Tough to escape the heat on really hot days.

Great location for exploring Lamu. The views from the balcony are stunning.

Stayed in March 2024

Loved this place! Spotless, good food, great staff, authentic, breezy and bright room And best of all the location is smack bang in the middle of old Lamu- we loved it.

Stayed in March 2024

No A/C so its a bit hard to sleep when you are used to it :) There is some nice breeze though. But I understand the concept, A/C will ruin that atmosphere.

Very cool owners, great staff and attitude. A house full of history. Very authentic. In the heart of the island with great food.

Stayed in March 2024

Nothing.

Mostly, I was totally relaxed and the longer O stayed, the more relaxed I became. It is very well maintained and beautifully renovated hotel in the middle of the old town of Luma. Great effort has been made to reduce its environmental footprint and it is very eco friendly.

Stayed in February 2024

Wifi was spotty at best.

Mohamed & staff were wonderful. The food was amazing.

Stayed in February 2024

Definitely subira house staff makes the place more valuable. Muhammed is a great manager and chefs have amazing talents. I had the beautiful moringa omelette breakfast and delicious Cashewnut ice cream.

Stayed in February 2024

Beautiful eco-certified hotel in Lamu Town. Whilst the town itself is not everyone’s cup of tea, recommend you visiting it or even spend the entire time here saving you lots of money whilst commuting to Shela and Manda Bay. The hotel itself is picturesque and well maintained with a delicious breakfast and slow food dinner offering. Everything from the towels to the soap and water is sustainably sourced. The couple that runs the hotel is humble and passionate, full of life stories. Be mindful of the sustainable latrine toilets but if you’ll ever try them, it’s here. Indulge in a yoga class and enjoy the beautiful sky at night.

Stayed in February 2024

Nothing.

Gorgeous house with amazing swahili flair, lovely hosts. Seems like they contribute to the Lamu community in a big way, they are well known and loved with everyone I spoke to. Hotel staff will help you organize any outing you‘d like, I can recommend Dhow trips, but they also help with other activities (plus reasonable pricing recommendations). Eco friendly facilities and the breakfast is amazing with ingredients sourced almost exclusively from their own Lamu farm.

Stayed in January 2024

Beautiful and centrally located with Mohammed and the team going abive and beyond to make my time in Lamu unforgetable. Delicious meals- fresh and healthy.

Stayed in January 2024

I can't think of anything!

What can I say.. Subira House exceeded all our expectations and if you are looking to travel to Lamu - do not hesitate to book! On our first night, we had a lovely dinner with the owners (Kiki & Paul), Mohamed as well as other guests. I highly recommend this experience - delicious dinner with amazing company plus learned a lot about Lamu and its history! Mohamed organised a walking tour, sunset dhow cruise + snorkelling trip for us. All of it was seamless and just amazing! On top of this, Subira House is a grade 1 listed property in the heart of Lamu. The attention to detail, beautiful artwork and eco friendly ethos makes it one of the best guesthouses I have stayed in the world!! We made some amazing friends from the guesthouse that we will never forget... And we were treated like QUEENS! Best experience in Lamu :)

Stayed in January 2024

Wonderful experience! We spontaneously decided to visit Lamu and came across Subira’s house. The team organized an amiable boat driver who brought us to the house. Once we arrived we were welcomed by Mohammed, who showed us the building and our room. The atmosphere and hospitality of the staff are so friendly and warm, which made us very comfortable. The breakfast is amazing - try the moringa omelette! The rooms were very cute and spacious and we had a beautiful outdoor patio which was perfect to wind down in the evening. The team is very connected to the town and can help with any requests such as organizing a Henna Designer or finding great restaurants. We were so happy with the decision to visit this beautiful town and the Subira house, which is perfectly located! We hope that the house will remain like it is and will find a lovely new owner!

Stayed in December 2023

I just felt unconfortable the Last night when there was an energy cut.

The atmosphere of the place is superb because of the owners Christine and Paul who give it a special note. The building is very special and just behind Lamu Fort which allowed me to enter a Swahili Wedding. It was amazing.

Stayed in December 2023

Did not like the shower and toilet.

Very authentic, good location and helpful staff.

Stayed in December 2023

Being in Lamu town, it might be some time ‘noisy’. However, never after 11:00, and this is what to be expected with a local in town. Nothing dramatic

The location of Subira House could not be better if you wish to live in Lamu village. The staff as well as Christina were both helpful and friendly. I felt at home. Excellent value for money

Stayed in December 2023

When we were there there were several lengthy area-wide power cuts - it was incredibly hot in our room overnight with no power for the fan, and our room didn’t seem to get much of a breeze (maybe other rooms were better located from that point of view!). The only other criticism is that things like the communal water dispensers could have been topped up a bit more frequently, and our room sometimes could have benefitted from a slightly more thorough clean each day (important when there are bugs around, and we had a snack-obsessed toddler with us) and, lastly, there were quite a few flies bothering us at breakfast (probably a Lamu-wide issue) which made an otherwise very pleasant meal slightly less relaxing!

Subira house is a beautiful oasis of calm in the heart of Lamu town. The communal areas are lovingly furnished and comfortable, and the whole house has an otherworldly feel to it which we really loved. The views across the Lamu rooftops are delightful and the star gazing opportunities at night are fantastic. The food is good, we really appreciated their eco values (including the provision of free filtered water) and the staff are really attentive and friendly. We enjoyed getting to know the owners, who were helpful and always willing to impart local knowledge. We would recommend a stay here.

Stayed in December 2023

The soap in the bathrooms had a very strong off-putting scent. There was no shampoo or conditioner. The towels are not fast drying and not very absorbent. There were rips in the canopy bed netting, big enough for mosquitoes to get through and bite me many times throughout the night. I was bit more times here than on safari.

I thoroughly enjoyed the hospitality. The manager, Mohamed, was amazing, very friendly and accomodating. He organized snorkeling and a sunset boat ride. Went out on the water with some of his trusted captains who were chill and hospitable. He also showed me around Lamu Town. He made me feel comfortable. I don't know what I'd do if it weren't for his recommendations. The hotel staff were also very nice and helpful. The breakfast was filling and delicious.

Stayed in September 2023

Subira House was perfect as a sole traveller and for an extended stay (10 days). Kiki, Paul, Mohammed and all the staff made me feel really welcome and I met so many lovely people through the social dinners and breakfasts. Breakfast was amazing and the location was ideal in the middle of the old town. Have already recommended to friends and will stay here whenever I'm back in Lamu

Stayed in November 2023

The breakfast is absolutely delicious and thoughtful in every way. The recommendations are incredible and just the overall care for each and every guest is remarkable. So thankful to have stayed here!

Stayed in November 2023

N/A

I missed my morning flight on my day of travel to Lamu. The hotel manager was so handy in helping me book another flight the same day. He helped organize activities for me and guided me within the town. The hotel stuff were so friendly. I read the history of Subira House. It is a rustic "Omanish" house. I had a whole balcony for myself. I enjoyed my stay.

Stayed in October 2023

Simple, clean rooms in historic Lamu building behind the fort. Lovely breakfast and pleasant staff.

Stayed in August 2023

Staff was sometimes hard to find for help and they did not agree to provide additional towels for the beach. We were invited to use the same ones as for the shower which was unfortunate.

Nice and helpful staff, good breakfast. Located in the heart of the action in Lamu town right next to the fort. We were the only customers so literally had the house for us which was great Bathroom is private external nice Swahili architectural features throughout.

Stayed in September 2023

"Dry toilet" needs time to use to it.

Location and the hotel architecture are wonderful if you like to stay some historical sites. If it’s available, book the third floor ocean view suit. Private porch, unbelievable ocean view, you won’t regret it. Breakfast is remarkably. Located right behind the Lamu fort. Staff in hotel are all helpful and friendly.

Stayed in August 2023

Double bed with single sheets

The staff was very kind and helpful. The building is beautiful and the style is really nice. The breakfast was really good, especially home made bread and peanut butter!

Stayed in July 2023

Fantastic place to stay and enjoy the beautiful island of Lamu. It is located in a safe area close to the waterfront. The place has a great atmosphere in a historical building with very comfortable rooms. The breakfast was excellent, with fresh fruits and omelettes with moringa leaves. The staff was very helpful and kind; you can count on them for advice and suggestions to have a wonderful experience in Lamu.

Stayed in July 2023