History of White Highlands Inn (also known as White Highlands Hotel) on Elgeyo Road, Eldoret:

 By William Kiptoo

White Highlands lies in Kimumu Ward, in Moiben Constituency. It is within Eldoret Municipality, It is located along Elgeyo Road, near the Eastern Avenue (en.wikipedia.org).

Historically it was part of the Kenya’s White Highlands—a region reserved exclusively for European settlers, including Afrikaners and British, from the early 1900s until about 1961 (nation.africa).

The hotel likely began as a private recreation or accommodation venue serving white settlers—similar in intent to the earlier Wagon Wheel and Lincoln hotels, which were segregated social spaces for Afrikaners and British respectively. (nation.africa). A Google Maps reviewer recalls:

“Formerly a haven for white settlers in 1950’s there has been little effort to modernize or refurbish.”(top-rated.online)

Architecturally, the Inn preserves a distinct colonial aesthetic—wooden fixtures, classic brickwork, and an “old-school colonial touch” that guests still note. During segregation, it was “off limits to non-Europeans,” reflecting the broader racial restrictions of the era. Though built for exclusivity, it became a site of quiet coexistence as colonialism waned (top-rated.online)..

Following independence in the early 1960s, many properties originally reserved for European settlers were transferred—either abandoned or sold to Kenyan owners. White Highlands Inn survived this transition, evolving into a hotel, restaurant, and events venue. Today it blends colonial architecture with contemporary services: bar, restaurant, modest pool, family-style rooms, and modern amenities like air conditioning and event hosting (en.wikipedia.org, timbu.ke).

Visitors describe the Inn as “nice and calm,” praising its “old-school colonial touch” and “great space for corporate and social activities” (top-rated.online). Common highlights include “ample parking,” “spacious environment,” and peaceful ambiance, though many note a need for refurbishment (top-rated.online).

White Highlands Inn is a rare surviving relic of Eldoret’s colonial past. As a built heritage asset, it offers: A physical link to the segregated White Highlands era; A contrast to contemporaries like Wagon Wheel Hotel—another colonial haunt—but with a more subdued, intimate setting (nation.africa, eldoretstorozdotcom.wordpress.com); and; a canvas for heritage tourism, cultural storytelling, or restoration—bringing history into the present.