Petley’s Inn stands on the sea front in Lamu Town, next to the waterfront museum. The oldest accommodation on Lamu Island, the Inn is presented in traditional colonial Swahili style. It offers a roof-top bar, a charming restaurant, a swimming pool and sundeck and a popular restaurant. The Lamu archipelago is a cluster of hot low-lying desert islands, which runs for some 60 km parallel to the coastline of northern Kenya. The last survivor of a one thousand year-old civilization, Lamu was founded by the Arabs in the seventh century and traded for centuries thereafter in ivory, rhino horn and slaves. Today it offers a unique showcase for the traditional Swahili culture, a bustling historic town and some of the most pristine beaches in Africa. The most famous in the archipelago, measuring about 16 km by 7km, Lamu resembles a smaller version of Zanzibar. Here, however, transport is by foot, donkey or dhow – there are no cars on the island. A magnificent Swahili settlement and a World Heritage Site, Lamu Town is a maze of winding streets and intricately carved doorways, which lies to the north-east of the island. The fishing village of Shela lies to the south (with a 12 km beach), while Kipungani is the local centre for dhow-building and palm-mat weav

Location and seasons

Petley’s Inn is located on Lamu Island, 225 km from Malindi.Kenya’s north coast, one of her most popular beach holiday destinations, offers clear blue sea, marine parks, excellent water sports, coral reefs, monsoon winds, numerous hotels and beach resorts, family vacations, sun n sand, cultural and beach travel and more. Close to Mombasa, it is also within easy reach of Malindi, Lamu, Diani and many other popular Kenya safari resort hotels. Transfers to Lamu take around 10 minutes by boat from Manda Island. 

Accommodation

Petley’s Inn has 11 rooms which are self contained, air-conditioned with mosquito nets, en suite bathrooms and sea view.

Dining and bars

The Inn offers a small restaurant, which serves a wide range of cuisine, but masters on seafood. There is also a colourful roof-top bar.

What to see and do

An idyllic climate cooled by the monsoon, the Swahili coast offers a daily average of 8 hours of sunshine, and the hot steamy climate is tempered by the monsoon winds: the south-easterly Kaskazi, which blows from April to October; and the north-easterly Kazi which blows from November to March. 

General facilities: 

Outdoor swimming pool 

Excursions to Nearby Islands & Lamu Stone-Town 

Water Sports