JamboHouse Lamu — Hotel in Mkomami ward

Hi,

Before booking Arnold's place, like everyone else I read the reviews on Airbnb, and the reviews were spectacular, one of the best reviews I've seen for a property on Airbnb. Even with this, my stay at Arnold's exceeded my expectations, it was a truly memorable and special stay.

Right from the communication, Arnold patiently clarified all my doubts before my booking. He went out of his way to pick me up from the jetty and showed me the directions to reach the BnB easily.

One of the many highlights was the introduction he gave to Lamu and JamboHouse along with a map of the places to visit and things to do in Lamu. Arnold has his own set of tour guide, dhow captains, masseuses, etc. who I could blindly trust for quality and price.

The next highlight, the breakfast, Arnold makes a fresh, healthy, tasty breakfast (nothing fancy, but does the job! Banana pancakes, must try!) every morning, perfect start to the days, on a peaceful terrace with sunlight and nature and the true essence of Lamu town.

As described, the place is a budget hotel, nothing fancy, the rooms are clean, with all the basics things you need, same with the washroom and the other spaces. The place is filled with character and you can feel the effort and love that Arnold puts into the place. Stay at Lamu wouldn't have been the same without meeting Arnold and staying at JamboHouse, can't wait to be back.

Asante sana Arnold and the...

The house is very clean and the German owner Arnold gave many information about Lamu. but sadly I didn’t really feel at ease here and even feel a bit disappointed.

First, the owner is a bit stingy and serious. My friend came with me while checking-in to check the room then she decided to not book here. He didn’t even let her stay 10 mins(he agreed but actually less than 10 mins. his staff by his demand asked her to leave and himself escorted her out). I understand maybe the house rules not allowed visitors but I did think they could do it better.

Second, the location is not that close to the port area. As a solo female traveler, every time I tried to go back to Jambo house at night, I got lost in narrowed alleys. And as the owner told me he would be off work at night and mentions he isn’t 24hr on call, I didn’t bother to text him. So I ended up asking locals to bring me back.

Third, the building is more like an apt. it’s got nice common areas and spaces on third / four floors but I prefer more spacious places.

Overall it’s still a nice stay if you only stay a few days and value the cleanness and breakfast. But I personally stayed almost a week in Lamu and I did find the other local hotel with a good price and closer to the port area...

Just as any person born in Nairobi, Lamu has always been in my bucket list. ||||I had the opportunity to do a road trip during the pandemic period. We were received by Arnold's staff who helped carry our luggage to the guest house.||||Arnold our host was simply amazing. ||||He gave us alot of history as well as advised us on the best places to visit. ||The guy is so cool, you can listen to him the whole day and forget your excursion.||||In order to experience Lamu well, I advise that you do breafkast at your hotel and lunch at the different local restaurant. You get to enjoy a variety of cultural and continental cuisine.||||Breakfast at Jambo house was fresh and so delicious. Every day had different variety.||||I plan to visit again in 2021 and I will definitely go back again. ||||We did a train and road trip through Mombasa, Watamu, Malindi, Mpeketoni then Lamu. Extremely safe despite what you see on Al Jazeera and BBC.||||3 - 4 nights is great if you want to enjoy the historical sites and relax on the island.||4 - 7 nights if you want more adventure such as going via sea to the...