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African Heritage House: Traveler Reviews

Mombasa Road | Box 17871, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
Hotel amenities
African Heritage House
Ranked #3 of 121 Nairobi B&B and Inns
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23 reviews from our community

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Sydney, Australia
1 review
“A Gem”
4 of 5 stars Reviewed December 17, 2012

The African Heritage House is a gem not to be missed. It overlooks the Nairobi national park if you wish to have a unique experience this is an excellent choice.
Alan's passion and his life works are represented in this unique home which houses remarkable artefacts of African art, history and fashion.
Each room is a space created to experience the true beauty of Africa . There are many indoor and outdoor spaces to experience the animals in the national park, relax and enjoy the sunsets. The monkeys were regular visitors .
I choose to have dinner and lunch where possible at the house as the food was exceptional and delicious. The evening sunsets were a perfect way to wind down the day.
Alan is a very gracious host who's advice and suggestions were always spot on.
Thank you Alan for creating and sharing this beautiful space.

  • Stayed October 2012, traveled solo
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 4 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 4 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Senior Reviewer
8 reviews 8 reviews
4 hotel reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
“Cultural Masterpeace”
4 of 5 stars Reviewed December 9, 2012

Anyone intersted in African culture should not miss a chance to visit the African Heritage House. Every room and nook and cranny of the house contains history and fine examples of African art. Following a tour of the house and the impressive collection Alan has put together, we had the opportunity to have an excelent dinner with Alan during which we were treated to stories of his efforts at bringing African culture to the world and some of the unique life experiences he had as a result. Alan's ability to recall details about his extensive collection is impressive. Our visit for dinner was a remarkable experience that provided a finish touch to our ten weeks in east Africa.

  • Stayed October 2012, traveled as a couple
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 4 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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mountain view
2 reviews
“a taste of Africa”
4 of 5 stars Reviewed December 1, 2012

Staying at AHH affords us an intimate and comfortable introduction to African art. Alan's 40 year museum quality, art collection from all over the continent is displayed throughout the house and bedrooms. What a beautiful, tranquil house he has built for himself, and for his guests to enjoy. And Alan's gracious hospitality is much appreciated. Being near the airport is such a convenience for arrivals or departures. And the local driver he uses, (Gideon tel. +254 (0)720-170754) to ferry us to the airport, charged us $20 each way - half the fare we paid to our tour operator, when we came back later to Nairobi for our safari. Breakfast is included in the rate, and lunch and dinner is on offer, taken on the terrace overlooking Nairobi National Park. Try looking out for game in the park, if you spend time on the terrace. Extensive grounds, a swimming pool and lots of places throughout the house to hang out and read a book, or just to rest and contemplate.
Wish there was a fan in the bedroom for the warm nights we were there.

  • Stayed October 2012, traveled as a couple
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 4 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 4 of 5 stars Service
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Hobe Sound, Florida
Contributor
17 reviews 17 reviews
3 hotel reviews
Reviews in 12 cities Reviews in 12 cities
3 helpful votes 3 helpful votes
“Have you ever wanted to stay in a museum?”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed November 18, 2012

This is a must for those who like out of the ordinary. Alan's home is on the edge of the Nairobi National Park and one of the coolest places that I have ever stayed in. Our room was on the third floor, we had several beds to chose from all with mosquito netting, we chose to have dinner there each night and enjoyed wine as the sun set. The house is filled with artifacts from all over Africa and Alan is so gracious, after 3 weeks on Safari we really enjoyed a day relaxing around the pool and watching the animals from the decks. Alan also arranged a driver to show us the city for our last few days in Africa.

Room Tip: Ask for the room where you can hear the lions roaring.
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  • Stayed November 2012, traveled with friends
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 4 of 5 stars Location
    • 4 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 4 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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Kaydn215
Contributor
14 reviews 14 reviews
10 hotel reviews
Reviews in 10 cities Reviews in 10 cities
6 helpful votes 6 helpful votes
“Very interesting place”
4 of 5 stars Reviewed October 23, 2012

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.

Room Tip: I'm not sure if there are rooms with larger beds - best to ask Alan.
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  • Stayed October 2012, traveled as a couple
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 4 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 4 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 4 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
Was this review helpful? Yes 1
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Additional Information about African Heritage House

Address: Mombasa Road | Box 17871, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
Region: Kenya > Nairobi
Amenities:
Bar/Lounge Free Breakfast Free Parking Kids Activities Restaurant Room Service Suites Swimming Pool
Hotel Style:
Ranked #3 of 121 B&Bs / Inns in Nairobi
Price Range: $$
Official Description (provided by the hotel):
The African Heritage House overlooking the Nairobi National Parkis described by the prestigious Architectural Digest as " a vision of usefulness informed by the African genius for decoration" Designed by American Alan Donovan, the house is a combination of architectural styles from across the continent. Tours of the house interior reveal the beauty of Africa's art and crafts. ... more   less 

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