This historical Arabian-style building is located in the UNESCO-listed town of Lamu. It is less than 984 feet from the seafront and 1.9 mi from the white sandy beach. The bright rooms at Subira House have either a patio or a balcony and some have sea views and free Wi-Fi. Every room has a fan, a seating area, and a dining area. Guests can enjoy a free buffet breakfast each day at the restaurant. The restaurant serves a range of healthy organic cuisine, with packed lunches and room service available upon request. This eco-friendly property has a library and a garden with sunny terrace, and offers massages and babysitting services. Activities in the area include Snorkeling , whale-shark swimming, canoeing, yoga and a day trip to our Perma culture farm. The Lamu Airport is less than 1.9 mi from the property, but can only be accessed by boat.

Couples in particular like the location – they rated it 9.5 for a two-person trip.

Distance in property description is calculated using © OpenStreetMap

Property Highlights

Top Location: Highly rated by recent guests (9.5)


Availability

Select dates to see this property's availability and prices

Room Type
Number of guests
 
2 twin beds
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Property practices

This property told us they've implemented certain practices across some or all of these categories: waste, water, energy and greenhouse gases, destination and community, and nature.
Guest reviews

Categories:

Staff
9.6
Facilities
8.6
Cleanliness
9.0
Comfort
8.9
Value for money
9.2
Location
9.5
Free WiFi
7.0
High score for Lamu
Select topics to read reviews:

See what guests loved the most:

  • Lesly
    Australia Australia
    Mostly, I was totally relaxed and the longer O stayed, the more relaxed I became. It is very well maintained and beautifully renovated hotel in the middle of the old town of Luma. Great effort has been made to reduce its environmental footprint...
  • Lauren
    United States of America United States of America
    Mohamed & staff were wonderful. The food was amazing.
  • A
    Alexander
    Germany Germany
    Gorgeous house with amazing swahili flair, lovely hosts. Seems like they contribute to the Lamu community in a big way, they are well known and loved with everyone I spoke to. Hotel staff will help you organize any outing you‘d like, I can...

Hosted by Swedish Christina and Dutch Paul Aarts are owners since 1990.They met here 1975.

9.6
9.6
Host Review Score
Host Review Score

Swedish Christina and Dutch Paul Aarts are owners since 1990.They met here 1975.
The property is a magnificent grade one historical building from 1880 of high architectural interest in Lamu's UNESCO listed Stonetown. You find Subira right behind the Lamu Fort in the middle of the Old Town. We have added two Top Terraces with a sea view. Spacious terraces, courtyards and gardens make Subira House very special. Lamu Town has no proper sewage system , therefore we have - in line with our environmental values - decided not to install regular flush toilets. Lamu, by tradition, used long drop toilets that discharge into a pit latrine. We have 2 types of toilets here at Subira House. The Swedish Separett waterless toilet system (which separates urine and solid waste, then usable for compost), and the traditional Lamu long drop toilets. We are eco certified since 2011.
Paul and I met in 1975 in Lamu. 1990 we came back from Sweden with our children on a holiday and bought this magnificent building, the former "Liwali's House". We restored the old walls and ceilings in a traditional way. In 2006 we moved to Lamu after selling our Dala- Floda Hotel Restaurant in Sweden which we restored and run for 30 years. Sweden's first Slow Food Restaurant!
Subira House is located behind the big Lamu Fort not far from the magic Mkunguni, Lamu Square. No cars only hand carts and donkeys help distributing the incoming goods from the busy sea front .You will stay in a World Cultural Heritage Site. Lamu Town dates back to the 11 th Century. Life is slow and peaceful and time has gone by here much like today. To go to the beach you easily catch a boat from the nearby jetty. You have Shela Beach on the southern part and Manda Beach across the channel. Unspoilt and beautiful. If you wish to make a nice walk we let you come along to our "shamba", a three acres piece of land where we practice Permaculture. 3 km walk to get there. We show you our work, you rest on the terrace in the winds from the Ocean. We serve a simple shamba lunch with organcfood that grows there. Towards afternoon we help you find the way across the sand dunes to the sea. You walk another 6 km to Shela Village. Back to Lamu maybe by boat. A lovely interesting day out much appreciated by our guests. A Sunset Sail Tour is a must. Our captain comes by to pick you up to take you by a big "Kassa|" Dhow out to sail along the Mangrove boarded shores to watch the setting sun.
Languages spoken: German,English,French,Dutch,Norwegian,Swedish,Swahili

Area info

Restaurants
1 Restaurant On Site

  • Karkadeh
    • Cuisine
      Local

Amenities of Subira House
Great facilities! Review score, 8.6

Most popular amenities
  • Free WiFi
  • Airport shuttle
  • Non-smoking rooms
  • Restaurant
  • Tea/Coffee Maker in All Rooms
  • Bar
Bathroom
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels
  • Towels/Sheets (extra fee)
  • Bathtub or shower
  • Private Bathroom
  • Toilet
  • Shower
Bedroom
  • Linens
  • Wardrobe or closet
  • Extra long beds (> 6.5 ft)
View
  • View
Outdoors
  • Outdoor furniture
  • Outdoor dining area
  • Sun deck
  • Patio
  • Terrace
  • Garden
Kitchen
  • Shared kitchen
  • Dining table
  • Electric kettle
Room Amenities
  • Socket near the bed
  • Clothes rack
Activities
  • Live music/Performance
  • Tour or class about local culture
    Additional charge
  • Themed dinners
    Additional charge
  • Walking tours
  • Temporary art galleries
  • Water sports facilities on site
    Additional charge
  • Snorkeling
    Additional charge
  • Diving
    Additional charge
  • Hiking
  • Canoeing
    Additional charge
  • Windsurfing
    Additional charge
  • Fishing
    Additional charge
Living Area
  • Dining area
  • Sofa
  • Sitting area
  • Desk
Food & Drink
  • Coffee house on site
  • Fruit
    Additional charge
  • Wine/Champagne
    Additional charge
  • Kid-friendly buffet
  • Kids' meals
    Additional charge
  • Special diet meals (on request)
  • Bar
  • Restaurant
  • Tea/Coffee maker
Internet
WiFi is available in some rooms and is free of charge.
Parking
No parking available.
Front Desk Services
  • Lockers
  • Private check-in/out
  • Concierge
  • ATM on site
  • Baggage storage
Entertainment & Family Services
  • Baby safety gates
  • Board games/Puzzles
  • Board games/puzzles
  • Babysitting/Child services
    Additional charge
Cleaning Services
  • Daily housekeeping
  • Ironing service
    Additional charge
  • Laundry
    Additional charge
Business Facilities
  • Fax/Photocopying
    Additional charge
  • Meeting/Banquet facilities
    Additional charge
Safety & security
  • Fire extinguishers
  • Key access
  • 24-hour security
  • Safe
General
  • Shuttle service
    Additional charge
  • Shared lounge/TV area
  • Vending machine (snacks)
  • Vending machine (drinks)
  • Designated smoking area
  • Smoke-free property
  • Mosquito net
  • Wake-up service
  • Packed lunches
  • Fan
  • Airport shuttle
    Additional charge
  • Non-smoking rooms
  • Wake-up service/Alarm clock
Accessibility
  • Upper floors accessible by stairs only
Spa
  • Locker rooms
  • Personal trainer
  • Yoga classes
  • Massage chair
  • Hairstyling
  • Beauty services
  • Massage
    Additional charge
Languages Spoken
  • German
  • English
  • French
  • Dutch
  • Norwegian
  • Swedish
  • Swahili

House rules

Subira House takes special requests – add in the next step!

Check-in

From 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Check-out

From 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM

 

Cancellation/
prepayment

Cancellation and prepayment policies vary according to accommodations type. Please enter the dates of your stay and check what conditions apply to your preferred room.

Children & Beds

Child policies

Children of all ages are welcome.

Children 13 and above will be charged as adults at this property.

To see correct prices and occupancy info, add the number and ages of children in your group to your search.

Crib and extra bed policies

0 - 2 years
Crib upon request
Free

The number of cribs allowed depends on the option you choose. Check your selected option for more info.

There are no extra beds available at this property.

All cribs are subject to availability.

Age restriction

The minimum age for check-in is 18

Mastercard Visa Cash Subira House accepts these cards and reserves the right to temporarily hold an amount prior to arrival.


Smoking

Smoking is not allowed.

Parties

Parties/events are not allowed

Quiet hours

Guests need be quiet between 9:00 PM and 8:00 AM.

Pets

Pets are not allowed.

The fine print
Must-know information for guests at this property

Please note that the island of Lamu is only accessible by boat. Flights arrive at Lamu Airport on Manda Island and busses arrive at Mokowe.

In order for Subira House to arrange boat transport, please inform them in advance of your flight or bus arrival details. Associated costs must be paid in advance. Contact details are provided in the booking confirmation email.

Lamu Old Town is Kenya's oldest settlement. It is an important site for Islamic activities and celebrations.

Please inform Subira House of your expected arrival time in advance. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly using the contact details in your confirmation.

This property does not accommodate bachelor(ette) or similar parties.

Quiet hours are between 21:00:00 and 08:00:00.

FAQs about Subira House

  • Subira House has 1 restaurant:

    • Karkadeh

  • Subira House is 800 feet from the center of Lamu. All distances are measured in straight lines. Actual travel distances may vary.

  • Subira House offers the following activities/services (charges may apply):

    • Massage
    • Hiking
    • Snorkeling
    • Diving
    • Fishing
    • Canoeing
    • Windsurfing
    • Personal trainer
    • Themed dinners
    • Hairstyling
    • Water sports facilities on site
    • Beauty services
    • Tour or class about local culture
    • Yoga classes
    • Walking tours
    • Massage chair
    • Live music/Performance
    • Locker rooms
    • Temporary art galleries

  • Check-in at Subira House is from 11:00 AM, and check-out is until 12:00 PM.

  • The prices at Subira House may vary depending on your stay (e.g. dates, hotel's policy etc.). To see prices, enter your dates.

  • Room options at Subira House include:

    • Twin
    • Family
    • Double