Picolo recommends · Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya
Fairmont The Norfolk
A terrace where travellers have gathered before heading out on safari for more than a hundred years, with a tropical garden behind it.
Take a table on the Lord Delamere Terrace before dinner and you are sitting where hunters, settlers and safari travellers have ordered their evening drinks since the early 1900s. Behind the terrace, the rooms are arranged around a lush tropical garden.
The Norfolk opened in 1904, which makes it the oldest hotel in the city. Today it is run by Fairmont and stands near the National Museum and the University of Nairobi, a central address for a short stay or a stopover.
Picolo’s verdict
Why we chose Fairmont The Norfolk
We picked it for its history and its location. Few places in Nairobi tell the story of the city as well, and you can be at the museum or in the centre without a long drive.
Age shows in places. The buildings are old, and rooms differ quite a lot in style and size, so read the room descriptions carefully before you book if space matters to you.
What you get
- Rooms around a tropical garden
- Drinks on the Lord Delamere Terrace
- Fairmont service
- Historic hotel from 1904
- Near the National Museum
A day at Fairmont The Norfolk
- Morning
- Breakfast with the garden waking up around you.
- Midday
- The Nairobi National Museum, a few minutes from the hotel.
- Afternoon
- A drive out to Nairobi National Park, where wildlife grazes with the city skyline behind.
- Evening
- A drink on the terrace before dinner.
Location
City centre, Nairobi, Kenya
Open in MapsQuestions about Fairmont The Norfolk
How old is Fairmont The Norfolk?
The hotel opened in 1904 and is the oldest in Nairobi. It is now run by Fairmont, but the historic buildings and the terrace remain.
What is the Lord Delamere Terrace at Fairmont The Norfolk?
It is the hotel's famous terrace, named after an early British settler in Kenya. Safari travellers have met there for drinks for well over a century.
Is Fairmont The Norfolk centrally located?
Yes. The National Museum and the University of Nairobi are its neighbours, which puts the city centre and many sights within a short ride.
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Updated 6 Nov 2026All articles
How Picolo chooses
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