American hotel group Marriott International has announced the signing of an agreement with Delaware Investment Limited to establish its first JW Marriott luxury safari lodge in the Serengeti national park in northern Tanzania.
Expected to open in 2026, the lodge is planned to offer 30 private suites, including two presidential suites, each with its own swimming pool and deck area. The lodge will also feature extensive food, beverage, and meeting facilities.
“We are delighted to partner with Delaware Investment for this landmark project in the Serengeti, an exciting new destination for the brand, which also signifies our growing commitment to offering enriching experiences for our guests,” said Jenni Benzaquen, SVP, Brand Portfolio Europe, Middle East and Africa at Marriott International.
Rishen Patel, Owner of Delaware Investment, also expressed his excitement about the collaboration, stating, “It’s a very exciting moment for us to be able to collaborate with Marriott International to debut such a prestigious brand in one of the most iconic wildlife destinations in the world.”
This will be Marriott’s second luxury safari lodge in Africa, following the opening of JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge in Kenya earlier this year.
Marriott International currently operates more than 120 properties in Africa.
Delaware Investment specializes in developing luxury hotel properties and bridges the gap between American investors and the expanding African luxury hospitality sector.
The Serengeti National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site extremely rich in wildlife. The park is home to the world’s largest populations of wildebeests, zebras, cape elands, lions, cheetahs, hyenas, and gazelles
It is part of Tanzania’s Northern Circuit, the most popular safari circuit in Tanzania, which also includes the Tarangire and Lake Manyara National Parks, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, and Mount Kilimanjaro.
In 2019, the park received around 472.7 thousand visitors, comprising international tourists and domestic visitors. The majority of visitors to Serengeti are from Europe (40%), followed by the United States (25%) and Asia (15%).
