A Stay At East Africa's Most Luxurious Villa | Honeymoon House

Hidden within the maze of sun-bleached rooftops and coral stone alleys of Lamu Island, Kenya, is a house that redefines luxury. It's not merely a place to stay, but a full-bodied immersive experience — a space that brings architecture, art, and the soul of East Africa into one magnificent expression. That house is Honeymoon House, an architecturally iconic private villa created by visionary filmmakers and design aficionados Chris and Roberta Hanley.

The Hanleys are not strangers to dramatic beauty. Known for their avant-garde projects like the Invisible House in California's Joshua Tree, they bring their cinematic eye and unrelenting creativity to everything they touch. Honeymoon House is their love letter to Kenya and, quite literally, a monument to their own honeymoon. Built on the tranquil and culturally rich island of Lamu, it has become one of the most celebrated luxury villa rentals in Africa, and a bucket-list escape for design lovers, A-listers, and global nomads alike.

Getting to Lamu is surprisingly simple, yet the experience of arrival feels otherworldly. Kenya Airways offers direct flights from New York to Nairobi, and from there, a seamless 45-minute domestic flight delivers you to the island. Upon landing, guests are whisked onto a boat, cruising across sapphire waters until the white silhouette of Shela Village rises like a mirage out of the sea. Here, there are no cars. The streets are made for donkeys and footsteps. Life flows to the rhythm of the ocean and the call to prayer. You feel far away from the world you left behind — and yet entirely at peace with no creature comforts spared.

When you first set eyes on Honeymoon House, it almost doesn’t seem real. Looming yet elegant, bold yet serene, the villa was inspired by Omani forts, a nod to the architectural influences that have shaped coastal Kenya for centuries. But this is no reproduction. It is a poetic interpretation, realized with one-meter-thick hand-pressed blocks and layered with refined, minimalist interiors. The exterior features a jaw-dropping swimming pool that hugs the entirety of the home and overlooks gardens and the sea below.

At the heart of the home is a grand tower that rises like a modern minaret. Initially conceived as a simple stairwell, the tower evolved into a suite of circular rooms: a wraparound terrace on top, a curved media lounge below, and a dramatic spa-style bathroom in between. Every curve, every finish, was hand-crafted by local artisans without the use of heavy machinery.

Chris Hanley, working alongside architect Bernard Spoerry, conceptualized the original structure. Roberta refined the design and ensured the space felt lived-in, soulful, and sensual. The furnishings, crafted with master woodworker Hussein Alawi, are both sculptural and functional. The inlay work on the ceilings and furniture, black-brown stripes cut by white powder lines, is now a signature motif of their collaborative design studio Hanley + Hanley + Hussein.

My own stay at Honeymoon House was transformative. From the moment you arrive, the staff, led by the exceptional manager Jackson, welcomes you with grace and attention. The home comes with a personal chef, a housekeeping team, servers, and even a boat captain for the private dhow "Casa." It is a full-fledged operation that feels luxurious, but comfortable and effortless - authentic at the same time.

The cuisine is as thoughtful as the design. The chef, trained in California health-forward cuisine, prepares dishes that are both indulgent and nutritious. Flourless chocolate cake, homemade breads infused with vitamins, and of course, the freshest seafood imaginable. Olive oil is used instead of butter. Lamu crab, local snapper, and lobster spaghetti are culinary highlights. As Roberta told me, "We built this as an adult playground, a space of joy. And yet children love it too."

In an exclusive interview with me, Roberta Hanley shared the origins and soul of the house:

"Chris and I had just gotten married, and we took a two-month honeymoon. We traveled through Seychelles, across Kenya, and ended up in Lamu. We were enchanted by the island’s peace, its history, and its sheer magic. Dhows instead of cars, pristine beaches, and a hypnotic rhythm to life. We returned every year until one day, we decided: let’s build."

What began as a holiday escape became a passion project. The couple insisted on sustainability, installing solar panels, an independent water system, and sourcing materials from the land. This is a true feat in East Africa.

"It was all done by hand," she recalls. "Even the pool, 100 feet long, was measured by string. No machinery. Just love and labor." The home is now filled with custom-designed furniture, original architectural solutions, and what Roberta calls a "feeling of kindness." When you walk barefoot across the terrace floors, they feel like powdered stone — soft, cooling, gentle.

It’s no wonder Honeymoon House has drawn some of the world’s most celebrated names. Julia Roberts, Sienna Miller, Jude Law, and even international heads of state have called this villa home, if only for a few blissful days. And yet, Roberta and Chris treat every guest as a VIP. "You don’t need Gucci here," she told me. "What you need is a sense of openness and a love for beauty." From the inception of my stay, everything felt very casual and easy, effortless, as a holiday should.

Lamu offers so much more than quiet luxury. As one of the oldest continually inhabited towns in East Africa, the island is a living museum. Guests can take UNESCO-recognized walking tours, explore Swahili cooking classes, shop for locally woven kikoys, or dive into clear waters filled with vibrant marine life. The chef at Honeymoon House will even give cooking classes.

You can find lovely cafes and restaurants in Lamu, but the food at Honeymoon House is nearly impossible to beat.

Activities on Lamu include days on the beach, or cocktails by the pool. You can sit with friends under the stars and have meaningful conversations.

Or, even invite a Maasai group to the house for a traditional dance, a lovely welcome for a group that the house is happy to help you organize.

And then, there are the dhows. One of the most unforgettable experiences of my trip was the sunset sail aboard "Casa," the home’s private dhow. A dhow is a traditional wooden sail boat, with a single triangular lateen sail. These boats have plied the Indian Ocean for centuries, carrying everything from spices to stories for trade. Today, aboard "Casa," the dhow becomes a stage for sunset magic. With cocktails in hand and light bites prepared by the chef, guests drift along the coast as the sky melts into gold. It’s not just romantic. It’s transcendent.

"Expect joy," says Roberta. "Expect a place that doesn’t ask you to be anyone but yourself."

Honeymoon House is ideal for families, couples, artists, wellness seekers, and small groups who crave privacy and presence. It’s not for the high-maintenance traveler needing designer shopping malls. It’s for those seeking stillness, adventure, and meaning.

As for the future, the Hanleys plan to expand their sustainable farming efforts and deepen the connection between the home and the land. "Calm, laughter, and a sense of distance from it all. That’s what we want people to take with them," Roberta says. And they do. I certainly did. This is a place that has forever etched a place in my heart.

For those truly seeking the best private home rental in Kenya, a celebrity-worthy retreat on the Swahili coast, or simply an unforgettable escape that fuses design, comfort, and cultural immersion, Honeymoon House is an architectural and emotional triumph. For booking inquiries, please reach out to Inspired Citizen or visit Muse Film to inquire about availability.