Name: Lion in the Sun Boutique Hotel & Spa
Address: Marine Park Road, Malindi, Malindi, Malindi, 80200, Kenya
Rating: 9

24-hour reception

Smoke-free property

Ticket assistance

Garden

Outdoor furniture

General

Laundry

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Breakfast

Restaurant

Meals

Free Wi-Fi

Internet

Multi-language staff

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Parking

Conference Hall

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Beauty and wellness

Pets Not Allowed

Pets

Location

At the resort

Malindi Airport

Lion in the Sun Boutique Hotel & Spa

I went as a single female traveller and I felt safe and well looked after. Upon checking in they allowed me to check in early and they also upgraded my room which I greatly appreciate. I came in low season but I still throughly enjoyed my stay. I will definitely make a trip back.

The best gift for my birthday was my boyfriend booking this place for our first night together.
From the reception to the housekeeping staff..Amazing!
The serenity is healing!
Clean,spacious rooms.
Beautiful lawns.
Well done food..Thanks to the chef.
Our evenings at the bar were made interesting by Nelson and Rachel..epic services there.
Fatma with a warm smile,checking on us frequently was heartwarming.
Not forgetting Pendo the room steward..thank you for the room decor and oooh the Spa session!unforgettable!
It was an absolute blast to be there.
Thank you all.We’ll definitely come back some day.

it was an incredible three days surrounded by nature. The villas with swimming pool have truly excellent privacy, a truly unique reception service with beautiful beautiful girls always with a smile. I did the sunset excursion. The true African style!! Very well organized with aperitif on the rocks brought by local guide and a new Defender from the Jeep. The rooms are large and well furnished. A round of applause to the pool bar service, to the guys and in particular to Marta 🙋🏻‍♀️ who explained it to me very well with her Italian.

a little advice to review certain details about the breakfast and slightly promote the Billionaire brand products (sarong soaps...) the free gift of the Transfer upon my return was really appreciated. See you next time . Thank’s by so difficult Italian customer

This is to my opinion the most elegant place in Malindi. This property is part of Billionaire but a bit further and on the opposite side of the road and consequently without beach, but there is a free shuttle for the very short ride to Billionaire and an access to its restaurant. Lion in the sun is a more classic place, full of taste and comparable to exquisite places like Relais et Châteaux or Small Luxury Hotels. Every detail is beautiful, the place is very welcoming with its rooms. Many swimming pools, nice garden, open air living rooms and dining room. The personnel (Fanny, Patricia and her colleagues -sorry for forgetting their names) will do all they can to make your stay as agreable as possible. The breakfast is good and the dinner (a set menu but you can go to Billionaire for an à la carte meal) is a diversified invitation to discover the tastes of food of that part of Kenya.

Nothing to say except that this place is breathtaking! My fiancé and I arrived at Lions in the Sun after a week safari looking to relax after a long and intense year 2022. Everything to the smallest details has been thought to maximise the experience and make our stay very pleasant.The staff was great and played an important role in making this trip as awesome as it was! Our thanks to them!  
We also enjoyed some of the great treatments the SPA has to offer!
If you are looking for a peaceful and quiet place where to relax, THIS IS IT! 
Definitely a place we will visit again!

Very nice retreat! Staff is great and friendly.
We enjoyed ourselves and liked the clean ambience of the retreat and resort.  We visited both sides and enjoyed our meals at both sides as well. 
Abel at the beach was super friendly and was great with my son. He played with him and kept him entertained.  
Paul the manager was super helpful to meet all our needs and made our stay  quite memorable.  Susan helped organize the side excursions with great recommendations and offered to make reservations for us. Kefa at the restaurant was great with kids and maintained the pool bar nice and cozy with a fun attitude!

Such a beautiful place and the room was so clean and cozy . Loved the bathrooms. Everyone was friendly and helpful. Shuttle services between here and the Billionaire Resort such a nice touch. Would definitely come back for more nights

We had a good stay at Lion in the sun. People there are super friendly and really doing their best for you to have a good stay. The rooms are nice, beds are comfortable and so are the chairs. The resort is beautiful with flowers, trees and well maintained swimming pools. On the downside the biggest issue was the internet being unstable and slow and at some times it would disappear completely. Even though you are at a resort and want to relax, internet is essential.Other minor things is the water pressure being very low and that they forgot our breakfast orders the first morning, even though we were only 4-5 parties present at the breakfast restaurant.

My stay at the Lion in the Sun Retreat was truly unforgettable. From the moment I arrived, the staff welcomed me with warm smiles and an air of professionalism, setting the tone for an incredibly relaxing getaway.

Ambience:
The resort's design is nothing short of spectacular. Imagine traditional African thatched-roof architecture harmonizing effortlessly with the vibrant tropical landscape, crafting an enchanting atmosphere filled with serenity and luxury. The lush greenery that envelops the resort's pools and impeccably maintained lawns paints a breathtaking backdrop that transports you to a true oasis of calm. 

Cabanas and sunbeds are thoughtfully scattered around the pools, ensuring privacy and exclusivity. Whether you’re soaking up the sun by the crystal-clear waters or savouring the gentle breeze on the beach, the resort offers a tranquil escape from the everyday hustle and bustle. It’s a perfect paradise where relaxation meets breathtaking beauty!

Hotel Cleanliness:
One of the most impressive aspects of the resort is its remarkable cleanliness. From the moment I arrived, I noticed how flawlessly maintained everything was. The rooms and communal areas sparkled, thanks to the dedicated housekeeping team, who take pride in their work. Every little detail was carefully attended to—beds were perfect, and the outdoor spaces, including the stunning pool areas and gardens, were nothing short of immaculate. Even the beach and poolside, which can often be challenging to keep tidy, were pristine, adding an extra layer of luxury to my experience. It truly felt like a slice of paradise!

Staff Friendliness:
The resort's staff truly exemplifies its five-star status. Every interaction I had was filled with warmth and genuine hospitality. They were attentive and often anticipated my needs before I even had to ask. The restaurant staff, in particular, were amiable, providing personalized meal recommendations and ensuring that each dining experience was exceptional. The team at the resort has clearly mastered the art of combining professionalism with a warm, welcoming attitude.

Dining Experience:
The meals were genuinely gourmet, featuring succulent steaks and freshly grilled fish that delighted the senses. The restaurant's ambience, especially during dinner, enhanced the luxurious experience with ambient lighting and a sophisticated yet cozy setting.

Activities and Amenities:
The resort offers a range of activities that cater to both relaxation and adventure. The availability of bicycles to explore the resort and nearby areas was a fun and thoughtful touch. The beachfront area, perfect for leisurely swimming, offered a breathtaking view of the clear ocean waters, making it a haven for those looking to relax by the sea.

Final Thoughts:
My experience at the resort was absolutely breathtaking! Every detail contributed to an unforgettable stay, from the stunning architecture that greeted me at every turn to the pristine surroundings that felt like a slice of paradise. The dining options were a true delight, tantalising my taste buds with every meal. The friendly and attentive staff truly stood out, though, who made each moment feel special.

One area they could improve on is evening entertainment. For guests looking for more activities in the evenings, introducing light entertainment options such as live acoustic music, cultural performances, or themed cocktail evenings could enhance the nighttime experience. Creating cozy outdoor movie nights or bonfires with marshmallow roasting could also offer something unique for couples and families.

Overall, if you're on the hunt for a luxurious escape infused with warmth and personal touches, I can’t recommend this resort highly enough!

Malindi

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park access

Nice resort with a friendly staff

Top notch customer service.

A Luxurious Oasis: Unforgettable Serenity and Five-Star Hospitality!

A very African Place

An elegant place not to be missed

Great place, great staff!

A gem in Malindi!

Vacay

I would not recommend this hotel. It is definitely not 5 stars or worth the price paid. Some comments: 

- Make sure, when you reserve in the webpage of Billionaire Resort & Retreat, that you are aware of where you are booking your room: options in both hotels (Billionaire and Lion in the Sun), pop up when you search, leading to confusion, and there are very substantial differences among them (seafront or not, renovated rooms or not, kitchen or not, etc). There’s around 600 mts between them (not the advertised 300 mts), one has to either walk for 10 min on the road or take a shuttle or bike to move between them. 
- The suite in Lion in the Sun looks nothing like the one portrayed in the webpage, it is very dark (barely any sunlight comes in) and needs serious maintenance/renovation (paint cracks, stains in the sofa, very old furniture, etc).
- Very limited restaurant options (one in each hotel with a set menu for dinner in the case of Lion in the Sun). Extremely short menu for lunch in Lion in the Sun, limited breakfast options, and very frequently out of stock (no juices for breakfast some days, no sandwiches or burgers for lunch other days, etc). 
- Staff, even though nice and accommodating, has barely no information on the tours they offer and failed to book for us a tour and a spa appointment (after we repeatedly requested). 
- We went on a snorkel trip organized by the hotel but they failed to tell us that the sea was too rough to snorkel (even though we asked twice before leaving), and the boat did not have masks or life vests for the kids (again, even though they knew 3 kids were coming). Total disaster, they just wanted to sell the excursion no matter what. 
- No actual beach to swim is available, again pictures in the webpage are misleading: in high tide there is no beach and in low tide the sea is way to far and full of corals and rocks to swim. Sunbeds are actually in an artificial bank of sand the hotel has built. 
In sum, the website information is not accurate at all, and I am surprised that all comments overlook this (probably many of them are not submitted for real clients). Lion in the Sun needs an urgent renovation, and neither of the two hotels are 5 star standard.

Lion in the Sun Boutique Hotel & Spa

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