Have you ever wondered what it’s like to spend a night or two in Nairobi CBD? Well, I have. Call me naïve, but I have never had a reason to spend the night in town. This is probably because I live 15km away from Nairobi CBD which is roughly a 26 minutes’ drive. My curiosity couldn’t let me live in peace. For wanderlusts like me, any travel experience is welcome. But then again, who is willing to spend 10,000 Kenya Shillings or more in a Nairobi town hotel? This is enough money for a 2 days getaway out of Nairobi! When we think about accommodation in Nairobi, big brands such as Sarova, Serena, Sankara, Silversprings, Crown Plaza, Radisson blue, etc come to mind. What happens when you don’t have the money to afford them? Does it mean you give up on a desire to stay overnight in Kenya’s Capital? Of course not. Hosea chapter 4 verse 6 says, “My people perish for lack of knowledge.” Similarly, people miss out on experiences for lack of information. Yes, you can spend a night in the CBD and on a budget. Travel with Eliud and discover a clean hideout. Personally, I was not willing to spend a lot for an overnight stay in the CBD. During my search for an appropriate place, a friend recommended Eron Hotel. At first, I was hesitant because of its location. How on earth would I spend a night on Kirinyaga road? Isn’t it a location best suited for garages? I started thinking about Grogon, busy bodies rushing up and down, rubbing shoulders with oiled mechanics’ aprons, and the security of the area. I planned to go there late in the afternoon then I would stay in my room until dark when the streets are empty. Without further ado, I settled for the plan. To enliven my experience and feel like am going on an actual holiday, I took an Uber from home to the hotel and arrived like a boss. The hotel wasn’t hard to locate. It is situated along Kirinyaga Road, 100 metres from the Globe Roundabout. It’s the tallest building at the junction of Kirinyaga Road and Kilome Road (the one that heads to Koja roundabout). I registered my name with the security guard on the ground floor and he directed me to the reception on the 3rd floor. The check-in process was flawless. Before I was shown to my room, I met the manager of the hotel. He introduced himself as Mr. Francis Gakumo. He has been in the hospitality industry for some years now and has worked in a few Nairobi hotels in the capacity of a Marketing Manager. We talked for a while and I couldn’t end the conversation without asking about security around the hotel. “With the street lights all over Kirinyaga Road and security guards at the shops in the night it is very safe. Some clients even come after midnight and we haven't had any security related incidences. The safety of our guests is our main concern.” Francis explained. Confident with his response, I headed for my room. I checked into my room and I was dazzled. I did not expect to see such a decent, spacious and serviced room especially on this part of Nairobi. It was a deluxe room with a kitchen, sink, cooker and refrigerator. This means you can stay at Eron hotel on a self-catering basis. It also had a flat screen TV with GOtv, DVD, sub-woofer, wardrobe, fan, overhead shower, bedside table and chair. For someone visiting Nairobi for a month or so, this is a perfect place to call home. You can stock the fridge, prepare your own meals and get to your meetings in town on foot. In urban language, this is a bedsitter with a degree from Harvard. This part of town is very quiet during the night. Shops and businesses are closed. However, it is contrary during the day. The hotel has an ala carte menu. On placing an order, food takes approximately 45 minutes. At the moment, the hotel does not have a restaurant. This means that you get room service anytime you order something. Talk of breakfast in bed, dinner in the comfort of your room and drinks from your refrigerator. An overnight stay at Eron Hotel will cost you: Single room KSh 2,500 ($35 for non-residents), double room KSh 3,500 ($40 for non-residents), Twin room KSh 4,000 ($45 for non-residents), Deluxe double room KSh 4,500 ($60 for non-residents). This price is on bed and breakfast. Isn’t it within your budget? The hotel also offers airport transfers at $20 (KSh 2,000) per small car. They can also pick you from bus terminus gratuitously.
Unlike the bush where birds’ melodies wake you up, here you get woken up by sounds of tools at work. The best part is that you wake up in town. If you manage to wake up early, you can catch the sunrise from your room. I loved my stay at Eron Hotel and I can attest to the safety and security of its location. If you have guests on transit, on business in CBD or you want to enjoy an overnight stay in town, reach the hotel on: Phone: +254726223884, +254737220557 P.O. Box 66848 – 00800, Nairobi. Mail: reservations@eronhotel.com Kindly click on "comments" below to comment
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AuthorEliud Ndungu, a part-time adventure travel blogger who’s been exploring his motherland-Kenya for over 4 years ArchivesCategories |