True to its name which means ‘mountaintop’ in Luo, Wigot Gardens Hotel has an idyllic setting atop Kajulu Hills overlooking Nandi Hills and Kisumu city itself (which, from this vantage point, seems like a sea of red roofs emerging in between the greenery). The lawns of the hotel are lush and green, and the accommodations which include tented suites are spread across what looks like five acres. It is located in the Mamboleo neighbourhood, which is a little removed from the hustle and bustle of the city. I stopped by for lunch with my dad who actually chose this spot.
The restaurant is spread across the property, and there are several areas where one can eat, whether poolside, in the gardens, or indoors. The pool area has the best views, but, unfortunately, the seats there were bench-style with no backrest, and therefore a tad uncomfortable for my old man. We decided to settle into a quiet corner of the garden, surrounded by greenery and bird song.
I found the menu to be fairly priced with main meals averaging Sh1,000. The only exception was the kienyeji mboga with milk which was listed at Sh500 which I found to be overpriced. I settled for beef pepper steak with chips and gravy, while the old man went for lamb chops (apparently a house staple) with the same accompaniments. Throw in two rounds of fresh juices each, and the overall menu came to Sh3,200. The food was decent, and the service here is really friendly. The wait staff went out of their way to help us, including walking us across to the other side of the property to show us to a table. If you’re not keen on Kenyan food, they have other items like pizza and pasta on the menu, as well as a choice of desserts which are mostly cakes.
The play areas and pool make this spot ideal for families. Ultimately, the main downside is that they don’t serve any alcohol which, I gather, is because the owner is Christian- SDA. With the views and laid-back ambiance, this would otherwise be a great spot for sundowners or a bottle of wine shared with friends on an afternoon. They did have alcohol-free wine listed on the menu, but let’s be honest; that stuff is basically just grape juice. BY DAILY NATION