USP On “spafari”: no need to rough it in the bush, this safari lodge offers some soothing spa extras. Lounging on oriental pillows on the lawn with a butler on hand is the perfect antidote to the big game quest.

AMBIENCE Hippo Point is a blend of fantasy architecture, from tiny Hansel and Gretel cottages to a mock Tudor main house and a Grimm’s fairytale tower. It has a decadent air and is stuffed full of treasures from the owners’ travels. Its guests are determined to see the Big Five, but still want their linen sheets, hot showers, ice in the G&Ts and expert massages - essential after a dusty, bone-jarring session in a Jeep.

EXPERIENCE After a morning waterskiing on Lake Naivasha, I had a massage in the lakeside Palladian gazebo, surely the only spa where the hippos eat the garden and you can almost touch a passing giraffe. The therapist, who visits daily, offers a few treatments including facials, full-body aromatherapy massages and yoga.

FOOD Gourmet: we dined on prawns, duck with asparagus and passion-fruit sorbet served on fine china. Wine was poured from antique etched glass and silver decanters.

IN CROWD Those seeking a flavour of eccentric colonial grandeur peppered with soothing treats and a dose of Planet Earth live.

WALLET WATCH Abercrombie & Kent offers a six-night itinerary including two nights at Hippo Point from £2,099pp, based on four travelling together. It includes return flights with British Airways to Nairobi, internal flights, transfers and full board. Hippo Point is a member of Chapters Villas Worldwide (www.villa-rentals.com). An hour-long massage costs £35 and yoga is £50 a session.

NEED TO KNOW Hippo Point, Lake Naivasha, Kenya (00 254 733 333 014; www.hippo-pointkenya.com) Abercrombie & Kent (0845 0700611; www.abercrombiekent.co.uk)

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