Papillon Lagoon Reef Hotel

Hotels
7.8 (554 reviews)
Diani Beach, Diani , Diani Beach , ke

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Free
Children allowed

Facilities

Fitness facilities
WiFi available
Parking
Free Parking
Non-smoking rooms
Air conditioning
Fitness center
Swimming pool
24-hour front desk
Restaurant
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Excellent beachfront/oceanfront location and beautiful gardens
Friendly and helpful staff (housekeeping praised)
Clean pools and sun loungers; daily towel/linen service
Strong entertainment programme and family-friendly activities
Good value for money reported by several guests
Cons:
Rooms aging/outdated; some lack fridge and TV
Food sometimes lacks variety or is inconsistent
Front desk/reception reported as abrupt or rude by some guests
Occasional wildlife issues (monkeys taking food; hawks on the beach)
Some facilities small or dated (gym); occasional awkward housekeeping timing

Categories

Cleanliness
8.5
Rooms reported as clean with daily towel changes and clean pools; occasional timing issues with housekeeping (arriving too early) and some wear in bathrooms.
Service
8.2
Staff frequently described as friendly, helpful and attentive (housekeeping praised, support for early check-outs), though a few reports note abrupt or rude reception staff.
Location
9.2
Consistently praised: beachfront/oceanfront setting, white sand beaches, beautiful gardens and easy beach access — a standout strength of the property.
Room Quality
6.5
Mixed reports: some rooms described as cute and comfortable, but multiple mentions of outdated/battered rooms, ageing bathrooms and missing in-room amenities (no fridge/TV in some rooms).
Amenities
8
Strong entertainment programme, pools, gardens and beach facilities; sun loungers and pool areas well regarded. Some facility negatives (small/old gym, limited room amenities).
Value for Money
8.5
Several guests called it excellent or amazing value given location and included offerings; generally perceived as good value for what is provided.
Food and Beverage
7
Food received mixed feedback: many found buffet-style offerings good or tasty, while others noted limited variety or criticized specific meals.
Overall Experience
6.5
Overall stays were enjoyable with friendly staff and great location, but issues like outdated rooms, occasional rude reception, wildlife/hawk problems and some food monotony tempered the overall impression.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-08-14 10:50

Property Description

Luxurious Beachfront Setting
Set on Diani Beach, Papillon Lagoon Reef offers a picturesque escape with stunning views of the Indian Ocean from the outdoor pool, beach bar, and restaurant terrace.

Diverse Dining Options
Indulge in a culinary journey at the Baobab buffet restaurant serving Kenyan and international dishes or enjoy breakfast and lunch at the Poolside Bistro Restaurant. Don't forget to grab a drink at the swim-up pool bar!

Abundance of Activities
From diving and tennis to massages and evening entertainment, this hotel provides a wide range of activities for guests of all ages. Plus, the convenient location allows easy access to shopping and exploring in Diani and Mombasa.

Ready to experience paradise at Papillon Lagoon Reef? Book your stay now for an unforgettable beachfront getaway!

Important information:

You must show a valid photo ID and credit card upon check-in. The name on the credit card must match the name of one of the guests.

If the credit card is declined or invalid, or if a booking is made for arrival the following day or weekend arrivals, you may be asked to pay upon check-in.

Please note that all special requests cannot be guaranteed and are subject to availability upon check-in. Additional charges may apply.

Guests are requested to dress smart casual for dinner,long trousers and shoes.Guests are required to show a photo ID and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all Special Requests are subject to availability and additional charges may apply.
A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 10:00 AM

Location

Guest Reviews

7.8
Based on 554 reviews
Cleanliness: 8.5
Service: 8.2
Location: 9.2
Room Quality: 6.5
Amenities: 8
Value for Money: 8.5
Food and Beverage: 7
Overall Experience: 6.5
B
beth • family_with_children • us
8
Pros:

Everything

Cons:

Food

2026-08-07 • via Nuitee
F
Francesco • family_with_children • it
9
Pros:

Posto nello posizione ottima

Cons:

Che mancava frigobar e le bevande erano calde

2026-08-06 • via Nuitee
B
Boeva • solo_traveller • bg
10
2026-08-05 • via Nuitee
D
Dorothy • family_with_children • de
7
Pros:

Location and friendly stuff, good that they care about the guests checking out early by providing them with a small breakfast.

Cons:

The room that i booked aint the one i got, the rooms lack Television and a fridge. Even providing guests with a flat Iron wasnt on the list. 7:30 for dinner is too late, animation starts very late, during the day, there arent enough activities for the kids.

2026-08-04 • via Nuitee
P
Patrik • solo_traveller • si
10
Exceptional
Pros:

Amazing! Lovely staff, the food is great and the rooms are cute. They even have an extensive entertainment programme (volleyball, shuffleboard, water aerobics etc). The stay was really enjoyable.

2026-08-03 • via Nuitee
M
Muthoni • family_with_children • at
10
Family holiday
Pros:

Everything was perfect 👌 I will definitely revisit

Cons:

Everything was perfect

2026-08-02 • via Nuitee
S
Szilvia • solo_traveller • hu
10
Szuper
Pros:

Kiváló elhelyezkedés, hófehér homok, hatalmas kert, szuper medence bárral, autentikus épületek, változatos ételek, kifogástalan személyzet, tökéletes biztonság. Maradnék bármeddig....

Cons:

Olyan nem volt.

2026-08-02 • via Nuitee
P
Pohan • solo_traveller • nl
9
Prachtig hotel
Pros:

Personeel, locatie

Cons:

Gym (klein, oud) en biljart (ballen met putjes, keu zonder filt, tafel die scheef afloopt)

2026-07-25 • via Nuitee
M
Markus • solo_traveller • de
8
2026-07-24 • via Nuitee
M
mikael • solo_traveller • se
8
2026-07-22 • via Nuitee
A
Anna • family_with_children • cz
10
Pros:

Vynikajici jidlo, krasna plaz

Cons:

Pokoje by jiz zaslouzily obnovu

2026-07-20 • via Nuitee
D
David • solo_traveller • gb
5
Papillon Reef
Pros:

Restaurant ,Pool and House Keeping staff awesome they are the people keeping the charm and spirit of place alive. They should train the front of house reception some manners as they seem to be lacking in this and are quite abrupt and rude.

Cons:

Reception staff not good
Rooms are a little out dated and battered

2026-07-20 • via Nuitee
D
Dorota • solo_traveller • pl
8
Pros:

Hotel położony przy samej plaży. Wkoło dużo zieleni. Po ogrodzie biegają śmieszne małpki. Pokoje czyste, codziennie wymieniane ręczniki i dokładana woda. Personel bardzo miły i pomocny. Jedzenie smaczne, choć niezbyt urozmaicone. Animacje w wykonaniu hotelowego teamu rewalacyjne.

Cons:

Koczujący przy wyjściu na plażę lokalni sprzedawcy, którzy momentami byli dość uciążliwi.

2026-07-20 • via Nuitee
D
Daniel • family_with_children • us
9
A visit to remember!
Pros:

AMAZING VALUE! Beautiful oceanfront location, with a popular snorkeling reef just off shore. White sand beaches for MILES. The staff was engaging and helpful, and the included food and drinks were very nice. Credibly pleased with this stay and want to go back!

Cons:

No much to note. The monkeys can get aggressive and frequently stole food. The cleaning staff sometimes came at awkward times (too early).

2026-07-14 • via Nuitee
M
Michael • solo_traveller • gb
10
Pros:

Very helpful and friendly staff, super comfy sun loungers, the pool was really clean, beautiful gardens, monkeys were funny and not a problem. This hotel is right on the beach which was really clean. Food was good with a lovely dining setting.would definitely recommend.

Cons:

Hawks on the beach got a little too much at times, security kept them out of the hotel grounds.

2026-07-14 • via Nuitee
N
Nicky Hoschke • couple • au
7
Relaxed and enjoyable experience.
Pros:

Food was pretty good for buffet style food. Location is fantastic. Property is well maintained and staff are friendly and attentive. Bed was really comfortable. Champagne and towel arrangement on the bed were nice touches given we were honeymooning.

Cons:

I personally hate a shower over bath and water pressure was low. Didn’t enjoy the dinner music, clearly aimed at older Americans, which wasn’t indicative of the actual variety of guests. But these were minor things that did not take from the relaxed feel of the resort and we truly enjoyed our short time there.

2026-07-12 • via Nuitee
M
Mutegeki • solo_traveller • ug
7
Great
Pros:

Location is beautiful

Cons:

It’s starting to age

2026-07-11 • via Nuitee
E
Elena • solo_traveller • it
8
2026-07-10 • via Nuitee
M
Mutegeki • solo_traveller • ug
7
2026-07-06 • via Nuitee
E
Elke • solo_traveller • de
9
Pros:

Weitläufiges Hotel mit sehr schöner Parkanlage und uraltem Baumbestand. Die kleinen Affen in der Anlage sind einfach bezaubernd. Im Zimmer war ausreichend Platz und der Balkon mit seitlichem Meerblick war schön. Die Matratzen waren sehr bequem

Cons:

Das Badezimmer war etwas in die Jahre gekommen.

2026-07-02 • via Nuitee