Royal Heritage at Sarova Stanley



Kate and Prince William



All eyes are fixed on April, 29^th, 2011. The day when Prince William walks Kate down the Aisle and chances are that the charming Kate will one day be the queen of England. Its royalty all the way this week and certainly it has been a pedestal for Kenya, the home where Prince William saw fit to propose to his bride to be.  Now when you highlight Kenya, the lineage of royalty stems from way back…….



Sarova Stanley history



 From the day it opened its doors in 1902 it has been making history hosting royal safaris and a long line of living legends. The beginnings of a hotel  from wooden and tin buildings in 1902 on Victoria Street ( Tom Mboya Street) to  a larger premises on  Government road after the Great Fire in 1905; now known as Moi Avenue.

Arrival of princess Elizabeth in Kenya in 1952

In 1928, The New Stanley was the venue for a glittering ball for the Royal highness, The Prince of Wales and the Duke of Gloucester. During this period, there was a weeklong public celebration in Nairobi.





Princess Elizabeth and the duke of Edinburgh in 1952 were at Sarova Stanley for a function.

 

Prince Elizabeth's arrival in 1952



Then after 2 days she was crowned Queen. This came shortly after the King died in his sleep while at tree tops. This momentous day granted Kenya an important role in the history of the British Royal Family. The Queen's coronation was celebrated with a road race through the Kenyan Bush, known as the "Coronation Rally". The race became an annual event, popularly known as the "Safari Rally".

In 1959 a Naivasha acacia thorn tree was planted in the centre of Thorn Tree Cafe. The branches threw scatted light as well as provided shade from the African sun to weary engineers and railway workers.

The restaurant has entertained

v HRH Prince Edwards -1952

v Queen Elizabeth

v Ernest Hemmingway-1933

v Elspeth Huxley-1907

v Winston Churchill

v President Roosevelt.

Kenya’s first locally – brewed beer was served at The Stanley’s long bar in 1923. Ewart Grogan who walked from Cape to Cairo to prove his love for a woman slaked his considerable thirst here. So too did Ernest Hemingway, Denys Finch Hatton and Edward Prince of Wales. At Sarova Stanley, the stars came out at night: Stewart Granger, Ava Gardner, Clark Gable, they all came to The Stanley.

Sarova Stanley in 1902

It has been a heritage journey that has been embedded in the culture of Sarova Stanley. The Victorian theme transcends across every part of this magnificent hotel. So if you are looking for royal history, Kenya and most especially Sarova Stanley comes to mind….

Enjoy the royal week as we look forward to the wedding of the century between Kate Middleton and Prince William.

For more information about Sarova Stanley please contact +254202767000 or email centralreservations@sarovahotels.com

This Easter- Take time to reflect. Blogging with Dorothy Matheka.

Take time to reflect this Easter

Easter is a time to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. To those who are unfamiliar with the person Jesus, he is the son of God and he was crucified and resurrected on the third day i.e. Easter Sunday. Take the term resurrection, what does this mean to all of us. Personally I believe that resurrection should start with you.

Resurrection is the literal coming back to life of the biologically dead. It is a concept if taken positively can transform your life. Many people walk around dead to self. They are a meager shadow of what they used to be. A cloud of doubt and disengagement illuminates their path and they feel downward trodden.

Resurrection can begin in your mind. This Easter take time to reflect and rid yourself of mediocrity. Living below the best God wants you to be. Your destiny is in full view but you choose to be dead to ambition. Resurrect. Look at yourself and choose to be different, passionate and ambitious. Stop at no sign, as long as you are on the right path. Keep walking.

Resurrect your mind. Refuse to listen to negative illuminating voices that ebb away in the dark. People fear successful people. As long as you are doing the right thing then, fearful people always get frightened and start the mudslinging gospel. Now that’s where I stop and smile. Smile because every cloud has a silver lining. When they talk it means you rock! It’s always that simple. Don’t be afraid to be the bad guy. An eagle flies alone!

Take time out and reflect on your goals, are you on the line or you missed it totally. Take a toll on the journey. Are you almost there or should we say you need to restrategize? This is my Easter message to you, look at yourself and resurrect.

·         Resurrect from not revering the almighty.

·         Resurrect from not spending time and sharing love with your family and loved ones.

·         Resurrect from having a negative aura.

·         Resurrect from setting comfortable goals- stretch out and take a calculated risk.

·         Resurrect from mediocrity.

·         Resurrect from being stumbling block in others success.

·         Resurrect from being obnoxious.

Just choose to resurrect.

Have a lovely Easter.

For more information about Sarova Hotels please call +254202767000 or email centralreservations@sarovahotels.com

Refreshing African Hospitality

Today-Stop-Look-Listen -Blogging with Yasmin Kara

Stop-look-listen

Stop!

Look !  -    have you trampled on an ant?
                or hurt someone's feelings?

Listen to your heart - is it really singing as it should?

Sit in silence for a few minutes and listen to your inner voice.

What does it say?

Have you got the rhythmic acceptance from the universe/

Are you happy that everything you did is good?

If not,  then listen more.  You have the answers deep within. . .

Correct mistakes you realise because you may not get a second opportunity.

A little bit about the author Yasmin Kara. She is the Personal Assistant to the Regional General Manager, Mr. Mohammed Hersi at Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort & Spa and she is and has always been a collegue and mother to many at Sarova Hotels.

For more information about Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort & Spa. Call +254412128000 or email reservation@sarovahotels.com

Refreshing African Hospitality

How to beat Monday blues



Beat Monday morning

It’s Monday morning and the weekend’s activities take a toll on you and you can’t seem to find the energy to actively deliver your finest at the pay master generals docket. Passion is synonymous to your middle name but at this very moment passion seems elusive, fatigue seems to have groppled over and taken a strategic position in your mind.



You could start your Mondays with a smile



Now that’s true for many of us but how then can you beat this? Start the day with a smile and feel ready to conquer the world? Please follow the next instructions carefully.

Instructions

1.    Make a list before you leave on Friday of tasks you wish to accomplish on Monday. Now, when you come in Monday morning, you already have your day outlined for you.

2.    On Sunday night, try to get to bed a little bit earlier. Don't treat you Sunday as if it's your Saturday. Wind down, read a good book, relax, take a bubble bath.

3.      Now comes the dreaded Monday morning. Don’t keep hitting the snooze button. When your alarm originally goes off, sit up, stretch, and get your butt out of bed. Try to wake up about 90 minutes before you need to leave.

4.      Hop in the shower. Enjoy the hot water and think about how great today is going to be.

5.      Once out of the shower, make some breakfast. DONT SKIP BREAKFAST. Read the paper while you're sitting there eating.

6.      Get ready for work. Listen to your favorite songs in the car and by the time you arrive at the office, you should feel pretty happy and energized.

Now, if you end up talking to Grace Ogolla, - Group Tulia Fitness and Spa manager, then she will give you a healthy tip instead. It’s the secret benefits of a water melon fruit. It works like magic!

Health Benefits of a water melon.

1.      The health benefits of watermelon are really great. No matter how it is sliced, it is packed with some of the most important antioxidants found in nature.

2.      It is an excellent source of vitamin C and a very good source of vitamin A, particularly through its concentration of beta-carotene.

3.      The beautiful red watermelon is also a source of the potent carotene antioxidant which is called lycopene. These antioxidants travel throughout the body neutralizing free radicals. Free radicals are substances in the body that can cause much damage to us. They are able to oxidize cholesterol, making it stick to blood vessel walls and thicken them which can lead to heart attack or stroke. The lycopene which gives fruits the attractive red color that we find in watermelon can help reduce the risks of prostate cancer.

4.      It is a surprising fact that watermelon is the only fruit that contains higher concentrations of lycopene than any other fresh fruit or vegetable.

5.      Watermelon is a fruit that is rich in electrolytes sodium and potassium that we lose through our perspiration.

6.      Watermelon is rich in the B vitamins necessary for energy production. Food experts recommend watermelon as a very good source of vitamin B6 and a good source of vitamin B1 and magnesium. Because of its higher water content approximately ninety percent and calorie value it is ranked more valuable than other fruits.

7.      Watermelon has a special cooling effect and is exceptionally high in citrulline, an amino acid that our bodies use to make another amino acid, arginine, which is used in the urea cycle to remove ammonia from the body.

8.      The antioxidants help reducing the severity of asthma. It also reduces the risk of colon cancer, asthma, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and prostate cancer.

9.      Watermelon is a good source of thiamin, potassium and magnesium which protect our body from so many diseases.

10.  Watermelon is fat free but helps energy production. It protects against macular degeneration.

Personal Branding: Making the right First Impressions.-Blogging with Mercy Njiru

Define you brand

You only have a few seconds to make first impressions so you want to get it right.

Lets be real, everyone does what they do to be recognized or appreciated. Making a strong first impression is a big part of building your personal brand. Whether it’s a,  lunch with a potential business partner, meeting with a client or a sales pitch to a new prospect, the first impression you make goes a long way towards defining their perception of you.

First off, how people perceive you depends a lot on how you present yourselves to them but remember that branding isn’t playing a role. Be yourself. It will become apparent rather quickly if you’re being someone that you’re not. 

Personal branding is how we present and market ourselves to others. It’s a timeless concept. In life, we always have to sell ourselves in various situations, from trying to impress the people we directly deal with daily, from managers so that we can get that promotion, family for support, friends for company, clients and customers to get that long awaited deal etc. We are also always being judged based on first impressions, from the clothing you wear, to how you behave and interact with other people, to your body language, how you eat, how you talk, everything is tied to your overall brand.

An individual brand is a composite that represents who you are, what you do and how well you do it.

Some of you will ask why should I care how people perceive me? We are all created differently, with different capabilities, tastes and talents and a brand brings our that unique promise of value that makes a person different. It helps people uniquely identify with you, have something that people can relate you with, recognize you with and envision you.

Just like companies individuals need to understand that a positive public image is no accident, they must make  PR a proactive part of ones personal strategy by establishing, communicating and nurturing the image they want to represent.

Why is it any different for you as an individual? You might ask, it is important that we consider how others view us, both inside and outside of our companies, at home, or in public, and what we can do to influence that view. How you are perceived can mean the difference between keeping your job and losing it, getting a business and losing it, keeping and losing friends, family, keeping or losing a customer etc

Creating a strong first impression not only paves the way for you to establish your personal brand, but it also starts any new relationship off on the right foot. Like many other things in life, the key is in managing the details.

In my next article, I will be sharing a few practical scenarios an individual can use to influence how you are perceived by others and different scenarios that can increase your exposure, which can produce enhanced respect, new job assignments, a promotion, a new job, a new business associate, a new customer etc.

Mercy Njiru
Marketing Executive
Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort & Spa

A little bit about the author

Mercy is a passionate marketer with a vast experience in personal branding and image etiquette. if you would like to get in touch with her for more information on Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort & Spa, Please email SWBR.marketing@sarovahotels.com
or call +254412128000

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Tulia Spa Healthy Tip- Blogging with Grace Ogolla

Tulia Wellness



Health Benefits of Sweet Potato

The health benefits of sweet potatoes make it one of the healthiest vegetables we eat. One of the key health benefits of sweet potatoes is that it is loaded in antioxidants. Sweet potatoes have four times the recommended daily allowance for beta-carotene, which your body can convert to vitamin A and 42% of the recommended daily allowance for vitamin C. The beta-carotene and vitamin C in sweet potatoes can help prevent cancer. Vitamins A and C are also anti-inflammatory, making sweet potatoes an excellent food for those suffering from either form of arthritis or asthma.

Sweet Potatoes

The health benefits are diverse and a bountiful :-

1. Sweet potatoes can boost Immunity - Being very rich in beta carotene, which is a major antioxidant, apart from vitamin-C and B-complex, iron and phosphorus present in them, sweet potatoes are excellent immunity boosters. Regular consumption of sweet potatoes strengthens the body's immune system and develop resistance to infection
2. Sweet potatoes can prevent arteriosclerosis - Arteriosclerosis is the hardening of the arteries. Regularly consuming vitamin C retards the development of hardening of the arteries.
3. Sweet potatoes can help cure and prevent these types of cancers: colon, intestines, prostrate, kidneys - Beta-carotene, the champion antioxidant and anti-carcinogen, the pigments responsible for the color of the peel of the sweet potatoes and vitamin-C, are very beneficial for curing many types of cancer, mainly those of colon, intestines, prostrate, kidneys and other internal organs.
4. Sweet potatoes can help prevent heart disease - Sweet potato is an amazing source of fiber, potassium and other nutrients that have been shown to prevent heart disease. One study showed that eating just two sweet potatoes a week may cut your risks of suffering a heart attack by as much as 86%.
5. Sweet potatoes can help lower cholesterol - A study showed that eating sweet potatoes could lower LDL cholesterol by as much as 29%
6. Sweet potatoes can help improve eyesight - Sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin A, which is great for the eyes. Vitamin A, along with other antioxidants, helps prevent night blindness, cataracts, macular degeneration and more.
7. Sweet potatoes can help prevent depression - Sweet potatoes help to stabilize blood sugar levels and this makes sweet potato a natural antidepressant. When your blood sugar is stabilized, your mood is steadier and calmer. Eating a sweet potato can keep you feeling energized and elevate your mood for as many as three hours afterward. Sweet potato is also rich in vitamin B9, or Folate. Folate is an essential support for your brain's ability to produce the neurotransmitters that regulate mood, as well as other vital bodily functions.
8. Sweet potatoes are good for people with diabetes - Diabetics can eat sweet potatoes without worry as sweet potatoes have a low glycemic index. The glycemic index of a food reflects the food's effects on a person's blood glucose level. Fast glucose absorption, a rise in blood sugar and its resulting dive happens with high-glycemic foods and is not desirable. It's better for the body to slowly absorb any glucose, sustain a moderate rise in sugar levels and experience a gradual return to the regular level. Since white potatoes, rice and flour have a high glycemic rating, diabetics will benefit from eating sweet potatoes instead.
9. Sweet potatoes can help relieve asthma - The sweet potato is effective in curing congestion of nose, bronchi and lungs, thereby giving relief in asthma. Its typical aroma helps in this.
10. Sweet potatoes can help cure bronchitis - The concentration of vitamin-C, iron and other nutrients help curing bronchitis. The sweet potatoes are believed to be capable of warming up the body (may be due to the sweetness and other nutrients). This property also is beneficial in bronchitis, apart from its property to ease congestion.
11. Sweet potatoes can help prevent emphysema - Sweet potatoes are loaded with vitamin A, and cigarette smoke creates a deficiency of this vitamin. This deficiency may be one of the causes of emphysema and other health problems to the lungs. Smokers and people who inhale second-hand smoke should include in their daily diet foods high in vitamin A, such as sweet potatoes.
12. Sweet potatoes can help cure arthritis and help reduce arthritis pain - Beta-carotene, magnesium, zinc and vitamin-B complex, among others, make sweet potato a helping hand to cure arthritis. The water in which the sweet potatoes are boiled can be applied externally on joints too to ease pain in arthritis.
13. Sweet potatoes can help digestion - The fiber content of sweet potatoes is higher than that of common potatoes and it tastes good too. When these two factors are combined with other minerals like magnesium present in sweet potatoes, it makes an excellent facilitator for digestion. Sweet potatoes are easy to digest too, since they mainly contain starch. They are soothing for the stomach and intestines too.
14. Sweet potatoes can help prevent and cure stomach ulcers - Sweet potato has a soothing effect on the stomach and intestines. The vitamins (B-complex and C), beta carotene, potassium and calcium are very effective in curing stomach ulcers. Moreover, the roughage in sweet potatoes prevents constipation and resultant acid formation, thereby reducing the chance of ulcers. The anti- inflammatory and soothing properties of sweet potatoes also reduce the pain and inflammation of the ulcers.
15. Sweet potatoes can help fetal development - The high foliate content is important and necessary for healthy fetal cell and tissue development.
16. Sweet potatoes can prevent muscle cramps - A deficiency in potassium can cause muscular cramps and greater susceptibility to injury. Make sweet potatoes a regular part of your diet if you exercise a lot, both for an energy boost and to prevent cramps and injuries.
17. Sweet potatoes can help relieve stress - When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, causing the body potassium levels to be reduced. By snacking on the potassium-packed sweet potatoes, it helps to re-balance the vital mineral, and helps normalize the heartbeat. This in turn sends oxygen to the brain and regulates the body's water balance.
18. Sweet potatoes can help you lose weight - One of the health benefits the sweet potato is having the lowest glycemic index among root veggies because it digests very slowly, causing a gradual rise in blood sugar which helps you feel full longer. It's time to move sweet potatoes to the "good" carb list. Many of the most popular diets these days have already.

Grace Ogolla
Group Tulia Spa & Fitness Manager
Sarova Hotels, Resort & Game Lodges.

For a spa experience and a chance to get more information on this please email tulia.spa@sarovahotels.com
or call +254412128000 ext 2720.
Refreshing African Hospitality

Pairing Chocolate & Wine- Blogging with Grace Wambui today...

The Right Wine And Chocolate Matches

A Happy Marriage

 Those who love fine chocolate and fine wine find key points of similarity. Both are made from fruit (the cocoa nibs from which chocolate is made are the seeds of the fruit of the cocoa tree, and fruit was eaten by early Americans long before they discovered how to make chocolate beverage from the seeds). The flavor and aroma yielded by both cacao pod and grape are a function of not only their rootstock, but of their soil, climate, and the weather conditions affecting any single harvest. 

Both are made from a blend of beans or grapes, each with distinct flavor profiles; and when the product is made from a blend, it adds to the complexity of tastes. Just take a look at the vocabulary professionals use to describe the flavors and aromas: You’ll find hundreds of words, a seemingly impossible number but truly authenticated.

The good news for those who love them both is that wine and chocolate complement each other.  What might sound at first like an unlikely marriage is quite a harmonious one—with a bit of pre-marital counseling.  As with foods, there are many kinds of chocolate preparations with different flavor profiles; so no one wine is a universal match.  While that creates a challenge to find the perfect suitor for a box of assorted bonbons; it also makes it fun to seek your favorite pairings, and test on an ongoing basis which combinations you prefer.

In general, dark and bittersweet chocolates go best with stronger red wines while milk and white chocolates paired better with lighter reds and sweeter white wines. The perfect pairing balances sweetness, fruitiness, and acidity—and your own flavor preferences, of course.





• Most of the time, Champagne and chocolate don’t pair well.  Against the sweetness of the chocolate, Champagne appears tart; even the secs and demi-secs (sweet Champagnes) are too delicate to stand up to the cocoa butter mouthfeel of chocolate. Save the Champagne for fresh strawberries.
• Similarly, Rieslings, Chenin Blancs, and Sauternes lack the right structure to pair with rich chocolate. They do, however, pair with white chocolate.
• One prominent sweet wine that does have the balance to pair splendidly is Muscat or Moscato.
• Another ideal pairing is fortified wine: Port or Banyuls, a red wine made of Grenache in the Languedoc Roussillon region of Southwest France.  Save the  complex vintage Port to savor with the cheese course or after-dinner drinks; and bring out the Ruby Port and Tawny Port to drink with chocolate.
• Some experts don’t believe in drinking dry red wines with chocolate.  We disagree, as long as it is a wine with straightforward, strong notes—not too dry, too tannic, or too astringent. Try it and form your own opinions.  The cocoa butter in the chocolate mellows out the tannins and astringency; and fine dark chocolate has enough complexity to hold its own with most reds.

call +254202249757

or email thestanley@sarovahotels.com

TGIF- Thank God it’s Friday!

Unwind at Sarova Stanley Exchange Bar

 

That’s what everybody wakes up feeling every Friday morning. The week is gone and now we are set for the weekend. To unwind or not to unwind? The hustles of the week and evenings spent burning the midnight oil with reports and papers and deadlines all too characteristic of the corporate world.

The possibilities of enjoying the cold morning breeze that slaps your face as you wake up each morning trying to amass the due amount that goes a long way to repay Caesar what belongs to him is farfetched but I discovered a remedy!

I know you think that this is the solution everybody may seem to prophes but I can assure you that I got the remedy of waking up with a smile, every day of the week and an even huger grin every Fridays. I call the remedy Detox.

Cocktails at Sarova Stanleys Exchage Bar



Now I know Friday Comes with great indulgence, every ounce of your body seems to want to reward itself for the weeks toil. Now with Several options available to you in the heart of the city e.g. you can enjoy happy hour at the Sarova Stanley’s exchange bar, if you like a quieter ambience you can drive to Sarova Panafric Flame Tree restaurant or for a cold thirst quenching beer by the beach shore- you can check into Sarova Whitesands Cocos Beach Bar. I can assure you the experience of a drink with the calming ocean view is unmatched.



Sarova Stanley Health Club



Now back to my detox solution, you need to exercise. It makes you feel healthy, fresh and energetic. Every morning ensure you jog for at least 30 minutes, If you prefer, you can join a gym near you. For me, I am an ardent fan of the health club at Sarova Stanley and I am there every 6:00 am in the morning. I do 30 minutes of the treadmill and as I am jogging while listening to the adrenaline pumping music, I just drift away. There goes my secret day dreaming phase: I become the person I envision myself to be in the near future. A CEO of a marketing firm; a firm that offers solutions that so many businesses so badly need. I Envision the Sarova Stanley’s ambiance being grafted into my own home; I picture the heritage culture and finesse and I start smiling….. Shortly I snap out of my déjà vu and am dashing to get to the office and I keep smiling- A CEO in the making.

So folks when you wake up feeling blue, you just need to detox. Detox your mind from negative thoughts, detox your body from all you put into it, keep envisioning your near future and smile as if it were the present.

Tulia Spa Therapy

Now for the weekend, you may also conclude it by rewarding yourself to a Spa experience; I know no other better that Tulia Spa, a haven nestled right next to the beach shore at Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort & Spa, and the rates are rewarding! Therapies start from Ksh. 2000/-

To get more of this experience call +254202767444

email centralreservations@sarovahotels.com

Planning a bush safari

Game Drive at Sarova Taita Hills Game Lodge

The holidays are around the corner and plans are underway to get your family all snuggled together enroute to a destination of your choice. Safari preferences are hurled your way from all within your band wagon of loved ones and settling for a destination choice becomes a daunting task.

Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge

A few tips that I have found important when planning your safari to the bush and this is besides the clichés: check on your budget, transport plan, accommodation availability, booking and reservation e.t.c. e.t.c is to choose your destination based on how your family is wired.



Sarova Salt Lick Game Lodge



Don’t get me wrong; what I mean is that you look at what would make your home away from home experience amazing for all the individual members of your family. A destination with activities for children, adults and teens. A destination that you are guaranteed to see the big five all at once. A destination that befits the title – “one of the worlds wonder”.

Sarova Shaba Game Lodge

Now I know that seems like a make believe choice of a place but stick around I will give you hot tips for planning your Safari Destination. So you have selected the accommodation, safari destination, travel and all the miscellaneous that go along with planning. Now you need to have tips to ensure you maximize your travel:-

Sarova Mara Game Camp Standard tent

I prefer to call these hot tip “Sarova hotels Bush Travel tips”

·         Carry with you warm clothes, the evenings prove to be cooler. if you need some of our very warm branded hoodies, get them in our gift shops in all the lodges.

·         Carry your digital camera and cable so that you share live pictures with your friends as it happens. You can download and send the pictures at all the internet enabled business centers in the lodges.

·         Make sure you try out bush breakfast or dinner with your family- this ensures you have an experiential time in the wild.

·         Try out a night game drive; here you get to experience the wild at night when the animals are all out and about.

·         To crown it all and get you rejuvenated to return to the hustles of the city, make sure your entire family enjoys the Tulia wellness centre at all the lodges. Tulia Taita Wellness redefines the African Wellness experience with quality treatments based on the wonderful ingredients this magnificent continent has to offer. Our personal care ensures a renewing, purely African experience that honors ancient traditions, while commemorating African nature that leaves you feeling relaxed refreshed, reinvigorated.... and ready to return.

·         Lastly look out at our Animal spot board which highlights where animals have been spotted all through the sanctuary.

Tulia Wellness at Sarova Taita Hills Game Lodge

 For reservations contact centralreservations@sarovahotels.com

Call +254202767401

Refreshing African Hospitality