Luxury Stay: Majlis Resort Lamu

Hi friends. It has been a minute, or nearly 3 years. Awkward... but I'm back with more beautiful places to share with you and I can't wait to get started. Also I have started a Youtube channel so if you are more a video person then please do check it out.

Alright... let's get into it!

The Majils Resort is located on Manda island in the Lamu Archipelago just off the northern coastline of Kenya. Lamu has long been a getaway spot for celebrities and royalty - perhaps it is the remoteness of the place, the deserted sandy beaches or the spectacular sunsets. Lamu fell off the map for a few years due to some trouble coming down from Kenya's northern border with Somalia but all travel restrictions have been since been lifted and this isolated paradise is waiting to be explored.

The easiest way to reach Lamu is by plane from Nairobi. This takes a little over an hour if direct or two if you stop off in Mombasa or Malindi en-route. The airport is right next to a jetty where you hop on a boat to get to the Majlis Resort.

Arrival

Arriving at the Majlis was such a unique experience. First off the only way to get there is by boat - I was getting some serious Lake Como vibes. The next feature is that there is no jetty at Majlis which means you need to jump off the boat directly onto the beach - remember to take your shoes off or they will get wet!

Rooms

The rooms at the Majlis are beautiful, very spacey and bright. I have stayed twice at this hotel and actually seen quite a few of there rooms so I feel I can make this general statement. On this occasion I stayed in a sea facing room which was extra nice as it had a balcony looking over the swimming pool then out to the beach. Full room tour is in the vlog linked below :)

I loved the rustic Swahili decor that is so unique to the coast. The beautiful wooden four poster bed is covered with a mosquito net which somehow adds to the appeal. I suppose if I were to have any thoughts on improvement it would be that the beds are a little hard as they lie directly on wooden panels and there was no bathtub. Other than that I loved my room.

Facilities

The Majlis has two swimming pools and is a beachfront property. It also offers plenty of water sports. Sadly this time I didn't try out any as I felt the current was very strong when I was swimming. I had visions of being exhausted paddling endlessly in a kayak and not being able to get back.

In terms of eating and drinking - two of my favourite hobbies, there are 4 bars in the Majlis. My favourite had to be the pool bar by the main pool during the day. It was such a picture perfect setting.

I preferred the lunch to the dinner options if I am being honest, not that dinner was bad, it just wasn't anything special and you miss out on a view as it is dark.

Breakfast is either a la carte or buffet depending on the number of guests staying. It was great, I had delicious pancakes and mangos and the barista made an excellent cappuccino.

Things to do

I would highly recommend lounging by the pool and just relaxing. Life is hard, take some time out!

If you do insist on being active then a visit to Peponi's Hotel for lunch is a must - the food is superb and the view is amazing. We managed to get a table right at the front overlooking the water.

If you haven't heard of Peponi's, it is Lamu's most famous and perhaps oldest hotel. It attracts an eclectic mix of clientele, if I had to put my finger on it I would say there is a lot of super wealthy people dressed as beach bums / vagabonds. Maybe I am wrong but do check it out for yourself.

While you are there you can wonder around Shela village - lots of people rave about it, an artistic heaven etc... I didn't quite see the appeal but glad I checked it out.

Lamu town is another popular day trip, I didn't make it there this time so can't comment too much on how it is.

My favourite activity by far was the sunset dhow ride, it is an absolute must! So beautiful, so calming, just a lovely experience all round.

I posted a vlog up on youtube with my full Lamu experience which you can check out here:

Lastly in terms of the covid regulations - ugh I so hate that I probably need to include this but such is life in 2021. Kenya is open for tourists - some need only a pcr on arrival and some need to quarantine depending on where you are flying from, but check out the latest information on the government website. The hotel itself felt very safe, the staff wore masks and it was so spacious, at no point did I come close to another guest. There was also hand sanitiser dotted around the place.

Have you been to Lamu?

Ash

xx