From
$2,809
Boutique Hotel · Nairobi, Kenya
Elysian Resort
Five quiet acres in Runda, with a full-service spa, Sacred Heart Restaurant, family facilities, and Karura Forest two miles away.
The word Elysian has meant the same thing across every language that has borrowed it: beautiful, divinely inspired, peaceful and perfect. It is an ambitious name for a Nairobi hotel, and the resort makes a reasonable case for it. Set on five acres in the Runda district — one of Nairobi’s quieter, more leafy residential areas, off Kiambu Road at the Northern Bypass junction — Elysian Resort occupies a position that keeps the capital’s noise at a comfortable remove while remaining genuinely accessible to the city, Wilson Airport, and the northern routes toward the Aberdares, Laikipia, and Samburu.
The property is owned and operated by the Catholic Diocese of Murang’a, a provenance that gives it a particular character: the resort is maintained with careful attention and runs with the kind of unhurried, service-oriented ethos that owner-operated properties tend to produce more reliably than chain hotels. The grounds are immaculate, the staff well-trained, and the 42 rooms — finished in natural tones with African design references throughout — are consistently well-kept across all configurations.
The five acres are used purposefully. The Sacred Heart Restaurant and its open terrace anchor the dining experience; the Vuli Bar and a 24-hour coffee shop handle the hours that fall between meals; the Pepeo Wellness Centre covers the gym, spa, Jacuzzi, steam room, and aerobics studio in a single dedicated facility; the swimming pools serve both adults and families with children; and the Family Fun Zone — a fully equipped children’s park with a train, trampoline, treehouse, skywalk, and supervised pool — makes this one of the more genuinely family-ready options in the Nairobi city hotel category.
For safari travellers using Nairobi as a gateway, Elysian functions well as a calm, comfortable first or last night. Karura Forest, two miles away, offers a legitimate morning activity. Wilson Airport’s domestic charter departures — the departure point for most Maasai Mara, Amboseli, and Laikipia flights — are under 25 minutes by road.
Elysian Resort sits on 5 acres in Runda, owned by the Catholic Diocese of Murang'a. 42 rooms, Sacred Heart Restaurant, Pepeo Wellness Centre, swimming pool, and family fun zone, quietly positioned off Kiambu Road near the Northern Bypass.
Why Stay Here
- Quiet 5-acre retreat in Runda — away from city noise, accessible to Nairobi and both airports
- Sacred Heart Restaurant with indoor dining, open terrace, and outdoor evening setting
- Pepeo Wellness Centre: spa treatments, gym, Jacuzzi, steam room, aerobics studio, juice bar
- Family Fun Zone with supervised children's pool, treehouse, skywalk, trampoline, and train
- 24-hour coffee shop and room service — practical for early flights and late arrivals
- Karura Forest 2 miles from the property — morning walks and cycling available
- Owned and operated by the Catholic Diocese of Murang'a — consistently maintained owner ethos
- Wilson Airport (domestic charter departures) approx. 25 min by road
Our Commitment to Conservation
Owned by the Catholic Diocese of Murang'a, Elysian Resort operates with a stewardship ethos reflected in its well-maintained grounds and consistent staff training. The Sacred Heart Restaurant sources locally, drawing on Kenyan produce. Karura Forest, two miles away, gives guests direct access to one of Nairobi's most significant urban conservation areas.
Rooms & Accommodation
Elysian Resort’s 42 rooms are distributed across Standard, Double, and Twin configurations — all furnished in natural tones with African design detail woven through the interiors. Every room includes a flat-screen television with satellite channels, mini fridge, in-room safe, direct dial phone, high-pressure rain shower, tea and coffee facilities, and complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi. Concierge service and 24-hour in-room service apply across all categories. The room inventory is built for flexibility rather than hierarchy: Standard rooms accommodate singles and couples in a double bed configuration; Twin rooms suit travelling companions and families with older children. The finish is honest — well-maintained, comfortable, and appropriate to a 4-star city resort where the experience beyond the room walls is the primary draw.
Standard Room
Standard Rooms are clean, quiet, and properly equipped, with natural tones and African design references. Double bed, rain shower, mini fridge, satellite TV, in-room safe, and tea and coffee facilities. 24-hour room service and concierge throughout.
Double bed · Flat-screen satellite TV · Mini fridge · In-room safe · High-pressure rain shower · Tea and coffee · Direct dial phone · Wi-Fi · 24hr room service · Concierge
2 Adults (or 1 Adult + 1 Child)
Twin beds · Flat-screen satellite TV · Mini fridge · In-room safe · High-pressure rain shower · Tea and coffee · Direct dial phone · Wi-Fi · 24hr room service · Concierge
Experiences & Activities
Every moment at Elysian Resort is crafted to immerse you deeper in the wild.
Karura Forest
Nairobi's 1,000-acre urban forest is two miles from the resort, with walking and cycling trails, a waterfall, and rich birdlife. Closer to Karura than any other mid-range Nairobi city hotel.
Pepeo Wellness Centre
Cardio and strength equipment, aerobics studio, personal trainer, spa treatment room, Jacuzzi, steam room, and juice bar.
Family Fun Zone
Supervised children's facility with train, merry-go-round, slides, trampoline, monkey bars, rock climbing wall, treehouse, skywalk, and children's pool with dedicated caregivers.
Nairobi National Park
30 minutes by road, offering half-day game drives with lion, rhino, cheetah, buffalo, and giraffe against the Nairobi skyline. Transport and entry arranged through the tour desk.
Meetings and Conferencing
Pillar-free rooms with inbuilt projector screens, PA systems, whiteboards, and high-speed internet. Nutritionally balanced conference menus available for full-day events.
Ready to plan your stay?
Our specialists are available 24 hours, 7 days a week.
Dining
Sacred Heart Restaurant is the resort’s main dining room — a name that reflects the Catholic Diocese ownership without weighing the meal with ceremony. The kitchen covers African, American, and Asian cuisines across a menu that runs breakfast through to dinner, with vegetarian, halal, and vegan options available on request. The outdoor terrace extends the restaurant into the garden for evening dining when the Nairobi air is at its most agreeable — the combination of open sky, soft lighting, and the resort’s five acres of greenery making it one of the more pleasant outdoor dining settings in the Runda area.
The Vuli Bar takes over as the social anchor after dark: handcrafted cocktails, premium pours, and live bands on weekend evenings that give the resort a community dimension beyond the standard city hotel offering. The coffee shop operates 24 hours — a genuine operational commitment that matters for early departure guests catching 6am charter flights from Wilson Airport and for late arrivals who want a meal without negotiatin
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Best Time to Visit
As a Nairobi city resort, Elysian operates year-round without meaningful seasonal variation in the guest experience. Room quality, dining, and wellness facilities are consistent across all twelve months; the visit timing is determined by the wider safari itinerary the resort supports rather than by any condition particular to the property itself.
Nairobi’s altitude — 1,700 metres — keeps temperatures moderate year-round. The long rains in April and May bring the resort’s five acres to their greenest and most photogenic state; the dry months of January to February and July to October offer the most reliable conditions for a Nairobi National Park day trip or a Karura Forest morning walk. For guests combining Elysian with a Laikipia or Samburu itinerary departing from Wilson Airport, the July to October dry season aligns both the Nairobi stay and the northern Kenya wildlife conditions into a coherent itinerary.
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Location & Getting Here
Destination
Nairobi, Kenya
Conservation Area
Karura Forest
Nearest Airstrip
Wilson Airport
Transfer Time
20–25 min from Nairobi city centre. Wilson Airport: approx. 25 min. JKIA: approx. 30–35 min.
Getting Here
Elysian Resort sits off Kiambu Road in Runda, 20 to 25 minutes from the city centre, 25 minutes from Wilson Airport, and 30 to 35 minutes from JKIA. Karura Forest is two miles away. Better suited to itineraries using Wilson Airport than JKIA. Pairs naturally with a Nairobi National Park visit or Karura Forest walk.
Safaris That Include This Lodge
Explore handcrafted itineraries where Elysian Resort forms part of the journey.
