Maoklyn Apartments: Your Home Base in Paramaribo
Poolside self-catering flats on quiet Mahonylaan, minutes from the city's beat
Why Go
A low-key alternative to Paramaribo's hotels, Maoklyn hands you the keys to a full apartment with a courtyard pool, then lets you set your own rhythm in a residential pocket that's still an easy hop from the downtown action.
The Experience
Set along leafy Mahonylaan on the eastern side of Paramaribo, Maoklyn Apartments is a small compound of one- and two-bedroom units built around a shared swimming pool. Interiors are pragmatic rather than boutique - tiled floors, full kitchens, air-conditioned bedrooms, private bathrooms and a sitting area that feels more like a friend's flat than a hotel room. Because it's tucked into a residential neighborhood rather than the tourist strip, mornings are quiet, evenings are cooled by the pool deck, and you get a slice of everyday Surinamese life: neighbors walking to the warung on the corner, roosters at dawn, a whiff of pom or bakabana drifting over the fence. Reception is informal, stays are booked through Airbnb and the property's Facebook page, and the vibe suits travelers who want independence, a base for road trips into the interior, or a longer stay while working or visiting family.
What to Try
Cook one meal in - the kitchens are fully kitted out and Paramaribo's Chinese-run supermarkets stock everything from fresh snapper to Javanese sambal, so a self-catered dinner by the pool is half the point of staying here. Then blow the budget on a night out: grab a taxi (or a rental car from nearby 4x4xJankie or 88 Car Rental Suriname) and eat your way across the city, from roti at a Hindustani warung to a Bruynzeel beer at a waterfront bar on the Suriname River.
Insider Tip
Book the two-bedroom if there are more than two of you - the price gap is small and the extra room doubles as a luggage/gear staging area for interior trips to Brownsberg or the Upper Suriname River. And pick up a local SIM (Digicel or Telesur) on arrival; the Wi-Fi is fine at the apartment but you'll want data the moment you leave Mahonylaan.
The Practical Stuff
Address: Mahonylaan, Paramaribo (eastern Paramaribo, roughly 10-15 minutes by car from the historic centre and Waterkant). Book via Airbnb or the Maoklyn Apartments Facebook page; rates typically run around USD 85-111 per night depending on unit size and season. Cash in SRD is handy for street food and taxis, though most sit-down restaurants accept cards. There's no on-site restaurant, but supermarkets, bakeries and warungs are within walking distance. A rental car is the easiest way to reach beaches, plantations and the interior; taxis and app-based rides cover in-town trips cheaply.
Pair It With
- 168 Restaurant Guide — A short walk for a no-fuss Chinese-Surinamese dinner when you don't feel like cooking - classic bami, nasi and fried rice done well.
- 'T VAT Sidewalk Cafe Guide — Paramaribo institution for an ice-cold Parbo and people-watching; an easy taxi ride from Mahonylaan for a proper night out.
- 88 Car Rental Suriname Guide — Grab a car here to turn the apartment into a launch pad for day trips to Commewijne's plantations or the beaches at Galibi.
- 597SpeedUp Watertubing Guide — Half-day adrenaline hit on the river - a fun break from city time before returning to the pool at Maoklyn.