Secret gardens and stately Swahili retreats.

Off the bustling waterfront of Shela village, dhows sway gently on the incoming tide as merchants and fishermen cross back and forth on the shimmering sand. A few steps away, a few white steps and a small entranceway, framed by clusters of frangipani and bougainvillea flowers, opens to cool shade and green shadows.

Entering Kijani Hotel is like stepping into a secret garden. Two aquamarine pools glow gently in the shade of giant kunazi trees, small tables and beach chairs lie in the shade of a profusion of different species of palm trees, and flowering flamboyant and yellow oleanders branch out over large terraces that face the ocean. ‘Kijani’ means green in Kiswahili, at once invoking the colour of Islam, the small hotel’s verdant gardens, and new growth.

Kijani’s rooms and gardens are filled with antiques or handmade replicas of the furniture, lanterns, ornaments, and utensils that graced the stately houses of Lamu’s past. Copies of Old Portuguese lanterns hang from white archways. An arrangement of ceramic water pots stand – used to carry oil and water aboard ships centuries ago – stand under the shade of a palm tree.

The 10 rooms are vast and cool, shards of sunlight and ample breeze welcomed through tall shutters. A canopied Swahili bed stands beside antique cupboards and tables coloured with hand-painted Indian tiles and painted glass. In the bathroom, intricately carved mirrors set off the sensuous effect of the walls, ceiling, and floor in warm ochre, its heady oriental effect heightened by shafts of light filtering through shutters from the world outside.

Kijani Hotel offers a retreat from the bright bustle of Lamu’s waterfront – a lush oasis of green gardens, pools, and cool rooms in all their Swahili splendour.

Kijani restaurant offer an exotic selection of seafood, Swahili dishes and a touch of Italian cuisine. Fruit and vegetable are coming from the Kijani small farm in the middle of Lamu Island.
Available from the cellar, a good selection of Italian and South African wine’s.

Kijani is closed for off season during May and June