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Lamu Island, Kenya

Fatumas Tower

Guests are transferred to the jetty of the sleepy fishing village of Shela on the island of Lamu in an old slow wooden boat. Tucked away in the back of the village, against the sand dunes, you reach the entrance gates to Fatimas Tower and passing through them enter a secluded, peaceful world.

At Fatumas Tower guests are invited into the home of Gillies and Fiammetta Turle, who want you to feel at ease and experience the peace and comfort of this tranquil space. More than a guest house they refer to it as their house for guests - a hidden corner of the world where you can find time for yourself.

The Tower is named after Fatuma Abu Bakar a Swahili noblewoman who lived in this sanctuary attended by five female slaves until the end of the 19th century. After her death and the abolition of slavery the house fell into ruins and the magnificent tamarind tree growing in the courtyard established itself in the ruins of the fallen masonry.

Carefully restored and modified in 1998 the historic tower house has five double bedrooms and a large yoga hall. Included behind the same compound wall is the Sand Castle with its ground floor family apartment of three double rooms. In the surrounding gardens, the Garden Cottage has two double rooms both with bathrooms. These ten double rooms are all furnished with local antiques and fabrics in a simple yet elegant style to recreate the atmosphere of a fine Swahili house. No two rooms are the same and the cool, airy spaces retain an informal feel while several shaded balconies provide comfortable areas for avoiding too much sun and generally enjoying the peace and fresh air. The peaceful gardens have been recently enlivened by the refreshing sound of a fountain splashing over coral rocks into a small plunge pool. All rooms have solar powered hot water, fans and mosquito nets.

For all meals, great care is taken by the hotel cooks to purchase the freshest local ingredients and produce their excellent combinations of Swahili and Italian cuisine. Everything fresh from the ocean, fish and seafood are their specialty. Guests can take their meals in the shady courtyard dining area or on your terrace. At night lanterns are placed amongst the greenery surrounding the sandy garden and dinner is taken under the stars.

Includes: Bed & breakfast