Fairmont The Norfolk Hotel
| Fairmont The Norfolk Hotel | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Location | Harry Thuku Rd, Nairobi Kenya |
| Opening | 1904 |
| Management | Fairmont Hotels and Resorts |
| Other information | |
| Number of rooms | 170 |
| Number of restaurants | 4 |
| Website | |
| Fairmont Norfolk Hotel | |
Coordinates: 1°16′42″S 36°48′57″E / 1.278295°S 36.815795°E
The Fairmont Norfolk is a historic hotel in Nairobi, Kenya and is owned by the luxury hotel chain, Fairmont Hotels and Resorts. The hotel has 170 rooms, 4 restaurants, and consists of 5 main blocks, each ranging from 1 to 2 stories high. The hotel has a signature Tudor style of architecture that has been maintained since its original construction.
The hotel opened its doors on December 25, 1904 for use by early settlers to escape the harsh conditions of Kenya The hotel was the basecamp of early African exploreres who ventured to Masai Mara, Kenya’s Coast, and the Great Rift Valley In 1909, Theodore Roosevelt stayed at Fairmont Norfolk on his famous “African Safari and Scientific Expedition” following his retirement as the 26th President of the United States. In 1927, the hotel was bought by Andrew Block and contributed to the foundation of the Block Hotel dynasty with the Norfolk as the base. The famed museum piece “transportation trio” made its home at Fairmont Norfolk in 1973, combining hand-drawn, animal-drawn, and machine propelled transportation mechanisms, including an A-model Ford Roadster which is still on the property to this day.
On Dec 23, 1980, a man under the name of Muradi Akaali booked a room at the property. Keeping to his room for the duration of his stay, he set up a bomb in his hotel room that he evacuated prior to the explosion, which went at 8:30pm the night of December 31. The bomb exploded, destroying the whole western wing of the property. Fortunately the bomb went off when it did, as the hotel’s New Year’s Eve celebration was scheduled to occur three hours after the explosion occurred.
The building was remodeled following the bombing and by 1981, the western wing had risen to the 1st floor and the roof had been retiled as well as the addition of a new restaurant, a ballroom, and 2 function rooms, by 1982. The hotel was featured in the 1985 movie “Out of Africa” starring Meryl Streep and Robert Redford. In 1989, the hotel came under the ownership of Tiny Rowland and became a part of the Signet Hotel Empire. Renovations during this time brought the number of hotel rooms up to 167, an improved reception, Ibis Restaurant, and Pioneer Room, as well as a new business center and gift shop.
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