife in complete safety. The idea was to provide a
machan (hunting platform on a tree during
shikar in India) experience in relative safety and comfort. From the original modest two room tree house, it has grown into 50 rooms. The original structure was burned down by African guerrillas during the 1954
Mau Mau Uprising, but the hotel was rebuilt near the same
waterhole and has become a fashionably exotic adventure for many of the rich and famous. Paul D. Zimmerman; Treetops Hotel: Not a Bit Posh But It Attracts a Posh Clientele;
The New York Times, September 15, 1968, Sunday It includes observation lounges and ground level photographic hides from which guests can observe the local wildlife which come to the nearby waterholes. It is probably best known as the place where Princess
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom inherited the Throne on the death of her father
George VI of the United Kingdom during a visit in
1952. Prickett, R.J "Treetops: Story of A World Famous Hotel," David St John Thomas Publishers, Nairn Scotland, 1995
Beginnings
The initial idea of Major Eric Sherbrooke Walker, who owned land in the
Aberdare Range, was to build a treehouse for his wife
Lady Bettie, who liked them. The idea grew, and ultimately the couple oversaw the construction of a two room treehouse in a huge, 300 year old fig tree as an adjunct facility to the Outspan Hotel (which they built and owned) in
1932. Initial construction was hampered by the presence of wild animals, as the treehouse was purposely built beside animal trails leading to a nearby waterhole. Laborers and supervisors were often chased away by wild animals, which led to increased labor costs.
While originally two rooms, and open only on Wednesday nights to overnight guests as a night viewing platform, rising demand forced the Walkers to accommodate more visitors. The visit of the Princess Elizabeth, and her husband
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, the Duke of Edinburgh to Kenya in 1952 led to their visit to the Treetops as personal guests of the Walkers. The Treetops was reinforced, and its capacity was increased to four rooms (one being for a resident hunter). E. S. Walker, Treetops Hotel, Robert Hale Publishing, London, 1962
The birth of a Queen
Treetops shot into media limelight when Princess Elizabeth learned of the death of her father, George VI of the United Kingdom, which occurred on 6 February
1952, the night she was at Treetops, while in Kenya. It was there that, uniquely, she "went up a princess and came down a Queen". She was the first British monarch since the Act of Union in
1801 to be outside the country at the moment of succession, and also the first in modern times not to know the exact time of her accession (because her father, George VI, had died in his sleep at an unknown time). On the night her father died,
Horace Hearne, then
Chief Justice of
Kenya, escorted Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, as she then was, to a
state dinner at the Treetops Hotel. She returned immediately to England. The legendary hunter
Jim Corbett (hunter), a resident of Treetops at the time, wrote the now famous lines in the visitors' log book:
For the first time in the history of the world, a young girl climbed into a tree one day a Princess and after having what she described as her most thrilling experience she climbed down from the tree next day a Queen — God bless her. Visitors' log book of 1954, Treetops hotel, Kenya
Political unrest
The Mau Mau Uprising, which began as a protest in
1951 and
1952 of British dominance and discrimination in the
Kikuyu homeland quickly became a violent uprising. It was suppressed by the British over the period
1953 -
1954. In 1953, the Aberdare forest provided refuge to many hundreds of Mau Mau rebels, led by
Dedan Kimathi. In June 1953, the entire region was declared off-limits for Africans, and orders to shoot Africans on sight were set in place. A major military operation in late 1953 (
Operation Blitz) left 125 guerillas dead. This was followed in January 1954 by
Operation Hammer, led by the King's African Rifles, which however failed to encounter many guerillas as most had already left the area. As a protest against the shoot on sight orders, and repeated military action, Mau Mau rebels burnt down the Treetops Hotel (which acted as a lookout for the
King's African Rifles) on
May 27, 1954 in a contentious
military action or
terrorism. The incident took place as the uprising was slowly being brought to an end by British military action. Joseph Karimi; In Nyeri, Memories of Queen's Visit Live On; The East African, The Nation Group,
June 3, 2002 NYT Special; Treetop Hotel Burned by Mau Mau;
NY Times, May 28, 1954, Friday
Present day Treetops
The Treetops Hotel was rebuilt in
1957 on a nearby chestnut tree overlooking the same waterhole and
saltlick near the elephant migration pathway to
Mount Kenya, and has presently grown to about 50 rooms, with the hotel presently being built on additional stilt support.
The rise in popularity of the Treetops is partially due to Elizabeth II's visit and accession in 1952, but also partially due to their
No see, no pay policy during their early years — a common business policy on safaris, where guests were not charged for services if they failed to see any big game. G. K. Sharma, Tales from the top of a tree, The Tribune,
May 26,
2002Visitors can observe the wildlife from the top deck, the viewing windows in the communal space, or from ground level hides. They can also take motor tours from the Treetops. The Treetops remains an overnight destination, with only overnight luggage being allowed, and visitors being driven in from the
Outspan Hotel for the night. Other facilities include a thousand watt artificial moon used to illuminate animals at the waterhole during dark nights. Another unusual restriction at the Treetops is a low decibel level restriction due to the hearing sensitivity of many animals, including a ban on all hard-soled footwear.
Presently, the Treetops Hotel is run by the
Aberdare Safari Hotels which acquired the company
Outspan and Treetops in 1978. Following the success of Treetops, another treetop lodge —
The Shimba, was opened by the Aberdare Safari Hotels group in the Shimba Hills National Reserve.
Treetops in popular culture
Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, founder of the
Scouting movement, was a resident of Nyeri and a frequent visitor to Treetops. In 1938, he commissioned a cottage on the grounds of the Outspan Hotel, which he named
Paxtu. The final resting place of Baden-Powell and his wife Olave, is located nearby.
The visit of Princess Elizabeth, however, cemented the fame of The Treetops. The visit of Princess Elizabeth was immortalised in Jim Corbett (hunter) (who was a resident "hunter" at Treetops) final book
Tree Tops. Following the media hype over the accession of Elizabeth II, the Treetops attracted a large number of rich and famous people every year, Some famous personalities who visited the Treetops before or after the accession of Elizabeth II are Charlie Chaplin, Joan Crawford and
Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma Nicholas Best,
The Man from Treetops, Andrew Lownie Literary Agency
, and a much-publicized return visit by Elizabeth II in 1983. Due to the quick change in profile of the rustic tree lodge, National Geographic Magazine
ran an article A New Look at Kenya's "Treetops"
on October, 1956.Interestingly, a large number of present day resorts are named Treetops — though only some of them actually take the name from the hotel. The number of treehouse safari lodges has increased with the success of Treetops.
In
Dan Simmon's book
Hyperion, The Templars (a nature worshipping race) had a hotel/restaurant named Treetops on their homeworld God's Grove in the World Tree (an enormous tree whose branches nearly reached space).
Treetops Hotel is also the name of an Ireland racehorse Entry at
irish-racing.com
External links
- Treetops Hotel official commercial site
- Animal logs at the Treetops site
References
Treetops Hotel is a hotel in Aberdare National Park in Kenya near the township of
Nyeri, 6,450 feet above sea level on the
Aberdare Range and in sight of Mount Kenya. First opened in 1932 by
Eric Sherbrooke Walker, it was literally built into the tops of the trees of the Aberdares National Park as a treehouse, offering the guests a close view of the local wildlife in complete safety. The idea was to provide a
machan (hunting platform on a tree during
shikar in India) experience in relative safety and comfort. From the original modest two room tree house, it has grown into 50 rooms. The original structure was burned down by African guerrillas during the 1954
Mau Mau Uprising, but the hotel was rebuilt near the same
waterhole and has become a fashionably exotic adventure for many of the rich and famous. Paul D. Zimmerman; Treetops Hotel: Not a Bit Posh But It Attracts a Posh Clientele;
The New York Times, September 15, 1968, Sunday It includes observation lounges and ground level photographic hides from which guests can observe the local wildlife which come to the nearby waterholes. It is probably best known as the place where Princess
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom inherited the Throne on the death of her father George VI of the United Kingdom during a visit in 1952. Prickett, R.J "Treetops: Story of A World Famous Hotel," David St John Thomas Publishers, Nairn Scotland, 1995
Beginnings
The initial idea of Major
Eric Sherbrooke Walker, who owned land in the Aberdare Range, was to build a treehouse for his wife
Lady Bettie, who liked them. The idea grew, and ultimately the couple oversaw the construction of a two room treehouse in a huge, 300 year old
fig tree as an adjunct facility to the Outspan Hotel (which they built and owned) in
1932. Initial construction was hampered by the presence of wild animals, as the treehouse was purposely built beside animal trails leading to a nearby waterhole. Laborers and supervisors were often chased away by wild animals, which led to increased labor costs.
While originally two rooms, and open only on Wednesday nights to overnight guests as a night viewing platform, rising demand forced the Walkers to accommodate more visitors. The visit of the Princess Elizabeth, and her husband
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, the
Duke of Edinburgh to Kenya in 1952 led to their visit to the Treetops as personal guests of the Walkers. The Treetops was reinforced, and its capacity was increased to four rooms (one being for a resident hunter). E. S. Walker, Treetops Hotel, Robert Hale Publishing, London, 1962
The birth of a Queen
Treetops shot into media limelight when Princess Elizabeth learned of the death of her father, George VI of the United Kingdom, which occurred on 6 February 1952, the night she was at Treetops, while in Kenya. It was there that, uniquely, she "went up a princess and came down a Queen". She was the first British monarch since the
Act of Union in 1801 to be outside the country at the moment of succession, and also the first in modern times not to know the exact time of her accession (because her father, George VI, had died in his sleep at an unknown time). On the night her father died, Horace Hearne, then Chief Justice of Kenya, escorted Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, as she then was, to a state dinner at the Treetops Hotel. She returned immediately to England. The legendary hunter Jim Corbett (hunter), a resident of Treetops at the time, wrote the now famous lines in the visitors' log book:
For the first time in the history of the world, a young girl climbed into a tree one day a Princess and after having what she described as her most thrilling experience she climbed down from the tree next day a Queen — God bless her. Visitors' log book of 1954, Treetops hotel, Kenya
Political unrest
The Mau Mau Uprising, which began as a protest in
1951 and 1952 of British dominance and discrimination in the Kikuyu homeland quickly became a violent uprising. It was suppressed by the British over the period
1953 -
1954. In
1953, the Aberdare forest provided refuge to many hundreds of Mau Mau rebels, led by Dedan Kimathi. In June 1953, the entire region was declared off-limits for Africans, and orders to shoot Africans on sight were set in place. A major military operation in late 1953 (
Operation Blitz) left 125 guerillas dead. This was followed in January 1954 by
Operation Hammer, led by the
King's African Rifles, which however failed to encounter many guerillas as most had already left the area. As a protest against the shoot on sight orders, and repeated military action, Mau Mau rebels burnt down the Treetops Hotel (which acted as a lookout for the
King's African Rifles) on
May 27,
1954 in a contentious military action or
terrorism. The incident took place as the uprising was slowly being brought to an end by British military action. Joseph Karimi; In Nyeri, Memories of Queen's Visit Live On; The East African, The Nation Group,
June 3,
2002 NYT Special; Treetop Hotel Burned by Mau Mau;
NY Times, May 28, 1954, Friday
Present day Treetops
The Treetops Hotel was rebuilt in
1957 on a nearby
chestnut tree overlooking the same waterhole and saltlick near the elephant migration pathway to
Mount Kenya, and has presently grown to about 50 rooms, with the hotel presently being built on additional stilt support.
The rise in popularity of the Treetops is partially due to Elizabeth II's visit and accession in 1952, but also partially due to their
No see, no pay policy during their early years — a common business policy on safaris, where guests were not charged for services if they failed to see any big game. G. K. Sharma, Tales from the top of a tree,
The Tribune,
May 26, 2002
Visitors can observe the wildlife from the top deck, the viewing windows in the communal space, or from ground level hides. They can also take motor tours from the Treetops. The Treetops remains an overnight destination, with only overnight luggage being allowed, and visitors being driven in from the
Outspan Hotel for the night. Other facilities include a thousand watt artificial moon used to illuminate animals at the waterhole during dark nights. Another unusual restriction at the Treetops is a low decibel level restriction due to the hearing sensitivity of many animals, including a ban on all hard-soled footwear.
Presently, the Treetops Hotel is run by the
Aberdare Safari Hotels which acquired the company
Outspan and Treetops in 1978. Following the success of Treetops, another treetop lodge —
The Shimba, was opened by the Aberdare Safari Hotels group in the Shimba Hills National Reserve.
Treetops in popular culture
Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, founder of the
Scouting movement, was a resident of Nyeri and a frequent visitor to Treetops. In 1938, he commissioned a cottage on the grounds of the Outspan Hotel, which he named
Paxtu. The final resting place of Baden-Powell and his wife Olave, is located nearby.
The visit of Princess Elizabeth, however, cemented the fame of The Treetops. The visit of Princess Elizabeth was immortalised in
Jim Corbett (hunter) (who was a resident "hunter" at Treetops) final book
Tree Tops. Following the media hype over the accession of Elizabeth II, the Treetops attracted a large number of rich and famous people every year, Some famous personalities who visited the Treetops before or after the accession of Elizabeth II are Charlie Chaplin, Joan Crawford and Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma Nicholas Best,
The Man from Treetops, Andrew Lownie Literary Agency
, and a much-publicized return visit by Elizabeth II in 1983. Due to the quick change in profile of the rustic tree lodge, National Geographic Magazine ran an article A New Look at Kenya's "Treetops"
on October, 1956.Interestingly, a large number of present day resorts are named Treetops — though only some of them actually take the name from the hotel. The number of treehouse safari lodges has increased with the success of Treetops.
In Dan Simmon's book
Hyperion, The Templars (a nature worshipping race) had a hotel/restaurant named Treetops on their homeworld God's Grove in the World Tree (an enormous tree whose branches nearly reached space).
Treetops Hotel is also the name of an Ireland racehorse Entry at
irish-racing.com
External links
- Treetops Hotel official commercial site
- Animal logs at the Treetops site
References
Hilton Aberdeen Treetops hotel - Hotels in Aberdeen - Hilton ...
Book a room at the Hilton Aberdeen Treetops hotel, Aberdeen online at Hilton.co.uk ... Enjoy the best of both worlds at the Hilton Aberdeen Treetops hotel, a quiet country hotel ...
Hilton International
You might find this information useful to have with you when travelling to the hotel.
Treetops Hotel Safaris In Kenya - Aberdares
The Treetops is the original tree lodge and is world famous for its location facing a water hole and a salt lick in the Aberdares National Park as well as its historical royal ...
Treetops Hotel - Home Page
Small family-run hotel. Includes prices and local information.
Treetops Hotel - Enquiries
To request a brochure or to make any other enquiry please click below:
Treetops Hotel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Treetops Hotel is a hotel in Aberdare National Park in Kenya near the township of Nyeri, 1,966 m (6,450 ft) above sea level on the Aberdare Range and in sight of Mount Kenya.
Treetops Hotel - Aberdares - Kenya Safari -: Kenya Beach Travel.
Absolutely Awesome Kenya beach hotels, Safari excursions, Scuba diving. Surf Kenya Travel, Inc as its rates are the best ever. ... TREETOPS HOTEL. The famous Treetops Hotel ...
Treetops, Kenya
TREETOPS / OUTSPAN The famous Treetops Hotel started off very meekly - a tiny two roomed dwelling lofted into a fig tree as early as the 1930's.
Hilton Treetops Hotel Aberdeen - Special Internet Rates at HotelClub
Hilton Treetops Hotel Aberdeen - discount reservation service. Save up to 60% when you book with HotelClub.
Mantra Treetops Resort & Spa Port Douglas - Special Internet Rates at ...
Mantra Treetops Resort & Spa Port Douglas - discount reservation service. Save up to 60% when you book with HotelClub.
