The Lotus Hotel in Mombasa is an excellent choice for a budget traveler. It is very inexpensive, and the rooms are clean, bright and air conditioned – an important detail when you just four degrees south of the equator!
The building itself is beautiful and surrounded by lush greenery. The restaurant includes limited outdoor seating around small round tables, peeping out at the quiet street in front of the hotel, romantically surrounded by palm fronds – all in all, the very archetype of a good hotel in the tropics.
Because of its downtown location, it is an easy walk from the Lotus to any of Mombasa’s tourist attractions, like Fort Jesus and Old Town, or the Dhow Harbor. There are several banks with ATMs and foreign exchange bureaus nearby, and plenty of shopping along Digo Road. It is also a convenient place from which to catch taxis to any of the nearby beaches.
While Mombasa itself is a city one is likely to visit only briefly, before moving on to the coastal resorts to the north or south, it is still a fascinating and flavorful place to spend a few days, and I would recommend this hotel to any traveler doing so, whether it be on a business trip or a brief romantic getaway.
Official Hotel Information