The front entrance of The Norfolk Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya
The hotel's world famous "Lord Delamere Terrace Restaurant" which is an important part of Nairobi social life, both with local residents & tourists alike
One of the wings housing the hotel bedrooms, overlooking the cool, lush gardens
You would never guess that the hotel is situated in the centre of a bustling city - the gardens are tranquil & bird and insect life aboundsOn our recent visit to Kenya in December with my parents, we took them to the world famous Norfolk Hotel in Nairobi one afternoon, where we had lunch in the popular Lord Delamere Restaurant. My husband and I spent part of our honeymoon at the Norfolk in 2003, and since then have been lucky enough to have stayed at this magnificent hotel countless times during our trips to Kenya.
If you’ve ever read any of the great African ‘classic’ books like Out of Africa, White Mischief, The Flame Trees of Thika and even some of the more recently written ones (or if you have ever seen any of the movies based on these books) you will have heard of the Norfolk Hotel, which is now over 100 years old.
The Norfolk is as much a part of Nairobi as the landscape itself (it is said that Nairobi as a capital city grew up around the Norfolk Hotel)– a beautiful, historical hotel which first opened it’s doors on Christmas day 1904 and which hosted famous guests at the time such as American President Theodore Roosevelt (he began his famous safari from the hotel in 1909), Lord Baden-Powell, the Earl of Warwick, Lord and Lady Cranworth, and the Baron and Baroness von Blixen.
Aside from Karen Blixen (who wrote “Out of Africa”), other famous authors who have stayed here include Ernest Hemingway & Elspeth Huxley. In these more modern times, it has also hosted many well known international figures and celebrities.
Rich in history (a vast collection of black & white photographs displayed throughout the hotel reflect Kenyan life from as early as the 1800’s), the Norfolk is one of the ‘Leading Hotels of the World’ & has also been voted as one of the world’s most romantic (I can vouch for that !)
In the 1900’s, guests used to arrive at the hotel by hand pulled rickshaw carts (the rickshaw is still used in some of the Norfolk logo’s and brochures today), lions used to roam freely on the plains opposite the hotel & drink from the swamp in front of it, and hippo’s used to wallow in the river behind it (these areas are now all built up areas with roads, offices, shops and hotels and form part of Nairobi’s central business district).
The Lord Delamere Terrace (a restaurant & bar) is a popular meeting place for both Kenyan residents and tourists alike. It runs along the front of the hotel and looks right out onto the bustling city street below, & even today it is still at the centre of Nairobi’s social life. (This is where we had lunch with my parents on our recent visit.)
The hotel also has a swimming pool patio restaurant & the Hibiscus Lounge where a traditional afternoon tea is served, or the plush Ibis Restaurant which is, possibly, one of the finest restaurants in East Africa and indeed one of the best restaurants in Africa I have ever had the pleasure of dining in.
I know that a hotel 100 years old may not seem that old to some, but for Africa it is quite a milestone as sadly, not many old buildings have survived here and those that have are often in a state of disrepair and not many are maintained or even open to the public.
If you are ever in Nairobi, a stay at the Norfolk is an absolute must – especially if you are interested in history, and experiencing a taste of a bygone era. If you are pushed for time, then just pop in for afternoon tea and a wander around, I promise that you won’t regret it. Nor will you ever forget it !
If you’ve ever read any of the great African ‘classic’ books like Out of Africa, White Mischief, The Flame Trees of Thika and even some of the more recently written ones (or if you have ever seen any of the movies based on these books) you will have heard of the Norfolk Hotel, which is now over 100 years old.
The Norfolk is as much a part of Nairobi as the landscape itself (it is said that Nairobi as a capital city grew up around the Norfolk Hotel)– a beautiful, historical hotel which first opened it’s doors on Christmas day 1904 and which hosted famous guests at the time such as American President Theodore Roosevelt (he began his famous safari from the hotel in 1909), Lord Baden-Powell, the Earl of Warwick, Lord and Lady Cranworth, and the Baron and Baroness von Blixen.
Aside from Karen Blixen (who wrote “Out of Africa”), other famous authors who have stayed here include Ernest Hemingway & Elspeth Huxley. In these more modern times, it has also hosted many well known international figures and celebrities.
Rich in history (a vast collection of black & white photographs displayed throughout the hotel reflect Kenyan life from as early as the 1800’s), the Norfolk is one of the ‘Leading Hotels of the World’ & has also been voted as one of the world’s most romantic (I can vouch for that !)
In the 1900’s, guests used to arrive at the hotel by hand pulled rickshaw carts (the rickshaw is still used in some of the Norfolk logo’s and brochures today), lions used to roam freely on the plains opposite the hotel & drink from the swamp in front of it, and hippo’s used to wallow in the river behind it (these areas are now all built up areas with roads, offices, shops and hotels and form part of Nairobi’s central business district).
The Lord Delamere Terrace (a restaurant & bar) is a popular meeting place for both Kenyan residents and tourists alike. It runs along the front of the hotel and looks right out onto the bustling city street below, & even today it is still at the centre of Nairobi’s social life. (This is where we had lunch with my parents on our recent visit.)
The hotel also has a swimming pool patio restaurant & the Hibiscus Lounge where a traditional afternoon tea is served, or the plush Ibis Restaurant which is, possibly, one of the finest restaurants in East Africa and indeed one of the best restaurants in Africa I have ever had the pleasure of dining in.
I know that a hotel 100 years old may not seem that old to some, but for Africa it is quite a milestone as sadly, not many old buildings have survived here and those that have are often in a state of disrepair and not many are maintained or even open to the public.
If you are ever in Nairobi, a stay at the Norfolk is an absolute must – especially if you are interested in history, and experiencing a taste of a bygone era. If you are pushed for time, then just pop in for afternoon tea and a wander around, I promise that you won’t regret it. Nor will you ever forget it !
