House of Waine
House of Waine was originally built in the 1970s as a private home. It was acquired by a local family and carefully refurbished over two years resulting in the unique boutique property that exists today, and retains the charm of a family home.
It is an 11-bedroom property on 2.5 acres that blends the elegance of gracious living with the spirit of modern living in an exclusive and serene setting. Upon entering the gates one is transported to another place, one with a gentler, quieter pace, a private retreat.
As the day breaks in Karen to the exotic sounds of African bird life, you awake in one of our 11 lavish en suite rooms elegantly furnished to reflect their individual themes. That is not to say though that the House is lacking in the amenities present in any city hotel. You will find a complimentary non alcoholic mini bar in each room as well as direct dial telephones, TVs with satellite and local channels, tea and coffee making facilities, fresh flowers and cookies that are delivered daily to your room. That’s life at House of Waine, where we like to do things a little bit differently. With lots to do in and see in Nairobi, this is the perfect base for your stay.
Standard Room
(10 ROOMS)
The 10 Standard rooms are all individually styled and then named to reflect their different themes ensuring that no two are exactly alike.
• 4 of our bedrooms can be single, double or twin rooms with 6 of which can be triples as well.
• Each bedroom features a large marble bathroom with plenty of natural light through the large windows.
• Most bathrooms have a separate shower and bath (with the exception of 1 which feature only a shower) and all have a complete range of toiletries, hairdryers and bathroom telephone.
Guests can be assured that they will enjoy the same standard of facilities in their room as they would in a larger city hotel. These include:
• Free Wi-Fi
• Televisions in each room with local and satellite channels
• Direct dial telephones
• Complimentary non-alcoholic mini bar
• Mini safe
• Tea and coffee making facilities with fresh milk and freshly ground coffee delivered daily
• Complimentary pastries daily
• Air conditioning in all rooms
• Hair dryer
Malaika Suite
(1 ROOM)
“Malaika” is a Swahili word for an angel which explains why this suite is associated with perfection. This suite is also known as the Superior suite, with the fact that it is extremely spacious, with two lounge areas, a separate dressing room, an overly spacious bathroom ensuite with a unique spherical shaped bath tub and balcony with a view of the swimming pool and the utterly landscaped beautiful gardens.
Poolside Cottage
(1 ROOM)
The cozy Cottage sleeps 3, a double in the master room complete with a fireplace and a single. The Cottage has an open plan lounge (with a fireplace), Dining room, Kitchen and private garden.
Giraffe Center
It is located at Langata, approximately 3 kilometers from House of Waine. It is the creation of a Kenyan conservation organization, the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (AFEW). It was established in order to protect the endangered Rothschild giraffe, Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi, that is found only in the grasslands of East Africa. The main attraction for visitors is feeding giraffes from a raised observation platform. The centre is also
home to several warthogs which freely roam the area along with the giraffes. They have three types of Giraffes: Reticulated Giraffe, Masai Giraffe and the Rothschild Giraffe.
David Sheldricks Elephant Orphanage
Sheldrick is a Kenyan wildlife conservation charity founded in 1977 in memory of David Sheldrick by his widow Daphne Sheldrick. It assists and advises the Kenya Wildlife Service and manages an orphanage for elephants and rhinos.
It is located approximately 20 minutes from House of Waine and is open daily from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm. At this time you watch them being fed with the normal human children formulae milk.
Kazuri Beads Factory and Shop
Kazuri Bead Factory is situated 1 km and is approximately a 15 minutes walk from House of Waine – “a stones-throw away” from Karen Blixen Museum.
Originally founded by the late Lady Susan Wood in 1975, she created employment for struggling single mothers in the community. Kazuri is still located in its’ original setting in Karen, so far the workshop has now employed over 300 local women. Kazuri Beads specialize on Hand Made Ceramic Beads, Pottery and Genuine Leather Bags.
Utamaduni Craft Shop
Utamaduni Crafts Centre is located on Bogani East Road between Ostrich Park and Giraffe Centre in Langata open from 10am to 6pm daily. Utamaduni Crafts Centre is situated 5 Minutes from House of Waine. There are about eighteen individual Craft Shops in one large house offering a wealth of Kenyan Culture.
The centre offers antiques, wood carvings, bronze items, and jewelery of the highest quality. Utamaduni means “cultural heritage” and is a converted house containing (about 18) arts and crafts shops including:
cKisii Soapstone
- African Fabrics
- Men's Boutique
- Beaded Glassware
- An African coffee table book shop
- Antique African silver & gold jewelry
- Crafts made by ex-Nairobi street children
- A variety of beautiful Kenyan Kiondos (Baskets)
Utamaduni Craft Centre in Nairobi is the best place to buy souvenirs.
Karen Blixen Museum
The museum is situated in the upscale Nairobi suburb of "Karen," a town that was created by the parceling out of the coffee farm's land after Blixen's return to Denmark. Itis also the former African home of Danish author Karen Blixen, famous for her book Out of Africa which chronicles life at the estate.
The Karen Blixen Museum is located 1km from House of Waine and is open every day between 9:30am and 6:00pm, including on weekends and public holidays.
Visitors have the opportunity to take part in continuously offered guided tours of the house, which features rooms designed in both the original decor and with props from the 1985 film. The grounds, which feature original equipment from the coffee farm, are also available for touring. There is also a gift shop. The grounds of the museum are available to rent for weddings, corporate functions, and other events.
For more info on the House of Waine, click HERE
