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3-star hotels in Lamu
A shortlist of 3-star hotels in Lamu, on Lamu Island in Kenya, ranked by class and guest rating from verified stays. It is for travellers who want the old Swahili town and Shela's long beach without paying for a luxury band.
Staying in Lamu
Lamu is a town on Lamu Island in Lamu County, Kenya, about 465 km east of Nairobi in a straight line. Lamu Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the oldest living Swahili towns, and people come to see the old town and its Swahili culture. There are almost no cars on the island: people walk, ride donkeys or take boats, and Shela village has a long beach. Shela Beach and Shela Village take Peponi Hotel, Kijani Hotel, Fatumas Tower and Diamond Beach Village, with Msafini MangoTop Roof Hotel and Pwani Guest House off Corniche Path, The Red Pepper House at Coconut Beach, and Mangrove House on Ras Kitau on Manda Island. The rest — Lamu Palace, Lamu Sunsail Hotel on Kenyatta Road, plus Jua House, JamboHouse Lamu, Jamala Guesthouse, Stopover Guest House And Restaurant and Kipungani Explorer — are listed in Lamu itself. Couples and short-break visitors fit the Shela cluster; the town addresses suit anyone wanting the old town on foot.
The shortlist
Ranked by hotel class, then guest rating and number of reviews.
Peponi Hotel
Shela Beach
Why stay herePeponi Hotel sits on Shela Beach, one of the best-reviewed 3-star addresses in Lamu, with a guest rating of 4.5 out of 5 across 673 reviews. Travellers who want a beachfront base in Shela and a long track record of satisfied guests will find it a natural first choice for a Lamu stay.
See Peponi HotelKijani Hotel
Off Corniche Path Shela Village
Why stay hereSet off Corniche Path in Shela Village, Kijani Hotel has earned a guest rating of 4.4 out of 5 from 226 reviews. It suits travellers who would rather stay inside the village itself, close to Shela's lanes and its beach, than in a more isolated setting.
See Kijani HotelLamu Palace
Lamu
Why stay hereLamu Palace is a 3-star hotel in Lamu with a guest rating of 4.5 out of 5 from 90 reviews. Guests looking for a well-regarded stay on the main island, with the town's harbour and old streets nearby, will find it a solid pick.
See Lamu PalaceFatumas Tower
Shela Beach Lamu 80500 Shela
Why stay hereFatumas Tower stands at Shela Beach and holds the highest guest rating in this shortlist at 4.7 out of 5, though from a small base of 37 reviews. It appeals to travellers who want a beachfront position in Shela and are willing to book on the strength of a compact but enthusiastic review record.
See Fatumas TowerMsafini MangoTop Roof Hotel
Off Cornishe Path 08500
Why stay hereMsafini MangoTop Roof Hotel is found off Cornishe Path and scores 4.1 out of 5 from 169 reviews. With a steady volume of guest feedback, it suits travellers who want a 3-star stay in Shela with a proven, if moderate, level of satisfaction.
See Msafini MangoTop Roof HotelLamu Sunsail Hotel
Kenyatta Road
Why stay hereLamu Sunsail Hotel sits on Kenyatta Road with a guest rating of 3.8 out of 5 from 176 reviews. Its central address in Lamu town suits travellers who want to be among the streets and markets of the old town and are comfortable with a more modest guest score.
See Lamu Sunsail HotelKipungani Explorer
Lamu
Why stay hereKipungani Explorer is listed in Lamu with a 3-star class and a perfect guest rating of 5.0 out of 5 — drawn from just 1 review, so treat the score as a single guest's impression. It fits travellers curious about a quieter, less-reviewed option in the area.
See Kipungani ExplorerDiamond Beach Village
Plot 4 Ras Kitau Shela
Why stay hereDiamond Beach Village is a 3-star hotel at Plot 4 Ras Kitau in Shela, placing it on the beach side of the village. With no guest rating or reviews recorded here, it is best suited to travellers who prefer to judge a place for themselves rather than rely on scores.
See Diamond Beach VillageThe Red Pepper House
Coconut Beach
Why stay hereThe Red Pepper House is a 3-star hotel at Coconut Beach, giving guests a beach setting within the Lamu area. No guest rating or review count is recorded for it, so it suits travellers who are comfortable choosing a 3-star beach address without the backing of published feedback.
See The Red Pepper HouseJua House
Lamu
Why stay hereJua House is a 3-star hotel in Lamu with no guest rating or reviews recorded. It works for travellers who want a simple, classified stay on the island and who make their choice without relying on published guest scores.
See Jua HouseJamboHouse Lamu
Lamu
Why stay hereJamboHouse Lamu is listed as a 3-star hotel in Lamu. No guest rating or review count is available for it, so it is an option for travellers who are happy to book a straightforward 3-star address in the area on the strength of its classification alone.
See JamboHouse LamuJamala Guesthouse
Lamu
Why stay hereJamala Guesthouse is a 3-star property in Lamu with no guest rating or reviews recorded here. It suits travellers looking for a guesthouse-style stay on the island who do not need published scores to make their decision.
See Jamala GuesthouseMangrove House
Ras Kitau Manda Island
Why stay hereMangrove House is a 3-star hotel at Ras Kitau on Manda Island, across the water from Lamu town. With no guest rating or reviews recorded, it appeals to travellers who want an island setting away from the busiest streets and are content to choose without guest scores.
See Mangrove HouseStopover Guest House And Restaurant
Lamu
Why stay hereStopover Guest House And Restaurant is a 3-star property in Lamu with no guest rating or reviews recorded. The name points to an on-site restaurant, which suits travellers who would rather not go far for meals while staying on the island.
See Stopover Guest House And RestaurantPwani Guest House
Off Corniche Path
Why stay herePwani Guest House is a 3-star property off Corniche Path, in the Shela area of Lamu. No guest rating or review count is recorded for it, so it suits travellers who want a guesthouse base near the village and are comfortable booking without published feedback.
See Pwani Guest House
How to choose
For top guest ratings
Kipungani Explorer holds 5.0 from 1 review, Fatumas Tower 4.7 from 37, Peponi Hotel 4.5 from 673 and Lamu Palace 4.5 from 90. The first three sit at Shela Beach or in Shela; Lamu Palace is listed in Lamu, so you trade the beach address for the town.
Kipungani Explorer · Fatumas Tower · Peponi Hotel · Lamu Palace
For the most reviews
Peponi Hotel has 673 reviews at 4.5, Kijani Hotel 226 at 4.4, Lamu Sunsail Hotel 176 at 3.8 and Msafini MangoTop Roof Hotel 169 at 4.1. Peponi and Kijani are in Shela, Msafini and Sunsail closer to the town side, so weight the score you want against the address.
Peponi Hotel · Kijani Hotel · Lamu Sunsail Hotel · Msafini MangoTop Roof Hotel
For Shela Beach
Addresses at Shela Beach or Shela Village: Peponi Hotel, Fatumas Tower, Diamond Beach Village at Plot 4 Ras Kitau Shela and Kijani Hotel off Corniche Path in Shela Village. Diamond Beach Village carries no guest rating yet, while the other three are rated 4.4 and above from guest stays.
Peponi Hotel · Fatumas Tower · Diamond Beach Village · Kijani Hotel
For the town side
Lamu Palace, Lamu Sunsail Hotel on Kenyatta Road, Jua House, JamboHouse Lamu, Jamala Guesthouse and Stopover Guest House And Restaurant are all listed in Lamu, the town and old town side. Only Lamu Palace and Lamu Sunsail Hotel have guest ratings so far, both from more than 90 reviews.
Lamu Palace · Lamu Sunsail Hotel · Jua House · JamboHouse Lamu · Jamala Guesthouse · Stopover Guest House And Restaurant
Where to stay in Lamu
Shela
Shela village has a long beach, and it is the address for Peponi Hotel at Shela Beach, Kijani Hotel off Corniche Path in Shela Village and Fatumas Tower at Shela Beach. Diamond Beach Village sits at Plot 4 Ras Kitau Shela; Msafini MangoTop Roof Hotel and Pwani Guest House are off Corniche Path. Expect to walk, ride a donkey or take a boat, as the island has almost no cars.
Our picks here: Peponi Hotel · Kijani Hotel · Fatumas Tower · Diamond Beach Village
Manda Island
Mangrove House is the one listed hotel with an address on Manda Island, at Ras Kitau. Flights land at Manda Airport across the channel, a short boat ride away, so this side suits travellers who want the channel crossing built into their stay rather than a Shela or Lamu town address.
Our picks here: Mangrove House
Plan your stay
Getting there and around
Flights land at Manda Airport across the channel, a short boat ride away. On the island, people walk, ride donkeys or take boats, and there are almost no cars, so once you arrive you move between the old town and Shela on foot, by donkey or by boat. Stays in the centre are searched and booked through IMPT, the booking partner behind this site. Lamu lies about 465 km east of Nairobi in a straight line.
When to go
The site text gives no months or seasons for Lamu, so no best time can be stated from it. What it does say is what shapes any visit: Lamu Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the oldest living Swahili towns, and Shela village has a long beach, so plan around seeing the old town and the Swahili culture, with beach time in Shela.
Things to do near Lamu
Questions, answered
Which Lamu hotel has the highest guest rating?
Kipungani Explorer carries 5.0 out of 5, but from only 1 review. Among the better-tested hotels, Fatumas Tower at Shela Beach has 4.7 from 37 reviews, and Peponi Hotel 4.5 from 673 reviews.
Which of these hotels is closest to Lamu Old Town?
Lamu Old Town is in Lamu, and Lamu Palace, Jua House, JamboHouse Lamu, Jamala Guesthouse and Stopover Guest House And Restaurant all have Lamu addresses, as does Kipungani Explorer. Lamu Sunsail Hotel is on Kenyatta Road in Lamu. The site data gives no distances, so use the addresses.
Do any of these hotels have a pool or spa?
The hotel records behind this list carry no facilities for any of the 3-star hotels, so no pool or spa can be confirmed here. What the site does say is that Shela village has a long beach and that the island has almost no cars.
Which Lamu hotels suit families?
Peponi Hotel at Shela Beach and Kijani Hotel off Corniche Path in Shela Village combine high guest ratings — 4.5 from 673 reviews and 4.4 from 226 — with the Shela beach address. Lamu Palace in Lamu is rated 4.5 from 90 reviews for a town-side option.
Is breakfast or parking offered at these hotels?
The records list no facilities for these 3-star hotels, so breakfast and parking cannot be confirmed from this data. On Lamu Island there are almost no cars, and people walk, ride donkeys or take boats, which matters if you plan to arrive by road.
Which hotels are in Shela village?
Peponi Hotel at Shela Beach, Kijani Hotel off Corniche Path in Shela Village and Fatumas Tower at Shela Beach, plus Diamond Beach Village at Plot 4 Ras Kitau Shela. Msafini MangoTop Roof Hotel and Pwani Guest House are off Corniche Path.
What should I see in Lamu?
Lamu Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the oldest living Swahili towns, and people stay to see the old town and the Swahili culture. Shela village has a long beach, and the island has almost no cars.
Can I book a stay in central Lamu on this site?
Stays in the centre are searched and booked through IMPT, the booking partner behind this site. No rate is quoted on these pages: availability is checked live for your dates, and the list is ordered by guest score weighted by how many stays are behind it.