Name: Subira House
Address: Behind Lamu Fort, 80500 Lamu, Kenya, Behind Lamu Fort, Lamu, 80500, Kenya
Rating: 8.6

Subira House

–Excellent location – show map

+122 photos

About this property

This historical Arabian-style building is located in the UNESCO-listed town of Lamu. It is less than 984 feet from the seafront and 1.9 mi from the white sandy beach. The bright rooms at Subira House have either a patio or a balcony and some have sea views and free Wi-Fi. Every room has a fan, a seating area, and a dining area. Guests can enjoy a free buffet breakfast each day at the restaurant. The restaurant serves a range of healthy organic cuisine, with packed lunches and room service available upon request. This eco-friendly property has a library and a garden with sunny terrace, and offers massages and babysitting services. Activities in the area include Snorkeling , whale-shark swimming, canoeing, yoga and a day trip to our Perma culture farm. The Lamu Airport is less than 1.9 mi from the property, but can only be accessed by boat.

Couples in particular like the location – they rated it 8.5 for a two-person trip.

Distance in property description is calculated using © OpenStreetMap

Property highlights

- Perfect for a 3-night stay!
- Top Location: Highly rated by recent guests (9.0)
- Options with:
- Garden view
- Terrace

Availability

Select one or more options you want to book

All available options

Select a room type and the number of rooms you want to reserve.
Room type	Number of guests	Today's Price	Your choices	To save you time, we’ve selected this property’s typical room type for two people. You can always change room type or quantity below. Select amount
Double Room with Private External Bathroom Recommended for 2 adults We have 1 left 1 king bed 194 feet² Balcony Garden view Inner courtyard view Patio Private bathroom Terrace Safe Toilet Sofa Bathtub or shower Towels Linens Socket near the bed Desk Sitting area Mosquito net Tea/Coffee maker Fan Extra long beds (> 6.5 ft) Towels/Sheets (extra fee) Wake-up service/Alarm clock Electric kettle Outdoor furniture Outdoor dining area Wake-up service Wardrobe or closet Dining area Dining table Upper floors accessible by stairs only Clothes rack Toilet paper Board games/puzzles	Max. people: 2	$55 per night Price $165 Excluded: 16 % VAT, 2 % City tax	Wonderful breakfast included Partially refundable Pay online	Select Rooms
	Max. people: 1 Only for 1 guest	$44 per night Price $132 Excluded: 16 % VAT, 2 % City tax	Wonderful breakfast included Partially refundable Pay online	Select Rooms
Double Room with Private Bathroom We have 1 left 1 king bed 226 feet² Balcony Garden view Patio Attached bathroom Terrace	Max. people: 2	$59 per night Price $178 Excluded: 16 % VAT, 2 % City tax	Wonderful breakfast included Partially refundable Pay online	Select Rooms
	Max. people: 1 Only for 1 guest	$42 per night Price $127 Excluded: 16 % VAT, 2 % City tax	Wonderful breakfast included Partially refundable Pay online	Select Rooms

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Guest reviews

Categories:

Staff

Facilities

Cleanliness

Comfort

Value for money

Location

Free Wifi

Guests who stayed here loved

Marzena
United States
“Subira house is a pure nest of Lamu for travelers. Every detail has a story and a soul. The place is magical filled with history of the island and beyond. The homemade food is delicious made from scratch, from yogurt to bread and homegrown...”
Lesly
Australia
“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...”
Lauren
United States
“Mohamed & staff were wonderful. The food was amazing.”
Morayma
Mexico
“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!”
Edouard
United States
“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...”
Yue
United States
“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...”
Kibii
Kenya
“Great of Paul, Christina and Victoria to chat with guests. Feels homely. And a beautiful story they have!”
Zollinger
United States
“Breakfast was excellent, consisting of local fruits, yogurt, eggs and delicious bread. All fresh and tasty. Most of all, we loved the people working at the hotel. We felt like family.”
Barbara
Netherlands
“The rooms are nice and authentic, the staff is super sweet and the food is amazing.”
Mariana
Portugal
“Absolutely wonderful staff, great food, and beautiful house and decor. Great vibe, and nice people coming in during the day for tea, lounging, or eating a bite. I loved staying in Lamu Town for a few days (I have stayed in Shela too) — it's...”

Managed by Swedish Christina and Dutch Paul Aarts are owners since 1990.They met here 1975.

Company review score: 9.6Based on 199 reviews from 1 property

1 managed property

Company info

Paul and I met in 1975 in Lamu. 1990 we came back from Sweden with our children on a holiday and bought this magnificent building, the former "Liwali's House". We restored the old walls and ceilings in a traditional way. In 2006 we moved to Lamu after selling our Dala- Floda Hotel Restaurant in Sweden which we restored and run for 30 years. Sweden's first Slow Food Restaurant!

Property info

The property is a magnificent grade one historical building from 1880 of high architectural interest in Lamu's UNESCO listed Stonetown. You find Subira right behind the Lamu Fort in the middle of the Old Town. We have added two Top Terraces with a sea view. Spacious terraces, courtyards and gardens make Subira House very special. Lamu Town has no proper sewage system , therefore we have - in line with our environmental values - decided not to install regular flush toilets. Lamu, by tradition, used long drop toilets that discharge into a pit latrine. We have 2 types of toilets here at Subira House. The Swedish Separett waterless toilet system (which separates urine and solid waste, then usable for compost), and the traditional Lamu long drop toilets. We are eco certified since 2011.

Neighborhood info

Subira House is located behind the big Lamu Fort not far from the magic Mkunguni, Lamu Square. No cars only hand carts and donkeys help distributing the incoming goods from the busy sea front .You will stay in a World Cultural Heritage Site. Lamu Town dates back to the 11 th Century. Life is slow and peaceful and time has gone by here much like today. To go to the beach you easily catch a boat from the nearby jetty. You have Shela Beach on the southern part and Manda Beach across the channel. Unspoilt and beautiful. If you wish to make a nice walk we let you come along to our "shamba", a three acres piece of land where we practice Permaculture. 3 km walk to get there. We show you our work, you rest on the terrace in the winds from the Ocean. We serve a simple shamba lunch with organcfood that grows there. Towards afternoon we help you find the way across the sand dunes to the sea. You walk another 6 km to Shela Village. Back to Lamu maybe by boat. A lovely interesting day out much appreciated by our guests. A Sunset Sail Tour is a must. Our captain comes by to pick you up to take you by a big "Kassa|" Dhow out to sail along the Mangrove boarded shores to watch the setting sun.

Languages Spoken

German,English,French,Dutch,Norwegian,Swedish,Swahili

Area info

Restaurants

1 Restaurant On Site

Karkadeh
- Cuisine
  Local

House rules

Subira House takes special requests – add in the next step!

Check-in

From 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM

You need to let the property know what time you'll be arriving in advance.

Check-out

From 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Cancellation/ prepayment

Cancellation and prepayment policies vary according to accommodation type. Check what conditions apply to each option when making your selection.

Children & Beds

Child policies

Children of all ages are welcome.

Children 13 and above will be charged as adults at this property.

To see correct prices and occupancy info, add the number and ages of children in your group to your search.

Crib and extra bed policies

0 - 2 years

Crib upon request

Free

The number of cribs allowed depends on the option you choose. Check your selected option for more info.

There are no extra beds available at this property.

All cribs are subject to availability.

Age restriction

The minimum age for check-in is 18

Pets

Pets are not allowed.

Accepted payment methods

Cash

Smoking

Smoking is not allowed.

Parties

Parties/events are not allowed

Quiet hours

Guests need be quiet between 9:00 PM and 8:00 AM.

The fine print

Must-know information for guests at this property

Please note that the island of Lamu is only accessible by boat. Flights arrive at Lamu Airport on Manda Island and busses arrive at Mokowe.

In order for Subira House to arrange boat transport, please inform them in advance of your flight or bus arrival details. Associated costs must be paid in advance. Contact details are provided in the booking confirmation email.

Lamu Old Town is Kenya's oldest settlement. It is an important site for Islamic activities and celebrations.

Please inform Subira House of your expected arrival time in advance. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly using the contact details in your confirmation.

This property does not accommodate bachelor(ette) or similar parties.

Quiet hours are between 21:00:00 and 08:00:00.

Subira House