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The 10 Best Guest Houses in Lamu, Kenya

Check out our pick of great guest houses in Lamu

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Superb: 9+ Very good: 8+ Good: 7+ Pleasant: 6+
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Offering a terrace and quiet street view, Wildebeeste Lamu is situated in Lamu, 300 metres from Lamu Fort and 400 metres from Gallery Baraka.

Popular points of interest near the guest house include Lamu Museum, 18th Century Swahili House Museum and Riyadha Mosque.

Incredible stay; best stay I did

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8.8
Fabulous
128 reviews
Price from
£12
per night

All rooms at the guest house are fitted with a seating area. Rooms are complete with a private bathroom fitted with a shower and free toiletries, while some units at Banana House and Wellness Centre also boast a terrace.

The hotel is beautiful, and the staff is always available and welcoming. We have access to a wide range of activities and the hotel is well located, in the center of Shilla and a few minutes by walk from the beach.

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8.7
Fabulous
243 reviews
Price from
£66
per night

Situated 200 metres from 18th Century Swahili House Museum, Pwani House - Lamu Seafront offers an indoor pool, and air-conditioned accommodation with a terrace and free WiFi. This guest house features accommodation with a patio. Rooms are fitted with a balcony with views of the sea.

Perfect sunrise over the water, beautiful spacious room. Super beautifully decorated! Loved our stay here!

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8.6
Fabulous
17 reviews
Price from
£60
per night

Facing the seafront on Manda Island, Mangrove House features a private beach area. Among the various facilities are barbecue facilities and a garden. Free WiFi is available and Gallery Baraka is 3.5 km away.

Guest rooms at the guest house are equipped with a seating area. Every room is fitted with a private bathroom with a solar powered hot shower. All guest rooms have a desk.

Our stay on Manda’s side at Mangrove House was truly wonderful. The location is unmatched, the peace and quiet are absolute. The staff is wonderful and so is the owner, super attentive and ready to help and share. The house is right in front of Shela and Peponi hotel, just a short boat trip away. Would absolutely go back, and recommend it to everyone going to Lamu!

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8.1
Very good
24 reviews
Price from
£95
per night

Featuring a garden, Jamala Guesthouse is situated in Lamu in the Coast region, 43 metres from Lamu fort. Popular points of interest around the property include Old Jetty (Lamu) and Water well. Some units at the property have a balcony with a garden view.

Jamala Guesthouse, nestled in the heart of Lamu Old Town, was an absolute delight for us first-time visitors to Lamu. It provided a unique opportunity to deeply immerse ourselves in the local culture and connect with the welcoming people. The early morning calls to prayer from the surrounding mosques, for instance, became an integral part of the immersive experience. It is located just a short walk from the boat jetty which is super convenient! The host, Baji, was not only highly responsive but also incredibly helpful. Right from the moment we made our booking, he was readily available to provide us with all the information we needed. Baji even arranged a boat pick-up for us and an enriching Old Town Tour with Abu, who was an absolute delight to be around. The rooms at Jamala were both spacious and well-equipped with all the essentials, making it excellent value for money. The breakfast was also nice and balanced, with the option of tea/coffee, bread, eggs and fruit. There is also a kitchen available complete with a fridge that is available for guests to use. We really enjoyed our stay and would definitely stay at Jamala again! Thank you to the team for making our inaugural visit to Lamu very memorable!😊😊

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8.3
Very good
53 reviews
Price from
£21
per night

Providing a garden, a terrace and free WiFi, Amu House is a recently renovated guest house 200 metres from Lamu Fort and 200 metres from Lamu Museum. With inner courtyard views, this accommodation offers a balcony. Featuring family rooms, this property also provides guests with a picnic area.

The size of the rooms, the aesthetic.

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8.8
Fabulous
69 reviews
Price from
£28
per night

Providing garden views, a garden and free WiFi, Samaki House provides accommodation well located in Lamu, within a short distance of 18th Century Swahili House Museum, Lamu Museum and Lamu Fort. It is located 700 metres from Gallery Baraka and offers luggage storage space. The guest house features family rooms.

Wonderful place,unique location, a full swahili immersion. Moses is a wonderful host.

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7.8
Good
118 reviews
Price from
£27
per night

At the guest house, all units are equipped with a wardrobe. Featuring a private bathroom with a shower and slippers, units at the guest house also boast free WiFi. At the guest house, each unit includes bed linen and towels.

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7.7
Good
3 reviews
Price from
£55
per night

Located in Lamu, near 18th Century Swahili House Museum, Lamu Fort and Gallery Baraka, Tabassam Guest House features a garden. Located around 1.2 km from Lamu Museum, the guest house is also 1.1 km away from Riyadha Mosque. The guest house provides garden views, a terrace, and free WiFi is available throughout the property.

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Price from
£6
per night

Featuring sea views, Roof Top Private House offers accommodation with a balcony, around 60 metres from Lamu Fort. The property is non-smoking and is set 200 metres from Gallery Baraka.

Popular points of interest near the guest house include Lamu Museum, 18th Century Swahili House Museum and Riyadha Mosque.

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Price from
£14
per night

Looking for a guest house?

Warm and welcoming guest houses are ideal for travellers who prefer unfussy accommodation with a personal touch. They are usually family-run, and your host will provide local recommendations and optional meals. Often cheaper than regular hotels, guest houses can also feature a cosy living room and a garden.
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Guest houses that travellers love in Lamu

  • Avg. price/night: £121
    8.7
    Scored 8.7
    Fabulous
    Rated fabulous
     · 243 reviews
    Beautiful big room with lovely views from the terrace. Great location, quiet and walkable to the beach, restaurants etc, with a really nice spa right across from the centre. Staff very helpful and supportive with arranging tours and trips.
    Karen
    Young couple
  • 9.1
    Scored 9.1
    Superb
    Rated superb
     · 12 reviews
    The place was clean. The staff were so good especially Peter the house keeper and Abu who was our chef. Its private so you get to enjoy your space. Spacious rooms and clean beddings. Also Tarik is such a good host he gave us contacts of people who would be able to offer us assistance incase we needed any and hence our stay was seamless and very easy.
    lavin
    People with friends
  • Avg. price/night: £15.92
    8.8
    Scored 8.8
    Fabulous
    Rated fabulous
     · 128 reviews
    Such a unique space in a unique community..from the call to prayers to the breeze blowing on the terrace. And Jacob is a great host
    Hannah
    Solo traveller
  • Avg. price/night: £63.68
    8.6
    Scored 8.6
    Fabulous
    Rated fabulous
     · 17 reviews
    Amazing hosts and caretakers, always there to help and very kind. Lovely small touches, like flowers in the room and tips on what to do. Great location by the Seafront, with a beautiful view from the room and rooftop terrace.
    Farah
    People with friends
  • Avg. price/night: £15.92
    8.8
    Scored 8.8
    Fabulous
    Rated fabulous
     · 128 reviews
    Nice location, a very friendly host and close to dockyard and airport
    Bart
    Solo traveller
  • Avg. price/night: £7.88
    7.2
    Scored 7.2
    Good
    Rated good
     · 17 reviews
    Mohammed is a very great host. He welcomed me so nicely and offered a guide to show me around Lamu. We also made a food arrangement and him and his family cooked for me for the whole of my stay there which was affordable as food can be quite tricky when new. You will feel at home. I loved the upstairs rooms because of the ventilation, so would highly recommend those. It's also situated 7 minutes away from the main street so it will give you a good tour of old town when figuring out old town. Overall a great experience for budget travellers
    Betty Kenya
    Solo traveller
  • Avg. price/night: £29.45
    7.8
    Scored 7.8
    Good
    Rated good
     · 118 reviews
    Our host was super friendly and additionally organized the Sunset Dhow for us. Breakfast was included in the price and was super delicious. There was fresh fruit, Juice and Swahili tea every morning which was a new culinary experience for me. The Samaki house is even nicer than the pictures and super clean. I immediately felt at home and the people were friendly and very helpful. The restaurants and market were right outside the door and you could have a nice street food experience.
    Sharon
    Young couple
  • Avg. price/night: £15.92
    8.8
    Scored 8.8
    Fabulous
    Rated fabulous
     · 128 reviews
    In my experience, the best place to stay in Lamu town and, if you're in for a more authentic experience, the best place to stay in Lamu Island. The house is an old traditional Swahili house and living there is a unique and charming experience on its own. Our host was always available and helpful, a very kind and honest man!
    Marianna59
    Solo traveller
  • Avg. price/night: £15.92
    8.8
    Scored 8.8
    Fabulous
    Rated fabulous
     · 128 reviews
    The host is very nice and friendly. Welcomed on the dock on arrival. Showed places worth visiting location in the city center. I traveled all over the island.
    Vaidas
    Solo traveller
  • Avg. price/night: £121
    8.7
    Scored 8.7
    Fabulous
    Rated fabulous
     · 243 reviews
    Banana House is a wonderfully secluded peaceful guest house a very short walk from the foreshore and all amenities in Shela. Shela itself boasts miles of Sandy beaches, beautiful dunes with sailing fishing and other activities as well as a wide range of eateries. Banana House offers an excellent morning yoga session not to be missed. the food here is very good indeed and Monica’s team are flexible and responsive. the accommodation is clean and basic - classically East African. This is a great location for couples or singles
    Jonathan
    Young couple