New Mahrus Hotel & Rooftop Restaurant

It’s in a good spot in the heart of the old town, and it’s cheap and frequented by locals. But it isn’t 10 minutes from Shela as the booking listing says. My room was dingy and very humid, the linens weren’t clean, and the fan barely worked and was noisy. They also tried to charge extra for the room.

The rooftop restaurant is airy, clean, and bright, with a nice breeze and a view over Fort square and all the life there. It feels very local and the prices are great. I had tasty byriani and a large juice, and paid 450KSH.

The location is good, right in town and within reach of almost everything, and there’s an in-house restaurant. The place has a bit of that ancient feel. The low-cost rooms still need cleaner toilets and bathrooms, and should be kept to a decent standard. Room lighting needs improving, and the windows need mosquito nets and curtains.

The workers are the ones who set the mood, they’re your front office. The rooftop is okay, but the older rooms are old.