When I’m feeling super stressed out from work or life or whatever, I put my mind back to our one night at Banana Farmhouse in Banana Hill, outside Nairobi. The night of our Nips’ second birthday. The night after a 4-flight trip from Cape Town to Nairobi (via Johannesburg, Blantyre, and Lilongwe). With an almost-two-year-old on our laps.

We were the only guests at Banana Farmhouse, and were met with a friendly “Karibu!” (Welcome in kiSwahili) from the manager, Stephen. Before we’d even made it inside, Nips demanded “shwing shwing” (Swing in toddler-English) and made a beeline for the hanging chair which is suspended off a large branch of the most majestic Jacaranda tree we have ever seen. This tree sits at one end of a beautiful lawn beyond which stretches out the valley where Tigoni Tea Estates borders the farm.

We spent lots of family time chilling in that same chair, while looking out over rolling, misty hills, for a moment able to forget that just out of sight was the insanity of Nairobi.

In the evening, Fungai and I got to hang out by a roaring fire in the living room. We were struck by how the farmhouse owners had managed to modernize and “Africanize” the space, rather than holding onto an outdated and perhaps colonial décor and structure. The next morning, we also really enjoyed the bountiful breakfast served on the patio overlooking the garden. Sigh…

There are a total of four bedrooms in the house. The description on the East African retreats website says it better than I could; “Upstairs, the extra-spacious Cedar Bedroom has a King-size four-poster bed, en-suite bathroom, private balcony and sitting & writing area. The Mulberry Bedroom has two single beds and is ideal for children. Downstairs, the Garden Bedroom has a King-size bed, en-suite bathroom and French windows opening onto the garden. The Jacaranda Bedroom has twin beds and a private bathroom. There is a large sitting and dining room with fireplace, and the front veranda enjoys wonderful views of the Ngong Hills, 30 kilometres away.”

Located about 20 kilometres North West of the Nairobi CBD, between Banana Hill and Tigoni, Banana Framhouse wasan ideal place for the whole fam; Fungai got to take some awesome photos, Nips got lots of outdoors fun, and got to see Jersey cows being milked at 7:30am and I got to sleep, a lot. Take me back to Banana Farmhouse any day!

This place is great for:

• Quiet time away from the city. There is no wi-fi (but 4G works – if you really must use the Internet).
• Family getaways.
• Getaways for couples
• Writing and spiritual retreats for small groups.
• Golf holidays; The farmhouse is 7 kilometres from the Limuru Country Club.

Also in the area:

• Tigoni Tea Estate next door offers tours
• Kentmere Club restaurant, bar and events venue
• Brown’s Cheese which also offers tours and lunches

How to make a booking

Call +254 708 873 100 or +254 772885470.