Kisumu Lakeside Retreats: Where to Stay by Lake Victoria

With the hype of the Luo people in Kisumu, you may want to visit the famous lake shared by three countries in Eastern Africa. That said, you should know about the Kisumu lakeside retreats, where you can stay as you enjoy yourself.

Kisumu City is nestled along the shores of the majestic Lake Victoria. Lake Victoria is the largest lake in Africa and the second-largest water body in the world. 

Join me as I unveil the perfect guide to your stay, showcasing the finest retreats that grace the Lake Victoria waterfront. Let’s explore the ideal accommodations that offer comfort and a front-row seat to the breathtaking views of the lake.

From cozy cottages to charming guesthouses, our guide will help you navigate the options and find the ideal destination for your lakeside retreat.

Kisumu is one of the places you can visit on a budget and still enjoy your trip to the fullest. Explore the region like a veteran on a tight budget.

Where to Stay in Lake Victoria Shores: 8 Kisumu Lakeside Retreats

1. Sarova Imperial Hotel

The Sarova Imperial Hotel is among the Kisumu lakeside retreats you can rely on for a comfortable stay along the shores. The hotel is just 1.5 kilometers from the Lake Victoria shores.

This hotel has three accommodation suites and Deluxe view rooms. The Sarova Imperial premium suites feature large glass windows, spacious rooms, high-speed WiFi, a telephone, and room services. In addition, there is a private bathroom, an iron box, a safe box, tea & coffee making facilities, a smart flat TV with satellite, an air conditioner, a hair dryer, etc.

Read also: Romantic escapes for Kenyan honeymoon.

Furthermore, the hotel has meetings and conference facilities to meet with your teams and colleagues. The rooms are fully equipped with everything you need for a successful conference. From comfortable chairs to sound systems.

In addition, you can hold your wedding or party in the hotel’s reservation for events. They provide all you need to make your event a success. Whether you need it by the Lake Victoria shores or within the premises, they will grant that to you.

The Sarova Imperial Hotel serves fresh food from the localities. Therefore, you can enjoy a fresh catch of tilapia from the lake—making it a fantastic experience to eat straight from the water. Furthermore, Sarova has highly qualified chefs who make delicious meals, from breakfast to lunch and dinner.

From the hotel, you can visit the Kisumu Impala Sanctuary, which is just 15 minutes from the hotel. Here is the home of impala herds and 4 of the Big Five (lions, rhinos, buffalo, and leopards). In addition, you can also explore the Kisumu National Museum, the Ndere Island National Park, and the Dunga Beach.

2. The Clarice House

The Clarice House is also among the luxurious Kisumu lakeside retreats, a 5-minute drive from the Kisumu CBD and 10 minutes from the Kisumu International Airport. The guest house is suitable for travelers exploring the city and business people.

The hotel has meeting and conference facilities, putting business people at ease holding their meet-ups in the guest house.

The guesthouse has 6 ensuite rooms. Double and singles are also available—all furnished with luxurious beds and seats. There is free WiFi at the hotel. Therefore, you can still browse or watch your favorite movie on Netflix.

In addition, the guest house has a parking lot in front of each room, making your vehicle easily accessible at any time of the day.

The hotel has lush gardens around it and outdoor dining. Therefore, you can take your meals or drinks at the hotel’s garden furniture.

At this hotel, you can either book a bed and breakfast, half-board, i.e., bed, breakfast & lunch or dinner, or full-board accommodations catering to a bed and all meals.

The waiters serve breakfast between 7:00 am and 10:30 am, while lunch and dinner are served between 12 noon and 11:00 pm.

3. Beach View Hotel Kisumu Lakeside Retreats

This hotel is located on the shores of Lake Victoria and is about 1 kilometer from Kisumu CBD. Beach View Hotel is among Kisumu lakeside retreats. You can enjoy your stay while viewing the fantastic waters of Lake Victoria.

The hotel features free WiFi, an air conditioner, free parking, a bar & lounge, meeting rooms, a shared lounge with a TV, daily newspapers, a restaurant, outdoor furniture in the gardens, etc.

Furthermore, if you travel with a child, be at ease because the hotel has a kids’ buffet and play areas. Therefore, this is an excellent destination for your family. There are also special diet meals you can get upon request.

There are barbecue facilities where you can enjoy grilled meat, fish, or chicken with friends and family. Amazingly, you can do it beside Lake Victoria, feeling the fantastic breeze from the lake.

The hotel also provides laundry services, so you don’t have to stay with unclean clothes, whether short-term or long-term.

Every evening, there is usually entertainment at the bar till late. Therefore, you can enjoy listening to music from local tribes and other artists nationwide. In addition, there is always a DJ to blend your evenings with music.

4. Milimani Beach Resort

Another one of the Kisumu lakeside retreats is the Milimani Beach Resort, located 5.6 kilometers from the Kisumu Museum and on the shores of Lake Victoria. This resort is one of the best accommodation areas in Kisumu City.

The resort features conference rooms for business meetings or team-building meet-ups. These halls are fully equipped with facilities to make your meeting a success. From bottled water for each member and tables to comfortable seats.

In addition, the resort has a restaurant that serves fresh meals. The meals include the traditional food of Kisumu—ugali and fish. There are also drinks from juices, wines, and alcoholic drinks.

At this resort, you will enjoy a fantastic view of Lake Victoria and the cool breeze from the lake while enjoying your drink on the outdoor furniture.

The resort also has a wedding reception, meaning you can marry your better half at the shows of the largest lake in Africa. You need to specify how you want your event to be, and the staff will set up everything.

See also: Travellers Beach Resort.

Furthermore, there are banquet rooms where you can hold birthday and graduation parties. Don’t you want to have a memorable graduation party?

The rooms in this Kisumu Lakeside retreat feature a large flat-screen TV, a jacuzzi in some rooms, room service, a balcony, electric card keys, WiFi, a coffee station, and laundry services.

You can enjoy a boat ride in Lake Victoria with experienced guides from the resort. In addition, you can also go fishing with experienced fishermen from the resort.

If you really enjoy sunsets/sunrises, then the Milimabi Beach Resort in Kisumu is your best destination to rewind in the upcoming or ongoing sunshine.

5. Acacia Premier Hotel

The Acacia Premier Hotel is located on the shores of Lake Victoria in the Milimani area in Kisumu. The hotel features a coffee shop, a fully equipped gym, a Spa with 3 treatment rooms, a pool bar & grill, an outdoor pool, and a business center with an internet connection.

Whether you are on a leisure or business trip, the Acacia Premier Hotel is one of the best Kisumu lakeside retreats you can consider. The hotel has conference and meeting rooms suitable for all sorts of meetings. The meeting halls have comfortable chairs, tables, bottled water, a notebook, and a pen.

There is a grand hall suitable for conferences, which can hold up to 700 people. In addition, other halls can hold 70, 140, and 160 people for smaller meetings.

This hotel has four room types: standard, superior, bay and presidential, whereby the superior and bay rooms have a magnificent view of Lake Victoria.

The accommodation rooms feature luxury beds, free WiFi, a climate control air conditioner, A flat-screen satellite TV, a phone, and a minibar.

The Acacia Premier Hotel has local and international cuisines—from local fish and ugali meals to international ones. The chefs in this hotel are highly experienced in making your meals delicious, creating a memorable adventure by the lake. In addition, there are various drinks ranging from juices, alcoholics, and wines.

There are also hotel transfer services to and from the Kisumu International Airport. Therefore, you can organize for a pick-up or drop-off to the airport.

6. Vittoria Suites

Vittoria Suites is among the Kisumu lakeside retreats. The hotel is 1.4 kilometers from the KWS Kisumu Impala Sanctuary on the Lake Victoria shores. From your room in the hotel, you can see the Kakamega Hills or Lake Victoria from the horizon.

The hotel has single and double rooms featuring private bathrooms, LCD TV, DSTV with select channels, free WiFi, a workstation with a table and an ergonomic chair, and tea & coffee making facilities.

Furthermore, the suites have meeting halls and the necessary facilities. The halls have comfortable chairs, bottled water, a notebook for each member, and video and audio tools. Therefore, you can hold meetings, seminars, launches, and conferences in the hotel.

Finally, you can eat and drink what you want. From international cuisine to local delicacies. The resort has a terrace bar and restaurant where you can eat and drink what you need. In addition, you can also enjoy your meals and drinks in the outdoor furniture within the hotel.

The hotel has an automatic generator on standby in case of an electric blackout. In addition, the hotel has secured parking, 24-hour CCTV surveillance, and a perimeter wall.

7. Millsview Hotel

The Millsview Hotel is another one of the Kisumu lakeside retreats. You can stay in this hotel either visiting Kisumu for business or leisure. The hotel is located 1.3 kilometers from the shores of Lake Victoria.

This hotel features a fully equipped gym, a swimming pool with beach chairs, a massage parlor, a private bar with a VIP lounge, a multi-cuisine restaurant, etc.

The rooms in this hotel feature a TV with DSTV, a hot shower, an air conditioner, a mini fridge, a safety box, tea & coffee making facilities, a private bathroom with amenities, etc. All the 11 rooms are spacious and suitable for families. There are also indoor jacuzzis, which you can access at any time.

Furthermore, the hotel has meeting and events facilities to help with accommodation events. The meeting rooms feature comfortable chairs, long tables, bottled water, a projector, a PA system, stationary and a flip chart.

In addition, they also have banquet rooms for holding celebrations such as weddings, anniversaries, birthday parties and any event you have.

Millsview is a Kisumu lakeside retreat where you can rejuvenate during your holiday in Nyanza. In addition, you will experience the fantastic breeze of Lake Victoria.

8. Sunset Hotel

This hotel is also among the Kisumu lakeside retreats, which you can visit for a business conference or to relax on the shores of Lake Victoria. The Sunset Hotel is located at the leafy Milimani estate in Kisumu, just a few meters from Lake Victoria. As the name portrays, you will enjoy the evenings with a fantastic sunset view from your hotel room.

This hotel features an amusement park, free WiFi, a swimming pool, picnic and Impala park access, event parks, a bar, and restaurants.

Furthermore, accommodation in this resort features standard single & double, single deluxe, double deluxe, twin beds and triple beds. These rooms feature free WiFi, a bathroom, a TV, and an air conditioner.

Additionally, you can hold meetings, conferences, weddings, and parties in the hotel. The hotel has halls and a fully equipped meeting room for your events. In addition, there is a neatl;y maintained lawn where you can still hold events such as parties and weddings.

The Subset Hotel remains one of the best Kisumu lakeside retreats due to its proximity to the shores of Lake Victoria. You can watch as a fish is caught and wait for it to be fried for you to eat—what an experience!

Kisumu Lakeside Retreats: Activities

There are tons of things to do when you visit Kisumu City, either for business or leisure, such as:

• The Kisumu Impala Sanctuary

This sanctuary takes care of orphaned wild animals. In addition, it has herds of impalas, orphaned lions, leopards, cheaters, buffalos, baboons, and other animals. You can access the Kisumu Impala Park and move around with a guide from any of the Kisumu lakeside retreats.

• Kisumu National Museum

The Kisumu National Museum holds the traditions of the Luo people and the Western people. There are also pavilions with various reptiles, such as spitting snakes and crocodiles from Lake Victoria.

The cultural section in the Museum holds the farming tools of the ancient Luo community, traditional harmony, and jewelry.

• Kit Mikayi

In about 29 kilometers from Kisumu town is the Kit Mikayi rock, which holds three big stones on top of it. The rock is 70-80ft high from the ground, making it a fantastic view of nature.

The Kit Mikayi rock holds some special traditions for the Luo people in its surroundings. In addition, there are caves near the rock where the people used to worship.

• Hippo Point

The hippo point is a 600-acre area on the shores of Lake Victoria where hippos emerge occasionally. However, Hippo Point is well known for its unobstructed sunset views over Lake Victoria.

• Fishing

Fishing is the main economic activity in Lake Victoria. Being a freshwater lake, there are lots of fish species. Most people in this region have embarked on fishing as their income source.

While in the Kisumu lakeside retreats, you can book a space in the fishing boats along the shore. In addition, it allows you to explore the inner waters of Lake Victoria.

Kisumu Lakeside Retreats: What Next?

Now, your next stop should be at one of the Kisumu lakeside retreats for a comfortable stay by the largest lake in Africa. You now know where to stay, what to eat, and things you can do in Kisumu City.

If you prefer a rather extended stay in Kisumu, you can opt for the Airbnb options in the city. For more water activities, you can stay in Airbnbs along the Kenyan Coast and participate in watersports such as windsurfing.

Kisumu Lakeside Retreats: Frequently Asked Questions

1. Where is Dunga Beach located?

Dunga Beach is located in Kisumu, on the Lake Victoria shore. It’s 11 kilometers from the Kisumu International Airport and 7.5 kilometers from Kisumu CBD.

2. What can I do in Lake Victoria?

Lake Victoria is well known for fishing, boat rides, and bird watching. In addition, the Kisumu Impala Sanctuary is just on the lake shores, where you can have a safari to watch some of the Big Five.