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There are many small hotels in Lamu. Do you have
additional lodging options for this page? If so, please email them to
Dave as we like to keep this page
updated with current lodging options. |
There are many of the same types of hotels as the one I stayed in. It was situated several streets inland from the harbor front. I always had a difficult time winding my way from the harbor through the narrow dirt streets between the whitewashed walls of the buildings. This hotel consisted of several rooms in the owners own house. The rooms were on the second floor in a building that seemingly was part of all the other buildings around it. In Lamu, many of the buildings seemed to be joined together.
There was rooftop access at the hotel I stayed in - this is a must when looking for lodging in
Lamu. Rooftop access was nice because of the great views of the town and waterfront and also for the breezes that tended to blow in during the
evening. My hotel had several mattresses and chairs on the rooftop. This was an ideal place to spend an evening relaxing and reading a good book.
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In tropical cities all over the world there is something that feels refreshing and safe about being on rooftops. Warm and outdoors - perched high above everything else - what a great place to watch a
colorful sunset, to relax with an adult beverage in hand, to become lost in the pages of a good book and to feel the gentle breezes blowing against your face. |
I came to Lamu with no plans for lodging. Local guides can recommend places based on a description of where you want to stay and your budget requirements. Do not let them convince you to pay up front for lodging as your plans may change and you may only stay in one place for a day or two. In any case here
are descriptions of a few hotels (in alphabetical order) in Lamu/Manda,
some of which have been recommended to us by fellow travelers. |
Amu House. The following comments are
provided by: Gaynelle Lewis-Fleming.
"I stayed at Amu House for five days. Even
though there were daily problems with the island generators, and the
heat/humidity were high, I enjoyed my stay. Amu House has a good
staff. They are accommodating and polite. Michael was
especially helpful and friendly. The rates are far better than
those in Shella. Three hundred dollars a night is no bargain at
Peponi even if they do have their own generators."
Life in Lamu is not for anyone who thinks that camping out should be no
more inconvenient than the Holiday Inn. What Lamu offers that is
unique in all the world, is a chance to walk the streets of antiquity,
to hear the prayer calls, see the children playing in the streets, and
to watch the dhows on the channel. The breezes and views on the
roof of Amu House are the best. Being in the streets at the time of
break fast during Rhamadan is to be in another world, but it feels like
a dream, a movie, or a time warp. I would return in a minute. The sights
and sounds and smells are assaulting (donkey do and pee, particularly),
and acceptable all at the same time. It is a third world environment,
and the people have a completely different lifestyle. They enveloped me
with respect and curiosity. I learned much about myself spiritually and
emotionally. Email:
amuhouse@aol.com
Banana House
certainly has a catchy name with a story behind the name. A dutch lady
fell in love with both a man (named Banana) and the area and moved here
permanently. This is a private guesthouse and wellness center. The rooms
and main courtyard are decorated nicely with Swahilli artworks. For more
info visit:
www.bananahouse-lamu.com (some good info about Lamu in general is
also posted on this website).
Diamond Beach Village is located on Mandu which is the sister
Island of Lamu. This lodge is located right on the beach front with
amazing views of the open ocean, Lamu island, Shella
village and dhows sailing past. For more information including
photographs please visit their website:
www.diamondbeachvillage.com
Lamu House
is two luxury style accommodations. Good views of the waterfront,
a sweet stay.
Visit:
www.lamuhouse.com
New Lamu Palace Hotel
is located in the heart of Lamu right next to the waterfront.
This 3-story hotel is easily recognized from the white washed
walls, the archways and the small concrete stubs the line the
wall of the 3rd story rooftop.
There are lounge areas on both
the first and second floors and of course the third floor
"rooftop sun parlor" is open air.
This hotel runs a swimming
pool but its a 10 minute walk from the actual hotel. Dining is
available on the first floor (with bar). They have their own
generator in case of power outages. Always a possibility in Lamu.
For more info call: 042 63316 or
email:
webmaster@kenyabeach.com (Photo above courtesy of Maria Baker -
taken from the Palace Hotel looking through one of their archways at the
water).
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Peponi Hotel can be reached at 011-254-121-33422. This hotel is located at Shela village about 15 minutes from Lamu via a motorized dhow. You can walk to Shela Village via a walkway along the water. Expect this walk to take about 45 minutes. This is the premier hotel to stay in the area and pricing per night can be up to $300. For more information visit their web site at:
www.peponi-lamu.com
Stone House Hotel
is mid priced and has several rooms facing the water. All room prices include breakfast. There is an excellent rooftop restaurant with good views of the water front and of the town.
For more information about the Stone House Hotel and also about the
Mnarani House and the Island Hotel in Shella please visit: www.lamuhomes.com
| Phone: 011-254-121-33544
Petley's Inn is one of the
nicer hotels in Lamu. It is
conveniently located next to the Lamu Museum on the waterfront. This
historic hotel was established in the late 1800's by an English plantation
owner named Percy Petley. Unfortunately it was almost completely destroyed
in 1993 by a fire but since then has been meticulously restored. Petley's
has 22 beds, a swimming pool, a ground level bar, and an excellent rooftop
bar & restaurant. This is a great place to enjoy a drink and meet
others from around the world. Exotic, exotic!
Standard rooms run about 3000KSh for singles and includes transportation
to and from the airstrip in Manda. Please email Dave
any information about this hotel if you have stayed here recently.
Author's Notes: -
2009, Petley's was completely renovated after the
disastrous fire in 2003 (10 years after their previous large fire) and
has been open for business for a number of years since.
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Older Updates: 8.26.03 - Petley's Inn recently burned down - petrol/oil was
being sold in the basement & apparently someone lit a match. The fire
took out several buildings including the Lamu Paradise Guest House, the Pizza Hut Hotel & the Mangrove Restaurant. More information here
(which now requires a subscription)
~ from Jeffrey
Update 4.26.04
- There
are no real plans for opening Petley's Inn soon. I've spent many
nights drinking cold Tuskers in the upstairs bar.....~ from RICK
Update: 5.15.04 Word has it
that Petley's Inn is now closed and the owner remains in seclusion in the
Lamu Palace Hotel ~ from Christine who just returned from Lamu |
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