Tribe Hotel Nairobi

The Tribe is not a typical city hotel. It’s a place where young professionals and expats mingle with the diplomatic elites, but also where safarigoers recharge before or after a trip to the African savannah. Welcome to the coolest hangout in Nairobi.

Given Nairobi’s bad traffic, it’s a good idea to allow plenty of time getting to the Tribe Hotel — as we did on two occasions that we stayed here. And because this city can test even the most patient travelers, the eventual arrival at the Tribe is always rewarding.

The welcome here is genuinely warm. From the first moments, we feel enveloped in an exceptional service, matched by the understated glamour of the hotel.

Sense of style

Located in Nairobi’s manicured embassy district, the Tribe has been created with the business traveler’s needs in mind. Nevertheless, this 137-room property looks less like a hotel and more like a cross between some kind of design museum and a private club.

The contemporary interiors here are a backdrop to curated tribal art from Kenya and beyond. African sculptures, paintings, and handmade objects add character and a unique style of the hotel. Decorated with a sense of style and sophistication, the Tribe is filled with hip furniture that wouldn’t look out of place in the best designer portfolios.

New Africa

A soaring atrium cuts through the building. As the main hub of the hotel, it is bustling with activity — especially in the evenings. The always-on businessmen, cast in the blue laptop light, quietly sip cocktails, while groups of friends fill the air with a murmur of conversations and the occasional laughter.

The atrium connects all parts of the hotel with the pool area, and it offers ample space and plenty of sitting arrangements. It is, in many ways, our favorite hangout, alongside Nest, the terrace bar. The Nest is a nice place for a shisha, a light meal, or just some drinks.

The happening attitude of the Tribe is also evident in their meals — and especially breakfasts. The menu is never dull, the restaurant space airy and bright and, once again, the atmosphere is welcoming.

This luxury boutique hotel is emblematic of the new Africa. It’s at once funky, full of charm, and unafraid to be the center of attention.

We stayed at the Tribe Hotel Nairobi at the very beginning, and at the end of our latest safari trip. It was the perfect way of capping a fantastic safari adventure.

in our opinion

Tribe Hotel Nairobi is one of those places where the cosmopolitan vibe is matched by great service. And it's the kind of hotel in which art and beautiful interior design is a feature, not only decoration.

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What we love

• The sophisticated style of the hotel, with its free-flowing, airy spaces and art from all over Africa dotting the interiors
• The breakfast buffet. It's excellent! Fantastic variety of food to choose from, great service, good ambiance
• The staff appears to take pride in their work and are genuinely keen on anticipating the guests' needs
• Nest, the Moroccan-style roof-top bar is great. We loved having evening drinks here
• The Tribe is a popular hang-out spot, especially for the weekend brunch and the place has a strong in vogue vibe
• The hotel has one of the best locations in Nairobi, in the verdant Girigi neighborhood, home to many embassies and government properties. It's very close to the city center as well and is a neighbor to a shopping mall called the Village Market, filled with restaurants and boutiques. A craft market takes place here on Fridays
• For us, it was all leisure, but the hotel is tailor-made for business and work. It has a business center with several conference rooms, a private screening studio, as well as a dedicated business concierge
• The small safari planes we flew on between Nairobi and Masaai Mara allow soft bags up to 15 kg only. We planned ahead and asked the Tribe concierge if we could leave our big luggage at the hotel for the duration of our savanna journey. This was no problem — and it was great to have one less thing to worry about when we came back two weeks later

What you should know

• Those who visit Nairobi remember one thing: the atrocious traffic. Depending on the time of day traveling around the city can take hours. Weekends are usually a bit better than weekdays but do check with the front desk for the best time of departure —
  especially if you have a plane to catch
• Additional facilities at the hotel include a gym (small but well-equipped), and spa, which has African and Thai treatments on the menu
• A heated pool with a small waterfall and a bar is a focal point of the hotel's private outdoor area. The pool is well sheltered from the restaurant deck, but we'd love it to be more inviting
• We stayed at one of the entry-level rooms, which had a decent size, comfortable and was perfect for a one-night stay before a flight or just after arrival. We do recommend booking a split-level Loft suite which comes with separate work and leisure areas
• The internet is free, but we had issues with it being very unreliable, and we gave up on it eventually.