Manda Bay Lodge

We truly felt like we had found paradise at Manda Bay Lodge. The location is exceptional and the perfect place to relax after two weeks of safari. Our room was spacious, extremely comfortable, and offered an unbeatable view of the sea. The food was absolutely delicious, fresh, and varied, and the service could not have been better. Dinners under the stars were unforgettable. Our only regret was staying only two nights — it simply wasn’t long enough. The lodge is also very convenient, located less than a 20-minute boat ride from Lamu Airport. We want to sincerely thank the entire team for their wonderful service and attention to detail, which made our stay so memorable. Manda Bay is a place we would return to in a heartbeat.

Fabulous location ,beautiful room overlooking the sea large bathroom with outdoor shower very clean .Tea coffee served every morning outside your room.Food excellent dining under the stars in the evening.Staff knew your names a very personal service .Plenty of activities if you want to do some .We paddle boarded and kayaking before breakfast , day trip to Lamu and Shela with an excellent guide called Abdul .A 5 star hotel to rest and relax ,excellent front of house Moaise who really looked after any requests .We finished the trip with a Dhow sunset cruise which was superb . The shop in the hotel was also very good .Would definitely return

Nothing prepares you for the view. Coming from the airport, the hotel is a 20 minute boatride through beautiful mangrove forests that lead to the lodge.|Mwezi, the wonderful manager of the lodge met me on her arrival for a quick but laid back briefing about the property.|The room is a work of art, built out of natural materials, tastefully furnished and looking out into the open sea, the best view possible.|The kitchen produced the most delivious meals, supplemented by their own organic herb garden and cooked with alot of love from Chef Katana and his team.|It was amazing to hang out with one of the owners, Andy bigger than life, full of humour and always willing to drop useful nuggets of information about the lamu archipelago.|On the 2nd we went deep sea fishing on Cheza, the lodge’s fishing boat expertly navigated by Captain Karisa and Phillip, fantastic guys who made sure we came back to the lodge with 4 tuna and 1 kingfish.|Shout out to Nicky who radiates positivity and is so much fun to be around.|Titus, Benjamin at the bar; Patrick and Gawawa at the resturant were all stars.|This is not a hotel but a home where everyone accepts you into their family.|Mwezi will do everything possible to ensure you have a great stay, she is extremely sweet and thoughtful.|Thanks for the ginger tea every morning!

Manda Bay was definitely the "vacation" portion of our Africa adventures. I cannot imagine a more beautiful and relaxed spot on the coast. We had an oceanfront villa and I am so glad because the views were breathtaking. There was absolutely no rush to or for anything, and I don't know that I have felt so relaxed in a very long time. Mwezi and Nicki were excellent hosts. Mwezi even worked to arrange accommodations when we returned to Nairobi so that we wouldn't have to spend hours sitting in the airport for hours! Our three teenagers loved the relaxed atmosphere, the games beside the pool, and the kayaks/paddleboards.

Heaven must have been designed after the Manda Bay Hotel! The beauty of the place is astounding! From the James Bond-worthy boat trip from Manda Airport to the steps of the hotel, we were transported to another time, another place. Trump-related stresses melted away. With every day, I felt like I was discovering beauty after beauty at every turn. The beachfront rooms where we stayed are perched just feet from the Indian Ocean which laps against the breakfront to ensure sweet dreams. Our three generation family group swam, ate, fed bush babies, and lazed on the inviting swings, all made possible by an extraordinary staff. I will dream about Manda Bay for years to come!

Very disappointing. We came with a dhow and wanted to have lunch or some drinks and coffee. The security followed us while walking on the beach and denied acces. The place was empty which I can understand because the whole view is spoiled by the new big port. One of us asked to use the bathroom because there is no bathroom in many miles, but also that was denied by security. Very unwelcoming place. There are much better places in this archipelago.

At Manda Bay you don’t get hospitality, you get bureaucracy with a side of armed guards. Lunch feels less like a welcome and more like crossing a border. If this is their idea of luxury, I’ll happily have lunch elsewhere.

Lamu is an incredible, special place. Manda Bay is positioned beautifully with stunning views and incredible interiors in the Lamu style. All of the staff are incredibly hard working, kind, and accommodating people - never a day went by without being checked on multiple times or having a laugh. However, the hotel owner should implement some changes to truly reach 5 star status such as having room service, clean water (I did get breakouts from using the salty water on my face/body) - the gym is also completely unacceptable.