HolidayInn Nairobi , Nairobi

Advantages: Good location, great staff, nice rooms
Disadvantages: Some rooms are small

My initial experience of staying at the Holiday Inn in Nairobi came on the wings of a panic. I was travelling with my boss, and I had made the BIG MISTAKE of booking us into a convenient, small, and very cheap mission guest house where I frequently stay. It didn't take me too long to figure out that the boss was tired--after two weeks of travel in Africa--and, something really nice better be at the end of this day. So, I quickly slipped out of the ...
...book to look for something better. My eyes fell on "Holiday Inn" and I knew I had found the answer. Location: The Holiday Inn (known locally as The Mayfair) is conveniently located in the Westlands area of Nairobi. It is not very far from the Westlands Shopping Mall and the Sarit Center ... both of which are very nice shopping centers...even by western standards. The buildings are a bit older--but, immaculately maintained--and ramble over a beautiful ... Read review

Advantages: good facilities, lovely grounds, excellent staff, very secure
Disadvantages: some rooms a little dated

I stayed here for two nights in April 2005, while on a stop-over to visit some friends. As a member of the Holiday Inn club, I have been completely sucked in by points collecting, and always stay in a HI if there's one in town. So I feel I know the chain pretty well, and I also know how much they can vary in standard, not just between countries, but even within towns. The Nairobi Holiday Inn was very different to most. It was converted from an old ...
...of that old time character. It is a large hotel, with about 170 rooms, but there is a very personal atmosphere, and the staff are exceptional. Even though I was only there for a short stay, I was greeted by name every time I went to the reception, and even the gardeners and security guards never failed to say jambo in passing. The hotel rambles around two large swimming pools, and pretty gardens, which makes you forget you are anywhere near a city. ... Read review

Advantages: A taste of old colonial
Disadvantages: Can't think of any

Stayed here on two separate nights on the Kuoni Leopard safari this July but it's used as the start point for a lot of Kuoni tours. Hotel used to be the Mayfair Court (stayed here in 94) and retains a lot of local flavour with pretty gardens, water features and an outdoor canopied breakfast restaurant where much food is cooked fresh to order. This overlooks a decent sized swimming pool but you aren't assaulted by chlorine. The room the first time ...
...we were in a spacious ground floor room overlooking the garden (where a wedding was taking place) with the most comfortable beds and pillows ever - so comfy that we tucked ourselves under duvets and watched TV from bed (we had been on the road for 14 days)! Big bars of soap in the bathroom. There is an excellent steak restaurant opening off the lobby - a wide choice of very good meat, a salad buffet, hot chips (Kenya travellers will know that hot ... Read review