Westlands is one of the high end neighborhoods in Nairobi. It is located about 3.2 km from the Central Business District in the Westerly areas of Parklands estate. Over the years, it has evolved from a residential to a mixed-use area. Good roads and its proximity to the CBD has led to sprouting of commercial and office spaces.
Political Representation
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Westlands constituency is Timothy Wanyonyi Wetangula. While at the County Assembly level, Alvin Olando Palapala represents Kitisuru Ward as the elected MCA.
History of Westlands
During the colonial period, Westlands was just a residential area. It was demarked as an extension of the greater Parklands neighborhood. The area housed Asians and Indians of Kenyan descent who were business people.
As Kenya got independence, local businesses started expanding outwards. Land and office spaces in the CBD became scarce and very expensive. This made businesses move to Westlands where land and offices were readily available. And at the time comparatively lowly priced.
Over the years Westlands has evolved to become an upper middle class neighborhood. Most of its residents include business people, celebrities, expatriates and rich Kenyans.
Property Prices in Westlands
Owing to the huge demand and the luxurious status of Westlands, it goes without saying that property in this area in not cheap. Below is a price comparison of the Townhouses versus the Apartments in the area;
| APARTMENTS | |||
| RENT | BUY | ||
| 1 Bedroom | 110,000 | 1 Bedroom | 10 Million |
| 2 Bedroom | 150,000 | 2 Bedroom | 19 Million |
| 3 Bedroom | 180,000 | 3 Bedroom | 25 Million |
| 4 Bedroom | 250,000 | 4 Bedroom | |
Community profile
The community in Westlands consists of the upper-class memebers in society. The area hosts a mix of urban vibes, ecstatic night life and Family friendly food spots.
In terms of security, Westlands is receives a 9/10 score owing to the tight security in the area. The reason being most people can afford to hire private security companies. And regardless of the time of day or night you can move around feeling secure.
Accessibility of Westlands is a 10/10. It has good road networks cutting through all parts of the neighborhood. The accessibility has been boosted by its proximity to the CBD. And the presence of a lot of private offices. Major roads in Westlands include:
- Waiyaki Way
- Limuru Road
- Kaunda Street
- Ring Road Westlands
- Muthithi Road
- Peponi Road
Since most of the residents own private cars, public transport in the area is not that pronounced. However, to get to Westlands using public transport, you can board a Matatu at Odeon and the fare is usually ksh.50.
Amenities in Westlands Area
You remember me saying that Westlands is a family-friendly community? The many schools, hospitals and restaurants in the area are enough testament to this. Let us check out some of the popular social facilities that you get in the area.
a. Schools in Westlands
Westlands hosts some of the best schools in Nairobi that serve its well up community in all levels from Pre-school, Primary, High schools and College. Below is a list of schools from each category.
i. Pre-schools in Westlands
- Little Steps Preschool
- Brookside Montessori Centre
- The Montessori Learning Centre
ii. Primary schools
- Consolata Primary School
- Westlands Primary School
- Allen Grove Primary School
- Peponi Primary School
- Aga Khan Primary School
- Braeburn Primary School
iii. Secondary Schools
- Braeburn High School
- Aga Khan Secondary School
- Kianda School, Nairobi School
- Makini Secondary School
- Strathmore School
iv. International Schools in Westlands
- International School of Kenya
- St. Mary International Academy.
v. Universities and Colleges
- Graffins College
- Nairobi Institute of Technology,
- DALC Education
- University of Nairobi Chiromo Campus
b. Hospitals in Westlands
Hospitals in Westlands are also in plenty. And they offer a wide variety of Healthcare services. In case you want to move to Westlands, you can be rest assured that your health and that of your family is in safe hands.
There are general health care facilities like:
- Aga Khan University Hospital
- M.P. Shah Hospital
- The Mater Hospital
- Omega Opticians
- Eyestyle Opticians
- The Westside Dental Practice
c. Restaurants located in Westlands
Westlands also boasts of a vibrant night life with top of the range restaurants and bars. If this side of life appeals to you and you fancy partying, then allow me to list some of the best joints for your taste.
i. K1 Club Westlands
K1 is one of the oldest party joints in the city but still with a fresh kick. It hosts various activities including darts and pool topped with great music from some of the best DJs in town.
ii. The Alchemist
The Alchemist is a melting pot of diversity which mixes clubbing and art, attracting various groups. The joint also host concerts and big events that are worth noting. With a great focus on the exclusive foreigner population in the area.
iii. Havana
Havana is another old bars in Westlands that brings the Cuban culture right to your table. Its serenity and how it pours out onto the street gives it a back-alley vibe. What is even more exciting is its affordable prices. This allows even the middle class to party without breaking the bank.
d. Co-working spaces in Westlands
Ever since the pandemic, the nature of work has really changed. Some companies & remote companies have relegated their staff to Work from home terms. That said, we all know how it might be hard to get any work done at home.
Westlands recognizes this fact very well and the area is filled with many Co-working spaces. These spaces allow you to work, host your company or get together with your team. Having worked in some of them, I can attest that they are a great way to break the monotony of working from home.
If you are a freelancer or remote worker and need a place to co-work in Westlands below are some of the best spaces;
i. The Foundry
The Foundry offers a great environment to compose yourself as you work. It has a great lounge area that is heated. Comes with High-speed Wi-Fi to ensure you can get any sort of work done and Free coffee, because who doesn’t like coffee. If you are also a pet lover, The Foundry is pet friendly and allows you to bring in some of your Furry friends.
ii. Nairobi Garage
Nairobi Garage far from its name is a clean and open working center. You would be forgiven to think it is a car garage like I once though when I heard the name. But the intensity of work that you can do in the space owing to its tranquil environment clearly qualifies the name.
iii. Ikigai Westlands
Ikigai just as the Japanese concept provides you with a working space that’s out of this world. If you are one of those “nature lovers” and like working in the vicinity of trees and flowers, then the Ikigai has you sorted. Even its interior is a breath of life with some of the most colorful and vibrant furniture that I have ever seen.
e. Banks in Westlands
Being a mixed use area and with many offices and businesses in the neighborhood, banks are quite in plenty in Westlands. Major banks have also recognized this area as a prime location and have set up branches and even main offices in the area.
Some of the banks include:
- Guardian Bank Limited – Westlands Branch- located in Mpaka Rd, Nairobi
- Equity Bank Westlands located in Woodvale Grove, Nairobi
- Spire Bank – Westlands- located in Ring Road, The Mall, Nairobi
- COOP BANK Westlands
- Standard Chartered Bank Westlands
- National Bank Westalnds
f. Shopping centers in Westlands
The exclusive nature and deep pockets of its residents has without a doubt attracted a lot of retail giants. Being a business district, Westlands boast of several high end malls and shopping centers. All which serve the consumer needs of its community. Below are some of the most popular centers to go shopping in Westlands.
i. Sarit Center
Sarit Center is one of the pioneer malls in Westlands and in Kenya. It was opened up in 1983 with only Uchumi and Textbook center as its anchor tenants. Overtime the shopping center has undergone a lot of revamps to cater for the growing population. These changes have opened up Sarit Center to host Banks, hospitals and Top tier eateries.
One unique feature about Sarit Center is that they have an Expo Center that hosts 100s of events yearly. So if you are a business person and want to grow your network, visiting Sarit center during one of its Expos might help you do so.
ii. Westgate Mall
Westgate is another top-tier mall in the area that caters greatly to the diverse community residing in Westlands. The mall has a supermarket, tons of exotic food courts, jewelry stores and the Westgate cinema
iii. House of Leather Westlands
The House of Leather is Kenya’s number one gift shop selling anything from games, baby products, seat covers and toddler toys. Their stores are so packed owing to their broad catalogue which boast of over 50,000 different items at pocket friendly prices.
iv. The Mall
The Mall is another pioneer shopping center in Westlands. It used to be a big name back in the day before bigger malls came into the area. However, it still has retained some great brands such as Naivas and Nairobi Sports House. Moreover, if you are looking for a convenient and easily accessible place to shop then The Mall is a great option. This is owing to its proximity to transit facilities and major roads.
v. ABC Place
Located just opposite The Mall, ABC Place is a novel center in town. What’s unique about this particular space, is its openness to international brands. It hosts a couple of fashion, furniture and food shops with major of them being international brands like zucchini.
Frequently Asked Questions
Westlands is a constituency in Nairobi County.
The best places to live when working in Westlands include Kikuyu, Muthiga, Thika Road area, Ngara or Parklands depending on your budget.
Yes, Westlands is considered a vibrant and desirable area in Nairobi for business, nightlife, and residential living.
Parts of Westlands include Parklands, Kitisuru, Kangemi, Loresho, Mountain View, and Karuna areas.
The richest neighborhood in Nairobi is widely considered to be Muthaiga.
The bullet-shaped building in Westlands is the Prism Tower.
The tallest building in Westlands is the Global Trade Centre (GTC) Tower, standing 184 meters tall.
No, Westlands is not a ward; it is a constituency made up of several wards.
The current MP of Westlands is Timothy Wanyonyi Wetangula.
Sub-locations in Westlands include Parklands, Kangemi, Kitisuru, Loresho, and Mountain View.
