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When a design studio travels to Nairobi, the person holding it together is rarely the principal. It is the studio manager or exhibition coordinator, juggling flights that don't match, a finance team that wants the right paperwork, and designers who each need a desk at the end of the day. This checklist is written for that person. It uses Design Week Africa 2026 (23 to 26 September, KICC) as the example, but it works for any studio trip to the city.
Check availability & book direct · Design Week Africa stays at Karen Plains Hotel
1. Collect the details before you ask for rooms
A hotel can only help as quickly as the brief allows. Gather these first and you will save a day of back-and-forth messages.
- Full names of everyone travelling, as they appear on their bookings.
- Each person's arrival and departure date, flight number and airport (JKIA or Wilson).
- Who shares a room, if anyone, and bed preferences.
- Who needs a proper workspace every evening, and who will be on video calls with the studio at home.
- Food preferences to discuss with the kitchen. Ask rather than assume; we can tell you what we can and can't do.
- Who is paying: the studio centrally, or each traveller on their own card.
- The billing contact and the company details that should appear on invoices.
2. Match rooms to roles
Not everyone on a studio trip needs the same thing. A simple way to think about it:
| Who | What they usually need | Room to consider |
|---|---|---|
| Principal or client lead | Room to spread out and work | Executive Room, our finest room, with a king bed and extra space to work |
| Designers and specifiers | A real desk for drawings and sample notes | Deluxe Room, with a king bed and a proper workspace |
| Someone who needs fresh air after a long day | Outdoor space | King Room with Balcony, with a private balcony |
| Project lead staying on for site visits | A living area and kitchen facilities | One Bedroom Apartment |
| Junior team members on a tighter budget | Comfortable value options | Standard Room with Balcony or Standard Room without Balcony |
Every room has a work desk and Starlink Wi-Fi. Live rates and availability for each room type are in our booking engine, and we do not publish "from" prices because rates change with dates.
3. Plan arrivals flight by flight
Staggered arrivals are normal. The trick is to group people by flight rather than by day, then book one vehicle per group. Our private transfers are priced per vehicle, one way:
- JKIA sedan, up to 3 people: US$55
- JKIA 4×4 Land Cruiser, up to 6 people: US$95
- Wilson sedan: US$45
- Wilson 4×4: US$85
Remember that designers often travel with sample cases, portfolios or rolled drawings. Tell us what is coming so we can suggest the right vehicle. Check-in is from 12:00 and check-out is by 10:00. Our 24/7 front desk can hold luggage for anyone who lands early or flies out late. We store personal luggage only, not exhibition stock.
4. Decide how the team gets to KICC
KICC is in Nairobi's CBD, across the city from Karen. Individual rides can work for a pair of travellers, but a larger team usually does better with shared transport leaving at an agreed time. We can arrange venue transport, quoted on request once we know your group size and daily timings. Journey times vary with Nairobi traffic, so ask the team to check a live traffic app each morning. Anyone driving can use our free on-site parking.
Ready to share your list? Request a team stay quotation on WhatsApp. The message opens with prompts for dates and room numbers that you can edit before sending.
5. Sort the paperwork early
- One contact: we coordinate group bookings through a single person, so changes don't get lost. Our group stays page explains how.
- Invoices and receipts: available on request. Tell us before arrival how you want them addressed.
- Payment: we accept card and M-PESA.
- Cancellation terms: these depend on the rate chosen and are shown before you pay. Read our cancellation and refund policy and share it with your finance team.
- Anything else finance needs: ask us before booking, and we will tell you plainly what we can provide.
6. Keep the team fed, rested and presentable
Four exhibition days are tiring. A few small arrangements make a big difference to how the team shows up on stand visits and in supplier meetings.
- Breakfast is served 7:00 to 10:30, with a packed breakfast on request for early departures.
- Lunch and dinner at the hotel can be added for US$40 per day for both meals. Kenyan, Swahili and traditional African food is at the heart of what we cook.
- Laundry is US$20 per bag, washed, dried and folded. Useful mid-week for anyone who packed light.
- Power: a generator covers guest rooms and Wi-Fi during power cuts, so evening work carries on.
7. Build in a team moment after the exhibition
A shared experience at the end of a busy week is good for any studio. Options we can arrange or point you towards:
- A Giraffe Centre tour or a Nairobi National Park half-day tour, priced and quoted.
- A team dinner at Cave à Manger, in Karen Plains Arcade opposite the Waterfront. Book the table yourself; we can help with ideas.
- Time at our partner spa, Manama Spa & Barbershop on Lang'ata Road, with free pickup and drop-off for staying guests. Treatments are booked and paid with Manama.
The short version
- Names, flights and room preferences in one list.
- Rooms matched to roles.
- Transfers grouped by flight.
- Shared transport to KICC, quoted in advance.
- Billing contact, invoice details and cancellation terms agreed.
- Meals and laundry arranged for the busy days.
- One team outing booked for the end of the week.
Plan your stay with us
Come for the event. Let us help with the rest. If your studio is travelling for Design Week Africa, book rooms directly for the dates each person needs, including any arrival or follow-up nights, or send us your list and we will help coordinate it.
Check availability & book direct
Help arrange our design studio's stay · Stay in Karen for Design Week Africa 2026
Live rates and availability are shown in our booking engine. Extras such as transfers, meals, tours and spa visits are quoted and confirmed separately.
Event details checked on designweek.africa in September 2026. Karen Plains Hotel is independent and not affiliated with Design Week Africa.
