Sisters, style and strength: The duo behind an award-winning five-star boutique hotel

In Nairobi’s leafy Karen suburb, morning light falls softly over Hermosa Gardens Hotel & Spa, an elegant retreat where flowers bloom, and women’s stories take root.

But behind its tranquil façade lies a journey that began on two continents, carried by two sisters who refused to let distance dim their shared dream.

Elizabeth Mungai, an interior designer based in the United States, and her sister Leah, a hospitality expert in the United Kingdom, spent years sketching ideas across late-night calls and WhatsApp messages.

“Every conversation somehow circled back to one thing,” Leah recalls from London. “One day, we’d build something together, something beautiful and meaningful.”

That “something” became Hermosa Gardens, an award-winning five-star boutique hotel born of courage, creativity, and the unbreakable bond of sisterhood.

Turning a vision into brick and bloom

When Elizabeth returned home in 2018, she visited a family land purchased more than four-decades when the now leafy Karen suburbs was nothing but expansive savannah grassland and bushes. The land, then an overgrown plot, splashed an idea. She instantly thought of her sister. “It felt like a place waiting to breathe again,” she says.

Together, the Mungai sisters poured their savings, hopes, and late-night prayers into transforming the land into a serene space where elegance meets empathy. They faced resistance from skeptical financiers, slow permits, and a hospitality market still recovering from the pandemic. But resilience became their silent partner.

“We learned to build with both hands, one for the work, and one for faith,” Elizabeth says with a smile.

By 2021, Hermosa Gardens Hotel had opened its doors, offering a blend of modern charm and cultural warmth. The interiors echo Elizabeth’s design eye of recycled timber, woven textures, and bursts of local art, while Leah’s hospitality training ensured every guest felt like family.

A Women’s Day celebration of courage and community

Each March, Hermosa Gardens transforms into a vibrant gathering space for Women’s Day. The gardens bloom with colour and conversation as women entrepreneurs, artists, and community leaders come together to share stories of strength.

As we take a tour of honour, Elizabeth moves through the courtyard greeting guests, while Leah beams in live from London, her voice echoing through the speakers.

“This is what sisterhood looks like,” Leah says. “Distance may divide space, but not purpose.”

Their event supports women-led initiatives from craft collectives to single mothers rebuilding their livelihoods. A percentage of Hermosa’s spa revenue goes directly to mentorship and micro-enterprise projects.

“We don’t just decorate spaces,” Elizabeth adds. “We decorate lives, one opportunity at a time.”

Beyond its blooming courtyards, Hermosa Gardens has become a symbol of sustainable, women-led enterprise. The sisters employ and mentor young trainees from Karen and Dagoretti, offering hands-on experience in hospitality and design.

They believe that true success begins with service, and that rest, too, is part of the work.

“You can’t pour from an empty cup,” Elizabeth says. “We tell our team to pause, breathe, and find joy in what they create.”

Their greatest moment? “The day Hermosa was awarded awarded the prestigious Gold Quality Mark by the Tourism Regulatory Authority (TRA) for its excellence in key performance areas of service, quality and sustainability,” says Elizabeth.

According to TRA, the esteemed recognition highlights the hotel's commitment to excellence in service, quality, and sustainability within the hospitality industry. The Gold Quality Mark is awarded to establishments that demonstrate exceptional standards in various aspects, including customer service, facilities, and overall guest experience. Hermosa Garden Hotel & Spa has consistently exceeded these standards, providing guests with a luxurious and memorable stay in the serene suburb of Karen, Nairobi.

"We are honored to receive the Gold Quality Mark from the Tourism Regulatory Authority as a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team, who strive to deliver the highest level of service and hospitality to our guests, a sign that we are committed to maintaining these standards and continuing to provide an exceptional experience for all who visit our hotel," said the Director.

The two sisters’ philosophy has quietly influenced Nairobi’s boutique hotel scene, proving that entrepreneurship can be both stylish and soulful.

A legacy in full bloom

As the sun sets over the garden, guests linger for photos beside the fountain, the same one where Elizabeth once prayed for the courage to begin. Leah’s voice joins softly from the speakers:

“Our journey is proof that sisterhood is the strongest foundation. We built Hermosa from hope, from prayer, from believing that women can rise together and stay standing.”

Elizabeth nods, her eyes glistening.

“This isn’t just our story,” she adds. “It’s every woman’s reminder that dreams are seeds – they bloom when tended with courage and love.”

Hermosa Gardens now stands as more than a boutique hotel. It is a living testament to what women can build — and how beauty, when rooted in purpose, can grow into legacy.