Shiban House

My favorite thing about Shiban was the service. I was absolutely new to Lamu, but Joseph was nothing short of a great host. He literally took care of all the nitty gritty things that you could think of. From arranging each and every transfer for me, helping me with my itinerary , guiding me even single day on the streets so that I don't get lost, to ensuring I have every single thing I need. Overall, Lamu is a great travel destination. Another peak for me was learning about their culture. I was a solo female traveller and not once did I feel unsafe in the slightest way. Definitely coming again with my friends.

That I should have stayed longer.

It was clean, comfortable and perfectly located. Joseph, the manager, was absolutely amazing!

The warms are quite hot - we had to sleep with the doors and windows open as well as having the fan on.

The communication from ‘Booking.com was clear as was communicating with the host Saada which made organising easier. I liked the authenticity of the property and the traditional doors structure of the place. The room had ample space and was pleasant for my stay. The kind and friendly guide Joseph even organised a local henna lady to paint a traditional Swahili design onto my hands. He took me to a lovely breakfast and coffee place overlooking the jetty and was always ready to take pics of me so I could capture the vision. Joseph walked me through all the winding narrow sand streets to meet the captain of the boat which Saada had organised for me so I could go back to Lamu to catch my flight back to Mombasa. Asante Sana Joseph for making my experience so memorable.

The property is difficult to find and some pre planning with the host is necessary if want to be picked up and taken back from the jetty etc The upgraded room I had booked had some problems and I was given another room with some money back which was fine. Breakfast not really available at the property and I didn’t meet the host , but there are plenty of great options overlooking the beach etc

Joseph is the man, and he's the reason why so many people recommend the place. He's very helpful and can arrange almost everything on the island. He's very relaxed and friendly. The breakfast was delicious and plenty. The place is very clean. I liked its location, only a 10-15 minute walk to the beach, near to a school.

Overall, there is a lack of TLC, which is a real shame. There's almost no water in the shower, just a cold trickle, which made it impossible to wash my hair. There's only 1 tiny bit of soap, so bring your own. The roof terrace offers nice views, but it's dilapidated and needs fixed, it's not a place to sit and relax. As long as you don't expect any luxury, you'll be ok