Travel Hotels marga@lacabe.com

Stay: March 2008 I stayed at the Woodmeer Apartments in Nairobi, Kenya during February and March 2008. It was all in all a very pleasant and comfortable place to stay, though I do think it's grossly overpriced. Some of the apartments, particular the "super" one bedrooms, are gorgeous, while others are merely OK. I stayed in both the budget studio and the deluxe studio, and would stay there again as long as someone else was footing the bill. The budget studio consists of one medium-size room containing a double bed with a white comforter, lots of pillows and a mosquito net, a dresser with a TV, a table with a couple of chairs, a fridge and a tiny kitchen with a microwave, a coffee-pot, a stove, and pots, pans and silverware. There was good wireless internet connectivity from this room. The room was very cute, but it's on the ground floor and I felt it lacked privacy - after a couple of days I moved to one of the other studios. The deluxe studio where I stayed for most of my stay was a little bit larger and it included a loft, with a double bed and a wardrobe. The double bed in my studio, however, was so uncomfortable that I didn't deign sleep there even one night. Instead, I stayed downstairs on the twin day-bed, which wasn't bad. The pillows, however, could have been softer. This apartment was similarly appointed to the budget studio with a bookcase, a dresser with a TV, a table and two chairs and an even tinier kitchen - I didn't get an oven or a coffee-maker here (which wasn't an issue for me, as I didn't cook). The bathroom was also small, but adequate. The water heater is small, so you can't really linger in the shower. The room also had a deck overlooking the swimming pool. In all, I found it comfortable though not particularly attractive. I should say that my wireless internet connection from this room was much more erratic. A couple of my colleagues stayed in the regular studios, which were once again similarly appointed with the exception that they featured only an encased double bed (at least one had mirrors above it) and had no deck. Other colleagues stayed in the super one bedroom, and that apartment was really beautiful. The bedroom featured a four poster bed with mosquito netting, as well as a dresser and mirror. The bedroom had beautiful wooden sofas and a coffee table, and a gorgeous stone fireplace. Both the bathroom and the kitchen are quite large, as is the dining area. I wouldn't have minded having an apartment like that in my pre-child days. Apartments are cleaned daily, save for Sundays, though it appeared that towels and sheets were replaced only once a week or so. Laundry is available at affordable prices. The complex itself is quite nice with lots of plants providing shade. There is a large pool, but the water is too cold for anyone but the most adventurous swimmers. There is also a hot tub, but it seemed dirty and I never saw anyone using it. The gym only has a couple of machines and it seemed inadequate to my colleague who actually used it. The owner, manager and other workers were very attentive, and I felt guests were well looked after. The Woodmeer is located near many good restaurants (you can see my reviews at http://www.marga.org/food/rest/other/) and within walking distance of the ritzy, but useful, Yaya Center. In all, it was a good place to stay, though if I was actually footing the bill I'd look for a cheaper alternative. The Woodmeer Rose Avenue, Off Lenana Road Nairobi Kenya http://www.woodmerenairobi.com/