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Rooms aging/outdated; some lack fridge and TV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Mixed reports: some rooms described as cute and comfortable, but multiple mentions of outdated/battered rooms, ageing bathrooms and missing in-room amenities (no fridge/TV in some rooms).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Overall stays were enjoyable with friendly staff and great location, but issues like outdated rooms, occasional rude reception, wildlife/hawk problems and some food monotony tempered the overall impression.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
S
Subramanian • extended_group • ke
7
2026-08-29 • via Nuitee
N
nduku • solo_traveller • ke
10
2026-08-28 • via Nuitee
H
Harris • solo_traveller • ke
5
2026-08-28 • via Nuitee
A
ARNAUD • solo_traveller • fr
1
Pros:

La gentillesse du personnel à la piscine.

Cons:

Je ne me suis rarement senti aussi mal dans un hôtel. J'ai sûrement réservé plus de 300 nuits sur Booking.com mais cet hôtel est sûrement un de mes plus mauvais souvenirs.
Avant la réservation, tout semble possible. Une fois le paiement réalisé, tout devient impossible. Vous souhaitez un spray contre les moustiques, ils ne veulent pas vous le prêter. Vous souhaitez un check out retardé de 2 heurs. Refusé sous prétexte que l'hôtel est complet alors que des chambres sont encore disponibles sur Booking..
Le personnel de l'accueil (notamment le manager) est désagréable.
Quant à la nourriture, vous avez l'embarras du choix. Mais tout est mauvais, sans goût et mal cuisiné.

2026-08-25 • via Nuitee
V
Vasileios • extended_group • gr
10
2026-08-25 • via Nuitee
G
Gladys • family_with_children • fr
10
Paradisiqaue
Pros:

Les repas variés tous les jours et les animations organisées au sein de l'hôtel.
Le personnel est très gentil et acceuillant.

Cons:

La décoration peut être un peu modernisée mais tout était très confortable.

2026-08-25 • via Nuitee
M
Marwa • family_with_children • gb
6
The staff were excellent. Food was reasonable.
Pros:

The staff were very helpful

Cons:

They charge for things like using an iron and usually recommend their hotel taxi which cost a lot. Cheaper to book directly with uber

2026-08-24 • via Nuitee
A
Aniza • family_with_children • gb
10
2026-08-24 • via Nuitee
R
Rebecca • family_with_children • ke
3
Disappointing overall — despite some positives, the food, queues and inconsistent service meant the experience fell well
Pros:

The hotel offers a good variety of food, particularly for children, so there was usually something they could choose. However, despite the variety, we found much of the food quite bland, and the all-inclusive buffet became repetitive by the third day.

Cons:

Unfortunately, there were several aspects of our stay that were disappointing. Check-in took longer than expected, and there were consistently long queues at breakfast, lunch and dinner.

We booked a standard room and found the bathroom extremely small, particularly for a plus-size guest, so this is something other travellers may want to consider when choosing a room category.

Service was also inconsistent. While some staff were pleasant, others came across as rude or dismissive. There were also a few interactions where we felt that guests were not always treated equally, which made us uncomfortable.

The food was probably our biggest disappointment. Although there was plenty of variety, we found it largely tasteless, and I experienced an upset stomach during the stay.

Finally, my daughter accidentally stained a bedsheet with henna. We understood that the hotel needed to address the damage and were took the responsibility and paid for new pair of bedsheets. But we found the manner in which the situation was handled unnecessarily confrontational. The reaction felt disproportionate to what was ultimately an accidental stain and left us feeling very uncomfortable.

2026-08-21 • via Nuitee
O
Omar • couple • gb
10
The staff members are absolutely fantastic.
Pros:

Very clean and nicely laid out.

Cons:

Can’t fault it.

2026-08-17 • via Nuitee
R
rachida • couple • fr
9
2026-08-16 • via Nuitee
H
Hanna • family_with_children • pl
9
2026-08-15 • via Nuitee
E
Elizabeth • solo_traveller • ke
7
Papillon can do better!
Pros:

The hotel was an all inclusive for everyone. Which quite unique. The beach was great. The staff were friendly.
Got complimentary massage package.

Cons:

The color of the towels is not best suited for hotels. White towels is the best due to cleanliness and comfort.
The bed was too hard.
There was no creativity in food preparation and presentation.
The tea serving is highly rationed and most times it was hot.

2026-08-14 • via Nuitee
N
Norberto • couple • es
7
Buena
Pros:

La atención de la gente

Cons:

Las habitaciones mus antiguas sin TV ni nevera

2026-08-14 • via Nuitee
M
Miriam • family_with_children • no
10
2026-08-13 • via Nuitee
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