Papillon Lagoon Reef

Honestly, our stay at Papillon Lagoon Reef was one of the best we have ever had. The food is incredible! It was always fresh and delicious. The staff in the hotel were very welcoming and friendly. The entertainment was especialy very good. There was always an exciting activity to do from water polo to beach volleyball it was an absolute blast! The rooms were quite comfortable and very clean. The hotel is also located on a sublime part of the beachfront providing an exceptional view. The beach was amazing. There were so many activities to do like swimming,waveriding, camel riding, jetskiing, snorkelling and even kitesurfing. Our stay at Papillon Laggon Reef has to have been one of if not the best hotel experiences we have had.

This hotel for us just wasn’t our cup of tea! It’s big. Our superior double was very dark with huge trees in front so very oppressive and just couldn’t sit on balcony rooms 226/7 other times didn’t have the trees. Rooms were quiet though. It’s not quite the all inclusive that we are used to not everything is all inclusive seems only cocktails at night and only choice of a few. Others you have to pay for and were not very good. Food was quite samey every night however the beef wellington one night was fab. We chose to eat elsewhere on other nights! We were happy to do that just for a change and Ubers cheap do doable! Most of the Staff were lovely.

The hotel is in a great location. The biggest downside is the $42 per person fee for extending your stay. The monkeys peeking into the room through the window in the morning were great. The rooms are average. There was a problem with hot water in the shower. There was so much soap under the faucets it looked like no one had ever cleaned them. There was a problem with water pressure from the faucets and in the shower, and with the faucets and showerheads all calcified, it was really hard to wash properly. The windows, as they are, let mosquitoes and monkeys into the room. The food was poor—though I wasn’t hungry, there wasn’t much of a selection. No lifeguard at the pool; the pool was only moderately clean—you couldn’t see the bottom. They also ran out of Coke Zero for an entire day once. There were no interesting activities for kids, and the ones for adults were just so-so. No air conditioning in the restaurant—that’s just the African way, take it or leave it. The exchange rate at the hotel’s currency exchange was very poor. When you go out to the beach, tons of people swarm you to sell you something—but first, they’ll tell you their whole life story. The staff favors guests who tip generously or are from European countries. There’s no window in the bathroom, just a mosquito net. There are no window curtains in the bathrooms either. If it weren’t for the mushrooms and the location, the rating would be lower.

Helloooo travellers, The property is immense, with monkeys roaming around, which made the stay unique! We stayed in a family room, and the service was excellent. Special thanks to Betty, Fatuma, Albert, Mealli, and Thomas for their great care. The food was delicious, and the pool was clean. The evening entertainment was average, and the landscaping could use a few improvements to help the resort reach the standard it deserves. Overall, we had a great stay! Until next review, Ciaooo

We spent 9 days at Papillon Lagoon Reef in July for a family holiday, staying in a family room. The hotel has a fantastic location right on Diani Beach — honestly one of its biggest strengths. The grounds are green and relaxing, though some of the water features were a bit dirty with algae. The facilities and rooms are okay but definitely old, and the whole place could use a refurbishment. Nothing terrible, just dated. The service, however, was great. The staff were warm, friendly, and always ready to help, which made our stay feel comfortable. Food at the buffet was fine — not amazing, but not bad either. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner all had enough variety to get by, but nothing really stood out. Overall, it’s a good hotel for a family holiday, and we enjoyed our stay. With some upgrades, it could be excellent. I would stay again.