The Lawford’s Hotel Kenya, review

The Lawford’s Hotel is a 4* hotel located in the small town of Malindi in Kenya. It is about two and half hours drive from the Mombasa international airport. It is a beautiful hotel with a lovely pool, beach with soft sand and a good location when you are planning to go for a safari. My friend and I stayed here for about a week and we were very pleased.

Where – Malindi, Kenya

When – The best time is during the no rainy season which is from December till March. However, if you are planning to go to Masai Mara to see the wildebeest migration, then the best time is between August and October.

How much – depends on the season and agency (about $250 per night, last-minute could be $170 per 2 nights)

My rating – 9 out of 10

 

Rooms and facilities

In one part there are standard rooms, in which we stayed, the other part consists of villas and villas with private pool. Our double room was a big room or almost a flat I could say. There is a bedroom with a bed with a mosquito net, and a separate dressing room to keep your clothes and suitcases. Another room is a big living room with a sofa and table with TV. The bathroom is equipped with a shower, sink, toilet, and hairdryer.  There is also a big balcony with a sofa, chairs, and table from which is a beautiful view of the hotel’s garden.

There is 24 hours reception desk located near the entrance of the hotel. The hotel has a big restaurant, lounge, and a bar that is located outside, so you can enjoy your drinks staring at the sky full of stars.

This hotel is located in a beautiful garden with palm trees, flowers, and a small lake. There is a lovely pool in the middle of the garden, where you can have a swim or just relax. The whole hotel is protected with a gate and 24 hours security for your safety.

 

 

Restaurants and bars

There is one big restaurant built in African style with African decorations and flowers. The food was very good, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We couldn’t complain. Even the first night we arrived very late, they were waiting for us to offer us dinner after the restaurant was already closed.

In the evening you can have a drink at the bar, which is outside under the roof with chairs and tables, or you can sit in front of the bar where are more chairs and tables under the sky. There is also a kind of lounge with comfortable sofas to relax.

 

Beach and pool

At the end of the garden is an entrance to the beach. The beach is huge with white soft sand, in some places reminding of small sandy dunes. There are sunbeds and also double beds with curtains for guests to relax on. Once you pass the sandy area, you will see the ocean. That was a bit of disappointment for us. The water was brown and not blue. We thought it was dirty, but they said it is natural. We did have a swim once there and it was nice, however, if you are coming to Kenya for beach swimming, I do not recommend this hotel.

The hotel has a lovely pool in the garden, with sunbeds provided. The water is great for swimming and it is a pleasant place for relaxation.

 

Location and customer service

This hotel is located in the center of Malindi. It is on the main road where you can find some restaurants and coffee places for tourists. Also, there are locals selling their fruits and clothes on the side of the road.

Just a few minutes walking there is a small shopping center with a supermarket where you can buy some food and drinks or local tea and coffee to take home from your holiday. There are some other small shops to look around.

It is also not far away to see the national museum of Kenya. For this and also for safari trips this hotel has a great location. However, if you are looking for a beach vacation, you better choose a hotel close to Watamu Beach, which is 30 minutes drive, or Diani Beach, the most beautiful beach in Kenya. It is about 3.5 hours drive from Malindi.

The customer service is great here. Everybody was very kind, friendly and helpful and they always had a smile on their face.

 

Overall review

Our main goal on this holiday was the safari, therefore we choose The Lawford’s hotel. I can say we were very pleased with it, due to the great location and walking distance to the town. We could see and experience real life in Africa, we were able to do some sightseeing and made trips to some islands. Moreover, we still were able to relax at the beach or at the pool. The whole hotel and garden are very clean and pleasing and we had a great time here. The only disadvantage is the ocean. If you are not coming for a swim in the ocean, this hotel could be a good choice.