Villa Review; A beachfront Lone Island Resort

Escaping the city’s crazy traffic, annoying noise and just everyday’s hustle and bustle doesn’t get better than this.

A solo resort located in a small island, Manda homes give off serene and peaceful villa vibes ideal for solo, couple or even family vacationing.

As an old town, Lamu has a lot of breathtaking architectural history. Some of these are evident in how Manda homes is built, from the designs on the doors, their balconies, and even the furniture. A perfect place where history merges with modernity to create the perfect ambience.

For example the design of the bed I slept in highly intrigued me, until I visited the Lamu Museum and realised that the Sultans of centuries ago slept in almost similar bed designs. That night after getting back from the museum, I slept like a king (pun intended.)

The only thing I was scared of before travelling was being underwhelmed by my experience in Lamu (you know how your expectations can be so high up there that it would be extremely difficult to meet them.) I am so glad that I wasn’t disappointed and ended up having a great time. If anything, I met all my expectations and surpassed some.

The best feature for me was the ambience. I would give an arm and a leg to be there right now, writing this while subconsciously watching out for the incoming tide, the salty smell of the ocean drifting in and out of the air, the only sound being that of the constant waves hitting the wall separating the house and small garden from the ocean.

The only view for miles is some mangrove trees and of course the water.

For the first time in a long while I saw a pool I did not use – not because it was bad or anything – but only because the pool’s background is the beach. Who would remember to use a pool in such a scenario? But honestly, the pool in this villa is one of the clearest, cleanest pools I’ve seen with a complete Line up of poolside beds under a shade to keep off the sun. If you are a pool person you would truly enjoy this.

Peep the pool with the ocean background

One of the things I loved most about this villa was how welcoming and friendly the staff was. They make sure you to let you know that they are available at whatever time while staying out of your way. You’ll hardly notice their presence. From the chef by the name Paul that made amazing local dishes for us to the speed boat “captain” one Hashim, the staff were nothing short of amazing.

Put in mind there are no vehicles in Lamu, so alot of movement depends on tides and what not. Orders on your preferred menu of choice for the whole day need to be given early( a day prior would be ideal especially for the following day’s breakfast) so that the kitchen staff can make orders for fresh supplies in advance. Another thing I enjoyed about my stay here was the round the clock boat availablity which made movement not only convenient but also enjoyable. The night rides were – personally – one of those adrenaline filled activities I never knew I needed in my life until I got to experience them.

The house has huge bedrooms with spacious bathrooms, spanned out on two floors. The balcony views are ofcourse to die for, with the master bedroom on the first floor being the best place to catch their slow sunsets and sunrises.

sunset for two please

Is there a price tag to peace, quiet and happiness? I would say no – but what do I know really? The gazebo gives you a chance to experience all that and more especially at night after a long day of touring the Lamu Archipelago.

Generally speaking I had the time of my life here and I would definitely recommend this to all and sundry. A little paradise on earth.

If you are looking to vacation in Lamu and need that peace and quiet, I think Manda homes is the perfect place for you, a home away from home type of resort. We are heading into peak season and so the earlier you book with them the better for everyone involved. To make a reservation you can visit their website Manda.homes