andBeyond has announced that its private island andBeyond Mnemba Island will undergo extensive renovations in 2024. A comprehensive refurbishment will see the lodge temporarily closed from January until October 2024. 

Undertaken by long-time andBeyond collaborators Fox Browne Creative and Nicholas Plewman Architects, the refurbishment will draw inspiration from nature, while the interiors will maintain the lodge’s current natural colour palette, punctuated by vibrant coral accents. The lodge’s design will continue to incorporate coral stone, with the addition of traditional Lamu plaster. 

Inspired in shape by the nautilus shell, twelve new beach bandas will offer additional space, with each accessible by two entrances, one directly from the beach and the other from the island’s interior forest. 

Changes to the lodge’s main communal areas will result in additional spaces to socialise, as the existing bar area is converted into a coffee and juice bar by day and cocktail area by night. The addition of a mezzanine level to the dining area will provide added space for private dining, as well as optimising views over the Indian Ocean. New design elements will also allow for dining spaces to be enclosed in the event of inclement weather, while an inner courtyard will be utilised for torch-lit dinners with a distinct Swahili influence.  

In line with an increasing focus on wellness, the Wellness Banda will offer two treatment rooms and an outdoor yoga deck.