We used African Heritage House as our base during our travels throughout East Africa - we stayed 4 nights over a 3 week period. Firstly in making arrangements i dealt directly with Alan (before he took his holidays) and he was very responsive and helpful. It is a very unique place and very interesting to see. As many have mentioned it is like a museum of African history - Alan's recall of all his collection is impressive. One of the main reasons to stay here is to get Alan to give you a tour (with your drink of choice in hand!) - but allow a few hours to really do it justice.

Alan's staff provide very good personal service with very good meals served in a variety of different spaces in the house depending on weather conditions. The house is located very handy to the airport and is very quiet being set well back from Mombasa Road.

The rooms are all pretty unique and interesting as well as spacious. Ours had an open air bathroom which was still pretty functional. Mosquitoes can be a problem so be prepared. The beds are a bit small being antique frames around the size of a modern double bed. Electricity may not be available overnight but this tends not to be a big deal i think. There is no aircon or fans but there is good natural ventilation mosquitoes not withstanding.

If you have one or two nights to spend in Nairobi and want a unique experience then this a great alternative to formulaic hotels.

First, the house itself is unbelievable. It has grand proportions and interesting architecture everywhere you turn. Alan has furnished and decorated the place with 40 years worth of collected art from across the continent. Though the term "museum" comes to mind, the house is absolutely comfortable and we never felt as though we couldn't sit on furniture, touch the sculptures, or examine the art.
Second, the setting was gorgeous. My mother took the amazing Lamu Suite. It has a small garden/greenhouse inside the bathroom! I took the upstairs room on the roof. From the ample balconies and terraces we looked out over the Nairobi National Park as we had morning tea and sundowners. Somehow, we were 15 minutes from downtown Nairobi, but in the middle of a huge open park. The house is a much more convenient journey to and from the airport than any "in-town" hotel and far more relaxing.
Third, Alan is the consummate host. No details are overlooked. His advice on logistics (travel times, places to see, etc) were spot on. Meals were ample and delicious whether taken on the terrace, by the fireplace, or in my room on the top floor. The tour of the house, which took us about 2 hours, was really interesting and far from a "canned" speech. Alan put us in touch with a fantastic driver, Gideon, who was, himself, a font of valuable information. Alan also directed us toward some excellent wholesalers of African textiles and crafts. We skipped uncertainty of searching out over-priced shops and the mayhem that is Nairobi shopping. The icing on the cake was the private concert Alan provided. A group of 20 or so guests were having a professional retreat for the day and we got to join them as Alan's long-time friend Ayub Ogada played and sang on the roof deck at sundown. It was picture and pitch perfect.
African Heritage House is the type of place you can stay if you are doing just a few days travel in and around Nairobi, or if you are looking for a base for an extended tour of the area. It was just perfect.

How does one describe an experience that is magical, for that is what it seemed like when I visited and stayed in African Heritage House. I had just returned to Nairobi from a week-long safari when a volcano in Iceland prevented me from returning to the USA. My local travel agent, Maggie Gachie-Maina of Double Eight Tours & Travel, located at the nearby Nairobi National Airport, shepherded me to African Heritage House for the best stay of my three weeks in Kenya. Beside the fact that Alan Donovan is the ideal host and an expert on African history, art and crafts, I believe he personally has one of the best collections representing all of Africa. Each room is a cultural immersion of the places and textures and patterns of African life, making your stay as much an experience of being IN Africa as it is about LIVING the african way. His substantial library and personal memoir, "My Journey Through African Heritage" provide invaluable information about the continent and all its treasurers. Alan's understanding and knowledgable advice about places, people and things throughout Africa is encyclopedic, making him the perfect host and resource for all your travel questions.

The stunning placement of the colorful, styleized adobe house exudes warmth with its multi-level verandahs and balconies all with views looking down across the open, pale green, expansive Athi Plain and Nairobi National Park. The site provides a profound sense of space and peace, even though the compound is located a short distance from downtown Nairobi. The aroma of morning coffee on the balcony with the energizing glow of sunrise is not to be missed, especially if herds of zebra or majestic giraffes slowly promenade across the horizon. Each room and private bath is an exquisite collection of architectural features, fanciful furniture and colorful textiles adding sensual pleasure to the gracious, unhurried environment. A light breeze wafts through the rooms carrying the sweet fragrance of acacia. Try relaxing in the aqua pool set about with lush tropical plantings interspersed with sculpture or seek the shade of the cabana. Both provide a welcome retreat to float and look at the cerulean sky or read and write in the shade of the cabana. It is an ideal environment to entertain friends over drinks and hors d'oeuvres while you watch another spectacular sunset take place.

African Heritage House is the best place to relax and rejuvenate, breathe the air and inhale the color all around you; sense the fragrance of life and let time stand still. Such a place will intuitively teach you the origins of man and reconnect you with the person you were born to be. How could you not want to be here in this beautiful place with this amazing host and rich cultural heritage? Book now because space is limited!

The prior reviews have really said it all, so let me just add my accolades to theirs. Frommers led me and my friend there. I only wished that I had known about it when our trip was in the planning stages. Based upon the Frommer review, we thought that we might spend an hour or so there....we ended up spending almost four hours including lunch and a little shopping for some of Alan's fabulous jewelry!

If/When I return to Nairobi, I would definitely book at least a night there, either on my way in or out of the country. The contrast between it and the Fairmont Norfolk, where we did stay, would have made two very nice experiences.

When we were there, we had the added fun experience of a meeting and shopping/bargaining with a visiting Congo textile trader/salesman who just happened to stop by while we were there.

So in summary, the airport location, the house and its design, Alan (knowledge and hospitality), the artifacts, the views, the food and the total experience are well worth the effort to include it in your Nairobi stay!