Showing posts with label Lodges. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lodges. Show all posts

Friday, December 3, 2010

Kenya Beaches: 11 Best of Kenyan-Mombasa Beach Hotels, Resorts, and Sea Lodges

1. Hemingway Resort

The hemming way is located in the Northern coast at Watamu near Malindi. Watamu is a recluse resort which is off the main Malindi tourist thoroughfare. The Kenyan resort offers world class cuisine has immaculate décor and a warm and friendly staff to boot. Its easy access to the coral reef offers its visitors easy snorkeling and diving opportunities. The resort is popular with big game fishing enthusiasts and is a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World as well as the prestigious chaine des rotisseurs. The resort has 74 comfortable air conditioned rooms and suites, all with ensuite bathroom, shower and ocean views.

2. Baobab Beach Resort

Located on a coral headland overlooking the Indian Ocean and nestled in 35 acres of indigenous forest, the Baobab resort has retained its leading status amongst the coastal resorts.

The Kenyan resort underwent major renovations in 2005 which included extension of the bungalows, new custom-designed furniture and elegant soft furnishings. An addition of an extra 35 rooms also increased its capacity and now provides facilities for those with disabilities, the elderly and family rooms. It also has the marhaba sea food restaurant, new cafes a shopping village and a sunken bar in addition to the common swimming pool. The hotel offers animation, a fitness centre, Jacuzzi, holistic beauty programmes, massage and hair dressing services.

3. Diani Reef Beach Resort and Spa

Set on the legendary Diani Beach with the pristine white sands, Diani Reef Beach Resort and Spa is the first resort in Kenya and East Africa to feature a health and wellness spa.

The Kenyan resort is mammoth and enjoys a 350 meters beach frontage and located on 35 acres of landscaped tropical gardens. The resort has 142 rooms with ocean view comprising of standard and deluxe including some suite, pent house and presidential suites.

There is the Sake oriental restaurant specializing in Indian, Chinese and Japanese cuisine and 2 other restaurants specializing in sea food and Mediterranean dishes. There are five bars, a disco and pool bar. They also have a 120-seater conference room with all necessary equipment, a board room and a business centre.

Activities include golfing, kayaking, cycling and scuba diving among other water sports.

4. Temple Point

Club temple is an all inclusive resort on Watamu beach, 25km from Malindi airport. The clubs accommodation units have been designed with the business and pleasure guests in mind and combines high luxury and standards.

It offers 100 spacious air conditioned rooms in Swahili style décor, conference facilities for 200 delegates, private beach with white powder sand, fine dining and wide range of water sports.

5. Travelers Beach Hotel & Club

Travelers is an all inclusive club located on beautiful white sandy beach in the northern coast. The club offers 288 air conditioned room including standard rooms, suites, family rooms and honeymoon suites.

It also has 24 hour access to restaurants and eateries, four interconnecting swimming pools, a full programme of evening entertainment and a wide choice of water sports.

6. Sarova White sands

This Mombasa hotel is located north of Mombasa and has 340-rooms and has fine white sandy beaches of the northern coast.

The Kenyan hotel is famous for Lido Grill which serves sizzling steaks and freshly caught seafood. The 24 hour Minazi café is a bistro-style eatery with some of the best pizzas on the coast. The pavilions restaurant offers buffet-style dining with culinary themes from around the world.

7. Mombasa Beach Hotel

Located on a cliff top, the Mombasa Beach Hotel has splendid views of the Indian Ocean. It has vast tropical gardens and ensures tranquility and privacy for guests.

The Kenyan hotel has 150 air conditioned rooms. The hotel also has fine food and refreshments and five restaurants complimented with three bars. Other amenities include a comfortable Mombasa lounge and a 200 seater conference facility.

8. Indian Ocean Beach Club

The club is set on the white sandy Diani beach with its warm blue waters.

The main building is designed in grand Moorish-style and consists of 100 palm fronds-roofed chalets, club rooms and beach front rooms with private bathrooms. The chalets are air conditioned, provided with ceiling fans, minibar and telephones.

They have 3 restaurants including one dhow shaped and captivating Bahari cove moored on the southern side of hotel facing the full moon or the magical African sky.

The Kenyan club has a large free form swimming pool with other smaller ones scattered around the property. All kinds of water sports are arranged including deep-sea fishing, windsurfing, snorkeling, scuba diving and canoeing. They also have 2 flood lit tennis courts, volley ball, croquet, boules, bird-watching and jogging trail. Daily entertainment in the form of live band, cabaret shows or traditional dances and live music in sultan's lounge.

9. The Alliance Hotels & Resorts

The Alliance consists of three coastal hotels all next to each other; they are the Alliance Safari Beach, the Alliance Jadini Beach and the Alliance Africana Sea lodge.

The safari beach offers luxurious two-storey coastal cottage-style accommodation and also features a circular shaped restaurant called the village. The hotel has the famous beachcombers' brasserie, ice cream and juice bars for the midday sun.

The Jadini beach the Boriti bar and main restaurant are built over the beach for that exquisite view. All rooms are air conditioned with en-suite bathroom, TV and radio, telephone and minibar. The African a sea lodge is built in a traditional style and is an all inclusive resort.

10. Woburn Residence Club

The Woburn is for those in need of exclusivity. Located near the coastal town of Malindi it offers spacious accommodation in a homely environment. The apartments include executive suites and luxury bedrooms available for daily or long lease vacation rental.

The Woburn has 18 three-bedroom apartments, nine one bedroom apartments and 14 hotel rooms and suites. All apartments have well furnished sitting and dining areas plus a separate kitchen with electric cookers and fridge.

Also included is a three tier swimming pool, shady Jacuzzi, lush tropical gardens and an elegant dining area and bar. The Woburn is attractive and convenient for either long stay or short holiday for those that want to escape crowded hotel settings.

11. The turtle bay beach Club

The Mombasa beach club is located in Watamu, 25km south of Malindi town and is an all inclusive holiday facility.

The beach club has 145 rooms as ensuite, club rooms, and cottage-style and ocean front rooms. There is a main dining room serving wholesome breakfasts and buffet-lunches and dinner. A poolside snack bar and the pizza garden are places worth your visit.

The hotel has the added advantage of being located dead centre in the Malindi National Marine Park. It therefore offers easily accessible snorkeling, scuba diving, coral garden boating. Other activities on offer include, bird-watching, horse riding and visits to the Gede ruins. There is always some one on hand to look after the children.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Malindi Kenya Beach Lodges- Top Five Star Luxury Malindi Hotels

Malindi Kenya

Malindi is the second largest city on the Kenyan Coast. There are trendy boutiques and shops, many restaurants, and a colorful outdoor market. It is famous for the Malindi Marine National Park and deep sea fishing. Many of the beach resorts have a significant Italian influence.

Most of the hotels are strung out along the beachfront to the south of Malindi's town centre. Those closest to town resemble city hotels. There are also many hotels which are further inland and have beach access. We did not visit all of these hotels.

Indian Ocean Lodge Malindi Kenya

This prestigious lodge in Malindi accommodates guests in sumptuous Arab-style houses. The lodge has four acres of private property and is built on a promontory overlooking the ocean. There is a great beauty and a sense of the exotic about this unusual and exclusive lodge. Your first impression if of wonderful color contrasts-brilliant arches against a vivid profusion of bougainvillea and the deep blueness of the Indian Ocean gleaming beyond. Timeless baobabs twist with ponderous grace.

Indian Ocean Lodge offers something similar to a private home stay since your hosts live here and are familiar with the surrounding area and its history. The difference is that the lodge looks more like a perfectly arranged museum than a "worn at the corners" family home. You want to stop and admire the lovely Swahili furniture, the carpets, and the wall decorations.

The lodge guarantees exclusivity. A maximum of only eight guests are accommodated at a time. The guests stay in spacious quarters with four-poster beds, sitting areas, and private patios or balconies. All has been tastefully decorated in keeping with the Arab style of the buildings. There is an indoor-outdoor feel about the lodge-open arches, outdoor stairways, breezes blowing and bright clear light streaming into rooms. The white wash dazzles the eyes.

There is a swimming pool within the walled property, and you must climb down many steps to the sea. A boat belonging to the lodge can be used for fishing or snorkeling. The rates include your hosts collecting you from the airport and driving you within a 40 kilometers radius for shopping or sightseeing. They will also accompany guests to tennis, golf, squash, windsurfing, or scuba diving. Deep -sea fishing can be arranged at an extra charge. Full board rates include alcohol, soft drinks and daily laundry.

The atmosphere and ambience of a privately hosted stay depend to a large extent on the hosts.

Malindi Beach Club

The Malindi beach club stresses privacy and a Swahili atmosphere in its 24 newly renovated rooms. With its private beach fronting, Malindi's marine park, you can sample all marine sports, take advantage of nearby disco and casino, play golf or tennis, go for morning horse rides along the beach, or just enjoy palm-shaded court yard terraces, some with a sea view. The peaceful harmony of an Arabian village is suggested by an irregular grouping of white two story structures, accented by arches, black grillwork, and balconies. Tile pathways meander through shaded gardens and into courtyards. There are two salt water swimming pools, a club house, bar, piano and barbeque. The restaurant menu features fresh seafood and Italian cuisine. The Swahili theme is accented inside with fine antique pieces of brass, chests and oriental carpets. All is well coordinated and tastefully done.

The rooms have Swahili décor with tile or wood floors, air conditioning, mosquito net, refrigerator-bar, telephone, and private bathroom.