Lamu island hotels

Peponi is a small hotel on the exotic Indian Ocean island of Lamu, just off the coast of Kenya. It is the very root of Swahili culture in East Africa, which centuries ago spread down the coast from the north. When the Sultan of Oman moved from Lamu to Zanzibar Island - further south - Lamu lay dormant, forgotten for three hundred years. There is only one car on the island and the narrow streets of the old town are very much as they were in his day.

Peponi Hotel has a total of 24 rooms, which are divided into superior and standard rooms. All rooms at Peponi have ocean views. The superior rooms are differentiated by their location, size, private outside area, indoor plants, artwork and Swahili furnishings.

Lamu Palace hotel

Located in the heart of Lamu, along the shorefront cum harbor, this quaint hotel is situated at the pulse of the town. Perhaps the widest paved walkway stretches alongside the hotel’s attractive entrance and verandah, and makes a perfect spot to stop for a refreshing drink or a cup of coffee even if you are not staying at the hotel and while you watch the island’s daily ‘activities’ unfold before you.

There are 22 luxury double rooms and 3 suites. All rooms are air-conditioned (and a ceiling fan for your preference) and has a constant supply of hot and cold water.
All rooms have Lamu style furniture, richly carved to display traditional Arabesque architecture and culture.

Kizingo hotel

Kizingo is the ultimate ‘no news, no shoes’ beach resort - a wonderful secluded and tranquil escape from the modern world. The lodge is situated at one end of a spectacular 12-kilometre beach that stretches from Kizingo (which means ‘the point’ in Swahili) to the fashionable village of Shela. Kizingo has six beautifully appointed bandas (thatched cottages), set well apart from each other, with unrivalled sea views.

• Kizingo has six very spacious bandas with high-pitched thatched roofs and shaded balconies with uninterrupted ocean views.
• Each Kizingo room has a large double bed romantically draped with mosquito netting and comfortable chairs for lounging.

Kipungani is a Swahili word meaning “the place of fresh air” and that is exactly what this exotic island off the northern coast of Kenya has to offer. Kipungani is where you leave the world behind. This glorious hideaway is set in a bay on an unspoilt wild on the southern white beach, tip of the sleepy Swahili island of Lamu.

There are 14 spacious thatch-roof chalets in their own secluded clearing.
Each chalet is furnished with luxurious handmade furniture and giant king size bed.
Each chalet has an ocean-facing verandah with local funzi sofas and chairs piled high with colorful cushions. A cooling sea breeze provides ventilation and stimulates a healthy appetite.

Swiss owner Pierre Oberson created Kijani House to revive the tradition of stone Swahili houses and create an authentic retreat for visitors looking to experience Lamu’s past. It took Pierre more than ten years to rebuild the hotel from the ruins of three old houses, and he used only traditional methods and materials in the restoration.

• Each Kijani House room has a private veranda shaded from sight by arabesque archways and trees. The 10 rooms are vast and cool, shards of sunlight and ample breeze welcomed through tall shutters.
• A canopied Swahili bed stands beside antique cupboards and tables colored with hand-painted Indian tiles and painted glass. In the bathroom, intricately carved mirrors set off the sensuous effect of the walls, ceiling, and floor in warm ochre, its heady oriental effect heightened by shafts of light filtering through shutters from the world outside.
• Kijani House offers a retreat from the bright bustle of Lamu’s waterfront a lush oasis of green gardens, pools, and cool rooms in their entire Swahili splendor.

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