Boutique hotels in Kenya: Nairobi gardens and the Swahili coast
Kenya's small hotels split neatly in two: green, quiet houses in the Nairobi suburbs, and coral-stone rooms on the Swahili coast. Both are design-led, both are family-run more often than not, and both are far more interesting than the airport chains.
Nairobi
Karen and Lavington hide cottages and converted homes with gardens, long breakfasts and a kitchen that takes itself seriously. They are the right base before or after a safari leg, and increasingly a destination in themselves.
Lamu and Diani
Lamu's houses are open-sided, lime-washed and built for shade — the best rooms are the top-floor ones with a makuti roof. Diani is beachier and easier to reach, with a run of small properties on the sand.
Planning it
January to March and July to October are dry and bright. Coast rooms are few and go early — book the house, not just the dates.
Cities in this guide: Nairobi, Lamu, Diani. Browse the collection in every country we cover.