I arrived at the front desk of the Hotel InterContinental in Nairobi well before the standard 2 p.m. check-in time, and was pleasantly surprised when the clerk told me that I was in luck: my room was ready.

The room had its good points: a window that actually opened, facing an unusually quiet street at the edge of the central business district. The Africa-themed décor in beige, browns and russet included contemporary art on the walls and a distinctive floor lamp with three lions’ heads surrounding the shaft.

There was a desk and a small couch near the wall of windows, and the bed had an exquisitely comfortable pillow top.

The room also had its bad points: it was directly next to the elevators — so the thrum of the cables rumbled through the walls constantly. There was a $28/day charge for Wi-Fi access.

Then there was the bathroom sink, which desperately was in need of a plumber. (If I’d been staying more than one night, I would have asked to have it fixed — or be moved to another room.) There was no drain stopper, but one really wasn’t needed as the sink filled to the brim every time I ran the water.

Inexplicably, there was no clock whatsoever in the room (not even a time display on the television, because it was one of those old tube TVs).

The breakfast buffet, however, was lavish: smoked salmon with and without dill, cold meats, fresh fruit, several fruit juices, a selection of hot dishes and an omelet station plus dozens of breads and yogurt flavors including guava.

A fitness center is open 24 hours a day and there is a swimming pool on the terrace plus a sauna. The hotel has its own set of taxis outside the front door when you need to venture further afield.

Rooms at the InterContinental start at about $245, which includes breakfast for one or two adults sharing a room if purchased in advance.