We stayed in this hotel 2 nights upon our arrival in Nairobi before leaving for a Safari.We booked via Expedia from Europe as this was the only place with an acceptable price (70 USD for a double). Well, the place is a dump. It is incredibly noisy as it is on one of the main squares just next to the matatu station (where the caos end at 1 am in the night and starts again at 4 am in the morning ...). I mean really INCREDIBLY LOUD, you can't spleep without ear-plugs. There was hot water in the shower with a small instant bolier (which looked quite unsafe) but not in the sink. For the rest the place is completely run down, furniture looks as coming from a dump, and the linen looked dirty (we had to sleep inside our sleeping bags). Only positive point, it is very central in the CBD and close to places to eat and the bus stops.

The reviews below say it all... hot water??? Ehm... no. Maintenance... again... No. A quite night sleep... ehm... no. Value for money...? Value is not a term I would use in any context with this hotel.

We stayed here just for one night (thankfully), and because it is in the centre it was so noisy we didn't sleep all night. If you don't mind the lack of hot water and really feel you must stay in this hotel, then at least do yourself a favour and take some earplugs. At least the sheets seemed clean (but I wasn't so sure about my old pillowcase). I hope you have better luck than us.

i was going to write and write about how horrible the hotel ambassadeur is, but in the end "there's a reason why it's so inexpensive" sums it up.

a few lowlights -

while the hotel is located in a prime downtown location, it is surrounded by bus (matatu) stops. buses in nairobi are privately owned and the drivers must solicit passengers. they do this by screaming, sometimes using a bull horn, at the top of their lungs no matter the time of day. it is nearly impossible to sleep. (i had heard that the ambassadeur was loud, but i live in a major us city, right on a major thoroughfare and between a police station and a fire station. it has nothing on the noise from the matatu stand!)

it's not all that safe. they do have guards on every floor, but items were still routinely stolen from rooms and the restaurant. the guards also did little to keep the thieves from roaming the halls - the very thing their mere presence was supposed to stop.

back in the day the ambassadeur was the premier hotel in nairobi - five stars all the way. unfortunately, it has fallen into complete disrepair. we are avid world travellers and have a high tollerance for "well worn." this place is down right dirty. it was so bad that we were hesitant to leave our unopened suitcases on the surfaces.

just don't bother.

**only one highlight - the night porter, shadrach, was excellent! the rest of the staff was sketchy.