Middle-class Kenyans are increasingly spending their weekends at nearby hotels, villas, and serviced apartments instead of traveling far from home. The trend, often called staycations, involves checking in on a Friday evening or Saturday and driving straight to work on Monday morning. Some guests use the short breaks while their homes are being fumigated, while others simply want better linen, a cozier bed, or a change of cuisine.
The shift is boosting domestic tourism and hotel occupancy during low seasons. For professionals with tight schedules, staycations offer a convenient alternative to traditional holidays that require more planning.
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Three spending brackets, one goal
Cyrus Muturi, founder of Urban Staycations, says demand has grown sharply over the past three years. He now makes about 800 bookings a month across hotels and 23 partner Airbnbs. “There is a large number of Kenyans who prefer travelling locally rather than taking expensive trips abroad,” he says.
His clients fall into three spending brackets. Luxury guests pay around Sh50,000 a night for a villa for two, or between Sh90,000 and Sh103,000 for a four- or five-bedroom villa. Mid-range clients spend between Sh20,000 and Sh30,000 a night. Budget-conscious guests pay between Sh8,000 and Sh14,000 per night.
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The typical stay lasts three to four nights, though some guests extend to two weeks. Most clients are couples or groups of friends. “The goal is usually to get away for peace of mind, spend time with friends or partners, and create memories,” Muturi says.
Coastal staycations and the new November
At the Coast, Habel Mwakio, CEO of Coast Holiday Homes, says the trend took off at the end of 2020. “Nowadays, we have a saying in our industry that November is the new December,” he says. December rates are often double or triple normal prices, and many families now travel in November instead, sometimes booking just two nights rather than the traditional five to eight. “A family of 10 with their own villa can come and go whenever they like, swim in the middle of the night if they wish, sleep until noon and have the chef prepare bone soup when they wake up. You can’t do that in a traditional hotel.” He notes that while turnover is higher in Nairobi, hosts at the Coast can earn more because accommodation commands higher rates.
