Where to stay in Kenya – Nairobi, Lamu & Diani Beach

One of the best parts of planning a trip is choosing the accommodation, and picking where to stay in Kenya is especially exciting because of the wide variety of choices. From hotels to lodges, luxury camps and resorts & villas, there is something for every type of traveller regardless of budget.

During my 10-day trip to Kenya, we stayed in 3 different accommodations – a boutique hotel, a villa and a resort. Each is located in a different county and is unique in its own way.

This post will be an in-depth review of each stay and hopefully help you decide where to stay in Kenya.

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Where to stay in Kenya – Glam Hotel Nairobi

The Area

Glam Hotel is a boutique hotel located in the bustling city of Nairobi, 25 minutes away from the International Airport. It’s in a quiet and serene environment, walking distance from the Westgate shopping mall and 8 minutes away from the Nairobi National Museum.

The Amenities

In the hotel, there is a gym, a rooftop terrace, a bar and a restaurant. This hotel as I mentioned above, is a boutique hotel so only basic amenities are provided. If you prefer stays with pools and more grounds to roam, this isn’t it. It’s for budget to mid-range travellers. Like every other hotel, the Glam Hotel offers airport transfers, room service and of course fast and free WiFi.

The Room

We stayed in the Glam Hotel for 4 days, and I was very impressed. As someone who prefers to pick my accommodation, I was concerned about the type of stay chosen for this group trip. However, I was pleasantly surprised. The hotel room is very modern and aesthetic – the bathroom was my favourite part of the room – it is large and has a rain shower. The beds are large enough to fit 2 people, and the view is amazing. A safe is also made available so you can be sure your valuables will be protected. In addition, some select rooms have kitchens with a fridge, a stovetop and a toaster.

A con for me would be the absence of irons in the rooms. Apart from that, my stay was amazing; the amenities and staff helped make it very comfortable.

The Food & Drink

Breakfast is on the rooftop every morning from 7 am to 10 am and is a mixture of local and continental dishes. I never had lunch or dinner at the hotel but there is a restaurant and room service to order from if you need to.

The Cost

The prices of the rooms range from $95 – $130. I stayed in the superior king room for $115 a night and breakfast was included. The lowest price of $95 is without breakfast included.

Where to stay in Kenya – Tunusuru Villa, Shela, Lamu

The Area

Lamu is one of my favourite places on earth and one of the most magical places in Kenya. It’s peaceful, stunning with natural beauty and it’s an island I will never get tired of visiting. Tunusuru House is a unique villa nestled in the centre of Shela village. Shela is where most hotels and villas are located so it welcomes the majority of the tourists and visitors to Lamu.

The Villa

Rarely am I left speechless, but this villa left me without any words; there are 4 floors, including the rooftop, each with its own beautiful terrace with views of dhows sailing in the Indian Ocean. This stay was my favourite of the whole Kenya trip and for good reason. The villa has 5 rooms, 7 bathrooms and a pool.

The Lamu villas are all made of coral and other materials, which sets them apart from any other accommodation I have stayed in. Their open-air design and use of coral help to keep the temperature inside the homes cool as outside temperatures can reach as high as 38 degrees Celsius.

The Food & Drink

The villa has an in-house chef, Robert who can make all your meals for an extra fee of $3-6 (300-600 shillings) per meal. The cuisine in Lamu is heavily influenced by Indian cuisine so we ate a lot of fruits, curries (fish and chicken) and samosas and drank tamarind juice and chai tea. Robert always cooks up a storm so I would 100% recommend him.

Other than meals prepared by the chef, there are small affordable restaurants around the island and hotels like Peponi and Majlis with restaurants open to the public. These hotel restaurants are quite costly and meals range from $25 – $50 per meal.

The Cost

This villa costs $500 per night (depending on the month you go) and you can only book it on Airbnb.

I HIGHLY recommend staying here if you’re ever in Lamu; the service, amenities, aesthetics, and, most importantly, the views are forever engrained in my mind.

Related Hotel Reviews:

• St. Regis Hotel – Abu Dhabi
• Somewhere Nice Hostel – Ghana
• Casa Del Papa Benin Republic
• Natura Luxury Lodge – Benin Republic

Where to stay in Kenya – Diani Reef Beach Resort & Spa

The Area

Diani Beach is an island off the coast of Mombasa so all the best resorts here have a beachfront with private access to white sandy beaches and blue waters. My 3 days in Diani were spent at Diani Reef Beach Resort. Diani is quite small so this resort is at the centre of everything, each place is within walking distance or a 10-minute drive.

The Hotel & Amenities

Diani Reef Beach Resort is a stunning property; the blue waters and sandy white beach are the highlights of the stay. There is a pool, gym and large grounds and gardens. There are photo ops everywhere, and this whole resort has multiple breathtaking spots. Of course, there is free WiFi throughout the resort and they offer airport transfers.

The Room

I stayed in the king room with a sea view and balcony for 2 nights and overall it was a comfortable stay. I have stayed at beachfront hotels before and these rooms were basic in comparison, the furniture and bathrooms are quite dated for a “5-star” hotel.

Something to note; because Diani is an island, there are a lot of monkeys roaming around the property so ensure you keep the balcony door closed at all times or else a few monkeys will find their way into your room (and they can be quite destructive).

The Food & Drink

The room was a little disappointing but the breakfast made up for it, it was incredible. It’s included in the cost of the room and is a buffet with continental and full English options. There is also a restaurant at the resort that serves African, Mediterranean and Seafood cuisine and halal meals upon request. If you’re in the mood, you can drink out of a fresh coconut, just buy one from one of the coconut merchants selling along the beach.

The Cost

The prices of the rooms range from $205 – $1,151. I stayed in the king room with a sea view for $227 a night, breakfast inclusive.

Unfortunately, during my stay, the resort was hosting an engineering conference so was extremely crowded. I would love to stay there again when it’s less crowded to get the full experience.

If you had to pick one out of these 3 stays, which one would you go for?