The buzzing hub of restaurants, bars, malls and the city's best nightlife — modern, cosmopolitan and lively, popular with expats and young Nairobians. Well-connected, packed with hotels and eating and drinking options; the base for travellers who want comfort, great food and a proper night out, a manageable ride from downtown and the airport.
€170–400
typical per night in Kenya
You pay for the postcode
One of the pricier addresses in Nairobi.
Where it sits
The circle is Westlands and roughly a 10-minute walk around it.
How far is everything?
From the middle of this area to the city's headline sights — pick your own on the city page and these become your list.
- Nairobi National Museum20 min walk1.6 km
- A Kibera community tour17 min taxi5.5 km
- Nyama choma & Kenyan food24 min taxi7.8 km
- Bomas of Kenya28 min taxi9.5 km
- Nairobi National Park37 min taxi12.4 km
- The Karen Blixen Museum41 min taxi13.7 km
- The Giraffe Centre41 min taxi13.7 km
- Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage45 min taxi14.8 km
On your doorstep
What you’re living next to if you stay here.
- 7.The Maasai Market — A vibrant open-air craft market (it rotates around the city by the day) where Maasai and other artisans sell beadwork, carvings, textiles, jewellery, soapstone and colourful kikoi and kanga cloth. The place to buy authentic Kenyan souvenirs — bargaining is expected and part of the fun; go with patience and good humour. A colourful, lively browse and the best spot to pick up gifts and support local makers directly.
- 10.Westlands nightlife — Nairobi loves to party, and Westlands is its heartland — a dense strip of bars, rooftops, live-music venues and clubs pumping out Afrobeats, amapiano and Kenyan gengetone to a stylish, up-for-it crowd. Cheap, friendly and famously fun, it goes late; bar-hop the strip, catch some live music, and dance with locals. Add the artsy scene in Kilimani; Nairobi after dark is a joyful, energetic revelation. A great night out.
- 11.Nairobi's food scene — Nairobi's dining scene has exploded — from Kenyan classics and Swahili-coast dishes to superb Ethiopian, Indian and Italian food and a wave of stylish new-Kenyan restaurants and cafés. Try coastal biryani and coconut curries, Ethiopian injera, samosas and the famous local coffee; the leafy garden restaurants of Karen and the buzzing eateries of Westlands are highlights. A delicious, cosmopolitan surprise; graze widely and eat well.
When are you staying?
Booking.com & Airbnb open searched to Westlands; flights via Google Flights.