Sleeping pods/rooms in NBO layover
Mar 3, 2024, 11:16 pm
#2
Moderator, Emirates
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Where My Heart Is
Programs: BAEC Silver, FB Platinum, KQ Asante Gold, Shebamiles Blue, Emirates Blue
Posts: 3,386
Longer layovers in NBO seem to be the thing with me recently on the majority of my flights. The maximum I have just stayed in the lounge is 9 hours and it was becoming painful. The only place airside that I know of is the sleeping room in the Pride lounge however you have to be quick to get one of the loungers. Otherwise my rule of thumb is to book an airport hotel if 12 hours or more. Four Points and Crowne Plaza are within the airport perimeter itself and the Hilton Garden Inn on the Mombasa road is a few minutes drive away. This is usually my go to hotel and they have a regular shuttle included in price.
Depending on time of day of arrival could mean a short wait at immigration or a relatively slow wait as there are times when a few wide bodies arrive from Europe/UK between 20:00hrs and 22:00hrs which eats into rest time at a hotel. I also tend to leave my luggage in transit rather than requesting to collect in NBO for long layovers. Allows me to leave the airport quicker and then have to recheck again for departure which again, all eats into down time.
Depending on time of day of arrival could mean a short wait at immigration or a relatively slow wait as there are times when a few wide bodies arrive from Europe/UK between 20:00hrs and 22:00hrs which eats into rest time at a hotel. I also tend to leave my luggage in transit rather than requesting to collect in NBO for long layovers. Allows me to leave the airport quicker and then have to recheck again for departure which again, all eats into down time.
Mar 4, 2024, 10:34 am
#3
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Wayzata, Minnesota, USA
Programs: Delta Diamond Medallion, Million Miler, AMEX Platinum Card
Posts: 234
Hi!
I go to Africa on safari 2-3x per year and will fly Kenya Airways business class if it is much cheaper than going on Delta/KLM/Air France or if I am unable to use a global upgrade on Delta to get to JNB/CPT.
In NBO, there is a Skyteam (Kenya Airways) lounge near gate 17 in terminal 1A which does have angle beds but they are not appropriate for 12 hours. The “sleep” room could be loud and you would be surprised at how many people will try and watch things on their phone while listening on the speaker or conduct speakerphone conversations in the lounge!
Therefore, I concur with the advice above about going offsite and I have personally used Four Points 5+ times and I have booked Four Points for many clients. I do not like airport shuttles and, instead, use private transfers. I also book a service called Willis coming and going which expedites you through the airport. This is especially helpful when departing. The service begins on the curb.
In the lounge itself, the food is not very good and I suggest only packaged food but they have some comfortable seats. The gate is chaos and the airline does not enforce their boarding rules so it is usually quite the scrum!
If you can book your bags all the way, it will help as noted by Saltire74. But, the longer a bag sits in an airport, the higher the odds of pilferage so not valuables please!
Craig Beal – owner – Travel Beyond
I go to Africa on safari 2-3x per year and will fly Kenya Airways business class if it is much cheaper than going on Delta/KLM/Air France or if I am unable to use a global upgrade on Delta to get to JNB/CPT.
In NBO, there is a Skyteam (Kenya Airways) lounge near gate 17 in terminal 1A which does have angle beds but they are not appropriate for 12 hours. The “sleep” room could be loud and you would be surprised at how many people will try and watch things on their phone while listening on the speaker or conduct speakerphone conversations in the lounge!
Therefore, I concur with the advice above about going offsite and I have personally used Four Points 5+ times and I have booked Four Points for many clients. I do not like airport shuttles and, instead, use private transfers. I also book a service called Willis coming and going which expedites you through the airport. This is especially helpful when departing. The service begins on the curb.
In the lounge itself, the food is not very good and I suggest only packaged food but they have some comfortable seats. The gate is chaos and the airline does not enforce their boarding rules so it is usually quite the scrum!
If you can book your bags all the way, it will help as noted by Saltire74. But, the longer a bag sits in an airport, the higher the odds of pilferage so not valuables please!
Craig Beal – owner – Travel Beyond