When I flew into Kenya in July, I had seen Greton Hotel advert on the net, and thought since it sounds affordable and neat, it would be a nice place to put up for somedays before I start my travel. The Taxi dropped me at the entrance with all my bags, in rather a noisy and very insecure part of the city. The guards and workers just stared at me as I stuggled with the three bags. I went to the reception and there sat two ladies who stared at me without saying a word. I greeted them and they reluctantly answered back, stared at eache other and spoke in their mother tongue. As I checked out the prices of the rooms. I was given a room on the second floor, the most grubby thing I have ever seen. The toilet seat was off..and after visiting the toilet twice the water ran out. I wanted to sleep but the guards were shouting at each other on the foyer.. I had to walk out and request them to leave. The lifts dont work..please avoid them if you dont wanna get stuck in for ages...the rooms dirty, the beds make noise with every turn you make and you will be lucky if the wardrobe door doesnt fall on your face!
The breakfast is very basic and waiters dont understand much of whats on offer, and you will never seat in comfortably as strangers keep on walking to you table to ask you if you need transport or any guides for pay. I never felt safe and I carried my laptop and passport wherever I went as strange people kept on roaming the corridors. I stayed there for the second nite as I had to go and search for a better hotel first. The same rude women sat the reception, the same bad breakfast, and the walking up because the lift stopped working. In the last day, at around 2 or 3 am morning.. I was woken by very loud drums and shouting, and I thought first it was kind of a commotion out on the streets, but turned to be a church just next to the hotel. I couldnt sleep at all as the pitch kept on rising with every other passing minute...finally there was full blast disco music, drums, chanting, claps and loudspeakers that all hurt my eardrums! I dindt mention that the bed had collapsed before i slept and my mattress was by then on the floor...When I woke up the next morning I didnt speak to anyone..I added over my key to the rude women at the reception, took a taxi and moved to another peaceful hotel..
I strongly would urge anyone who wants a sound sleep after a tiring journey to avoid this hotel, UNLESS you really cant afford to stay anywhere else, of which i would say there is a big choice of good and safe hotels in Nairobi..

The only good thing about this hotel is that it's cheap and close to the city centre. Otherwise, it is really noisy and quite grubby. Almost all rooms have windows that open out on to the central courtyard/stairwell and it can be really noisy at night. The nearby Hotel Africana has cheaper rooms that are equally as grubby, so if you want a cheap, grubby room go to Africana, not Greton. I think a single at Africana was about 750KSH whilst a single at Greton was more like 1000KSH in 2008.

We stayed at the Greton for a week because our visa cards had been stolen which is the only reason to stay in this city so long! The hotel is very basic but its super cheap and has hot water which all of the ones in this price range do not have. It has a relaxed bar which is a good place to get away from the maddness outside. Security is excellent with a 24hr reception guards on the' door and a guard on the 2nd floor which i think everyone must go past to get to the rooms.
Dont expect much but if your after a cheap clean and safe room in Nairobi this is the best we could find.
At the time we were paying 1000 KSH for the night which is about $18 USD.
Hard to beat!