The Majlis Resort

The best thing about this place is the furniture and architecture resembling the old Arabic style that existed in this religion long ago. The food was terrible, marketing that they have different restaurants is laughable as they all have the same menu. The bread was always stale, burger was probably one of the worst I have had in a while. The staff was horribly trained. Took 20 mins to order water, some of the staff are quite rude (although most of the staff were kind and helpful—shoutout Mike for the bike ride. The bartenders were never attentive and when sat down at the restaurant they would avoid eye contact until we had to go up as ask what the deal was. I ordered a drink to the pool, and after an hour of waiting, I asked one of the waiters where it was, and they had forgotten. Despite the intense heat, not once did anyone ask us if we wanted water—had to ask ourselves, which sounds pretentious but this was marketed as a 5 star, so that is the bare minimum. At dinner, they moved us twice from our table to a table right next to the grill which smelled of smoke, saying there was another family that had booked the table we were originally sitting at (even though the receptionist said at the beginning that you do not need to book for any of the restaurants, which turned out to be false). Lo and behold, nobody ended up sitting at that table so we were moved for no reason. There were people smoking in the restaurant on New Year’s Eve, who were also quite rude and disrespectful of their surroundings. Probably friends or family of the owners, who I’ve heard from other reviews are horrible and racist people. Again, beautiful hotel, but I am never coming back.

The service was absolutely great! They had just launched a new menu as well at the Mediterranean restaurant and the food was very flavourful! The infinity pool was a key highlight, great place to relax and enjoy a dip with a view of the sunset! Definitely going back!

I thought the Majlis was a mixed bag, although overall reasonably good. The pools, beach and some of the main areas are quite nice, but it’s let down by fairly drab rooms (at least mine - room 20 - was very meh) and average food. On a second visit to Lamu I would either stay at Peponi, where I went for dinner, which has much better food and a more convenient location to explore Lamu on foot, or opt for Manda Bay Lodge for a secluded beach experience (though I didn’t have a chance to check it out).

Transfers from Lamu Airport to The Majlis are via boat as there are no roads on Manda Island. We considered this a bonus as you get to appreciate the beauty of the Lamu Archipelago and surrounding areas! The Majlis sits at one end of Manda Island, opposite the sand dunes of Shela, with a beautiful white sandy beach and a background of swaying palms. The hotel consists of traditional low level buildings scattered throughout the extensive gardens and includes 3 superb swimming pools. We had a adjoining rooms as we travelled with our daughter and these were spacious, well appointed and decorated with local art and artefacts. The beds were extremely comfortable with full mosquito nets at night. All of the staff were courteous, extremely friendly and looked after our every need. Special mention must go the Bonnie (Concierge), Florence (Reception), Enock (Pool Towels) and Freddie (Pool Bar) as they all went above & beyond to make our stay a memorable one. We arrived realising we'd left something important at home but Bonnie & Florence went out of their way to successfully solve the problem and for this we will be eternally grateful.....thanks again guys we really appreciated all of your support. Food served throughout the hotel restaurants was well prepared, well presented and very tasty but the menu was at times a little limited in the number of options. There are no negatives with The Majlis and its currently a hidden gem but we get the impression this part of East Africa is about to take off and The Majlis will rise *head & shoulders" above other local hotel offerings as tourism increases! As a family we are seasoned travellers and have experienced many wonderful hotels and destinations but The Majlis has gone to the top of our list! We will most certainly be coming back!

In September last year, I took a trip to Lamu for 4 nights with my husband and 6 of our friends, and we stayed at the Majlis Hotel. Without organising this myself, I was happy to discover that my group and I were all set up to reside in different rooms but in one villa, which was helpful as it is enabled us to be in one space all together. My husband and I stayed in room 39 which was very clean, and had a somewhat decent view. The room was spacious and we had all we need to make it a comfortable stay for us. We were received very warmly by the Majlis reception staff and managed to check into our rooms rather easily and quickly, as they had all our booking details in order. During our stay we managed to enjoy the hotel's amenities, for instance, they have 3 pools which is great if you'd like to diversify your view and have some privacy in some moments. Also, as someone who works remotely, I found it a really peaceful place to get some work done whilst relaxing. Also, service was good, however, we were not quite blown away with the food options. It would have been great to have a bit more diversity to the meals, as well as flavour. Upon arrival, I ordered a chicken club sandwich that was rather dry and bland, and I tried it another time and it was the same - bleh. Other than improvements with the food, I would say our general experience at the hotel was rather pleasant, and we will definitely be back. If you're looking for a nice and peaceful place to get away with friends, this could be a good option, as it seems conducive for couples as well as groups.

The Majlis Resort was everything I wanted for a peaceful and luxurious escape. During my stay, the resort was quite busy, but the staff handled the increased demand with grace and kindness. Despite the full resort, I never felt like I was just one of many guests. The team worked hard to ensure each guest was treated with personal care and attention, making my experience all the more special. Leila, the manager at the boutique, deserves a special mention. She was incredibly helpful, offering personal recommendations for souvenirs and local crafts. I ended up purchasing a beautiful piece of jewelry, and it’s a reminder of the wonderful stay I had at The Majlis. She made my experience at the boutique feel very personal and special. The spa experience was another highlight. I had the pleasure of booking a session with Victoria, and she was absolutely amazing. Her expertise and calming presence made it the perfect way to unwind. The staff were truly exceptional, and despite the busy resort, they ensured that my stay was smooth and relaxing. The Majlis Resort is the perfect destination for anyone seeking luxury, tranquility, and outstanding service.