This Review of the Four Points by Sheraton Nairobi Airport is from our African safari trip, following stays at Singita Sasakwa Lodge and Singita Sabora Tented Camp in the Serengeti.
Four Points by Sheraton is part of Marriott's “Select” brands (a group that includes Aloft, Courtyard by Marriott, and Fairfield), which is lower than “Premium” brands such as Westin, Marriott, Sheraton, Le Meridien and Design Hotels, yet above Extended Stay brands such as Residence Inn. For this reason, I tend not to expect too much from a Four Points by Sheraton, although since the Four Points by Sheraton Nairobi Airport opened in late 2017, I knew it would at least be newer and fresher looking than older Four Points hotels.
Four Points by Sheraton Nairobi Airport Location and Check-In
We arrived at Nairobi Airport on a Coastal Aviation flight from Singita's Serengeti air strip (see our Coastal Aviation Review from our Zanzibar to Serengeti flight for an idea of what to expect).
After clearing immigration, which was quite fast, since we'd already gotten our Kenya e-visa in advance, we exited baggage claim, and fortunately saw a representative holding a sign saying Four Points by Sheraton Nairobi Airport. We went over to her, she found our names on a list of guests checking in that day, she called a driver, and soon we were picked up and driven to the hotel. It was only about a 5 minute drive, but the hotel isn't connected to the airport nor is it easy to walk there from the airport terminal.
The entrance and lobby is modern, with high ceilings and some colored glass accents.
Four Points by Sheraton Nairobi Airport Hotel Suite
We were given Suite 413 on the 4th floor.
Something to keep in mind with the various room categories at the Four Points Nairobi Airport Hotel is that only Executive Suites are true suites, with a separate bedroom and living room. We had a Suite with twin beds, and it was just a regular room, or at most what some hotels will call a Junior Suite, just with a little more space (452 square feet) and more of a sitting area compared to a Deluxe Room (430 square feet) and a Traditional Room (300 square feet).
A nice touch, especially for a Four Points property, were the welcome amenities: a bowl of fresh fruit (which we consumed as a light dinner) and a dish of chocolate covered strawberries, crackers, dates and chocolates. On close inspection these weren't good quality–the strawberries were very unripe and looked as though they'd been out a long time–so we didn't touch them.
Our “Suite” faced the Nairobi National Park, and while we didn't spot any animals during our brief stay, some guests do, especially when using binoculars or camera's telephoto lens.
The mattresses on the Twin beds were very firm, and not as comfortable as I'd have liked.
There's a work desk, but there's no separation between it and the beds, so it wasn't an option for me to work there after putting my son to bed. Mini bar snacks and a hot water kettle were on the left of the desk, and there was ample complimentary bottled water.
The bathroom was very small, with one sink, a toilet, and a shower–no bathtub.
The shower was a rain shower, and water pressure was good.
Bath products were from large dispensers attached to the wall:
Four Points by Sheraton Nairobi Airport Breakfast at The Marketplace Restaurant
The daily breakfast buffet is served at The Marketplace Restaurant starting at 5:30am. The restaurant is on the ground floor of the hotel, past the elevators, with comfortable semi-banquette seating as well as regular tables.
The main buffet had a good selection of cut and whole fresh fruits, sandwiches, cold cuts, salads, breads and pastries.
Another table in the center of the room featured cereals, milk, yogurts and juices.
There was even a small pitcher of freshly squeezed orange juice, although it was quite popular and not replenished frequently. Still, some brownie points are due, since I can't think of a Four Points in the U.S. that would include freshly squeezed orange juice as part of a breakfast buffet.
I ordered an omelet, which was rather pale and mediocre and came with a greasy potato cake, tomato and some mushrooms.
Rootop Pool and Tazama Rooftop Restaurant
Since we arrived in the evening and left the next morning, we didn't have occasion to use the pool, although on a nice day it could be a pleasant place to relax.
After my son went to bed I grabbed a seat at Tazama Rooftop Restaurant and ordered a dessert, while getting some work done. I chose the Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake, which was quite good, although the ice cream it came with was poor quality.
The Verdict
I chose the Four Points by Sheraton at Nairobi Airport primarily for convenience, and because it's a newer hotel, and it delivered in terms of being a modern, clean hotel for a quick overnight stay. I do think that it “Suite” is misleading for the room type that we stayed in–at best, it should be called a Junior Suite, or simply a Premier Room, to convey that it's just one room, albeit a bit larger than the Traditional and Deluxe Rooms. I also didn't care for the extremely firm mattresses, although for anyone who likes extra firm beds, these fit the bill.
On the positive side, arrival and departure were handled efficiently, and were in fact private, since they were in regular cars, not a shuttle. And I'm especially grateful to staff at the Marketplace Restaurant, who, when I asked if I could buy some plain yogurt for my son, who was on the mend after a bit of upset stomach, simply gave me some plain yogurt complimentary, with a smile.
The breakfast buffet featured a good selection of fruits, cereals, pastries and eggs made to order, and while not gourmet, was better than I expected for a Four Points.
Overall, it was a good overnight stay in a very convenient location given our early evening arrival and morning departure the following day.
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