we stayed there for a night before leaving for our safari
it was a good experience, the restaurant has an interesting menu and there was live music
the pool and the garden are quite pretty and the staff efficient and cheerful
breakfast was more than adequate catering to every taste

This is a very modest hotel, with service being its saving grace. Like most hotels in Kenya, you can expect good security from the moment you enter the gates, with security guards present on every floor of the hotel as well. The lobby is quite small, but sufficient, with a small waiting area. The hotel is quite old in its appearance, with not too much character about it. This is not to say that it is not clean. The public areas are well maintained.

The rooms are the size you would expect a standard room to be. You even get a tiny balcony, but unfortunately not much of a view given the hotel’s location. The bathroom is adequate in size and reasonably clean. The toilet flushes only when you hold the handle down for the duration of the flush, otherwise you can expect a little present waiting for you the next morning. Decent Sarova branded toiletries are at your disposal and complimentary water bottles as well. The best part about my room was that this hotel recognises what a real king size bed is, rather than pushing two singles together. This made for a very comfortable sleep on my soft plush pillows. The only thing worth noting that was missing was an in-room safe. Instead, they recommend you use their safe deposit at reception for a fee.

The hotel facilities are quite basic. You have a restaurant and a bar. No gym facilities, but it does have a pool. A business centre is available if you wish to use their internet. They also offer wi-fi for a fee.

I only had breakfast at the hotel, so I can’t comment on the other meals they serve. Breakfast was a buffet with a spread you can be content with. They serve continental options, fruit and hot meal options such as bacon, sausages, baked beans and some African dishes.

The most outstanding aspect of this hotel is the service. As my experience with Kenyan hotels in general, all the staff are capable of offering good old-fashioned service. They smile whenever they talk to you, they go out of their way to help you and you are always greeted by them whenever you cross paths. Even more impressive is that you porter will always remember you and make his way to come up to you to make sure everything is ok (all without expecting a tip). Now that’s genuine care for your customer.

Overall, the hotel is decent for a short stay. Its location is ok, if you’re not expecting to wander around the city centre. But it’s a short 5 minute cab ride into town. It may not be flash or impressive, but it does cover all the basics. And the staff will be sure to make you feel at home.

We ended up at the Panafric after a canceled flight.
The hotel offers affordable (although not cheap) rooms in a very quiet and almost scenic part of Nairobi. Only a short distance from downtown.

I had never been treated so nicely but then arrived to my room and was unable to rest because of a very uncomfortable beds and no air circulation in the rooms...

I would recommend to use this if its the last option of one night in Nairobi. If they change some of the room accomodations I would return in a heartbeat, because the people there are amazing. Everyone was incredible.

Ricardo