Our Recommended 5 Star Hotels in Nairobi

Our Recommended 5 Star Hotels in Nairobi

Kenya is known around the world for many reasons, and one of these reasons would be its tourism. In fact, between the years 2006 and 2018, tourist arrivals in Kenya were alleged to average about 88,000 people, reaching an all-time high of over 170,000 in July of 2018.

So it is no wonder then that hotels around Nairobi know this, with many capitalizing on providing the best to visitors coming from all over the world, in terms of accommodation, dining and wining.

There are many options to choose from when it comes to beautiful hotels in Nairobi, and there is really no shortage of a great hotel where you can stay in.

I give you our top recommended 5 star hotels in Nairobi, each with its own unique flair that will leave you with great memories.

Photo by Jumia Travel

Radisson Blu Hotel

The Radisson Blu Hotel is number 1 in our recommended 5 star hotels in Nairobi. Located in Nairobi’s Upperhill, the hotel has hosted visitors to Nairobi since 2015.

Part of the reason why so many people prefer it is because apart from being close to many tourist attractions in Nairobi (by car) including the Nairobi National Park, the David Sheldrick Trust, the Giraffe Centre and the Bomas of Kenya (about 20 minutes’ drive), you can also walk to the Nairobi train station, the Nairobi hospital (one of the biggest private hospitals in Nairobi), and the City Market.

The Hotel is also a short distance to the Kenyatta International Convention Centre, the Nairobi Museum, and the All Saints Cathedral – some of the top Nairobi landmarks.

The Radisson Blu Hotel offers a total of 271 spacious rooms spanning 8 floors, and with some of the units giving you a view of the city. You also get spacious bathrooms with a hairdryer, terry dressing gowns and bath sheets, individual climate control, cable channels, a CD player, a microwave, an electric kettle and kitchenware in every room.

The Hotel also comes with indoor and outdoor swimming pools and a Jacuzzi.

The mornings start with a complimentary breakfast at the lounge area.

Want to enjoy the best of African beer and top traditional Kenyan foods? Well, you can check out the hotel’s cigar bar and restaurant – the Larder restaurant.

Other facilities include gym and fitness classes, steam baths, massage and beauty therapy.

Photo by Pinterest

Sankara

Sankara Nairobi is the first Kenyan hotel to be part of the Autograph Collection, a luxury chain arm of Mariott International. The Autograph Collection has over 171 hotels all over the world that fall under it.

The hotel is also one of the best luxury hotels in Kenya, and holds the highest level of “Safe Hotels” certification.

Located in the heart of Westlands, one of the Top 10 Best Trendy Neighbourhoods To Stay In Nairobi, this 5-star, 168 room business hotel is a favourite with many people visiting Nairobi as it is not only close to the Central Business District (about 20 minutes by car), but is also close to major centers, office parks and banking halls.

The hotel is also beautifully decorated with stylish decor, and has masterpieces of some of East Africa’s finest artists donning its walls.

The hotel also has an award winning steakhouse and a rooftop pool bar that is popular with many of its visitors, and not forgetting that it is close to some of the top nightclubs in Nairobi.

All its rooms come with air conditioning, a flat screen TV, storage, a hairdryer, a mini fridge, and en-suite facilities.

Photo by Kempinski Hotels

Villa Rosa Kempinski

The Villa Rosa Kempinski is next in our top recommended 5 star hotels in Nairobi.

Opened in 2013, it is one of the most luxurious hotels in the city.

The hotel is located on Chiromo road about 15 minutes from the Nairobi town centre, and about 20 km from the Jomo Kenyatta International airport.

It has 200 tastefully furnished rooms and suites that spreads across 10 floors, with some of the rooms giving you beautiful views of Nairobi.

It is also in the Westlands neighbourhood, and not too far from the Sankara hotel.

Among its other amenities are state of the art conference rooms, seven specialty restaurants, a 24-hour front desk and the Kempinski Spa.

The hotel is defined by a pale pink paint, and stands on a hill. There is high-level security at the entrance, with guards sweeping under vehicles with bomb detectors and sometimes with dogs which search the cars coming through. Guests then have to go through airport-style metal detectors before they enter the building. This is actually a popular scenario in many of the establishments in the city.

Photo by AfricanMecca Safaris

Fairmont The Norfolk Hotel

This is a hidden gem, 3km from the central business district, that offers luxury accommodations in an earthly 19th century building.

Located close to the National Museums of Kenya, one of the top Nairobi landmarks (just a 15 minute walk away) and about 15 minutes’ drive from the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, this hotel welcomes you with a signature Tudor style of architecture that has been maintained since its original construction.

The hotel has 27 luxurious suites and 143 rooms set around tranquil tropical gardens, and has a heated outdoor swimming pool and a health club with a fitness centre and spa facilities. It also features a classically furnished wine bar, a modern-style American steak house, and a poolside restaurant.

The hotel also has 11 meeting rooms including the popular “Lord Delamere Terrace”, a historical meeting spot that was named after Lord Delamere, the unofficial leader of the group of British East African aristocratic settlers in the area.

The hotel is also popular as it was featured in one of the popular African movies; the 1985 movie “Out of Africa”.

Photo by Hemingways Collection

Hemingways

Hemingways is an exclusive boutique hotel located in one of Nairobi’s trendy neighbourhoods to stay in, Karen.

This means that the hotel is also close to many things to do in Nairobi which include visiting the Nairobi National Park, the David Sheldrick wildlife Trust, the Bomas of Kenya, and the Giraffe Centre among others.

It is an all en suite property that provides full butler services, a brasserie and a bar, and a gourmet restaurant. It has 45 spacious, air-conditioned suites that are spread over 2 floors.

The rooms are also defined by elegant decor and vaulted ceilings.

They come with en suite bathrooms that have walk in closets, personalized mini bars, and a private terrace that gives you amazing views of the iconic Ngong Hills.

Photo by Jumia Travel

Tribe hotel

The Tribe Hotel is a 215-room urban business hotel constructed with a beautiful design that reflects Nairobi’s industrious and innovative nature, all inspired by the cultural and creative renaissance of the city.

It has an urban, loft-like style that blends perfectly with African colors, and with over 900 hand-sculpted artifacts from all over Africa that defines its walls, capturing the diversity of the continent.

The hotel spreads across 3 wings and has 137 guest rooms and suites.

It is also close to the Two Rivers Mall, the Village Market Mall, some of the trendy neighbourhoods to stay in Nairobi, as well as many diplomatic missions and the United Nations headquarters. For this reason, it is not only popular with those visiting the country, but also foreigners who want to spend a weekend or day away from their homes.

Each of its rooms is sound proofed and comes with a work station, air conditioning, complimentary Wi-Fi, black out curtains, and a large flat screen television with international channels.

It also has an open grill Brasserie – Harvest, which offers fresh farm foods, meat, and a variety of wines. There is also an outdoor swimming pool and a 24-hour gym.

Photo by Safari254

Sarova Stanley

The Sarova Stanley (formerly the Stanley Hotel) is next on our recommended 5 star hotels in Nairobi. It is the oldest hotel in the city, and maybe the most centrally located within the central business district.

Situated at the intersection of Kimathi Street and Kenyatta Avenue Street – some of the most popular streets to see in Nairobi, you have access to many business areas, historic landmarks, shopping centers, banking halls, and markets, among others.

This hotel is really popular as it has been home to some international royalties, politicians, movie stars, and authors. In fact, some of the rooms in the hotel have been named after some notable people that have stayed there including The Windsor penthouse suite (named for the Prince of Wales and later King Edward VIII), the Karen Blixen suite (named for Karen Blixen, author of the popular movie shot in Africa – Out of Africa), the Churchill Ballroom named for Winston Churchill (Prime Minister of the United Kingdom) among others.

The hotel also offers a pool terrace, 3 restaurants, a bar, a fitness centre, luxury rooms with Wi-Fi and complimentary parking.

It has 212 rooms with most of them overlooking Nairobi city, and decorated in beautiful classic designs. Top landmarks in Nairobi like the Kenyatta International Convention Centre are just a few meters away.

Photo by Booking

Intercontinental Hotel

The Intercontinental Hotel is a 5 star business hotel also in the Central Business District in Nairobi, just like the Sarova Stanley.

It is located next to the Kenya Parliament building, just a walking distance from one of the top landmarks in Nairobi, the Kenyatta International Convention Centre.

It is ideal for business travelers.

The hotel features an award winning Indian restaurant – Bhandini, a pool restaurant, a heated outdoor pool, a coffee shop and bars. Other tourist attractions in Nairobi close to the hotel include the main Maasai market that operates on Saturdays.

The 389 bed hotel offers spacious and warmly decorated rooms that are air conditioned, with some of the rooms having additional sitting area or kitchens. It also has a 24 hour front office desk.

Photo by Safari254

Nairobi Serena Hotel

The Nairobi Serena Hotel is located just 5 minutes’ walk from the city center, which means that you are able to access many of the shopping centers, the banks, foreign exchange centers, and so on very easily.

In addition, you can easily see some of the top landmarks in Nairobi including the All Saints Cathedral which is actually opposite the hotel, and also visit major markets in the city like the Maasai Market.

The hotel is popular with guests that are conscious about reducing their carbon footprint as it is committed to Eco-tourism, uses local materials, recycles, and conserves natural resources. It was actually awarded in 2015 for being “Africa’s Leading Green Hotel”.

With a total of 184 luxury suites including 2 stunning penthouse suites, the hotel offers a fitness centre and spa, an outdoor pool surrounded by palm trees, elegant spacious rooms that come equipped with a TV, air-conditioning, private bathrooms and free WI-Fi, and a 24 hour front desk.

Photo by Dusit International

dusitD2

Hiding away from the hustle and bustle of the Nairobi central business district and very close to another luxury 5 star hotel – the Villa Rosa Kempinski, is the dusitD2 hotel that is located in Riverside Drive next to Westlands.

The hotel has 101 spacious rooms, an array of bars and restaurants, an award winning spa – the Devarana Spa, a red swimming pool, and a 24 hour fitness centre, among other amenities.

One of its restaurants – the Soko restaurant, is popular for serving traditional Kenyan foods.

In addition, the fact that this hotel is located in Westlands means that you are close to some of the top and most popular nightclubs in Nairobi which means you have the convenience of going out to party at night, just a short distance from where you are sleeping!

There you have it! Some of our top recommended 5 star hotels in Nairobi. I’m sure I have spoilt you with all these options, but hey! It means regardless of where you choose to stay in Nairobi, we got you!

“Karibuni” Nairobi, and enjoy your stay with us!