The Intentional Curator
Dedicated to the art of exotic travel, we curate spaces that challenge traditional architecture and reconnect you with the extraordinary.
Our Story
From Naromoru to Nairobi. A National Vision.
Lai Group KE is a boutique hospitality firm dedicated to the art of exotic travel. Based in Nairobi but rooted in the wild landscapes of Kenya — with origins in Naromoru, at the foot of Mount Kenya — we curate a collection of properties that challenge traditional architecture. From our signature mabati-cladded mansions to award-winning sustainable cottages, we believe a stay should be as unique as the destination itself.
We don't just book rooms; we design memories for the modern explorer who seeks the extraordinary in the hidden corners of Kenya. Our pivot to the city signifies our shift from a local operator to a national travel brand, headquartered in the heart of Nairobi's entrepreneurial scene (associated with Attic Chapter, Nafasi Connection, and Millenium Work Depot).
A defining characteristic of our portfolio is the use of "mabati" (iron-sheet) cladding. We have turned a humble, industrial Kenyan material into a signature luxury aesthetic, creating spaces that are design-forward, sophisticated, and deeply intimate.
What Is LAI Group KE?
LAI Group KE is a curated luxury short-stay brand headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, founded by Jimmy Ngatia. With a national portfolio of architecturally unique properties — from Naivasha's Mabati Mansion to the award-winning Chui Cottage in Timau — we offer sophisticated escapes designed for the modern explorer. Our hallmarks include signature mabati (iron-sheet) cladding, environmental integration, and a direct WhatsApp booking experience for a truly boutique service.
The Founder
The person behind Kenya's most curated short-stay properties
J
Jimmy Ngatia
Founder & Curator, LAI Group KE
Jimmy Ngatia grew up in Naromoru — a small town at the foot of Mount Kenya — with a deep curiosity about the places people inhabit, not just as architecture, but as feeling. Long before LAI Group KE existed, he was the person in the room asking why a space made you feel calm, or adventurous, or finally like yourself.
That curiosity became a career. Jimmy spent years observing how the most memorable stays in Kenya shared something uncommon: they had a point of view. The owner had cared about more than square footage. The space told a story. And the guest left changed in some small but real way.
That is the philosophy behind every property in the LAI Group KE portfolio. Jimmy personally visits, verifies, and curates each one - not with a checklist, but with the single question that has guided this brand from the beginning: “Would I come back here?”
If the answer is yes, you'll find it on this website.
“Kenya has more extraordinary places than most Kenyans have ever seen. Our mission is to ensure you find them, and when you do, that they stay with you.”
— Jimmy Ngatia, Founder & Curator, LAI Group KE
What We Stand For
Our Values
Ready to experience it for yourself?
Browse our curated collection of exotic short-stay properties across Kenya's most breathtaking destinations - and find the escape that feels like it was made for you.
Explore Properties