I celebrated my 30th birthday in Kenya and split my time between Nairobi and Lamu. After my trip to Ghana in December 2021—January 2022, I wanted to return to Africa. I knew I wanted to experience a safari and enjoy downtime near a beach. So after much planning, I decided on Kenya and went with my sister.
Below, I’m sharing where to eat, play, and stay in Nairobi and Lamu, Kenya.
$10.00
Kenya itinerary
Grab my 7-day Kenya itinerary, which includes:
• The original itinerary I created for my trip
• Additional information (e.g. how to get around, what currency to bring)
Nairobi
Where to stay
Where to play
Where to eat
The Social House Nairobi
Their slogan is “1.3° from The Equator, 180° from Ordinary” and it’s a hub for locals and tourists alike. This Black woman-owned hotel is truly one of the best hotel stays I’ve ever had.
The art and decor throughout the hotel (including the rooms) are beautiful, and their attention to detail is impeccable! For example, they realized it was my birthday during my stay, without me even mentioning it. And they gave me a dessert sampler filled with sweets from their cafe bar, The Living Room.
Restaurants
Speaking of their restaurants, The Social House has four in total and each offers different options:
- The Living Room: Café-bar and coffee roastery at the front of the hotel that’s open 24 hours. This is one of the best places to get coffee since they serve their very own blend of Kenyan coffee.
- Copper (The Urban Grill): Has an open-fire grill and specializes in meat and fish dishes.
- The Other Room: A pool-side farm-to-table restaurant that also hosts the hotel’s a-la-carte breakfast and is open 24 hours.
- Inca: The hotel’s rooftop restaurant that serves Peruvian cuisine. This was hands down my favorite restaurant — the food and drinks are delicious. In fact, their pisco sours are the best I’ve had since my trip to Peru.
Amenities
Other amenities offered include a pool, TVs in every room, toiletries, and even plushy robes for purchase.
Ololo Lodge
Yet another accommodation that is one of the best I’ve ever stayed in. Can’t make it to Maasai Mara, and/or looking to stay within Nairobi’s National Park, this is the place for you. Ololo Lodge is an Australian family-owned safari lodge that is very tight-knit. In fact, we met the father and son, and they’re super friendly and knowledgeable about the lodge and National Park. The level of customer service from their staff was amazing, especially from their manager, James.
Amenities
We booked the tower room which offered two balconies with stunning views of the National Park. Through Ololo, you get to go on two safaris a day, morning and evening. The stay also includes complimentary breakfast, lunch, dinner, and beverages (alcoholic or non-alcoholic).
The lodge has a pool, a farm you can visit that they use for their restaurant, and even offers massages.
Nairobi National Park
Known as the “World’s only Wildlife Capital” because it’s the only national park in the world situated within a city. It’s a great place to go on safari and see the “Big 5” — the entrance fee is $60/per day.
There are tons of restaurants in Nairobi, but we ate most of our meals at the hotels we stayed at. Ololo Lodge offers complimentary breakfast, lunch, and dinner during your stay and The Social House has four restaurants.
Lamu
Where to stay
Where to play
Where to eat
The Majlis Resort
A spacious and beautiful beach hotel located on Manda Island in the Lamu archipelago. The decor and artwork throughout the resort are absolutely stunning. I also couldn’t get enough of the mix of Italian, Indian, and Swahili vibes with the clean, white aesthetics. The rooms are incredibly spacious, I felt like the bathroom in our room was almost too big. That feels very odd to say, but emphasizes how big it was.
The service was great, although one staff member didn’t seem too knowledgeable about what half-board included. They told us alcoholic beverages were included, but upon checkout, we were charged for our drinks. This wasn’t a big deal, but seems like something all staff should know.
Restaurants
Speaking of their drinks (and food), the resort has three restaurants on its property that offer different cuisines; these include Italian, Japanese, and International dishes. Honestly, many reviews said the food isn’t that great, and while I agree, I didn’t think it was awful. However, I agree with others who said their best cuisine is at the Japanese restaurant, the sushi was delicious.
Amenities
They offer three pools, toiletries, a spa (I’d HIGHLY recommend utilizing), and even a store to purchase swimsuits and souvenirs.
Explore Lamu
I’d highly recommend hiring a tour guide to explore Lamu since it has such a rich history. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the oldest and best-preserved Swahili settlement in East Africa.
Because the island has narrow alleyways, there are no cars. So you get around by either walking or riding a donkey. Two tuk-tuks on the island are used as ambulances, one for humans and the other for donkeys.
Get custom/tailored clothing
This is a must when visiting any African country and in Lamu, the best place to go is Aly King Boutique. They have so many prints to choose from and can create anything you want, from a romper to shorts.
Dhow Cruise
A traditional Swahili boat, taking a Dhow cruise is another must when in Kenya. We booked a sunset cruise through our hotel, which was serene and a beautiful way to end our trip.
There are some restaurants in Lamu to eat, but we ate most of our meals at the hotel. Especially because our room included half board — breakfast and lunch, or breakfast and dinner. Also, because we visited during the low season, some of the popular restaurants (e.g. Peponi Hotel Restaurant) were closed.
