Kijani Hotel

Location: Off Corniche Path, Shela Village, Lamu, ke

Star Rating: 9.3 Stars

Property Type: Bed and breakfasts

About this Property

Policies

Check-in: 12:30 PM - 09:00 PM

Check-out: 11:00 AM

Amenities & Facilities

• Guest education on local ecosystems and culture
• Non-smoking rooms
• Swimming pool
• Restaurant
• Room service
• Terrace
• Family rooms
• Luggage storage
• Safety deposit box
• Tour desk
• Ironing service
• Massage services
• Packed lunches
• Board games/puzzles
• Kid meals
• Outdoor furniture
• Fruits
• Staff adhere to local safety protocols
• Guest rooms disinfected between stays
• Cleaning standards that are effective against Coronavirus
• Physical distancing rules followed
• Hand sanitizer in guest room and key areas
• Cashless payment available
• Fire extinguishers
• First aid kit available
• Sanitized tableware & silverware
• Contactless check-in/check-out
• Invoice provided
• Guests can opt-out any cleaning services during stay
• Shared stationery like menus, pens are removed
• Guest room sealed after cleaning
• Physical distancing in dining areas
• Food delivered to guest room
• CCTV outside property
• Process in place to check health of guests
• Access to health care professionals
• Screens / Barriers between staff and guests for safety
• Face masks for guests available
• 24-hour security
• Delivered food - securely covered
• Thermometers for guests provided by property
• Happy hour
• Cooking class
• Supervised childcare/activities
• Television in common areas
• Free wired internet
• Snorkeling on site
• Pool sun loungers
• Internet access
• Housekeeping on request
• Reception hall
• Exercise/lap pool
• Japanese garden
• Free bus station shuttle
• Fishing nearby
• Swimming nearby
• Water sports equipment
• Beach club nearby (surcharge)
• Beach toys
• Guest education on local ecosystems and culture
• Vegetarian menu options available
• Accessible train station shuttle
• No accessible train station shuttle

Rooms Available

• Family Apartment

  1 Queen Bed, 1 King Bed and 1 Twin Bed

  Furnished balcony/patio with ocean views

  
  

  Layout - 3 bedrooms and living room

  Internet - Free WiFi

  Food & Drink - Room service (limited)

  Bathroom - 3 bathrooms, shower, free toiletries, and towels

  Practical - Safe, laptop workspace, and wardrobe or closet; rollaway beds (surcharge) and cribs (free) available on request

  Comfort - Daily housekeeping and ceiling fan

  Need to Know - Bed sheets not available

  Non-Smoking

  Max Occupancy: 7 (5 Adults)

  • Shower
  • Safety deposit box
  • Desk
  • Wardrobe or closet
  • Room service (limited hours)
  • Daily housekeeping
  • Ceiling fan
  • Free WiFi
  • Furnished balcony or patio
  • Free cribs/infant beds
  • Laptop-friendly workspace
  • Bed sheets not available

• Superior Double Room, 1 King Bed, Ocean View

  1 King Bed

  53-sq-foot room, furnished balcony/patio with ocean views

  
  

  Internet - Free WiFi

  Food & Drink - Room service (limited)

  Bathroom - Shower, free toiletries, and towels

  Practical - Safe, laptop workspace, and wardrobe or closet; rollaway beds (surcharge) available on request

  Comfort - Daily housekeeping and ceiling fan

  Need to Know - No cribs (infant beds) available, bed sheets not available

  Smoking And Non-Smoking

  Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)

  • Shower
  • Safety deposit box
  • Desk
  • Private bathroom
  • Wardrobe or closet
  • Room service (limited hours)
  • Daily housekeeping
  • Ceiling fan
  • Free WiFi
  • Furnished balcony or patio
  • No cribs (infant beds)
  • Smoking and Non-Smoking
  • Laptop-friendly workspace
  • Bed sheets not available

• Classic Suite, Ocean View, Beachfront

  1 Double Bed and 1 Twin Bed

  323-sq-foot room, furnished balcony/patio with ocean views

  
  

  Layout - 2 bedrooms

  Internet - Free WiFi

  Food & Drink - Room service (limited)

  Bathroom - Shower, free toiletries, and towels

  Practical - Safe, laptop workspace, and wardrobe or closet; rollaway beds (surcharge) available on request

  Comfort - Daily housekeeping and ceiling fan

  Need to Know - No cribs (infant beds) available, bed sheets not available

  Smoking And Non-Smoking

  Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)

  • Shower
  • Safety deposit box
  • Desk
  • Private bathroom
  • Wardrobe or closet
  • Room service (limited hours)
  • Daily housekeeping
  • Ceiling fan
  • Free WiFi
  • Furnished balcony or patio
  • No cribs (infant beds)
  • Smoking and Non-Smoking
  • Laptop-friendly workspace
  • Bed sheets not available

• Standard Twin Room, Ocean View, Beachside

  2 Twin Beds

  322-sq-foot room, furnished balcony/patio with ocean views

  
  

  Internet - Free WiFi

  Food & Drink - Room service (limited)

  Bathroom - Shower, free toiletries, and towels

  Practical - Safe, laptop workspace, and wardrobe or closet; rollaway beds (surcharge) available on request

  Comfort - Daily housekeeping and ceiling fan

  Need to Know - Bed sheets not available, no cribs (infant beds) or rollaway/extra beds available

  Smoking And Non-Smoking

  Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)

  • Shower
  • Safety deposit box
  • Desk
  • Private bathroom
  • Wardrobe or closet
  • Room service (limited hours)
  • Daily housekeeping
  • Ceiling fan
  • Free WiFi
  • Furnished balcony or patio
  • No rollaway/extra beds
  • No cribs (infant beds)
  • Smoking and Non-Smoking
  • Laptop-friendly workspace
  • Bed sheets not available

• Three-Bedroom Apartment

  The unit has 3 beds.

  Max Occupancy: 5 (5 Adults)

  • Private bathroom

• Standard Double or Twin Room

  Featuring African-style décor, this room comes with an private bathroom with a shower and complimentary toiletries.

  Max Occupancy: 3 (2 Adults)

  • Shower
  • Safety deposit box
  • Air conditioning
  • Desk
  • Fan
  • Toilet
  • Private bathroom
  • Mosquito net
  • Wardrobe or closet
  • Linen
  • Clothes rack
  • Toilet paper
  • Pool towels
  • Trash cans
  • Cots
  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Body soap
  • Hand sanitiser

• Superior Suite

  Featuring a sea or garden view, this suite comes with a balcony and a seating area. The private bathroom includes a shower and complimentary toiletries.

  Max Occupancy: 4 (3 Adults)

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Shower
  • Safety deposit box
  • Hair dryer
  • Desk
  • Seating Area
  • Fan
  • Toilet
  • Private bathroom
  • Electric kettle
  • Mosquito net
  • Tumble dryer
  • Wardrobe or closet
  • Linen
  • Clothes rack
  • Toilet paper
  • Pool towels
  • Trash cans
  • Cots
  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Body soap
  • Hand sanitiser

• Standard Double Room

  This air-conditioned double room features a desk, a balcony, sea views and a private bathroom. The unit offers 1 bed.

  Max Occupancy: 2 (1 Adults)

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Shower
  • Safety deposit box
  • Air conditioning
  • Desk
  • Seating Area
  • Fan
  • Toilet
  • Private bathroom
  • Electric kettle
  • Mosquito net
  • Wardrobe or closet
  • Linen
  • Clothes rack
  • Toilet paper
  • Pool towels
  • Trash cans
  • Cots
  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Body soap

• Superior King Suite

  This suite consists of 1 living room, 1 separate bedroom and 1 bathroom with a shower and free toiletries. The suite is furnished with a desk and a seating area and provides a tea and coffee maker, a wardrobe and sea views. The unit offers 1 bed.

  Max Occupancy: 2 (1 Adults)

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Shower
  • Safety deposit box
  • Refrigerator
  • Desk
  • Seating Area
  • Fan
  • Toilet
  • Private bathroom
  • Electric kettle
  • Mosquito net
  • Wardrobe or closet
  • Linen
  • Toilet paper
  • Pool towels
  • Trash cans
  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Body soap

Guest Reviews

• Anna (10/5): -
• Nick (10/5): - We recently had the privilege of spending 4 glorious nights at Kijani Hotel, Shela in Lamu. Everything from the greeting at Manda airport by Boniface, boat crossing to the island, welcome at the hotel, breakfasts served by Sifa, lunches, dinners and our beautiful room felt like we were in paradise. Our tour of Lamu old town courtesy of Mohamed and dhow sunset boat trip with Henry added to our visit. This really is a piece of heaven and we can not praise Kijani hotel enough. We will without a doubt be returning sometime soon. N/A
• fiona (10/5): Relaxing, comfortable a real authentic experience . Everyone at Kijani were so lovely and helped us do all the things we - Location and staff were excellent, friendly and incredibly helpful. All good
• Gioele (10/5): -
• Kristine (9/5): Very pleasant experience overall! - Staff are highly service oriented - friendly and efficient and the restaurant has an nice menu. Lamu is hot and the room had a celing fan, oscillating fan and an air conditioner. Great beach location. They collect you at the airport as well. For travellers with electronics, the room doesn't have a lot of plugs. Would certainly stay at Kijani again.
• Lars Ole Thorning (10/5): -
• Susan (9/5): Wonderful calm serene environment with outstanding service - Lovely traditional hotel with beautiful rooms and resident tortoises Mosquitos are a problem but not hotels fault
• Mariecel Gili (8/5): Friendly personell and cozy swahili boutique hotel - The traditional and swahili infrastracture and nice seaview. The flies and mosquitos and the very high bed maybe it help if they provide a small stairs or steps to climb the bed. No hair dryer in our room.
• Shuangyi (10/5): -
• Christian (9/5): Ein Boutique-Hotel par excellence! - Wir hatten einen wunderbaren Aufenthalt in diesem kleinen Paradies. Nichts gegen das Peponi Hotel… Das Essen war da ebenfalls ausgezeichnet! Aber es ist auch nett, nicht ständig aufgeklappte Laptops um sich herum zu sehen -> Prenzel Berg am Lamu-Channel! Elizabeth hat ein wunderbar motiviertes und freundliches Team um sich herum. Der Umgang mit dem Personal geschieht auf Augenhöhe, was in den kenianischen Hotels und Lodges nicht immer die Regel ist. Trinkgeld ist wichtig in Kenia, da die Gehälter niedrig sind und für den täglichen Lebensunterhalt gerade so reichen. Alles andere muss vom Tip bestritten werden. Daher ist einmal im Monat Festtag, wenn die gemeinsame Tipbox an der Rezeption geöffnet wird und an alle Teammitglieder ganz offiziell und unter Zeugen verteilt wird. 1000-1500 KES pro Zimmer und Tag sind eine gute Richtgrösse. Zum Frühstück gibt es als kleine „Kunstwerke“ Smoothies-Bowls und hervorragende Crepes. Unbedingt probieren.
• Yasir (9/5): -
• Marion (7/5): -
• Malvina (10/5): A pleasant and relaxing stay - The location is great. The room was spacious and very clean with a seaview verandah. The garden was very pretty, the swimming pool area nice. The food was fresh and varied, the restaurant and bar were overlooking the ocean and it was relaxing to stay there. The staff were wonderful - polite, friendly, always ready to help.
• Iona (9/5): Wonderful oasis of calm in a beautiful setting. - Beautiful location, wonderful staff who couldn’t do enough to make our stay enjoyable, and delicious food. Would highly recommend. It was all lovely.
• Rhoda (10/5): Kijani was an absolutely excellent pick for my Shela, Lamu stay. They got me such a beautiful room for my birthday stay -
• Wael (6/5): - Cozy atmosphere and relaxing Misleading advertisement of beach front where there is no beach, just a small strip of dirty docking area for local boats. The bathroom was bad, broken sink, hot and cold taps are wrongly marked, and no shelves for shampoo or other bathroom toiletries.
• Damien (10/5): Nous serions très certainement restés plus longtemps si nous avions su à quel point nous allions nous plaire - Parfaitement localisé. Très grande chambre pour ce qui nous concerne. Restaurant excellent : de loin le meilleur que nous ayons fait au Kenya sur 3 semaines. Les photos de booking ne desservent pas l’établissement qui se révèle encore plus charmant dans la réalité. Ne pas avoir d’accord avec des dhows à des prix compétitifs : nous avons obtenu moitié prix en cherchant par nous mêmes
• laure (9/5): Joli moment à Lamu - Très bel hôtel, beau jardin très bien entretenu. Très joli restaurant où l'on mange bien. Nous avons eu une très belle chambre, avec un beau mobilier local, et sa salle de bain grande et très jolie. Et une terrasse parfaite donnant sur la mer et le port. Il y a des chambres différentes les unes des autres
• michael (10/5): Unreal location and kindness - The hotel itself is charming. Our room was on its own floor with great porch and unbelievable view The food and service and consideration and genuine care about every aspect of our stay stood out for us Zero
• Yoan (9/5): -
• marco (10/5): Fantastic place - Tutto. colazione stanza staff piscina posizione gentilezza Un po lenti nei servizi. troppo lenti i ragazzi. per colazione e cena si impiegano 3 ore. pero' prodotti ottimi.
• Patrice (8/5): Definitely relaxed and reenergized! A beautiful place to stay!! - We left our room, especially being able to sit out on the deck at night in the most comfortable chairs! I really like how cleaning they kept the room and they turn down service. The pool was lovely and very relaxing. I enjoyed watching the turtles walk by! Very nice breakfast and the restaurant was a great change from having been in Kenya for so long I adored the veggie hummus!!! N:A
• Amelie (10/5): - Nous avons passé un très bon séjour au Kijani Hotel. Le cadre est magnifique : architecture swahilie, jardin luxuriant, et une piscine très agréable pour se détendre après une journée de découverte. L’ambiance est calme, parfaite pour se ressourcer. Le personnel est très accueillant, toujours souriant et à l’écoute. La chambre était spacieuse, bien décorée dans le style local, avec une jolie vue. Mention spéciale au petit-déjeuner, copieux et servi face à la mer — un vrai moment de bonheur. Rien
• Uwe (10/5): - Sehr freundliches ,zuvorkommendes Personal, mit natürlicher Freundlichkeit. Ausgezeichnetes Bett..Gutes Moskitonetz.Ordentliche Beleuchtung.Sehr gute Küche..Meiner Meinung nach die Beste auf Lamu,auch wenn andere mehr drumherum machen .Lobster Thermidor (Sonderwunsch),aber auch Fischplatte waren fantastisch.Ausreichend Ablagemöglichkeiten. Sehr gute moderne Klimaanlage. Aufdeckservice am Abend für das Bett.Kostenloser Boots transfer vom/zum Flugplatz Warmwasserversorgung für die Dusche.Einmal sehr heiß, einmal fast kalt
• Duccio (10/5): African Eco Retreat - African style amazing. Garden & pool incredible. Staff really nice.
• Frauke (10/5): Exceptional -
• Rajesh (10/5): - Well located at Shella. Five star service .a good blend of traditional and modern architecture
• Sophie (10/5): Another unforgettable stay at Kijani - I’ve returned to Kijani several times now and each visit exceeds my expectations. The hospitality is truly heartfelt – thank you to Elizabeth, Susan, Evans, Tito and the rest of the wonderful team for making me feel so welcomed and cared for. The architecture of the property is stunning, blending seamlessly with the lush tropical gardens. The rooms are spacious, beautifully designed, and a haven of cool comfort thanks to the air conditioning.
• Ye (9/5): A boutique comfy hotel - It's a boutique hotel with amiable atmosphere. All the staff are very attentive, friendly and respectful. Evans, Tsofa, Billy are just three of their names. The boat pickup and seeing off are well organized. Breakfast is a-la-cart and the Swahili coffee is very nice. Room is very spacious. Decorations are full of Lamu or the east coast taste, which means beautiful and serenity. Also, the food is delicious, no matter stewed or grilled fish, or their homemade ice cream. If the in-room Wi-Fi connection could be better.
• Hannah (10/5): Would highly recommend and hope to return! - Breakfast was delicious at a gorgeous restaurant overlooking the sea. The options were plentiful and fresh. No complaints !
• Fabian (9/5): Superb -
• Tunde (10/5): Lamu's most charming hotel - Kijani is a charming little hotel in Shela, well located to discover the village on foot, and the nearby islands by boat. It has everything one needs for a perfect holiday; provides a quiet and peaceful backdrop. We loved the flexibility of management (even with last minute issues), return boat transfers included in the price, amazing breakfast and restaurant. Fantastic staff (management, reception, cleaning team, restaurant, kitchen, guards, in short: EVERYONE): kind, attentive, all while being respectful of privacy. We have stayed elsewhere in Lamu and Kijani truly stands out. Thank you. -
• Anders (8/5): Perfect retreat for ultimate relaxation - Staff was amazing. Day time mosquitoes. Slow WiFi.
• Alex (10/5): Fabulous stay - The hotel and the those that work here are fabulous. We had originally planned to stay for 2 nights, but ended up staying for 4. The hotel is right in the beach in Shela and about a 2 minute walk from the main part of Shela. The staff were fabulous and couldn’t do enough to help. Nothing was too much trouble. The food was also excellent. The brekfast was plentiful and tasty, and the evening menu was also very good. Honestly, this place is a really gem and I would recommend it to anyone. Nothing.
• james (6/5): - It was a great location with very friendly staff. The shower , wifi and ac were poor . There was no fridge in the room and the place closed down at 9:30 pm . It was overpriced for the service . Breakfast was great
• Natalie (10/5): Exceptional - breakfast was delicious- nice that you got to choose from a menu of options so it wasnt the same thing each day. and location were perfect! It is a short walk to the part of the beach where you can swim. The hotel and pool itself is so nice and picturesque it was also wonderful just to stay on the property and get away from the bustle of the town.
• Andrey (10/5): A paradise getaway on an ideal sandy beach, in a nice Swahili style, within easy reach of the historic UNESCO heritage s - A perfect getaway spot for a demanding traveler. Steps for the immaculate sandy beach, action and numerous fine stores and dining, but offers a quiet refuge within its own compound in an appealing Swahili style, with a resident tortoise family. A convenient on-site rooftop restaurant with a bar and a nice breezy view of the ocean canal and boats. Excellent service with attention to detail. Tito and Bonnie deserve a special mention!!! Complimentary airport transfer on a boat. A convenient 20-minute boat ride (1000 KSh, or about US$8, each way) to the historic Lamu Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Nothing serious really to complain about. The toilet flush was occasionally stuck with the water running, which merely took a few tries to learn how to operate it properly.
• Leslie (10/5): Really recommended. Enter a different world! - Lovely, helpful staff and a great location, right by the water where you look down on everyday life, dhows, donkeys and all. Quiet garden with pool and sunloungers. Excellent rooftop restaurant. 30 minute walk to Lamu or short boatride. Large, traditional rooms so don't expect TVs.
• Diane (10/5): Beautiful location, wonderful rooms, great staff and food. - Location right on the water, Swahili decor, great staff and wonderful food. I have come here 5+ times! And I will be back! I loved all of it.
• Monika (9/5): Superb - The staff is amazing, room are clean and they bring you drinking water twice daily for free. The restaurant cooks very tasty food and opulent breakfasts. The prices are quite high. The wifi in our room had a somewhat weaker signal.
• John (8/5): Very relaxing and chilled out. - Excellent location in Shela which is less busy than Lamu town, so there are lots of alleys to explore and a lovely beach nearby facing Manda Island past Pepone Hotel. Nothing really although we thought the dinner menu could have been more imaginative. For example "catch of the day" seemed not to be a local catch of the day which it so easily could have been.
• Alan (9/5): Loved the stay. - A beautiful room with a nice verandah. Staff were all excellent, Bill the waiter and Tito at reception, also Koech. Boat taxi to and from the airport was a beautiful way to start and finish the visit. Breakfast was plentiful with good choices and dinner on the rooftop is a must. No complaints.
• Austynn (10/5): Exceptional - The location can not be beat, but the pool and court yard stole the show
• George (10/5): - Lovely stay with very kind staff. Definitely try the restaurant, the food was amazing.
• Johana (9/5): Superb - The staff were exceptional. Nothing. Everything was perfect.
• Laura (10/5): Simply stellar in every way - I cannot say enough good things about Kijani and its amazing staff. Tito and his team were all very welcoming, warm and personable, and always went above and beyond for their guests. The place in itself is beautiful, airy and peaceful, beautifully designed and centrally located. The food was amazing and everything was so fresh. It's been over 30 years since I've been back in Kenya and our stay in Kijani was the perfect homecoming. I look forward to returning to Lamu and know that Kijani will be the place we'll set up base at. I'd say it felt like a home away from home, but it was better than that. Thank you so much to everyone there, you all are the very best.
• Assumpta (10/5): I enjoyed it - The location was great
• Leticia (9/5): Superb - The staff were fantastic. Bonnie, Tito, Ngala and so many more. A really unusual hotel in that it is small but incredible food and beautifully cared for spaces.
• Sze (9/5): Superb -
• Samiya (10/5): Exceptional -
• Angela (10/5): - A peaceful, beautiful paradise. Great restaurant.
• William (10/5): Exceptional - Lovely location, charming staff and generous breakfast My room had a fan but no aircon
• Ballentine (8/5): Limo is a great place to visit. One really needs few days to relax and appreciate the uniqueness of the town and the peo - Its location, and the privacy. Beautiful elevated Restaurant with a lovely view of the inlet. Lovely Pool in the middle of the property and to top it all off, there is a family of tortoises which roam freely in the garden! We like the property. If we were to return to Lamu, we would definitely stay there again. It is a bit rustic, has a wonderful atmosphere and is so well positioned.
• Francesca (10/5): "A perfect stay with amazing views, exceptional food, and outstanding service—can't wait to return!" - Here's a refined version of your review: "My stay at this hotel was absolutely fantastic! The hotel itself is stunning, and the on-site restaurant is hands down the best in town. The food was incredible, the views were breathtaking, and the overall vibe was perfect. Every member of the staff was incredibly friendly and went out of their way to assist with anything I needed. It was an unforgettable experience, and I can’t wait to return. Highly recommend!" Everything was perfect!
• Manish (10/5): Exceptional - Great food and very personal service.
• Nishen (8/5): Other than the poor wifi low shower pressure, it was great! -
• Andriannah (10/5): Exceptional -
• Margot (10/5): - The Kijani is a beautiful Hotel with well kept tropical grounds and aesthetically pleasing rooms and suits. Rooms are furnished with Swahili antiques. The breakfast is delicious with a vast Menü to choose from. The restaurant has a gorgeous view over the bay. Restaurant provides gourmet experiences of international and Swahili cuisine which can match Restaurants in Los Angeles or elsewhere. Staff is accommodating is super friendly. If you are looking to unplug from western civilization but still spoil yourself the Kihjani is an excellent choice
• David (10/5): Exceptional -
• Winnie (9/5): Amazing! I’ll definitely go back - The Location, the garden is gorgeous and the food to die for
• Diane (10/5): Perfect place to enjoy Lamu! Highly recommended! - The location right in the water provides beautiful views of the islands and sailing shows and cooler breezes to help with hot days. The place is beautifully appointed in Swahili style and the garden is lush with great pool. The food at the restaurant is top notch and the service is excellent. It is my fourth time visiting Lamu and I plan to come back. No place in Lamu matches Kijani Hotel. I love everything about this place
• Deborah (10/5): We trued many restaurants and Kijani was the best! - The location, the architecture, the food and mostly the fantastic staff! Nothing
• Eric (8/5): Friendly staff, will to assist with anything - Location is excellent Bathrooms were dark and no airconditioner in the main room
• Peter (9/5): Lovely stay in lovely hotel. Very highly recommended - Perfect location with delightful garden and pool. Above all friendly staff
• Simon (10/5): Exceptional - Beautiful location in Shela village, stunning gardens around the hotel and a short walk to Shela Beach which goes on forever. The restaurant at Kijani is amazing, better than Peponi! Definitely have the Kijani Crab Curry! Nothing
• Oluwayemisi (4/5): Overall, excellent location. A big thanks to the restaurant staff for the great service - Breakfast was lovely. The staff at the restaurant are all really great, courteous, friendly, and enthusiastic about their jobs. The restaurant and location was really the highlight of our stay at Kijani. We ordered a Superior suite via booking.com and the room we got was nothing like what was advertised. There's an explicit false advertising for a superior suite with air conditioning available but this is actually not the case. I believe the management is purposefully misleading potential guests to make a reservation for a "superior suite with air conditioning" because there is a huge demand for hotels with air conditioning in Lamu. Before I arrived, I shared the details of the reservation with the manager, Sai, whom I had also spoken to before making the reservation. After we arrived Kijani we were informed by the same manager that they don't have air conditoned rooms in their facility and the room is actually a classic suite and he tried to justify why it was called a superior suite on booking.com; we also asked about the false advertising re: availability of air conditioning in the suite and he mentioned it must have been an error from the last management. As I type this review (over 3 weeks since making the reservation), there's is still the same false advertising on booking.com about the availability of a superior suite with air conditioning available at Kijani Hotel (same reservation we made for almost 250 per night). Don't fall for the trickery, as we did. To get to the specifics of the room: The room had a leaking sink so everytime we made use of the the sink, we were assured of water getting all over the sink counter and the bathroom floor; the room is completely stuffy and the only way you can get some air is by staying in the balcony; the mosquito nets over the bed were in bad conditions with blood and some holes on them; the sofa had been removed from the room and another bed was put in the living area with stained bed sheets (we hadn't asked for a second bed and it just seemed like the bed was dumped there). Attached are some pics of how unkempt the living area was/ the dumpsite found in this "superior...
• Alec (10/5): Exceptional - The best thing about Kijani is the wonderful young team of staff in all areas of the hotel. They are always on hand to help, smiling all the time, and deal quickly for with any issues arising. The pool area is fabulous and restaurant has a great menu and fabulous staff. Service in the restaurant can get slow when a group comes in.
• Giovanna (10/5): From the moment we arrived we loved it . The room was great and had an extra room at the front all with Swahili style b - We loved the position being tight on the beach , the restaurant was also looking over the beach with beautiful cool breezes. The staff are all very friendly and helpful We liked everything
• Erica (10/5): Exceptional - Amazing stay. Wonderful style and attention on details, big room with terrace. nice swimming pool and excellent food at the restaurant. The staff is helpful and very professional. Best place in Shela.
• Nelly (7/5): I was happy with my stay and visit - breakfast was good, the view is excellent, it is located right by the beach. The rooms are standard and not luxury, veranda is excellent, sit and see sunset and sunrise. that is lovely pool is small but okay the water took long to heat up
• Mahmoud (9/5): Superb -
• Aunally (9/5): Excellent two Night stay at Kijani Hotel in Lamu - The warm reception from the time they came to collect us from Manda Island, welcome at the reception , daily interaction , breakfast , etc. The manager Fred was very friendly. Both Timothy , Evans, and all staff were excellent .. Good turndown service with mosquito nets drawn and mosquito coil. Surprise brownie with ice cream on our 43rd anniversary. Nothing to complain.
• Giovanni (10/5): Excellent value for money - The location, the rooms were spacious. The place reminded us of Lamu town but enjoyed the space and the green vegetation.
• Arnold (10/5): One of the best hotel experiences I have ever had. - Heaven on earth. Very beautiful.
• Ioana (10/5): Exceptional -
• Evans (10/5): Nice - accessibility and green flora in Lamu island fulfilling the name Kijani.The food is equally good and on time.The staff are friendly and readly available.
• Margie (10/5): - Kijani is a beautiful hotel on the water’s edge in Shela Village, Lamu. Traditional Swahili architecture, simple rooms, verandahs with daybeds suspended from the roof from which you can also gaze at the stars at night; gracious staff and good food make for a perfect stay. Superb yoga classes are nearby at Banana House and Lamu town is a walk, boda ride or boat ride away. Bougainvillea and coconut palms are Abu sang in the garden- and there’s a small pool for cooling off if you don’t fancy the beach. A really beautiful and peaceful location.
• Anonymous (3/5): painfully slow service. junior staff try their best but they are woefully managed. Not a patch on their main competitor -
• Gerard (7/5): Overall, I had an enjoyable stay. - The breakfast was very good. Some menu options were not available. The WiFi worked well. My room was adjacent to the mosque which was very loud especially at 1-2 pm. The hotel needs better waiter service I.e. a waiter needs to be walking around taking drinks orders. Aircon is needed in the rooms but the fans were ok.
• Jessica (10/5): Superb hotel - Fantastic hotel with lovely staff, beautifully designed rooms and delicious food. Everything was perfect - wish I could have stayed longer!
• Anisha (8/5): most location and staff - the staff are amazing at reception and dining room everything is great
• Nilma (7/5): Good - just a few little things that could have made it all really great experience. Food options, wine selection, guest relations service needs a tad bit of improvement They did meet my expectations for the 1 dinner we wanted customized. Brilliant. Delicious. The service staff really good. Overall space, just relaxing. Beautiful. The after room service care was quite terrible. The turn down in the room needs improvement, I didn't realize it but the mosquito repellent coil were terrible.
• Pixie (5/5): I’d look around at different options in Shellah - Location by the sea. Food is good It’s overpriced for what it is
• Levy (10/5): Exceptional -
• Arti (7/5): Pleasent stay - Breakfast is good. The service is slow, but that's fine as the food is obviously cooked individually. Rooms large and airy. Staff helpful. For what it is, expensive. It is in the town so noisy, no beach of its own. That's fine but it doesn't say so on the website.
• Tatiana (10/5): - Everything was perfect! Exceeded expectations. Perfect location, lovely staff, great restaurant. We want to come back for sure
• Erika (10/5): rooms were wonderful. the restaurant was excellent. mango smoothie bowl. yum!!!! the restaurant staff was awesome! reall - the buildings and the grounds were beautiful. right on the water so the breeze kept things cool. liked everything
• David (10/5): Exceptional - Excellent position, comfortable spacious room, lovely sea view, first class food in restaurant Nothing
• Saeeda (6/5): Pleasant -
• John (10/5): Exceptional -
• Olivia (9/5): very relaxed and great for families - lovely rooms excellent food and not too busy
• Charles (9/5): Great...is it Hidden Gem in Lamu - Location is great...to the left Shela beach...to the right you could walk to Old Town Lamu. Food was excellent and staff were really attentive! We loved the Chess board Nothing! Was an excellent stay at an excellent facility. Minor issue is to check cleanliness of the caps of the re usable water bottles
• Jill (9/5): Superb - We all enjoyed the location, the food and the building itself. Nothing really. The high bed was a bit challenging for the less agile.
• Oriaso (8/5): Very good -
• Jemimah (8/5): lovely - the staff are very friendly. great food. great location traditional design
• Aisha (8/5): very friendly staff, lovely hotel to stay in lamu - lovely rooms, original furniture and nice finishing touches. breakfast was lovely and had dinner one night which was also lovely a little bit further out from the beach but only a few mins walk
• Murat (7/5): Good - Great location and nice rooms. Restaurant.
• Vytautas (10/5): Unique and cosy hotel - A unique and extremely cosy family-run hotel. We really enjoyed the tranquility, traditionally styled rooms, a nice pool area. Breakfast was the best during our whole trip in Kenya. The staff were always there to help us. Highly recommended and we would be very happy to come back again. The only thing I would highlight is that there are no glass windows (like I guess in most places in Shela), thus they have to put mosquito-repelling spirals in the room in the evening. We were not informed about it in advance so it came as a surprise but didn't really cause a lot of issues.
• Matthew (9/5): Superb -
• Ken (10/5): Exceptional - It was away from the noise and hustle of traffic and TV. It provides a connection to history without being pretentious about it. Awesone staff! I cannot think of any negatives at this time.

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