Macushla House: Our full report

Macushla House is a converted home situated in the leafy, quiet Langata area of southwest Nairobi.

This residential suburb is about 18km from downtown Nairobi and 30km from the international airport.

Because Macushla House is owner-managed, it has a very personal and intimate feel to it. Each of the six rooms is individually furnished and has high wooden ceilings, rich curtains and mosquito nets (happily not often necessary!) on the four-poster beds. The bright en-suite bathrooms all have a shower over the bath.

All the main areas of the house are ornately furnished with an abundance of bright colours and patterns. The heavily African-themed lounge with its zebra-print sofa, is a comfortable place to relax, browse the books and magazines, or play chess. A second, small, cosy lounge has a fireplace and bar. The small dining room has high-backed, wrought-iron chairs and serves excellent food - with a good range of dishes available for lunch and dinner.

Outside there is a large covered veranda, with cushioned wicker chairs and sofas in vivid colours, and large, comfy seats and benches. This is a lovely area to sit and enjoy the peace and quiet with a drink, or mingle with other guests. There is also a decent-sized swimming pool set amid the lush gardens, though it is unheated so it can be a bit chilly, especially in the cooler season in July and August.

Most travellers staying at Macushla House are busy packing or repacking between flights. But the house is also within easy reach of interesting excursions like the AFEW Giraffe Centre at Giraffe Manor, the small Karen Blixen Museum, the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Elephant Orphanage and Nairobi National Park itself. Nearby there are also some good places to eat and several galleries and crafts outlets, such as Kobe Beads and Matt Bronze. We can easily arrange for you to be collected by a driver at a time that works for your itinerary.

Our view

Macushla House is a delightful, good-value guest house, with a relaxed atmosphere. Situated in a very quiet, pleasant location, and has been popular with our travellers throughout the years. The house having only six rooms makes it easy – if you're a solo traveller, or just like mixing – to meet others and share experiences. The pool is lovely on a hot afternoon and the always-open bar and excellent menu of snacks and main dishes are fine assets.

Jessica Plumb

Kenya expert

Geographics

Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Ideal length of stay: One or two nights
Directions: Macushla House is around a 40 minute drive from Wilson Airport Nairobi and up to an hour from JKI Airport Nairobi.
Accessible by: Fly-and-Transfer

Food & drink

Usual board basis: Bed & Breakfast
Dining style: Individual Tables
Dining locations: Indoor Dining
Further dining info, including room service: Macushla House offers excellent breakfasts and a good range of dishes for lunch and dinner, all offered on an à la carte basis. Vegetarian options are available, though we suggest you pre-order them.
Drinks included: Extra cost.

Children

Attitude towards children: Accepts children of all ages.
Property’s age restrictions: None
Equipment: There are no specific facilities for children, although there is a good sized pool
Generally recommended for children: Good for children of all ages, although we advise supervision around the swimming pool.

Communications

Power supply notes: Macushla House heat their water with a solar system, boosted by mains electricity in cloudy weather.
Communications: Good cellphone signals are available from all the main networks. There is WiFi in the central areas.