Although there is no universal “best” neighborhood, this guide attempts to make it easier for a first time visitor to Nairobi to make an informed choice on areas to stay in Nairobi.
Or suitable neighborhoods to look for accommodation in Nairobi.
Nairobi is a fantastic city with rich history, beautiful people, and the only city in the world with a national park as a backdrop.
I was born in Nairobi and spent several years of my adult life living in this city. Being an AirBnB host, keeping an eye on what’s up in Nairobi comes with the territory, including hotels, hostels, and campsites.
Nairobi, just like most cities around the world, has many sides. However, most visitors only get to see the CBD where you have the Hilton, Intercontinental and the Stanley hotels.
There are actually hundreds of hotel accommodation options spread out through the city each one of them addressing a specific market need.
There is no universal “best” hotel or “best” neighborhood or place to stay in Nairobi.
There are simply more preferred or better hotels, hostels, neighborhoods, or places than others depending on one’s unique needs and budget.
Similarly, the best hotels in Nairobi are not focused in one neighborhood and it’s easy to find great budget-friendly accommodations in most areas of Nairobi.
But before we move on, some key points to note:
- The must see and must do of Nairobi are spread out, so are the accommodations, even the museums and other attractions. Whichever hotel neighborhood you choose to stay in you will need to move some reasonable distance to see most of them. Unlike most of Europe and North America, Nairobi does not have a designated “downtown” area which would obviously appeal to a visitor or tourist as best located neighborhood. Some of the cheapest hotels have better access but may not be in the best neighborhoods.
- Nairobi has 2 commercial airports – Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) plus 4 mainline railway terminus stations – Nairobi terminus, Syokimau terminus, Embakasi terminus, and Kibera terminus. However, the trains operate only twice a day – early morning and late evening – that it makes no geographic sense trying to get a hotel in these neighborhoods if your purpose is to tour Nairobi as there are no direct transport links to any of the airports or attractions. Where hotel van shuttles exist, they are uber expensive for no reason. And with the nightmarish bumper-to-bumper traffic jams in Nairobi, your entry and departure points should be a major consideration in short listing hotel accommodation neighborhoods. However, there are several accommodation options near the Nairobi airports.
- The best times to visit Nairobi are in July, August, October, and December
What's Covered in This Article
Best Neighborhoods to Stay in NAIROBI
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Lots of people visit Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) on business and leave thinking that the city is nothing but snarled up traffic jams on a backdrop of gray tall boring buildings.
Well, that’s the impression you’ll leave with if you don’t get out of the CBD! You could be staying in a green, serene, quiet neighborhood lined with boutique homes if only you knew.
My choices of best places to stay in Nairobi vary tremendously.
Where you should stay in Nairobi depends on what you’re looking for during your stay and of course your budget.
Here are my recommendations for the best neighborhoods to stay in Nairobi.
Broad summary of where to stay in Nairobi
Milimani/Dennis Pritt
Very central, Not the cheapest, but not the most expensive. Wlking distance to CBD, museums and nightlife, tedious airport transfers.
Milimani is pretty much the dead center of Nairobi.
No major attractions are here, but you’re steps to the CBD. Walking is the best way of getting around.
All types of accommodation, but a step change in price downwards from the CBD.
A very central location on the fringes of Kilimani, Lavington, and Kileleshwa.
Residents include Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho and of course the President of Kenya H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta, and his family have a pad here.
Upperhill
Very central, walkable to the CBD. Mostly large 4 star hotels but with some notable budget exceptions. Attractive neighborhood in itself to stay. Flying into or out of Wilson? the neighborhood is a benchmark to beat.
Only 15 – 20 minutes walk to the CBD, Upperhill is perhaps Nairobi’s most exclusive hotel neighborhood dominated by high-end 4 and 5 star hotels with some of the highest prices.
It is also very convenient to get around by public transport (Kenyatta National Hospital bound bus #7 ) which literary stop by the gate of every building in the area. Upperhill is home to some of the priciest real estate in town.
Very interesting neighborhood and home to some multinationals e.g. Coca cola East Africa; international NGOs e.g. the World Bank, Africa Finance Bank; embassies e.g. the British High Commision, Embassy of Japan, etc.
Thus, a lot of trade comes from people on business from these organizations. At weekends room rates can be attractive given the quality of hotels here.
Kilimani
Diverse neighborhood with lots of restaurants and dining options. Not a budget neighborhood but cheaper than the CBD/Upperhill/Milimani and wider range of hotel accommodations.
This neighborhood is home to the widest mix of accommodation options in Nairobi.
And if you’re set on shopping, you’re steps from Yaya Center as well as a short bus ride to the CBD and other shopping districts such as Westlands, Karen, and Village Market.
A fantastic location for the foodie and restaurants orientated visitor. Quite convenient by public transport to the CBD.
Nairobi CBD
Business dominated area with higher hotel prices Monday to Friday, price drops at weekends and holidays. Good quality mostly chain hotels. Great location around Kenyatta Avenue and Uhuru Highway.
Inconvenient for JKIA Airport. Central location, all grades of accommodation.
Major transport hub and a great base for museums, nightlife, shopping, sightseeing.
Some of the A list must see sights in Nairobi are here, notably the Kenyatta International Conference Center (KICC), Kenya National Archives, Nairobi Gallery, Central Park, Nairobi Snake Park, August 7th Memorial Park, etc.The whole spectrum of accommodation from cheap and awful to top of the range.
There are direct airport buses from Ambassador bus stop on Moi Avenue. Most of the hotels here also have their own airport shuttles. Uber is also widely available.
Either way, this is the wrong side of town to stay when you will need to go the airport – a tedious journey whatever mode of transport you choose.
Nairobi is one of Africa’s big financial hubs and most of the CBD including hotels are geared towards the well-lined pockets.
As such, you will pay a premium at the intersection of Kenyatta avenue, Uhuru Highway, and Kimathi streets where most of the large 4 star chain hotels are situated. Think Hilton, The Stanley, and the Intercontinental whereby the price of hotel rooms veer the leisure visitor away.
As you move further up from the CBD to the area bordered between Uhuru Highway, University Way, Moi Avenue and Kenyatta Avenue there is a larger cluster of mid-range to lower range hotels which are attractive to the leisure traveler.
There is also a plethora of swanky clubs, restaurants, food and curio market, curio shops, and overall, an environment that is quite attractive too.
Many shuttle vans from Nairobi, especially day tours out of Nairobi and shuttles to Arusha start from this area.
If you are going to Arusha from Nairobi by public transport, this should be one of the hotel neighborhoods you check out.
From here there are direct shuttles from Nairobi to Arusha. Impala Shuttle and Riverside Shuttle run from Nairobi to Arusha several times a day and if you are lucky, will coincide with your flights and ariport pick up.
Most of the Nairobi Namanga Arusha shuttles depart from this area around Parkside Hotel on Monrovia Street.
Downtown Nairobi
Great area to use as a base to catch public transport to the rest of Kenya from Nairobi. Bias towards cheap hotels. Some value for money, some outright nasty. Wouldn’t recommend for first time visitors to Nairobi.
The area beyond Kimathi Street after Kencom bus stop, Moi Avenue towards Tom Mboya, River Road, Bus station, Railways and Afya Center – think Ambassadeur Hotel bus top and beyond – is a major transport hub both for within Nairobi and far afield.
Although there are many hotels in this area, they are kinda dodgy and if visiting Nairobi for the first time, I suggest that if you must stay here, be extra cautious and always be aware of your corresponding. It is a very busy and very crowded area.
All day, all week, all year.
Buses and shuttle vans from Nairobi to Mombasa by bus, Nairobi to Uganda by bus, Nairobi to Kigali by bus, Kenya Uganda Rawanda bus service and pretty much everywhere outside of Nairobi leave from here.
Think Coast Bus, Modern Coast Nairobi to Kigali, Bus Car, Crown Bus, etc.
Syokimau, Mombasa Road
Value for money neighborhood with all grades of accommodation. Some cheap, some expensive hotels – a medley.
One eye on great Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) links and another on the wallet? – Syokimau, Mombasa Road and JKIA airport environs should be a nonpareil neighborhood for others to beat.
Great area to use as a base to explore Nairobi parks and attractions from
For the leisure visitor, the hotels in Syokimau, near JKIa airport, and on Mombasa Road such as 67 Airport Hotel, Ole Sereni Hotel, Panari Sky, Eka Hotel, Boma Inn are popular.
Whatever choice of accommodation you go for, there will be good options here with value for money pricing compared to many other locations.
If you are flying into or out of JKIA, you should at least take a look at Embakasi and Mombasa Road – this comes out number 1.
It’s the closest neighborhood to Nairobi’s main airport as well as West and East Africa’s busiest airport – JKIA. Also a great area to catch the SGR trains from Nairobi to Mombasa.
If possible, keep away from the CBD and stay in any of these areas.
Nairobi traffic is one of the worst and there is hardly a time you will not be stuck in it.
And it gets worse when it rains.
Should it drizzle, that’s a story for another day.
If you have no business in the CBD, the Airport side of town is a better bet.
With the Southern bypass, you can visit most Nairobi attractions – Giraffe center, Karen Blixen Museum, David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, Ostrich Farm, The Nairobi national park, etc.
Embakasi
Great area for cheap accommodation and convenience if arriving at or exiting from JKIA Nairobi airport, nothing much in district itself.
Vast neighborhood with bias towards budget and independent hotels.
Great value in budget accommodation too.
Embakasi is one of the largest and most inhabited hood on the east side of Nairobi geared towards the budget traveler. If low cost is your number one purchasing criteria, Embakasi Bed & Breakfast hotels should be checked out.
It’s a large area, and though only about 20 KM straight-line distance on the map, it could take you anywhere from 15 minutes to 3 hours to get to the CBD because of the Nairobi traffic jams.
Despite this it is very much a value for money hood, both in terms of hotels and the residential scene.
There are some very nice independent 3 star grade hotels here such as Airport Seasons Hotel and AirBnb’s, as well as some real cheapy and dodgy ones to choose from.
JKIA airport and Nairobi SGR terminus are very easy to get to too from Embakasi making it a convenient place to base yourself of.
If you are not using JKIA or Nairobi SGR terminus, the attractions of Embakasi are not so great.
South B, Langata Road, and Mbagathi Way
A pleasant convenient for those using Wilson Airport. Find the right hotel and its a very nice neighborhood to stay in.
Although the area is geared almost exclusively as a residential location, there are a handful of affordable independent hotels. The neighborhood is linked by public transport and accessible to the CBD. The neighborhood is adjacent to Wilson airport, so is convenient for those using Wilson Airport.
Hotels in South B, Langata Road and Mbagathi Way neighborhoods are ideal for visiting Nairobi attractions such as Nairobi National Park, Uhuru Gardens, Giraffe Center, Bomas of Kenya, etc.
Westlands and Riverside
High-end neighborhood with lots of restaurants, dining, and shopping options. Not a budget neighborhood but cheaper than the CBD/Upperhill/Milimani and wider range of hotel accommodations.
Westlands is a very central neighborhood with most of Nairobi’s cinemas, malls – Westgate, Sarit Center, The Mall – varied dining for all budgets and much of Nairobi’s nightlife.
High ends 4-star and 5-star hotels – dominate, with some mid range and low end bargains.
Easy to walk around and handy public and private transport connections to other parts of Nairobi.
This neighborhood is pretty much the dead center of Nairobi; you’re never far from anything.
Riverside is another neighborhood, also centrally located, and walkable to Westlands, with lots of quiet streets, and high end restaurants and accommodation, more expensive than the neighboring Westlands.
It’s low on sights and night life, but has excellent transport links to other parts of Nairobi, via the public matatu #48A or Uber taxi.
Karen, Rongai, Magadi Road
Ideal neighborhoods on the outskirts of Nairobi for the Nairobi visitor or tourist who is looking for serenity and escape from the chaos of Nairobi.
Very convenient for most must see Nairobi attractions
Both boutique hotels and chains, as well as high-end, mid-range, and low-end.
Quite a distance from Nairobi CBD. Excellent transport links to Wilson airport, and to JKIA airport via the southern bypass.
Very convenient for most must see Nairobi attractions – – Giraffe center, Karen Blixen Museum, David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, Ostrich Farm, The Nairobi national park, etc.
Safety in NAIROBI
For starters, Nairobi is a safe city for tourists.
Most of the main hotel neighborhoods are safe, even at night – as long as you apply basic common sense as you would, anywhere else in the world.
Public buses (matatus) and taxis are the main way most visitors will get around Nairobi.
It’s perfectly safe (again if you apply basic common sense precautions) to ride a public matatu or bus.
If you choose to go by taxi, I recommend Uber which operates very affordably and conveniently in most major cities in Kenya, including Nairobi.
Where to Avoid in NAIROBI
Nairobi is a very safe city for the most part, but like any other place, there are some hoods worth avoiding.
I recommend new visitors to Nairobi to avoid downtown areas beyond Tom Mboya and towards River Road and its environs.
While these areas are convenient for catching public transport to the rest of Kenya, they are very crowded and are constantly bustling with both human and vehicle traffic during the day making you very susceptible to pickpockets and other safety concerns.
Should you however choose to stay in this area, just be extra careful and be on radar ALL THE TIME.
Many street families also turn these areas into bedrooms after sunset.
Some places require a bit of extra caution after sunset. Kenyatta Avenue towards Uhuru park and Serena Hotel is great for brisk walking during the day but tends to be deserted at night, so be extra careful around that area.
There have been cases of muggings during the day so just be extra careful when walking along that Central Park, Uhuru Park, Serena Hotel area.
There’s no need to stay in the CBD. Unless you have something specific you want to do here.
Public matatus and Uber taxis ply all Nairobi estates and it’s pretty easy and fast to get there.
Other than a handful of museums and a couple landmark buildings like the KICC which can be sampled in about 3 hours, there isn’t too much in terms of tourism.
NAIROBI Travel Tips
Nairobi is Kenya’s most cosmopolitan city. Nairobi is arguably the most cosmopolitan city in Kenya in terms of its people and culture.
Be mindful of that and don’t walk away from your Nairobi experience with blanket stereotypes.
For example, while every postcard you may have seen only has the Maasai people in red shukas on it, there are 43 other native tribes in the country.
Add to the residents from all other parts of the globe and you have a United Nations right in the heart of the city. And that’s what makes us special.
That means that you will rarely stand out as a visitor unless you force us to consider you one… if you know what I mean.
By the way, almost everyone in Nairobi speaks English. So feel free to ask for help.
Nairobians love soccer. If there’s any kind of soccer or football match (read Gor Mahia vs….) taking place during your visit, it seems like half the city will be watching it.
I suggest you avoid the Nyayo Stadium area as soon as it ends or else you’ll have to defend your fandom to everyone you meet.
Download a digital guidebook on your phone. Digital Guidebooks are the in thing these days. Get Lonely Planet’s PDF Kenya guidebooks for your trip.
Take advantage of our haggling culture for the best deals. This is especially important when visiting the local markets where there is a “locals price” and a “tourist price” for almost everything.
Remember to be fair when doing so.
Don’t Visit NAIROBI MINUS Travel Insurance
Many travelers consider travel insurance as an unnecessary expense — You couldn’t be further from the truth.
Travel insurance is a critical expense item that should come high on your travel budget.
Although I have been lucky to never been in a position to need compensation from my travel insurer, the peace of mind is incomparable.
Just knowing that should anything happen someone has my back puts my heart at rest.
It has also been a life saver for many others that I know.
If your belonging are stolen while abroad, travel insurance will refund you the equivalent up to an agreed maximum depending on what policy you purchase.
If you break your back while catching a matatu or fall sick while in Nairobi, travel insurance will cover your medical bills, which could run into thousands of shillings.
This is particularly important for those visiting Nairobi from outside of Kenya
In the unfortunate event that an immediate family member dies while you’re here, travel insurance will ensure that you get home as soon as possible.
While it’s important to focus and hope for the best, it is only wise to also prepare for the worst.
I have always used and recommend World Nomads Travel Insurance. They’re a great fit for almost every traveler. Take a look at their policies before you buy to make sure they’re right for you.
My #1 NAIROBI Travel Tip
Come to Nairobi with an open mind and a positive attitude.
It’s not nearly as bad and dangerous as the media and travel advisories would like you to believe.
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Like this accommodation guide? Check out soon for Where to Stay in Kisumu and Where to Stay in Rusinga Island!
Have you been to NAIROBI? Where do you recommend staying?
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