Nairobi's top rated suburbs

While looking for property on the Hass Consult site, I found this interesting list. Here is how different suburbs in Nairobi are rated,from lowest to highest.

Embakasi Rating**

Due to space availability, Private and government connected Real Estate Developers have pitched here. Savannah, Nyayo, Honey Suckle Apartments and Simba Villa estates are a sample of the modern estates coming up. Other older estates here are Donholm, Nyayo, Umoja and Komarock. This vast suburb houses low income and higher middle income residents

Nairobi West Rating**

Nairobi West is a residential and commercial area 3 Kms north of the Central Business District. It falls under Langata Constituency and borders South C to the east and Upperhill to the West. Its closeness to town makes its properties in high demand among tenants and developers. 

Mombasa Road Rating ***

South C, Plainsview, Hazina, Imara Daima, Embakasi and Highway estates.

South C Rating***

South C is a modern, gated residential and commercial middle class estate in the South Land area of Nairobi. It borders South B, and Langata estates. It’s a hub of international NGO’s and government institutions, set 6 Kms from the city centre.

Upper Hill Rating ***

The area is home to several regional and local companies headquarters; Standard Chartered Bank, Equity Bank, The World Bank, Coca-Cola, City Bank, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, IFC among other big names have built impressive head-offices at Upper Hill. However, the growth of Upper Hill as a commercial hub is recent, only 8 years ago, Upper Hill was a predominantly upper-middle class residential area, with many, old colonial houses occupying 1 or 2 acres of land.

Hurlingham Rating ***

Hurlingham suburb is some 15 minutes drive from the city centre, and part of the greater Kilimani area. It’s a modern, unique, vibrant, but constricted residential and commercial upmarket area that combines business and pleasure. International NGO’s, SME’s, conference centres, guest houses, beauty shops, hospitals, counseling institutions, restaurants and media outlets coexist symbiotically here

Parklands Rating ***

Parklands is a commercial and residential suburb established in the late 1940s. Its proximity to the city centre makes it a hot property area, housing the upper middle class and Kenya's vibrant Indian business community, and offering a melting point of religions across Hindu, Christianity and Muslim who’s adorned houses of worship dot the area. Part of its housing architecture has a strong Indian/Asian influence, but there are also many modern apartments. 

Brookside Rating ***

Brookside is an up-market, green, residential area set between Westlands, Spring Valley and Upper Parklands estate (Kabete Road), with the Waiyaki Way dual carriageway separating the area from Muthangari

Westlands Rating***

Set 3 km North West of the Nairobi Central Business District, Westlands contains some of the highest income areas in Nairobi, as well as slum areas such as Kangemi. However, it is mainly known as Nairobi’s dynamic social and entertainment hub for expatriates, middle class and wealthy Kenyans, with a wide range of shops, plazas, restaurants, bars and night clubs.

Rhapta Road Rating ***

Rhapta Road is a section of the greater Westlands area, north-west of the city. The road stretches from the Westlands shopping centre roundabout to Mahiga Mairu Avenue, cutting across quiet residential areas mixed with office blocks. Like most suburbs near the city centre, Rhapta Road is quickly becoming a commercial area.

Riverside Rating ****

Many define Riverside as Lavington’s up-market relative and neighbor. It neighbors Muthangari, Lavington, Westlands, and Spring Valley. Home to numerous high commissions, including the Australian and Malawi commissions, the area is perhaps the most centrally located of all Nairobi's up-market suburbs. The area is popular with diplomats and senior expatriate business people. However, Kenya’s rich own a good proportion of the houses too. This is where the apartment building boom started, spawning many new blocks. However, large and well-serviced, these are beginning to look little dated compared to the newer blocks in Kilimani and Hurlingham.

Loresho Rating****

Developed since 1967 on former coffee farms, Loresho is a leafy green up-market well-developed residential suburb to middle to upper class Kenyans and expatriates. It is luxurious in the vein of Lavington and Muthaiga, although bordering the Kangemi and Kibagare slums, with Kangemi having sprung up through rural to urban migration into employment for the rich people of Loresho who needed gardeners, maids and general house helps.

Kyuna ****

Kyuna is north of Westlands with the main access road being the Lower Kabete Road which leads straight onto Kyuna Road. It shares many of the same facilities - hospitals, schools, and social amenities - with Spring Valley and Loresho.

Kilimani Rating ****

Kilimani is a convenient prime residential area about 10 minutes away from the city centre. It houses mainly maisonettes and apartments and is quickly coming up as a prime commercial zone as well. The Kilimani greater area encompasses smaller, gated estates like Riara and Hurlingham. The Location is accentuated by proximity to major shopping centres including Yaya Centre, Prestige Plaza, Uchumi hypermarket, Hurlingham shopping centre and Adams arcade. 

Spring Valley Rating****

Slightly more understated than Muthaiga, Spring Valley is an exclusive low-density suburb distinguished by contemporary homes in well-treed compounds. As a middle and high income purchaser, you will find anything from old colonial houses to gated compounds and apartments.

Kileleshwa Rating****

Kileleshwa is a quiet, upper-middle income, leafy suburb west of Nairobi City. The landscape is a mixture of aging, colonial houses built in the 1950’s and 1960’s and modern apartments and townhouses. The Government holds quite a significant part of Kileleshwa. Most senior civil servants have been housed in Kileleshwa in spacious bungalows and mansionettes, with Kileleshwa differing from neighboring Kilimani, Hurlingham, or Lavington in the land size per house. Until quite recently, Kileleshwa houses occupied three-quarters to an acre of land. The suburb is also quieter and greener than Kilimani and Hurlingham. At the border of Kileleshwa and Kilimani lies State House, the official residence of the President.

Lavington Rating ****

Lavington is middle to high income residential suburb some 7 km north west of the City centre. The area is home to many large villa residences and beautiful gardens. Most trees have been untouched even as the area has developed, giving the suburb a country touch in a modern setting. It was originally the St. Austins Mission established by the French Holy Ghost Fathers. This explains the numerous Catholic mission centers and Catholic-sponsored institutions in the area.

Nyari Rating ****

Nyari is a relatively new, plush, leafy upmarket estate along Red Hill Road that feeds onto Limuru Road. Nyari borders the even grander areas of Gigiri, Muthaiga and Runda to the North East and Kitisuru to its South. The lavish estate is set some 15 kms from Nairobi’s Central Business District and 2 kms from Gigiri. It is a highly secure neighborhood with 24 hour police patrols regularly. It is a favorite neighborhood for many expatriates and affluent Kenyans. Nyari police station was built on funds pooled by the residents and sits at the estate’s entry.

Ridgeways Rating*****

Set between Muthaiga and Thika Road, Ridgeways, including the Garden Estate, is set beside the Kiambu Road, on the outskirts of Nairobi.. Before the area was inhabited by elite Kenyans, it used to be part of the colonial white highlands or central uplands. The area still has a rural feel, with several water masses, including the Kigwa Dam, many exotic birds, and other wildlife that still lives in the forested ecosystem. Ridgeways is best known as home to the Windsor Golf Club, owned by Environment Minister, John Michuki.

Karen Rating *****

Karen is one of the oldest residential areas in Nairobi, said to have been named after Karen Blixen, the Danish writer of Out of Africa, whose farm originally covered the area. Karen offers a blend of colonial bungalows and villas on gorgeous and expansive grounds, and has ensured its continuing sense of country life around modern, urban centres and facilities. 

Runda Rating *****

Once a coffee farm, Runda has been transformed to a high-end housing estate over the last 30 years. Demand for elite houses came after the UNEP headquarters was built in Gigiri. A growing number of diplomats and foreigners have driven the expansion of the leafy suburb. 

Gigiri Rating *****

Gigiri, a close neighbor to Runda and Muthaiga, is separated from Nairobi city centre by the 2,500-acre Karura Forest and several low, wooded hills, Gigiri is a highly acclaimed secure neighborhood harboring the larger part of the diplomatic missions including the UNEP, World Food Program, US and Canadian Embassies. The area is also characterized by lavish homes, a few modern townhouses and beautiful guest houses. The Village Market, Warwick centre, Gigiri shopping centre provide good entertainment as well as necessities making Gigiri a self sufficient neighborhood. Roselyn Academy, German School and ISK (International School of Kenya) are closely located and are amongst the top schools in Nairobi.

Muthaiga Rating *****

To date, the Muthaiga area is Nairobi’s long-established Beverly Hills, where American celebrities hail from, lying around along shady roads that wind through lush wooded hills and valleys with streams that turn into quick-running rivers in the rainy seasons. The area is home to wealthy Kenyans, but is better known for diplomats, expatriates on long-term contracts or settled foreigners and even President Kibaki.

First of all, how the hell is Ridgeways 5 star? We all know Nyari OWNS  Ridgeways! Secondly I didn’t know Lavington wasn’t 5 star???? Anyway, woohoo! for my hood. I feel good *wink*