Sarova Stanley Hotel, Nairobi

The Sarova Stanley was an amazing experience, every single space had a story, the Thorn Tree that served as a meeting point for sojourners and the message that they bear still hold conversations during meals and messages on boards, the Long Bar that became the Exchange Bar where the Kenyan Stock Exchange was started, has its own story, the Hemingway room that we used had walls that pay homage to the greatest American writer of the 20th century.

I want to thank the people that made my stay amazing, I want to star by thanking the brilliant Briner Demisi who brought aptitude and initiative to her service and who responded to every request with a smile that would launch a thousand ships, Violet, Paul, Laura, Innocent, Alice and her great masala tea, the amazing Brighton who was ever helpful, Samuel and his amazing omelettes, Hannah at the Thai Restaurant, Jackie at the Exchange Bar, the interestingly named Juma, Bridget who took care of the seventh floor, I am forgetting a lot of names but I want everyone of them to know that I had a magical time in Nairobi, and it was thanks to them.

The facilities were amazing, clean, functional and steeped in the history of Nyarobe and how it became the capital of Eastern Africa.

I would highly recommend.

I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the amazing hotel staff.
1)Laura
2) Beatrice
3)Lavender
4) Victoria
5)Stephen
6)Henry
7)Paul
8)Gerald at the Airport
were all incredibly helpful, friendly, and professional throughout my stay. They performed their duties exceptionally well and always made sure that every I felt welcome and comfortable.

Their dedication, kindness, and excellent customer service truly stood out and made my experience memorable. I sincerely appreciate all of their hard work and commitment. Thank you all for your outstanding service I highly recommend this hotel because of such an amazing team.

From Katim Touray,
The Gambia

Again had a great stay at the Sarova Stanley Hotel. Come here already from 2011 and every stay is a pleasure in a historical ambiance. Without exception all servants are very friendly and service oriented. Want to highlight one young lady, Jackie, who especially stood out. A great waitress, energetic, enthusiast, quick, and everytime with a smile which was for free. Thank to her and the whole Sarova Stanley team.

I had an amazing evening experience with them the dinner was exceptional and the mocktail was definitely out of this world..I loved the staffs they were warm, friendly and amazing to be honest i guess her name was mercy and I will never forget David's personality he is an amazing person to have on ur team he really added a special twist to my evening and of course the guy that served me I can't remember his name bt he was also amazing and the jazz was so smooth and lovely they made my night and to top it up I was celebrating my birthday and they dedicated a birthday song to me they all made my special day special and beautiful..I loved the experience I had with u, till next time since I'm definitely coming back and ooh they even gave me a complimentary mocha as a birthday gift the staff r so wonderful mercy the supervisor is amazing

Stayed here for one night prior to Safari. The hotel is excellent, and the staff make it exceptional. Big thanks to Mercy is the cafe bar by reception and Alexander in Thai Chi. Food was superb and service even better. Thankyou all

Great location - very central
Pleasant staff for the most part. Some seemed quite overwhelmed.
Pretty decent food at onsite restaurants onsite
Weird odour in the room - smells like from carpet
Not the most reasonably priced
Stored our luggage after 11 am checkout as our flight was late evening. US$1,000.00 was left inadvertently in one luggage and went missing (yes we know better - so this was purely by accident). Didn't expect the hotel to rush to take responsibility but we didn't expect them to deliberately misconstrue sections from cctv footage to feign innocence either - we checked a purse while in the lobby for small bills to tip staff after we collect our luggage. They used this to say that we in fact check the money after we collected our luggage. First, the missing money was not in that purse to begin with and even though we point this out to them they still insist that we checked so the money was there. We gave them the colour purse that the money was missing from when we filed the initial report. Yet they insist on trying to re-direct to a different colour purse that barely had any money in it as proof that we checked for the money before leaving the hotel. Very shady.
They tried to tell one of my colleagues who stayed at the hotel the same time that the bed-bug looking bites she woke up each morning was from the hotel because they did not have any issues. Yet, someone showed up to fumigate the room right after she was supposed to have checked (she extended her check out for a later time)!
We were in Nairobi for an academic conference and several of us stayed at Stanley. Most of us had one issue or another.
Wouldn't stay there again.

Staying at the Sarova Stanley is an amazing experience; it holds decades of incredibly history that covers historical events affecting Kenya, the United Kingdom, America, India, and the continent of Africa and the service is unmatched - I have never been as taken care of as I was here. Although the city of Nairobi has grown up around it, putting it in the center of a lot of action (and traffic), the Stanley, too, has grown up: the in-house restaurants are all good, the WiFi is as good as anywhere, the pool is lovely, and you should stay in a room with club access if one is available - the club is beautiful and the service is elevated further.

A few anecdotes from our stay there:

On our first day we got a map of places to walk from the concierge. One of the staff in the lobby - Christine (if I recall correctly) asked us what our plans were. We showed her the map and she said "No. Absolutely no. You need a guide." and proceeded to get us a guide in a few minutes. She was 100% correct and our afternoon was so much better for her advice and guide than we could have ever had on our own.

One a day later in our stay we took the advice we were given (the internet, Fodor's travel books, friends, people in Nairobi) to go to The Carnivore restaurant. We were in the club and attempting to make reservations and failing - we gave up and asked Emily (one of the two club hosts - Maxwell being the other) for help - she called and got us reservations right away for the number of people and time of day we wanted. This convenience alone was well worth the additional cost of the club access. That plus the glasses of wine and bottles of Tusker.

Near the end of our stay, Maxwell - our amazing club host - offered us a tour of the hotel. After staying there for almost a week, our interest was piqued. Maxwell's historical knowledge about the hotel and the historical events impacting and impacted by the Stanley was incredible. We learned a lot about the history of the Stanley, but even more we learned a lot about the history of Nairobi, Kenya, and the United Kingdom (when they colonized Kenya).

All-in-all, while the location is less convenient than it was in the olden days, the level of service and historical importantance of the Stanley make it an incredible part of a visit to Nairobi. Sure, you could stay somewhere newer and in other parts of Nairobi, but you would miss out on a big part of the history of Kenya and the amazing levels of service at the Stanley.

I truly enjoyed my stay at the Sarova Stanley Hotel. The staff was amazing. At every turn they were focused on ensuring great service. In particular, Maxwell was very helpful and provided an excellent tour of the beautiful hotel with fascinating details about its history. He is a great storyteller. When I arrived Joan & George were very kind and helpful. I also enjoyed conversations with Michael, a young man who indulged me when I had questions about current events in Kenya. The room & bed were very comfortable. The guidance and advice from the concierge for moving about Nairobi was excellent. The food & service was excellent at all three restaurants. I especially enjoyed the off the menu Kenyan stew meal that the chef created for me at the Thorn Tree. The Friday night Swahili cuisine at the poolside restaurant on the 5th floor was amazing! And the Thai restaurant with Dr. Alex was the best ever!

MaryAnne, Mercy, Jackson and Beatrice need special mention for their work and attention to detail. I found nothing was too much trouble for them, and they all went out of their way to ensure our stay went well!

First, the hotel was beautiful and the restaurant service and food was amazing. I especially appreciate Beatrice who worked in the first floor restaurant . Her beautiful smile and attentiveness was greatly appreciated. Also, Chrisina was very helpful and made my stay wonderful. She is a great gem.! The gentleman who worked there were also very helpful and all of the staff were very professional. I highly recommend the Sarvora Stanley Hotel when visiting Nairobi, Kenya.

Amazing hotel, amazing experience, amazing staff and very well located right in the heart of Nairobi, and only 10min away walking distance from the international convention center.

Had a wonderful experience staying at the Sarova while in Nairobi for a conference. Everything was amazing. The hotel is beautiful, but even better is the staff. They made the whole experience! A very special acknowledgment of Maxwell and Emily. Their care, attention, and friendliness- including orchestrating a surprise birthday and an impromptu history of the hotel tour- made the trip. Thank you again, and we hope to visit again! Five stars all around!

Had an excellent 4 night stay at the Sarova Stanley Hotel. Several things stood out. After arriving early (10:30 am) after a stressful travel day I was able to check into my room right away. Much appreciated. I ate in the hotel restaurants several times and each meal was excellent. Far superior to most hotel food and even most restaurants. The room was spacious and clean. Housekeeping staff did a fantastic job each day with cleaning. All staff friendly and helpful. I recommend highly and hope I get to visit again.

My stay began with some uncertainty due to an overbooking issue. I was in Nairobi attending a professional conference, and my reservation had initially been transferred to another hotel farther from the conference venue. However, the guest services manager promptly intervened, resolved the matter professionally, and honored my original booking.

After a long day of international travel and arriving after midnight, I greatly appreciated being accommodated in a spacious, clean, and comfortable room.
During the wait while the room arrangements were finalized, I dined at the hotel restaurant, where Beatrice provided exceptional service. The following morning, Victoria delivered an equally professional and welcoming experience during breakfast at the café. Later that evening, after a full day of conference activities, our visit to the rooftop bar was enhanced by the excellent hospitality and attentiveness of bartender Ms. Beatrice.

Although the stay began with an unexpected accommodation issue, the professionalism, responsiveness, and overall quality of service provided by the staff made the experience excellent overall. Their commitment to guest care left a very positive impression and contributed significantly to a successful trip.

The hotel was neat, comfortable rooms. The room attendant Jackson was excellent and would go the extra to make his guests comfortable. The staff are nice and friendly. Breakfast is great. I will recommend this place.

Our experience at the Stanley was excellent. I was particularly impressed by the staff and the service. A special thank you to Maxwell and Emily for your kindness and exceptional care. I highly recommend asking Maxwell for a tour of the hotel - you will not be disappointed!

I had a very pleasant stay at the hotel. The staff were friendly, welcoming, and always accommodating. The hotel itself was clean, well-maintained, and comfortable. The location was okay, although the surrounding area was quite busy and dusty. A standout experience was dining at the Thai Chi restaurant—the food was exceptional and easily some of the best I’ve had in Nairobi. I would definitely recommend it for anyone looking for great dining during their stay.

Lovely heritage hotel with great food and comfortable rooms.

The food at the Thai resturant was very tasty. All the dishes suggested by Alex were great. Loved the service. Was very kind to click our picture and suggest great vegetarian food.

Great central location and very large rooms. Perfect for business travel as the room has a large desk to work from.