Giraffe Manor Lang'ata, Kenya

The Godfather talks – menacingly – about ‘sleeping with the fishes’. But much more extraordinary – and life-affirming – is eating with the giraffes at Giraffe Manor in the Lang‘ata suburb of Nairobi, Kenya. But what gives the manor’s in-house restaurant, Daisy’s, and breakfast room, Garden Manor, worldwide appeal is that it also serves as a regular drop-by spot for the giraffes that the manor serves as home to.

Like all great eateries, Giraffe Manor’s eating and drinking spots are drenched not just in ambience – the 12- room boutique hotel was built and modelled on a Scottish hunting lodge in 1932 – but are also given that incredible magical touch by the gorgeous, long-necked residents who take and make gentle, tall orders.

Whether you’re having delightful scones, sandwiches, cakes and fruit platter during tea time on the lawn, or warm pancakes laden with syrup at Garden Manor for breakfast, or washing down gorgeous chilli glazed sticky ribs with a glass of 2016 Stellenbosch Rust en Vrede red, or gracefully slurping the asparagus soup sourced from Giraffe Manor’s organic garden at Daisy’s Cafe, you’ll know this: eating with the giraffes in the stunning surroundings of Lang’ata is a gentle, long-necked high.