About This Property
House of Waine is an 11-bedroom boutique hotel on 2.5 acres in Karen, a quiet Nairobi suburb. Go2Africa describes nearly three acres of lush gardens and a former private house that still feels like a home. It is a straightforward pre- or post-safari stopover: close enough to the city’s museums and wildlife centres, far enough from the central business district to wake to birdsong.
The suites are named after aspects of Kenyan culture and decorated to match. Bustani (garden in Swahili) opens to the grounds; Ziwa takes its blues from the word for lake. The official rooms page lists the Poolside Cottage, the Malaika Suite and ten themed rooms (Manyatta, Safari, Ziwa, Tembo, Victoria, Kanini, Makan, Pwani, Bustani and Sahara). Nine rooms can be made up as single, double or twin. Kanini interconnects with Makan. Go2Africa also refers to a very large Presidential Suite; the hotel’s own site treats Malaika as the grand suite.
Every listed room has a large en-suite marble bathroom with a separate shower and bath, individually controlled air conditioning, complimentary Wi-Fi, a flat-screen TV, a hairdryer, a laptop safe, and tea-and-coffee facilities with cookies, milk and ground coffee supplied daily. Go2Africa adds satellite TV. The Victoria room is the only guest room with a working fireplace and has a claw-foot tub. Baby cots are available on request.
The Poolside Cottage sits apart from the main house, near the pool. Official copy says it sleeps three adults in a double and a single, both en suite, with a private dining room for up to six, a full kitchen and its own small garden. Go2Africa agrees on three adults, en-suite facilities, a private dining room, a full kitchen and a private garden, with a cot on prior request.
Shared spaces include a dining room, lounge, library, bar, terrace and a large heated swimming pool in manicured gardens. Meals can be taken in the dining room or lounge, beside the pool, or in the gardens. The set menu offers two daily options drawn from Nairobi’s mix of kitchens; the cook will also prepare traditional Kenyan dishes on request. There is an air-conditioned conference room for up to 20 people.
Karen puts the Giraffe Centre, the Karen Blixen Museum, Kazuri Beads and the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust within a short drive. Nairobi National Park is the other obvious outing. The hotel can arrange transfers to those attractions and to the airports.
Why We Love It
We like House of Waine because it is still a house. Karen is where Nairobi slows down, and this former private home — 2.5 acres, a heated pool, rooms named for gardens, lakes and elephants — is a calmer first or last night than a CBD hotel.
The rooms are not a cookie-cutter block. Kanini interconnects with Makan for families; the Poolside Cottage has its own kitchen and garden if you want to stay put; Malaika is the large suite with a terrace over the trees. Victoria even has a working fireplace. That variety is useful when a safari group is not all travelling the same way.
We also like the geography of the stopover. Wilson Airport is the safari field, about 20 minutes away; Jomo Kenyatta is the international arrival, about 45 minutes. Giraffe Centre, Blixen and Sheldrick sit in the same suburb, so a long-haul landing can still include an afternoon with giraffes before the bush.
Bed and breakfast is the published base. You can eat in the dining room, by the pool or in the garden, and ask for Kenyan dishes if that is what you want. It is not a game lodge. It is a well-run Karen house for the nights either side of one.
Rooms & Details
Standard Room
Nine Standard Rooms can be made up as single, double or twin, each individually styled with large windows, some over the garden. En-suite marble bathrooms have a separate shower and bath. Air-conditioning, complimentary Wi-Fi, a flat-screen TV, hairdryer, laptop safe, and a non-alcoholic mini bar with tea, coffee and daily cookies are in every room. Baby cots on request.
Kanini interconnects with Makan and is the smallest, child-friendly room. Victoria is the only guest room with a working fireplace and has a claw-foot tub. Karen is the usual Nairobi night before a Wilson hop to Angama Mara or Mahali Mzuri.
Malaika Suite
The Malaika Suite is the grand suite of the house, with a lounge, a spacious en-suite bathroom, garden-facing windows and a private terrace. It can be booked as single, double or triple. Aimed at couples.
Poolside Cottage
The Poolside Cottage sits apart from the main house, next to the pool. It sleeps three adults in a double and a single, both en suite, with a private dining room for up to six, a full kitchen and a small private garden. A cot is available on prior request. Amboseli itineraries from Nairobi often continue to Angama Amboseli.
Main house
The dining room, lounge, library, bar and terrace sit in the original house, with a large heated swimming pool in 2.5 acres of garden. Complimentary Wi-Fi throughout and secure parking. An air-conditioned conference room holds up to 20.
Amenities & Features
Photo Gallery
Rates
Prices start from $440 per night. Final pricing depends on season, room type, and availability. Check current rates on our booking partner's site for the most accurate pricing.
What's Included
- Breakfast
- Heated swimming pool and gardens
Bed and breakfast is the published base (accommodation and breakfast). Half board adds dinner; full board adds lunch and dinner. Complimentary Wi-Fi, heated pool and gardens are part of the stay. Day tours, afternoon tea, airport transfers and extra meals are additional.
Location
How to Get There
From Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO)
International arrivals land at Jomo Kenyatta. Andrea Hugo, the hotel’s published North America contact, puts the road transfer at about 45 minutes. The hotel can arrange airport transfers. Check-in from 14:00 is the time given by multiple booking sites; late arrivals are a known pattern on guest reviews (including after-midnight check-ins).
From Wilson Airport
Go2Africa names Wilson as the nearest airport — the usual field for safari light aircraft. Andrea Hugo puts the road transfer at about 20 minutes. This is the practical hop between a Mara or Amboseli flying safari and a Karen night.
By road in Karen
The hotel sits on Bogani Road at Masai Lane in Karen. Secure parking is listed among Go2Africa facilities. A conference or day-guest booking is a different rate table; overnight guests use the room rates on the official site.
Nearby Attractions
Giraffe Centre, Karen Blixen Museum, Kazuri Beads factory, Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage), Nairobi National Park
Things to Do
At the property
The stay is built around the gardens and the heated pool. Eat in the dining room, the lounge, on the terrace beside the pool, or in the garden. Official afternoon tea is published from USD 35 a person (welcome drink, Kenyan tea or coffee, a choice of specialty teas, hot and cold snacks, and use of the pool and garden). There is a library for slower hours and a koi pond by the main entrance.
In the area
Karen is the point of the address. The Giraffe Centre, Karen Blixen Museum, Kazuri Beads factory and the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust are the hotel’s listed neighbours. Staff can arrange visits and transfers. Go2Africa also flags Nairobi National Park and city galleries and museums.
Day trips
Go2Africa lists day tours as an activity. Typical Karen outings are the Giraffe Centre, Blixen, Sheldrick and Nairobi National Park. These are extra to the room rate; ask the hotel to time them around international or Wilson Airport flights.
Good to Know
Room count: Official homepage says 11 bedrooms; the rooms page lists 12 named spaces (Cottage, Malaika and ten themed rooms). Nine can be single, double or twin. Confirm the configuration when you book.Children: Children of all ages are welcome (Andrea Hugo). Published operator rate cards: under 2 years free; under 12 years 50% of the applicable rate; 12 years and over full adult rate. Baby cots on request. Kanini interconnects with Makan. The Poolside Cottage sleeps three adults or two adults and a child.Meal plan: Go2Africa and the official 2026 table are bed and breakfast as the base. Half board adds dinner; full board adds lunch and dinner. Meals in the dining room, lounge, pool terrace or gardens. Traditional Kenyan dishes on request.Check-in / out: Third-party sites consistently list check-in from 14:00 and check-out at 10:00. A Porini 2026 rate card: late check-out 10:00–14:00 free subject to availability; after 14:00 at 50% of the applicable rate.High season: Official 2026 high season 1 June–31 October. Low season 29 December 2025–31 May 2026 and 1 November–22 December 2026. Travel Hub (updated 29 June 2026) lists a closure 22–28 December.Parking and Wi-Fi: Complimentary Wi-Fi throughout; Go2Africa lists secure parking.What3Words: No published address found.
Who It's For
Safari travellers who want a quiet Karen night either side of a flying circuit from Wilson; couples in Malaika; small families in the Poolside Cottage or the interconnecting Kanini and Makan rooms. Not a game lodge and not a CBD business hotel. Children of all ages are welcome on the representative factsheet.
Best Time to Visit
Year-round as a Nairobi stopover. Official 2026 high season is 1 June–31 October; low season is 29 December 2025–31 May 2026 and 1 November–22 December 2026. Travel Hub (updated 29 June 2026) lists a closure 22–28 December.
