We have just spent four days at this wonderful place...a walled in compound of historic Sweahili homes, beautifully maintained, tastefully appointed, with rooms overlooking the beach lined with dhows and pedestrian/ donkey traffic (no motorized vehicles here!), and a lovely central courtyard and pool. The menus and wine options are first rate. The owners and staff provide impeccable service, including pick up and send off at the airport, and access to superb guides, ferry and dhow captains. Above all, there is excellent security, including regular army/police patrols of the area, and resident night guards, which make the blanket warnings against tourism in Lamu ridiculous. We have never felt safer or better taken care of. Make sure you go!!!!

First time to Lamu (Shela) and this ws a recommendation which turned out to be a good one! We enjoyed the upstairs to our room with a view over the sea, food was good, service good too. Our last day there we were the only ones in residence so we had the place to ourselves! A real little oasis when you come through the door into that flower filled courtyard. Highlight was the evening sail on the dhows up the creek, beautiful!

Kijani is a beautiful place with a lush green courtyard around the pool and the sea at the doorstep. Also very nice rooms, very quiet, very clean. All in all recommendable! My favourite treat was the transfer to the airport by dhow and not by motor boat!

But: Compared to other places in Lamu/Shela it is hopelessly overpriced, not only the rooms. Lunch for 1,700 Shillings / dinner for 2,200 excl. drinks is just extortion.

If you don't need a pool but just a nice place to stay, we recommend having a look at the Baitil Aman guesthouse in Shela - we had lunch there one day and were shown around, and it seems to offer a more culturally authentic experience at a MUCH better rate for both accommodation and food!

Lamu island is like nowhere else in Kenya. It is a strongly Muslim culture that shares more with Zanzibar than Mombasa.

Kijana was a well-run establishment with truly lovely gardens and setting. The decor was authentically Swahili and tasteful, and the rooms very comfortable. I enjoyed the pool and also the food, which was incredible (best food I ate in all Kenya) - seem to have a decidedly French influence, but also quite seafood heavy, delicate and carefully flavored.

Shela village is a bit more clean and safe compared to Lamu, which has more hustle and liveliness. But both strike me as authentic and rich in culture. The bar on the water at Peponi hotel is a 5 min walk and the open, wild Shela beach offers endless sand dunes after another 5.

Check out Fatuma's Tower in Shela for a truly magical experience- mazes of structures, gardens and pools... There yoga every day at 5pm and Regina can get you a great massage.

Skip Lamu museum, it's pretty dusty and not that exciting. Of course a dhow ride at sunset is lovely. I heard great things about taking a trip to manda island but I had to save something for next time.