Wow, did the Half Moon Resort have beautiful landscaping and gardens.  Lush greenery and flowering plants were everywhere you looked.  I saw two colors of ginger flower, many different varieties of hibiscus, as well as other tropical flowers, not to mention the amazing shades of green found in the foliage throughout the resort. 

The gardens surrounding the Fern Tree Spa also included gorgeous water features- a pool and a wall fountain.  The running water is a clever way to make the treatment rooms restful, as other sounds are smoothed over by the relaxing sounds of the fountains.  At the back of the spa garden, there is also a labyrinth laid out in stone.  What a peaceful spot!

One of the things I loved the most about Round Hill was the enormous vegetable garden on the property. The garden is located at the top of the hill, a quick walk in the cool mornings-a longer walk during the heat of the day!

Heading out from Nairobi, our first stop in Kenya was Tortilis Camp, which is located in a conservancy adjoining Amboseli National Park.  Amboseli is known for its large herds of elephants.  Cynthia Moss has studied the elephant families in the park for generations and many elephants in the park are followed closely by researchers.  Amboseli is also noted for the incredible views of Mount Kilimanjaro, which is on the border of Kenya and Tanzania.  However, depending on the cloud cover, you will not always be able to see the mountain.  We were lucky to get several really good views while we were there.  Tortilis Camp has some beautiful vantage points of Kilimanjaro, and due to the clear weather, we were often able to see it from the main dining area and bar.

Giraffe Manor is nothing short of magical and I was so happy to return for a second visit two nights in June. Our British Airways flight arrived in the evening and we encountered quite a line at immigration, but we were warmly greeted and offered drinks and dinner despite the late hour of our check in.  The staff at Giraffe Manor is very helpful and friendly across the board, check in time is no exception.  We stayed in Marlon's Room our first night, the only room available when we booked.  It is small, and does not have giraffes visit for pre-breakfast treats.  We moved to Daisy's Room the next morning, which has a small terrace and a nice view out over the patio and the wooded area where the giraffes sometimes hang out (see below.)  To be sure you get a room that has giraffes come directly to the window, book very early!  No matter where your room is, you will have visiting time with giraffes at breakfast, in the breakfast room and along the patio. You will also get to feed giraffes at tea time.