Imperial Town Hotel

I felt safe running nearby, and the area was great for it: take two lefts after leaving the guest house. The place feels very homely, with cozy rooms, a peaceful restaurant, and nicely decorated common living rooms. They also helped me find a car rental for the weekend. Breakfast was toast with butter and jam, fruit salad, and eggs, with coffee or tea. The food is well priced, but the rooms felt a bit overpriced.

There are ATMs within walking distance, a good restaurant right next door, and the curio market is beside the hotel for picking up gifts to take home. The hotel was clean and good value for money. Our room was clean, with good, clean bedding, and friendly staff. They provided mosquito coils and nets, which helped a lot, and the working aircon was a relief from the heat. Breakfast was basic.

The friendly staff, tasty food, and uber chilled attitude kept bringing me back after my one-night stay in Lilongwe. I wish I'd booked longer, but I was too disorganised. The bar closes relatively early, and there wasn't a TV in the bar to watch the World Cup, which is why I haven't rated it higher. All in all, I highly recommend this spot. They had the best bed nets I could find in Lilongwe, too.

The welcome was fabulous, and the staff were eager to help with anything. The accommodation and food are very basic, though. The lakeside setting is idyllic, but the place still needs a lot of development.