Overnight in Nairobi Airport
Replies: 12 - Last Post: Feb 4, 2013 11:20 AM Last Post By: jancadieux
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Overnight in Nairobi Airport
I'm doing a group tour that requires starting in Zanzibar and ending in Nairobi. I'm a single female flying from NYC to Zanzibar. The best price ticket I can find is roundtrip to/from Nairobi, arriving at 2:25am. I'd book a connecting flight to Zanzibar on a separate airline at around 9am.I've read some posts about long lines or check-in not opening until 3 hours prior to flight. If I check a bag, will I have to exit the security area to retrieve my bag? If so, will I be able to get back into the airport to sleep?
As for accommodations, I'm more worried about safety than comfort, and willing to pay around 50USD for a lounge. Does anyone know exact location of these lounges?
Thanks!
1
Are you intending to clear customs/immigration (and enter Kenya)? If not you will be intransit - you will need to contact the Precision Air transfer desk (used to be near gate 8 - but not sure following the reconstruction that has been taking place). If this is the case then you might be very lucky to find a coffee shop open, but otherwise bring your pillow and a light blanket or wrap (as it can get cool/cold in NBO). Also pick-up some energy bars or similar to tied you over until the eating places open around 5.30/6.00 am. The Precision Air transit gate will probably not been open until 6.00 am.If you do intend to clear customs/immigration then I am not sure what will be open at that time of the morning. It should be safe - but probably safer if you are intransit. Hopefully someone will have some more up to date info. Best of luck
3
Baggage Retrieval is after Immigration so if you plan to retrieve your bags you will have go through Immigration and, I guess, Customs. You'll then need to check your bags back in for your flight to Zanzibar.If your bags can be checked straight through you won't have to retrieve them and can hang around the airport waiting for your next flight.
There's very little in the way of facilities at Nairobi International Airport though - on either side of check-in!
4
Don't get too anxious about the airport, it's really not that bad. There's a good branch of Java Coffee House past the last gate, Gate 14 (no more than 5 mins walk from anywhere airside) which is open 24/7 and has really good coffee, snacks and meals, sockets for charging if you need to, comfy seating and nice staff. That's where I'd hang out.Richard
5
If hanging out in a coffee bar for 6 hours-ish is not your style (definitely not mine and most definitely not after a long haul flight!), may I suggest a transit visa, a quick cab to Panari Hotel - which is about 10 minutes from the airport - get some beauty sleep?Regards
Mwenyeji
6
Mwenyeji, have you been to the Panari recently? You perhaps wouldn't call it a dump, but it's a pretty tacky pile, and completely lost its way, while the Ole Sereni and Redcourt have zoomed ahead. If you want a hotel, krsnyc, the Redcourt is a much better and more value-for-money candidate, and hardly any further towards town. But you say you don't want to leave the airport if you don't have to, so that rules out the transit visa, taxi and a few hours in an overpriced hotel.There are certainly some airline lounges at the airport, all along the same single, simple crescent of outlets. I don't have exact details, but I doubt any of them would cost you the $50 you mentioned in your original post. Whether any of them is better than the Jave coffee house, I also doubt!
Whatever you decide, good luck with finding a place to curl up.
Richard
7
Richard.Thanks for the tip - I'll be wary of the place now. I have to admit I have not been there for at least two years.. though it still looks pleasing from Mombasa Rd.
Could you be so kind as to tell me where Ole Sereni & Redcourt are? (I could do with a decent transit hotel when I go in June/ July).
Regards
9
Ole Sereni is on the south side of the highway, less than 1km closer to town than the Panari - unmissable. Redcourt is tucked away on Red Cross Rd, just off Popo Road, less than 1km further towards town (take a left on Popo Road, then after 500m another left on Red Cross Road).Mike, the sleep and shower facility has gone completely (it was formerly downstairs at the Gate 3 end).
Richard
