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Sunbird Nkopola Lodge

Property class: 4.5

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Photo gallery for Sunbird Nkopola Lodge

A beachside bar with wicker chairs and a view of the ocean. - Sunbird Nkopola Lodge (Mangochi)
An aerial view of a coastal area with a beach, a hill with structures, and a clear sky. - Sunbird Nkopola Lodge (Mangochi)
A traditional-style building with multiple wooden balconies, stone walls, and lush greenery. - Sunbird Nkopola Lodge (Mangochi)
A spacious outdoor seating area with wicker furniture and a television screen. - Sunbird Nkopola Lodge (Mangochi)
An aerial view of a resort with a swimming pool, lounge chairs, and umbrellas. - Sunbird Nkopola Lodge (Mangochi)
You can look forward to a free breakfast buffet, a poolside bar, and a coffee shop/cafe at Sunbird Nkopola Lodge. With a beachfront location, fishing, and motor boating, this hotel is the perfect place to soak up some sun. The on-site international cuisine restaurant, The Beach Side Restaurant, offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Fitness classes are offered at the gym; other things to do include volleyball and racquetball/squash. In addition to a garden and a hair salon, guests can connect to free WiFi in public areas.

Reviews

7.2 out of 10
Good

Popular amenities

  • Pool
  • Breakfast included
  • Parking included
  • Restaurant
  • Air conditioning
  • Gym

Room options

View all photos for Deluxe Chalet (Deluxe Chalet Room)

A hotel room with a bed, a desk with a chair, a sofa, and a large window with curtains.

Deluxe Chalet (Deluxe Chalet Room)

  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for Studio, Lake View (Lakeview Studio Room)

A hotel room with a bed, a desk, a chair, a sofa, and a view of the sea through the window.

Studio, Lake View (Lakeview Studio Room)

  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

Deluxe Room (Hillside Deluxe Room)

  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

Superior Room (Hillside Superior Room)

  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for Suite, Lake View

A hotel room with a bed, a desk, a chair, a sofa, and a view of the outdoors.

Suite, Lake View

  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

About the neighborhood

Located in Mangochi, Sunbird Nkopola Lodge is in the historical district and on the beach. Travelers eager for a bit of culture can stop by Mangochi Museum, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Lake Malawi and Nkhudzi Bay Beach. Visit our Mangochi travel guide
Map
14 Chilembwe Road, Club Makokola, Mangochi

What's nearby

  • Nkhudzi Bay Beach
    38 min drive - 21.3 miles
  • Mangochi Museum
    40 min drive - 21.3 miles
  • Lake Malawi National Park
    50 min drive - 31.4 miles

Getting around

  • Monkey Bay (MYZ)
    60 min drive

Restaurants

  • Ziboliboli
    7 min drive
  • Zithere Pano Restaurant
    7 min drive

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Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Roundtrip airport shuttle (surcharge)
  • Free secured self parking on site
  • Wheelchair-accessible parking and van parking available

Food and drink

  • Free buffet breakfast available daily 6:00 AM to 10:00 AM
  • A bar/lounge
  • A coffee shop/cafe
  • A poolside bar
  • A restaurant

Restaurants on site

  • Malindi Bar
  • The Beach Side Restaurant

Things to do

  • Children's pool
  • Fishing
  • Fitness classes
  • Gym
  • Motor boating
  • Outdoor pool
  • Racquetball/squash
  • Volleyball

Family friendly

  • Children's pool
  • In-room kitchen
  • Laundry facilities
  • Microwave on request
  • Outdoor pool
  • Refrigerator on request

Conveniences

  • 24-hour front desk
  • ATM
  • Free newspapers in lobby
  • Gift shop/newsstand
  • Hair salon
  • Laundry facilities
  • Safe at front desk

Guest services

  • Concierge services
  • Dry cleaning/laundry service
  • Housekeeping (daily)
  • Multilingual staff
  • Porter/bellhop
  • Tour and ticket assistance
  • Turndown service
  • Wedding services

Business services

  • Business center
  • Conference space
  • Meeting room

Outdoors

  • Barbecue grill
  • Garden
  • On a lake
  • On the beach

Spa

  • In-room massages

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • 2 accessible parking spaces
  • Accessible bathtub
  • Hand-held showerhead
  • No elevator (single-level property)
  • Valet for wheelchair-equipped vehicles
  • Visual alarms in hallways
  • Well-lit path to entrance
  • Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)
  • Wheelchair-accessible business center
  • Wheelchair-accessible concierge desk
  • Wheelchair-accessible gym
  • Wheelchair-accessible lounge
  • Wheelchair-accessible parking
  • Wheelchair-accessible path of travel
  • Wheelchair-accessible pool
  • Wheelchair-accessible public washroom
  • Wheelchair-accessible restaurant
  • Wheelchair-accessible van parking
  • Wheelchairs on site

More

  • 1 building
  • 1 floor
  • Built in 1971
  • Smoking not allowed

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided
  • Select Comfort mattress

Bathroom

  • Bathrobes
  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer (on request)
  • Private bathroom
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • 42-inch LED TV with premium digital channels
  • Pay movies

Food and drink

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Free bottled water
  • Kitchen
  • Limited room service
  • Microwave on request
  • Refrigerator on request

More

  • Air conditioning
  • Connecting rooms available
  • Free daily newspapers
  • Phone
  • Safe

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; Check-in end time: midnight
Early check-in subject to availability
Contactless check-in available
Express check-in available

Check-out

Check-out before 10 AM
Contactless check-out available
Express check-out available

Special check-in instructions

Guests planning to arrive outside of normal check-in hours must contact the property in advance for check-in instructions; front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property
To make arrangements for check-in please contact the property ahead of time using the information on the booking confirmation
If you are planning to arrive after 2:00 PM please contact the property in advance using the information on the booking confirmation
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Access methods

Staffed front desk

Pets

No pets or service animals allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available
Cribs (infant beds) are not available

Property payment types

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards and mobile payments; cash is not accepted
Safety features at this property include a carbon monoxide detector, a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, a security system, a first aid kit, and window guards
Please note that cultural norms and guest policies may differ by country and by property; the policies listed are provided by the property

We should mention

This property does not have elevators
The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation
No pets and no service animals are allowed at this property

Frequently asked questions

Does Sunbird Nkopola Lodge have a pool?

Yes, this property has an outdoor pool and a children's pool.

Is Sunbird Nkopola Lodge pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking?

Self parking is free at this property.

What time is check-in at Sunbird Nkopola Lodge?

Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; Check-in end time: midnight.

What time is check-out at Sunbird Nkopola Lodge?

Check-out is at 10 AM.

Does Sunbird Nkopola Lodge provide a shuttle to the airport?

Yes, there's an airport shuttle.

Where is Sunbird Nkopola Lodge located?

Located in Mangochi, this beachfront hotel is in the historical district, 0.1 mi (0.1 km) from Lake Malawi, and within 20 mi (32 km) of Nkhudzi Bay Beach and Monkey Bay Beach. Lake Malawi National Park and Mangochi Museum are also within 25 mi (40 km).

Can I cancel my reservation for free and receive a full refund?

Yes, this property offers free cancellation on select room rates, because flexibility matters! Please refer to the property cancellation policy on our site for more details about any exclusions or requirements.

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Reviews

Sunbird Nkopola Lodge Reviews

7.2

Good

7.4

Cleanliness

8.4

Location

7.2

Staff & service

7.0

Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 5 out of 27 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 12 out of 27 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 5 out of 27 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 3 out of 27 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 2 out of 27 reviews

Reviews

Verified review

2/10 Terrible

Rhita

Nkopola is beautiful only we didnt have to stay there. Expedia cancelled our booking the day we were meant to check in. We are very disappointed. Left us stranded. We rmailed to be refunded no reponse up to now.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2020
Verified review

8/10 Good

Vibeke Follesøy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Flott! Litt kjedelig med skitten bil etter apekatter hadde griset til bilen vår
Stayed 1 night in May 2026
Verified review

8/10 Good

Hirotsugu

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
猿が遊びに来ました。
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2022
Verified review

4/10 Poor

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Staff & service
Room service was slow. one time l waited for over an hour and a half for my dinner to be delivered to my room. was told that breakfast was served from 6.30am but this was not so. aT 6.30 AM the staff would still be busy bringing foof from the kitchen. This was inconviniencing as l had early morning starts. When l checked out on the 12th of February, l asked for my invoice to be sent to me by email. Up to now the invoice has not be sent
Stayed 7 nights in Feb 2020
Verified review

4/10 Poor

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, room comfort
Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Overall dissapointing considering the cost of this hotel
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2019
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Good view by the lake. Condition is old. Not worth paying that price for.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2019
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Mwaka

Disliked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The view of the lake was pretty. The room was a 2* at best. I expected 3* at least. Very poor shower and at one stage I almost got burnt very badly whilst in the shower. Conference food was good but the hotel breakfast was not great. The cost of wine is exhorbitant - daylight robbery!!! Waiter service was way below standard - they need to spend a lot of time being trained. How is it acceptable that one has to wait 40minutes or more to receive their drinks order?
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2019
Verified review

8/10 Good

Chris

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort

Food

The lunch and dinners this time were not up to the quality expected. No options for diet drinks from Coke Zero to coke light for guests needing sugar free drinks. Pool was closed without notifying us when we made the booking.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2018
Verified review

4/10 Poor

Esmail

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Too expensive for the kind of rooms at this place.

Wanted to try out this place again having stayed here more than 10 years ago. Felt accommodations rates were too expensive and not worth the price I had to pay online. The Lodge did not get a confirmation email of my online booking. I had to forward the email I received online to reception for them to believe me that I had paid online!
Verified review

2/10 Terrible

jo

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

It needs a complete makeover.

We had a deluxe room. The roof leaked so we needed to move out. Then the next room the toilet flooded then moved again to a room where the shower did not work then a massive rain storm effected the water which came out black. Shower and toilet too. The staff need massive re training in customer care they seemed not bothered and would not even break a smile. The buffet food was average and you did not have a wide range of choice. The deluxe rooms are quite a walk from the main hotel they need a cover along the paths especially when it's the rainy season and also a safe. Twice we wished to exchange money and they had no local currency and the ATM had no money. Service was awful too and the food took ages. We left a day early. We were paying Western Prices and got no value for the cost whatsoever. There was no visual management either.
Verified review

8/10 Good

A

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities

Excellent position

Unfortunately we were told only rooms available were up several flights difficult outside stairs although we had booked several months on advance. Plugs in impossible places which meant unable to use kettle. However as soon as we asked about this staff immediately bought extension lead. Felt it should have been thought about. tap came off in hand. Staff exceptionally helpful and sorted all problems
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Steve

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Great location right on the lake shore.

Great hotel with good facilities, well maintained and great gardens. Food was good and service excellent, staff very friendly and helpful. Room was good with AC and own bathroom and outside patio area with chairs and table. Nice bar area overlooking the lake.
Verified review

6/10 Okay

John

Liked: Property conditions & facilities

Nkopola revisited

Returned to Malawi for a holiday 25 years after leaving the country (after working there for 4 years). Spent 2 nights at Nkpola, where my wife and I had last stayed 25 years ago. Arriving just after the Presidential Elections (with the result still to be determined), the hotel was deserted. We were the only guests staying there the first night. But Reception was not very welcoming and initially gave us one of the few chalets without a beach view. We requested a lakeside chalet and one was, eventually, found.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Cody

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025
Verified review

8/10 Good

Bjarne

Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2024
Verified review

8/10 Good

James

Stayed 1 night in Jan 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Winifred

Stayed 1 night in Jul 2022
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Samuel

Stayed 1 night in Feb 2022
Verified review

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Stayed 1 night in May 2020
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2019
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2019
Verified review

8/10 Good

Blair

Liked: Staff & service
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2019
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2019
Verified review

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Heel mooi

Verified review

8/10 Good

Fo

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2017