Nairobi, Kenya is the conference hub of Africa, with thousands of international conferences held here every year. This has resulted in the construction and development of hundreds of conference facilities in the city. A lot of conference facilities have also been built in tourist destinations around the country. These target clientele who want to hold their conferences in tourist destinations. The conference facilities vary in price, floor area, amenities provided, number of conference rooms available, and additional services provided. So, choosing the perfect one for you might be hard since there are so many things to consider, some of which some people fail to consider when choosing a venue. So, to ease your work I have created a list of the Top 10 Conference Centres in Kenya.
1. Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC)
Convention Centre is an icon and landmark in Kenya. This is due to KICC containing one of the tallest towers in Africa and being the largest conference facility in Africa. This is the leading facility in conferences, meetings and conventions due to its humongous conference halls and modern conference facilities. This venue has hosted important international conferences such as the World Bank Conference in 1973, it annually hosts tens of United Nations-based conferences, the 2008 parliamentary Union summit, and the 8th African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) to name a few. All these conferences bring in hundreds of world leaders and Presidents from across the globe. And KICC was the capacity to be able to handle the security concerns of conferences that host important world leaders in one space. KICC also has convention halls and entertainment arenas capable of accommodating tens of thousands of guests. This is the perfect venue if you wish to hold conferences that will bring in thousands of guests, and conferences involving world leaders.
2. PrideInn Paradise Beach Resort and Spa Convention Centre
Located inside a tranquil estate on the white sandy beaches of Shanzu, Prideinn is Africa’s largest beach convention centre. This hotel prides itself in being the only and first resort to introduce the concept of bleisure on the Kenyan Coast. Therefore, the resort combines business facilities with leisure facilities. The hotel has 12 meeting spaces. These include executive meeting spaces for VIPs, ballrooms for cocktails, and conference halls that can host up to 2500 people. If you want your delegates to enjoy water sports, this conference facility boasting the only Aqua Park in Mombasa is perfect for you.
3. Radisson Blu Hotel – Upperhill
Radisson Blu Hotel – Upperhill is perfect for hosting both large and small conferences. Its 14 meeting spaces are some of the largest in Kenya, with the 590-square-meter Mount Kilimanjaro Ball Room capable of accommodating up to 800 guests. Their conference halls are brightly lit and are outfitted with high-speed wireless internet and state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment. Their staff offer world-class service and the food here is incredible.
4. Safari Park Hotel & Casino
Safari Park Hotel & Casino is one of the largest conference & events venues in Nairobi, Kenya and a household of international conferences in Africa. It has over 20 conference and meeting facilities. The Jambo Conference Centre is the largest facility of its kind South of the Sahara with a capacity to hold over 1200 delegates. The venue is large enough to host multiple events without you noticing. All these facilities and restaurants are perfect for large conferences that need to have events concurrently run in separate halls.
5. Intercontinental Nairobi
Located inside the heart of Nairobi, Intercontinental was crowned the Top City Hotel in Africa in 2016. The hotel’s convenient location close to two airports, the railway station and KICC makes it perfect for hosting international conferences. Intercontinental Nairobi has ten conference rooms and halls. The biggest one can accommodate 700 people and two of them are 567 square metres. If your guests will require accommodation, the hotel has 380 guest rooms and suites. But if you need more rooms Intercontinental Hotel is located a walking distance from many other 5-star hotels within the city. This hotel hosted Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her delegates during the AGOA conference and hosted other American dignitaries during President Obama’s visit to Kenya to attend a summit.
6. PrideInn Azure Hotel – Nairobi
Located in Westlands PrideInn Azure offers meeting and conference rooms with great ambience and service. They have 11 conference halls named after planets in our solar system that can accommodate up to 1000 people. Its location in Westlands makes it perfect for hosting international conferences due to its proximity to the airport, hotels and other amenities. This is why it makes it into my Top 10 Conference Centres in Kenya list.
7. Crowne Plaza – Nairobi
If you are looking for a venue to host a conference, Crowne Plaza is the perfect place to do that. This hotel plays host to 11 meeting rooms and ballrooms all perfect for hosting conferences. Their largest ballroom can host up to 550 people. The hotel also has 206 rooms to accommodate your guests.
8. Enashipai Resort & Spa
Enashipai’s Entumo Conference Centre located in Naivasha is the perfect meeting venue for conferences. It blends one of East Africa’s largest meeting facilities with Kenya’s leading spa resort in one unique location. The hotel has spacious accommodations for the conference guests. And its proximity to popular tourist destinations like Hell’s Gate and Nakuru National Park will ensure the conference attendees have something extra to do before, during and after the conference. Entumo has a seating capacity of 500 people and the perfectly manicured garden can also be used for any additional activities during the conference. Entumo also has a large ballroom and a wide range of versatile meeting rooms that can be used during the conference.
9. Emara Ole Sereni
Located in Nairobi at the junction of Southern Bypass and the Nairobi Express Way Emara has a world-class Convention Center and Banqueting Hall. The convention centre has a quintessential ballroom and a grandiose banquet hall that allows meetings and other functions to be held on a large scale. Their professional support staff are also always at hand to ensure the conference is running smoothly. Emara is one of the most accessible hotels in Nairobi too. The hotel is a few minutes drive from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. It is also accessible from anywhere in Nairobi due to its proximity to the expressway. The hotel’s location right next to the Nairobi National Park will also provide the conference guests with beautiful views of the park and the wildlife within.
10. Hemingways Nairobi
Hemingways Nairobi is arguably the best location for business dinners and conferences. Equipped with the latest communication and presentation technology, their conference facilities and meeting rooms are stylish venues for conferences. They have 5 conference rooms within the hotel that host a maximum of six to seventy delegates. Every meeting room enjoys luxurious office furniture from large mahogany desks to comfortable executive seating and leather writing blotters. Their conference and meeting rooms are equipped with LCD projection screens, wireless Fibre internet connections and flip charts providing the highest level of functionality.
This closes my Top 10 Conference Centres in Kenya list. Make sure you try one of them the next time you are hosting a conference.
I’m a 25-year-old adrenaline junkie from Nairobi. I love travelling, attending music festivals and hiking. You can always find me at K1 Klub House playing pool and enjoying a drink with my friends.
