Race Course Gardens

The rooftops were my favorite part. I’d go up to look at the surrounding area, watch the black kites circling, and see Ngong Hills in the distance. Manager Corina was also great at sorting out our problems quickly. For a stay of a couple of days, this may work for newcomers to Nairobi. We stayed a month and found it unpleasant. The apartments are tiny studios and, to me, definitely overpriced. The complex might suit undemanding locals who are willing to pay more for a small place in a miserable area, but I’d never live here with a child. Riruta is a poor area with dust, terrible smells, and a high crime rate. The residential complex has guards, but on our last day, windows were broken in a neighboring apartment and something was stolen. There are also prostitutes and people who use weed around the complex, and the smell of marijuana hangs around all day. It seems clear to me that it’s produced here for sale. Nights can be noisy from all directions and across the blocks. There are groups partying, crowds of cheap prostitutes, local churches playing loud religious rap, children outside or in the indoor pool, occasional loud music, and a car wash in Block A. Inside the complex there’s a small shop, a drinking water station, a children’s pool and kindergarten, a kitchen serving local food, a small gym, and a massage salon.