Last weekend, I was in Eldoret. I happened to accidentally stay at Haven Stay Lounge Eldoret in the City’s swanky Elgon View neighborhood. As I said, my stay at this marvelous establishment was by mistake—and it turned out to be the best thing ever. As a result, I decided to share a bit of that experience here for anyone looking to travel and stay in Eldoret City for a couple of days.
My friend just welcomed a new bundle of joy to her family, and I was itching to visit. It was also the perfect time to meet up with my colleague here at ReachTheDodo, Charles Sifwabi, who frequents the City of Champions. We are workmates, but funny enough, we only recently met in person. I was humbled to find out he was such a great guy, and that is the reason I spent the weekend at Haven Stay Lounge Eldoret.
Transit From Nairobi to Eldoret
There are three easy ways to get to Eldoret City, as our President says, “Mambo ni matatu,” and that’s by a shuttle minivan, plane, or private means. I wish it were the latter. I’m a couple hundred thousand shillings short of buying my dream car – a Subaru Levorg. With your help, it’ll come much faster, but I’m manifesting a 2024 December behind the wheel of my brand new car courtesy of Kai and Karo, of course (we’ve got to support young, versatile entrepreneurs).
Back to Nairobi, and enough brick game dreams. I took a North Rift Shuttle to Eldoret. It is apparently the most convenient and fastest public means to Eldoret (both my brother and Charles vouched for it, and that was good enough for me).
On Thursday, I booked a fancy Airbnb just at the edge of Eldoret City. It was a three-bedroom house, but the Airbnb owner, or broker, as I later came to find out, accepted the offer of the entire place to me for KES 3.500 (for one bedroom, the rest would be locked). This was a truly amazing offer. I shared the pictures with most of my friends in Nairobi, and they couldn’t believe there was that kind of luxury and ambiance in Eldoret. Still, KES 3,500 was too much for a one-bedroom apartment, even for Nairobi.
Perilous Cab Ride to my Eldoret Airbnb
Well, I got to Eldoret on a Friday afternoon. The trip took six hours, but I must admit I enjoyed the scenery—and especially the stretch after Timboroa through Anaibkoi Forest. It’s heavenly and enchanting.
Well, my troubles started when I got to Eldoret City. I used one of the popular cab-hailing apps, and it was a nightmare! It was the most grueling welcome I got from the City of Champions. You’ll miss Nairobi Ubers when you ride in Eldoret cabs.
I’ll share my experience because this happened twice during my weekend stay in Eldoret, and I believe it will help any newcomers to this new city stay alert.
The rideshare app indicated that the journey would cost KES 280, but I was going to pay KES 300 anyway. But mid-journey, the driver starts asking for KES 500. It was my first time in Eldoret alone. The last time I was here, I was a high schooler, and I didn’t want to ask him to stop. So we negotiated for a cool KES 400 – I didn’t like that because I hate getting ripped off.
My Booked Apartment in Eldoret that Never Was
I called Airbnb to get to the house, freshen up, and maybe later go shopping for the newborn—Eldoret has a vibrant shopping district. I got the location, and the neighborhood looked great. For a moment, I forgot I was in Eldoret and thought I was somewhere in an upscale gated community in Langata.
We pull up to the house, and as I start unpacking, the Airbnb attendant tells me we need to talk. I get into the house, and it looks like a mess. Like someone just left! There are two guys and a chic, and they are just bumming and enjoying TV. The guy tells me the entire condominium complex doesn’t have water, and they aren’t sure if they can clean up the room or if I’ll enjoy the stay without water. He suggests another apartment that he also runs. Well, that sucks, but I accept. We get back into the cab, and I explain to the driver we need to change locations – he’s happy to assist.
Long story short, we get to the next apartment—20 minutes away—and it’s nothing like the first one. It’s a one-bedroom apartment, but it’s not worth KES 3,500 or even KES 1,800. So, I immediately called Charles, and luckily, he was within the neighborhood (Pioneer). He politely asks the guy to refund my money. They do it immediately, and that’s where Haven Stay Lounge Eldoret comes in.
The thing is, you can’t easily get an Airbnb in Eldoret on Friday, and worse in the afternoon. Eldoret is apparently the party center of Western Kenya, and these apartments go like hotcakes by Thursday morning. According to the driver, my initial apartment might have been booked by someone willing to pay for the entire house—that’s KES 6,500, and I was just unlucky.
Charles had seen a hotel advertised on Instagram via his feed. It was a newish establishment in Eldoret, and he said it seemed okay. So we went to check it out while he called around for other options.
Haven Stay Eldoret: My Happy Ending
So, Haven Stay Lounge Eldoret is located in the lush neighborhood of Elgon View. The moment we drove through the windy roads of this neighborhood, I knew I wanted to stay here. It’s green, it’s fan-friendly, and it’s very peaceful—you’d hate Nairobi if you lived in Elgon View Estate Eldoret.
Haven Stay Lounge Eldoret is located right next to Astoria Restaurant, and the moment we drove through the gate, I was praying internally that we wouldn’t miss a room. I honestly don’t like hotels since Airbnbs took over; I feel they are crammed.
The structures are white and built like an old British farmhouse (with the crossing wood structures) but with a modern touch. The compound is serene, and it almost feels like those exclusive Airbnbs you get in the good part of Lavington Estate in Nairobi. The landscaping is top-notch, and there are a lot of outside chilling spaces (with palm trees) where you can take in the countryside breeze and process your thoughts (I wrote a good portion of this blog post in Haven Stay Lounge).
There’s also a magnificent terrace with an entire view of the compound and, best of all, a river that runs at the side of the establishment. River Sosiani, as I was told, was in its full form, roaring right next to the terrace, giving those tropical vibes you see in Caribbean movies—I was definitely going to book a room here.
As I said, the establishment is newish. And if you travel a lot, you understand the enthusiasm hotels have when they are fresh in the market. The service was top-notch. We could smell what was cooking in the Kitchen, and I immediately knew I was going to have my late lunch there.
One of the attendees at Haven Stay Lounge Eldoret took us through the establishment. It’s a lounge where you can still have a staycation. There were a couple of Eldoret locals all through others in the bar, restaurant, conference hall, and porch area, enjoying some refreshing drinks and food.
The rooms are to die for—you better believe it. It should be ranked amongst the best hotels in Eldoret. I was thoroughly impressed. And the bathroom—I couldn’t wait to get in and drench my day’s sorrows through the shower.
Well, here’s the good part—Haven Stay Lounge Eldoret is worth the ambiance and prestige it offers. The rooms range between KES 13,000 and KES 16,000, which was way above my budget. Luckily, we had some money left over for May’s travels, and Charles and the rest of the team agreed to cover the cost (I’ll be honest, sharing this sour turned awesome experience was part of the deal).
Haven Stay Lounge Eldoret is definitely a place to visit with a loved one. The space and services they offer will help you get the most out of traveling as a group. The food was up to the bar. I ended up staying in to soak up all the awesomeness this establishment offered and decided to shop the next day.
Like Nairobi, residents in Eldoret love watching football. I noticed most residents in Elgon View estate came to Haven Stay Lounge Eldoret to watch the Premier League games throughout the weekend. The crowd was mature and amazing. I made a lot of cool friends in Eldoret and will be visiting more often.
Haven Stay Lounge Eldoret Accommodation Prices
Haven Stay Lounge Eldoret is an exciting hidden gem in Eldoret, set next to River Sosiani. Its restaurant, lounge, and outdoor ambiance will keep you coming back. You can book accommodation online or at the reception area.
- Room Prices: KES 13,000 – KES 16,000 per night.
- Meal prices: KES: 500 – KES 3,500 ( platter meal).
- Entrance: Free
PS: I recommend taking the terrace table next to the river during the day (especially in the afternoons when it is hot) and having an early cup of tea outside on the gazebo. The sights and natural sounds (bird chirps) in the morning are rejuvenating.