Peponi Hotel is an institution in Lamu. Founded in 1966 by the Korschen family, the boutique hotel initially just had four rooms in its humble beginnings. Over the years, successive generations steadily expanded the hotel and today, under the management of Carol Korschen, Peponi offers 28 rooms, a pool, a small boutique and sprawling gardens with beautiful flowers.

The Peponi Restaurant is widely known and open to visitors, except the terrace, which is reserved for Peponi guests only. The bar and outdoor area is one of the few watering holes in Muslim Shela and attracts quite a crowd in the evening.

The rooms are divided into two categories: Standard Rooms and Superior Rooms. The Superior Rooms offer more space, a larger outdoor area and, of course, they hold the best location. All rooms face the sea, are decorated in typical Swahili chic and come with en-suite bathroom, ceiling fan, mosquito net and safe.

Four rooms can be booked as family rooms, for example for two adults and two children. Those who need more space can opt for an apartment, which is a combination of two superior rooms with an open living/kitchen area.

The Peponi Hotel occupies a prime location in Shela, a pretty village on Lamu Island in northern Kenya. Shela is about a ten-minute boat ride from Lamu Town.

The flights from Nairobi to Lamu take about an hour. The airport is located on Manda Island, from where visitors are transferred by boat to their booked accommodations. The Swahili feel, the historic setting of Lamu and the journey by boat to Peponi will never be forgotten. The boat ride from the airport to Peponi takes only about 15 minutes.

The Lamu Archipelago consists of four islands: Lamu Island, Manda Island, Pate Island and Kiwayu Island. Lamu town is the capital of Lamu District and also the oldest Swahili settlement in Kenya, comparable to Stonetown/Zanzibar in Tanzania. Its origins date back to the 12th century when Lamu was an important trading post on the coast. The architecture of Lamu and also of the neighboring village of Shela has been largely preserved and a walk through the narrow streets is an experience and historically very interesting. Unesco classifies Lamu as a world heritage site. Everything is transported by wheelbarrows and donkeys, because the alleys are much too narrow for cars.

Peponis sits right in Shela village. However it only takes a short walk along the 14 km long 'Shela beach' to reach some good swimming spots.

Kayaks and SUPs are at your dispoal but please be aware of the current in the channel and enquire with the staff first. In the evening the sunset dhow trips start. A good number of beautiful dhows majestically sail up Ras Kitau Bay and pass Majlis to a point where the sailors can watch the sun set while enjoying some snacks and drinks.

There is a small harbor in Shela where boats can be rent for excursions to Lamu Town or for dinners at Majlis Resort, which is just across the channel. The boats can also be booked for half day and day trips, for example to go around Lamu Island or for a snorkeling trips to Manda Toto or Kinika Island.

Water temperatures are between 28 and 32C° all year round and it can get quite hot in Lamu. Most of the rain falls from May to July. From June to October the winds are stronger and therefore expect higher waves. Water sports and fishing are best done in the calmer months from November to March.

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