Our take
The Majlis is a beachfront hotel on Manda Island, facing Shela across the water in the Lamu Archipelago. Thirty-nine rooms and suites, varied dining and boat-based excursions offer a coastal stay that combines beach time with the area’s cultural life.
The Majlis sits on Manda’s beachfront, across the channel from Shela and within boat reach of Lamu Old Town. Swahili-inspired furnishings and artworks give it a local character, while the scale and dining choice are closer to a hotel than a private villa. It works for travellers wanting a comfortable base with several ways to enjoy the archipelago, rather than a beach stay spent entirely in one place.
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A closer look at the accommodation, atmosphere and setting.
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01
Accommodation
The hotel has thirty-nine air-conditioned rooms and suites, with garden and sea-facing categories. Superior and Deluxe rooms sit alongside Junior Suites, connecting Family Suites and a two-bedroom Royal Suite. Layout, outlook and outdoor space vary between categories. Families wanting connected accommodation should request the Family Suite or consider the Royal Suite rather than rely on two unrelated room bookings.
02
Food & drink
Dining includes Mediterranean cooking at Mediterraneo, Pan-Asian dishes and sushi at Umi, and all-day options at Breeze. A pool bar adds a relaxed setting for drinks. Private dinners on the beach can also be arranged, with seasonal restaurant operation and the meal plan checked against the stay you book.
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What to do
Dhow sailing, fishing and boat excursions explore the archipelago, while snorkelling and paddleboarding offer time on the water. Visits to Lamu’s historic streets and craft workshops add cultural interest. Kite-surfing at Shela depends on suitable wind and specialist arrangements. Tides, visibility and sea conditions influence water activities, so keep some days flexible rather than promising a fixed excursion schedule.
Planning your stay
Connecting Family Suites sleep four, and the Royal Suite provides two bedrooms with a larger shared arrangement. The exact category matters more than simply selecting a larger room. Boat transfers and watersports should be considered alongside children’s ages and confidence around water.
The Majlis balances a beachfront hotel with access to the lived-in towns and waterways of the Lamu Archipelago. Its restaurant choice and connecting accommodation give more variety than a small hideaway, while boat travel remains part of daily life.
Arrival includes a boat transfer from Manda Airport. Check that flight timings and boat connections work with your safari, and select the intended room category in advance. Ocean conditions vary by season, while tides affect some beach and water plans throughout the year.
Compare the alternatives
Explore the accommodation and setting of each property before choosing your combination.
Lamu
Manda Bay is a relaxed, family-run beach lodge on the northern tip of Manda Island. Its open-air cottages, sailing and watersports make this a coastal stay shaped by the sea, rather than a conventional resort.
Explore the property
Lamu
Peponi is a family-run hotel on the waterfront at Shela, where Lamu's village life meets a long sandy beach. Individually styled rooms, seafood dining and a sociable terrace give it a character quite different from a secluded resort.
Explore the property
Lamu
The Cabanas is a small, solar-powered retreat on Kizingoni Beach, on Lamu's quieter south-western coast. Seven individually crafted cabanas, shared dining and easy access to sailing and wellness create a relaxed alternative to a conventional beach hotel.
Explore the propertyMake it part of a journey
The Majlis can follow a Mara or northern Kenya safari when you want a beach finish with opportunities to explore. We would plan enough coastal nights to include a dhow trip and some Lamu time without filling every day, choosing the room category around privacy, outlook and family needs.
These journeys are starting points. We adapt the route, accommodation and length of stay around your plans.
Explore Lamu or read our Kenya seasonal guide.
Your questions
The hotel has thirty-nine air-conditioned rooms and suites, with garden and sea-facing categories. Superior and Deluxe rooms sit alongside Junior Suites, connecting Family Suites and a two-bedroom Royal Suite. Layout, outlook and outdoor space vary between categories. Families wanting connected accommodation should request the Family Suite or consider the Royal Suite rather than rely on two unrelated room bookings.
Dhow sailing, fishing and boat excursions explore the archipelago, while snorkelling and paddleboarding offer time on the water. Visits to Lamu’s historic streets and craft workshops add cultural interest. Kite-surfing at Shela depends on suitable wind and specialist arrangements. Tides, visibility and sea conditions influence water activities, so keep some days flexible rather than promising a fixed excursion schedule.
Connecting Family Suites sleep four, and the Royal Suite provides two bedrooms with a larger shared arrangement. The exact category matters more than simply selecting a larger room. Boat transfers and watersports should be considered alongside children’s ages and confidence around water.
The Majlis can follow a Mara or northern Kenya safari when you want a beach finish with opportunities to explore. We would plan enough coastal nights to include a dhow trip and some Lamu time without filling every day, choosing the room category around privacy, outlook and family needs.
Tailor-made Kenya
We will explain how it compares with the alternatives and whether it fits your preferred dates, route and pace.
Start planning