Did you know that fewer than 1% of Tripadvisor’s eight million listings make it to its Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best awards? Every year, the second most visited travel website in the world after Booking.com announces the Travelers’ Choice Awards. The awards celebrate destinations, beaches, hotels and restaurants that have achieved the highest level of excellence in hospitality in the eyes of travellers. In 2023, Kenya featured sparingly but these three took a major spotlight among Africa’s finest.

1. The Social House Nairobi

One word echoes through The Social House along 154 James Gichuru Road in Lavington – uncommon. It is a melting pot of uncommon moments in uncommon spaces by uncommon people, indulging in uncommon cuisine, over uncommon talk. It emerged seventh overall in Africa and first in Kenya in this year’s Travelers’ Choice 2023 Best of the Best awards. They loved it for its pool, rooftop bar and evening entertainment. If your plan is not to spend a night in one of its 83 bedrooms, then these four restaurants might interest you.

Copper

Is for those who love the grill, particularly when meat is involved, but these guys also do fish and vegetables. Copper is open to you from Monday to Sunday, 1:00 pm to 11:00 pm

The Other Room

Is the 24-hour, Scandinavian-styled pool & lawn-side restaurant with a farm-to-table food concept whose mantra is to keep it bold, simple and natural.

Inca

Transports you to Peru where the views, the food, and the la musica de latinoamerica collude to bring the very finest of Peruvian culinary heritage every Monday to Sunday from 1:00 pm to 11:00 pm

The Living Room

Is for coffee and cake lovers. The Café-bar serves freshly roasted AA-grade coffee that you can indulge in around the clock if your system can accommodate 24 hours of coffee.

2. Radisson Blu Hotel, Nairobi Upper Hill

The Radisson Blu Hotel Upper Hill came in tenth and second in Africa and Kenya respectively. Those who stayed here said they loved the hot tubs, the executive lounge access and the nightclub. Radisson offers you a choice of 271 spacious designer guest rooms and suites that come in three distinct fashion-inspired styles. You can enjoy the unique, colour-splashed, edgy and modern ‘Urban’ room style. The Business Class room provides the other option. It comes with a choice of two additional room styles, ‘Naturally Cool’ and ‘NY Mansion.’ Guests in a Business Class room or Suite enjoy upgraded amenities and services. The upgrades include access to the hospitality lounge with complimentary breakfast and evening cocktails.

The hotel offers three distinct food and drink outlets. Enjoy local and international food and flavours in Larder, the all-day dining restaurant. The Chop House, a fine dining restaurant presents an inventive culinary experience featuring in-house dry-aged meats. For guests wanting to relax, impress or have a casual meeting, the lobby bar and lounge, The Humidor Lounge, offers just that.

3. Palacina The Residence & The Suites

Palacina this year came in twenty-third in the continental listing and third in Kenya. Not alien to the Travelers’ Choice list, travellers love it for its spa, restaurant and sauna. Located near the State House, Palacina allows the marriage of luxury and security only a stone’s throw away from Nairobi’s CBD.

Might we be seeing Kenya’s dominance as the travel destination of choice in the continent waning away or what happened? Share your comments below.