Esa Masilla, a nutritionist and Airbnb Superhost based in Machakos County, has converted an old staff bus into a charming one-bedroom bus home, three years after turning shipping containers into a celebrated Airbnb property.
The new unit was born out of necessity.
Esa and her husband drive to Naivasha
Guests who booked her four-bedroom container house, which sleeps up to 12 people, kept calling to say they were travelling in smaller groups of two, three or four. Esa needed a more close option, and a bus became her answer.
Esa and her husband drove to Naivasha, where they sourced two buses previously used to ferry workers on flower farms.
The second was converted into the Bus Bro restaurant in Utawala. The name 045 is drawn from the county code for Machakos, “Wheels” references the bus itself, and “Plains” is a nod to the Kapiti Plains Conservancy that the property faces.
Bus house with compact but functional kitchen
The interior features heavy use of timber, with T&G board ceilings, wooden panelling, and a reading nook stocked with books.
The kitchen is compact but functional, fitted with a mini cooker, microwave, fridge-freezer, deep sink with both hot and cold water heated by solar energy, and storage for spices and utensils.
A sitting area with a convertible sofa means the space can comfortably sleep up to four guests.
Bus house with tiled bedrooms
The tiled bathroom includes a sensor light, a shower cubicle and a toilet.
One of the more unexpected details is that the original engine was left untouched. Children who visit and spot the bus naturally want to hear it run, and Esa is happy to oblige.
The bus can still be driven, and she hinted that she has plans for a mobile bus house in the pipeline.
Views of the Kapiti Plains Conservancy
The entire conversion was carried out by artisans from Machakos County, a point Esa takes obvious pride in.
The main challenge during construction was being away while work was ongoing, which led to some corrections on return.
Outside the bus, guests enjoy an upper deck with views of the Kapiti Plains Conservancy, an outdoor kitchen for nyama choma, a shared playhouse with a pool table and table tennis, and access to a 10-kilometre walking and running route. An outdoor bathtub is also in the works.
