Very nice guesthouse with friendly staff with good local tips. Delicious breakfast!

Stayed in September 2025

Thanks Maia. Very kind and helpful

Stayed in June 2025

Friendly staff

Spacious and clean room. Nice decoration

Stayed in September 2024

The communication with the owner and the staff was quite difficult. One hour before the check out we went back to the room and there were guys doing works in the bathroom, disassembling the sink with still all of stuff around..not very professional, especially because we were going to leave soon and nobody told us about it.

The place in very nice and calm in a very central position in the village of Lamu. The room was big, cozy and clean. Great value for money!

Stayed in March 2024

Nothing in particular.

Great old house in the middle of old town and only steps from the see front. Spacious ,clean and breezy upper floor rooms. Great breakfast,rich in fruit and tasty juice. Charming Samsa and Tina were there for all our needs. Owner Baji,a warm hearted guy with a nice sense of humour , has always an answer to all your questions.We had two blissful dwow rides arranged by him at a price that did not break our wallet. Overall ,an excellent quality and price relation.

Stayed in February 2024

Very beautiful guesthouse in the center of Lamu town. We loved the view from the rooftop and the spacious, shady, naturally wind-cooled lobby with sofas and art. The sounds of nearby mosques added to the atmosphere. The bed and bathroom were comfortable and clean. Bed with mosquito net. The breakfast was modest (fruit, eggs, toast, peanut butter, juice, tea, coffee), but tasty and sufficient. The staff was nice and helpful. The only thing missing was air conditioning, but there was a fan above the bed. The owner helped us get to it from Manda airport at a good price. He arranged a boat and a guide to take us to the guesthouse. We are grateful for your enjoyable stay.

Stayed in January 2024

Mr Baji got in touch with me as soon as I booked and answered a ton of questions I kept sending him. The room is basic but clean and very central. Highly recommended.

Stayed in November 2023

The owner asked me to pay in local currency despite on my booking.com receipt the price was in USD. I argued that this should have agreed in advance (exchanging currency on the island is more expensive than in Nairobi). They accepted my point. Some shutters should be repaired to provide extra security as the windows have no bars.

The room is beautiful and the lady managing the property was extremely kind and helpful. she deserves 10 points. Breakfast is provided. The position is really central, close to Lamu's main square.

Stayed in November 2023

Nothing.

Location, very strong wifi, friendly and helpfully staff. Faryda is a very good host, she will help you with anything and cook lovely pilau. Thank you so much for a beautiful stay. See you next time.

Stayed in October 2023

While there isn't complimentary drinking water readily available in the rooms, there is a shop right opposite the entrance to Jamala where you are able to get water, other types of soft drinks, snacks and other basic necessities.

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!😊😊

Stayed in September 2023

Nothing too serious. The water was hot enough the first night I was there but after that the water was cold as there is solar power and the weather turned cool and overcast. If you are here for several days as I was, you may have to ask for the room to be cleaned and things like toilet paper to be replenished but they are always happy to oblige. The sign over the door of the guesthouse no longer exists and there is nothing outside to indicate that it is even a guesthouse so the place may be a bit difficult to find for someone who has not been picked up from the jetty by someone from the guesthouse and trying to find the place on their own.

Jamala Guesthouse is spacious and comfortable and in a very convenient location, in a little alley close to the waterfront. Baji's communication was excellent and the staff were lovely. Nothing was too much trouble. There was a nice breakfast in the morning with delicious fresh juice.

Stayed in July 2023

Maybe include dinner asp part of package.

Stayed in May 2023

Baji chose for us the most comfortable bedroom available, that meant an upgrade to a 2 double bedroom 😍. Thank you for making our stay in Lamu super special!

Stayed in April 2023

well ... Lamu is a 95% Muslim town = friendly(!) people and you feel very safe(!), but several Mosques loud-speaker systems compete ... so waking up at 5 can't be avoided. Why can't prayer be 'just' led by a religious man with his natural voice ? Does it really have to be amplified ~120 dB(A) for up to half an hour, every dawn, to praise and worship ? Well, other (all ?) hotels and guesthoses in Lamu and throughout the coast of Kenys have a similar situation ...

nice, clean room, excellent shower (cold AND warm water, as you choose), superfriendly(!) staff, very good breakfast, relaxed terrace with a perfect breeze (ok - this depends onto the weather), very close to the restaurants, old town and the main boat landing place ('harbour') = 15 Mins. to the airport (walk+boat)

Stayed in March 2023

The only thing I didn't like in the Guesthouse is that the windows in the back rooms do not allow any air circulation (not facing the sea) and because the ventilator is just above the mosquito net, it is blocking the circulation of air. It feels like in a sauna then. As there were literally no mosquitos, without the net would have been better, I think.

Jamala Guesthouse is very easy to get to. It's behind the fort so from the promenade in Lamu you take the first street left after the fort (when you go from Shela) and just go up the narrow street, watch a sign above the door to your left. The rooms are very nice and bed comfortable, shower is amazing. The breakfast was plenty with lots of fruits, egg and fresh juice. The staff is nice but of little help, if you need anything arranged you need to catch the manager. Payment is only possible in Ksh in cash. I found the green bank on the promenade having the best exchange rate (some shops exchange as well for considerably worse rate). You need an ID to get the money changed in the bank (open from 8am till 4pm weekdays). The public boat to the airport cost 200 Ksh and leaves from the left pier when facing the sea (10am). Public boat to Shela is also for 200Ksh (best before 4pm or when full) and mototaxi to Shela is for 100Ksh.

Stayed in October 2022

Nothing

Great place to stay. Great value for your money. Safe, clean, comfortable beds. Nice shower and great Lamu style. Loved the breakfast!

Stayed in October 2022

The breakfast lacked variety, I’d prefer more swahili breakfast variety. But the chef were just good at their task. Highly recommend.

The staff and owner were amazing. I was warmly welcomed and assisted in tracing my way to the accomodation site. The cleanliness was top notch, regular room service cleaning, good breakfast and ease in traversing Lamu town. It was also a secure place.

Stayed in August 2025

Good place to stay for a couple of days

Stayed in July 2025

Breakfast for vegetarians could have been better (like baked beans or some other alternative to eggs). Our Host, Maya, tried her best, but she would benefit from some training and assistance. Asked to pay in KSH despite booking in USD.

The location was convenient and the rooms were spacious and clean.

Stayed in July 2025

In the middle of the town. Greatest breakfast!

Stayed in December 2024

-

Excellent location in the heart of Lamu, very tasty breakfast. The staff was very friedly. We liked the the architecture of the building and room.

Stayed in September 2024

The wall was dirty at several places Zero information about Lamu (sights, restaurants, activities...)

It was cheap My room was very big

Stayed in December 2022

What's not to like,

The host Baji got in touch with me immediately I confirmed the booking and he arranged for transport from Manda Airport.It was very reassuring as this was my first time in Lamu.He also arranged for boat trip and provide suggestions on activities.The map provided makes it easy to get around. The staff were very warm and welcoming.The breakfast is epic especially the homemade fresh juice.Keep it up ladies! The place is clean and private exactly what I needed during this holiday.The hammock on the rooftop is great,great place to read or just daydream.

Stayed in October 2022

There are no comments available for this review

Stayed in May 2025