Getting to know….The Makokola Retreat
Each of us carry the memory of a special place. A special time.
The Makokola Team works hard to ensure that we are that special memory for when our guests leave our gates; reflecting on time spent on one of the most beautiful lakeshore beaches in the world.
A sundowner on the shores of Lake Malawi is the very best way to end the day.
The last three years at Makokola development has been ongoing even during covid-19 times. 2018 saw the pre-opening of the exclusive lake suite wing boasting 22 exclusive lake suite rooms all overlooking Lake Malawi with an exclusive lake suite guest area purely for adults and kids above the age of 12 years. Alongside the lake suites our pride & joy emerged at the far end of the property at the lake suite wing – The Sunset Villa; a room designed for guests to enjoy all the splendor and beauty of Lake Malawi from their room. The room boasts its own private infinity pool & views of both sunrise & sunset.
The new Lake Villas and the beautiful bay where The Makokola Retreat is located.
Then in 2019 our dining area saw a major transformation with the opening of our Il Lago restaurant & our old beach lounge dining area that was turned into our coffee lounge. Open space & natural light was embraced with the design of the Il Lago restaurant with beautiful Katundu Malawi chandeliers gracing the high vaulted ceilings.
In 2020 renovations started on all superior rooms during the peak of the global pandemic and 6 renovated superior beach rooms were ready to open this past February 2021 with the remaining 8 rooms due to open later this year. The Superior Beach Rooms, face out across our gardens with views of Lake Malawi, provide guests with their own private terrace for personal relaxation.
The rooms have been fitted with brand new air-conditioning and satellite TV’s as well as mini fridges and electronic safes for convenience. En-suite facilities are provided for each room; family rooms have both bathtub & shower while the superior beach rooms only have a shower. A range of new furniture hand-crafted by local artisans, all rooms have been finished to a superb standard with vaulted, thatched roofs and hanging chandeliers, made on property, adding stunning character from above.
With an eco-friendly and sentimental approach, we have recycled most of the furniture of the old superior beach rooms and reused them in new innovative pieces for the renovated rooms. The aim was also to maintain a piece of the old “Club Mak” as it was originally known. Bearing all future development plans of the property in mind, we didn’t want to lose this piece of the hotel’s history.
This is a place waiting to be discovered within the Warm Heart of Africa. Again. Or for the very first time. North of Mangochi on the palm fringed southern shores of Lake Malawi – The Makokola Retreat awaits.
The main guest pool.
Time moves slower here, you can do as you please. Close your eyes and you hear the call of a fish eagle, laughter, the lapping of the lake on a sandy shore. Open them and gaze across the sparkling Lake at a distant island, a farway shore, an infinite blue sky.
Have you ever wondered what you would do if the day was yours to design? The possibilities are intoxicating and endless. Today you might deepen your tan on an exquisite sandy beach, or go snorkel and discover the techni-color world of the Lake’s tropical fish. Be curious. Finish a book. Everything routine and ordinary will be banished when you enter our gates. Some come to play golf among the baobabs or sail an inland sea. Others aspire to do nothing more than read or sip long cocktails on either the beach or by one of our three beach side pools overlooking the Lake of Stars.
That is the ultimate luxury – absolute freedom. To come and go. To dress in casual comfort. Tennis or squash on courts hidden away in rolling tropical gardens. The freshness of the breeze. The brilliance of the sun and stars overhead. A Quiet corner to retreat to. Enough space to spread out. Enough time to restore body and soul. Enough freedom to do whatever you please.
Follow us on either Facebook (The Makokola Retreat) or Instagram (the_makokola_retreat) for the latest news and updates to plan your trip to our piece of paradise. Our new website will be due to launch later this year to take you on a journey of what your next holiday could be like with us.