The Red Pepper House

Lamu was my final stop after three weeks of game driving and watching the mass migration. This small boutique hotel was a perfect choice to wind down after being on a jeep for days on end. The location is secluded and away from the town center, with a decent beach front view. All 5 suites are spacious, with an ample outdoor area to lounge in and take in the view. And the architectural design had a Taj Mahal feel about it, especially the off white polished plaster walls throughout. But what made this place memorable was the entire staff under the baton of Joseph the general manager. I was lucky to be the only guest during my stay. The entire staff made me feel special and well taken care of. Cassena whom I was fortunate to have wait on me during meals and on our dhow sailing outing, was more valuable to me than a personal valet. And he was fluent in Italian which was an extra plus. Sylvester the chef, I cannot compliment him enough. He willingly listened to my suggestions and came up with dishes that to me capture the essence of the island. To do that requires more than skill, it requires talent and dedication which he had in spades. This is starting to feel like an Oscar acceptance speech, so I must mention Faith and Eunice, plus the two handsome young men that kept the grounds impeccably clean. Abbi, the boat pilot who took me a couple of times to Shela beach, (which is the best beach I have ever been in) and with his brother Munar on that glorious sunset sail on a dhow. I need to include the striking Masai who were in charge of security at night. And lastly Joseph who is the pulsing heart of this lovely establishment and the band leader of the Chicos Calientes, a bongo group made up of the entire staff who regaled me with a goodbye repertoire that has become engraved in my mind. The town itself is bustling with people and donkeys which are the main mode of cargo transportation on the narrow streets. The Muslim call to prayer which starts at 4:30 a.m. and is magnified by speakers outside their mosques is a challenge. There are unsightly sections between the town and the hotel that reek of accumulated garbage, so it is best to use water transportation available in front of the hotel. At first I thought I had made a mistake but the charms of the town slowly unfolded and by the end I was sorry to leave. The ritzy section of the island is in Shela beach which is a mini Portofino with stratospheric prices to match. But the soul of Lamu is at the Red Pepper House thanks to the kind souls that run it.

We have just left The Red Pepper House and I can honestly say that my family and I felt emotional saying goodbye. Manager Joseph, Faith, Caseanna and all the people who work at The Red Pepper are so hospital and welcoming that they made our stay truly memorable. The house itself is beautiful and Fredrick the chef is outstanding - his set menu meals were the best that we had on Lamu. The beach in front of the hotel is not the prettiest on Lamu (you need to go to Shela for that) but the vibe is great. The locals like to play football outside the hotel on Friday and there is always something of interest going on. We were there for the Dhow boat race on January 1st which was an absolute must - Joseph took us out on their Dhow and we watched it from the water. Munawar, our captain also happened to be on the winning Dhow and it was a treat to have him jump back on board with us straight after the race to roars of cheers from the locals as he sailed us back to the hotel. The sunset dhow was great as was Joseph's tour of the old town. We're now spending a couple of days at the Pepponi but I wish we were back at the Red Pepper House.