Stanley Hotel Nairobi

"Stanley Nairobi is One of Only 2 Nairobi Hotels With a Century-Old Track Record"

The Stanley Hotel Nairobi, conveniently located in the heart of the city around the corner from Hilton Nairobi, has remained a luxurious landmark of Nairobi for over a century.

It has played host to many an actor, royalty and author. Ernest Hemingway, for instance, brainstormed and penned The Snows of the Kilimanjaro and Under Kilimanjaro from here after visiting Amboseli National Park which provides splendid views of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Accommodations

Accommodations consist of 217 rooms on 8 floors. The club rooms are more spacious than the deluxe ones. The executive suites provide separate dining and living spaces, as well as multiple televisions and mini bars, free newspapers and fruit baskets.

The luxurious penthouse suite located on the top floor provides commanding views of the city as well as private access to the outdoor terrace.

5 rooms meet the needs of the physically challenged.

Each of the rooms nevertheless features a private bath and shower, blow dryer, safe, mini-bar, tea and coffee making facilities, satellite television and internet connectivity.

All the rooms are air conditioned and are a welcome respite for anyone who wants to take a break from the sunny outdoors. The rooms have double-glazed windows which makes the hotel a haven of peace in the hustle and bustle of Nairobi.

Services and Amenities

Stanley Hotel Nairobi's services and amenities include the following...

9 state of the art conference rooms of various sizes.
A heated swimming pool and an ultra-modern health and fitness center.
The Stanley Hotel Nairobi is home to several restaurants. The newest is Thai Chi which, as the name suggests, offers Thai cuisine. The Pool Deck Restaurant offers a wide range of healthier meal options while the lively Exchange Bar provides some wonderful cocktails and panoramic views of Kenyatta Avenue.
The hotel's most famous rendezvous joint though, is the Thorn Tree Café which is named after the tree planted in the center of the eatery. The thorn tree acted as a kind of post office in the colonial era as European settlers left pinned messages for each other there. Although the original thorn tree has since been replaced by a younger one, the tradition of leaving messages near it has been kept alive even though this is now done more for fun than anything else.
Other services include babysitting, valet and same-day laundry.

Guest Reviews

This section highlights what real guests liked and disliked about the Stanley Hotel Nairobi.

What Guests Liked

Great, friendly and professional staff.
A sense of history pervades the hotel. This is fitting as it, along with the Norfolk Nairobi Hotel, has graced the city skyline for over a century.
Rooms are spotlessly clean, well-equipped and well-appointed with warm décor and comfortable beds. The bathrooms are clean and of a decent size.
While in the hotel, you feel safe as there are alert guards at the entrance and on each floor.
The large buffet breakfast provides an energetic start to the day.
The gym is fully equipped and personal trainers are on hand to help you keep fit while in Nairobi. The hotel also has a pool and a spa which offers some bargain massages.
The internet wireless is free and largely reliable. There is therefore no need to go hopping from one internet café to the next, trying to keep in touch with friends and family.
The hotel's location is excellent. It is right in the middle of town, close to most of the government departments. Staying at the Stanley Nairobi will therefore save you time and money as you wont need to hire taxis into and out of town. This in turn saves your precious time as the snarl ups in the city can get unbearable during rush hours.
The hotel is also located close to shops, markets and a few seconds' walk from several forex bureaus that will offer you more competitive rates for your foreign currency than the hotel.

Owing to its central location, many of the Nairobi tourist destinations are in easy reach.

A bowl of fresh tropical fruits welcomes you to your room.

What Guest Disliked

Some of the service particularly the check in and in the restaurants is slow.
Noise from the nearby roads (and the nightclubs on weekends) seeps through the some of the rooms' double-glazed windows and may deny you a good night's sleep.
The reception staff on occasion failed to honor promises for wake up calls and early breakfast, disrupting schedules.
The thorn tree, which was a landmark at the hotel for decades, is no more. Although a thorn tree seedling stands in its place, many guests bemoan the absence of the original thorn tree.
International calls are expensive. (Tip: Direct international calls have never been cheaper in Nairobi and now cost about US$ 0.17 a minute. Simply bypass the hotel by getting hold of an Orange sim card and airtime at any of the phone shops in the city).
The swimming pool is rather small. In addition, it is surrounded by a café where patrons feast their eyes on their food but also you. This is a big deal if you value your privacy.
Some of the hotel's offerings such as wine and taxis are overpriced. If you are counting the pennies, skip the wine and negotiate directly with the taxi drivers.
There are occasional mix ups in the bills so be sure to scrutinize yours before settling it.

Summary

The hotel enjoys a central location that is ideal for transacting business within the city center or shopping. Because it is only 15 minutes' drive from the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (when the roads are clear!), the busiest of the Kenya airports, you can quickly slip into and out of town from its central location.

Although it caters for a range of guests, the Stanley Hotel Nairobi is especially recommended for the business traveler.

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