Written by Sarah-Jayne on 13/01/10, filed under Kenya Beach, Kenya Safari | No Comments
This is a large 3 star property, it has quite a large pool that has a swim up bar, so when it’s really hot you can cool down and have a drink at the same time. The rooms are basic and have a balcony or terrace and offer double beds with nets. The food is served buffet style and is a suitable standard, you do need to be aware that gentlemen are required to wear long trousers at dinner.
You need to make sure that you have insect repellent, because the hotel has a lot of water features they do get a lot of insects. The hotel itself was comfortable and clean and for what you pay it is good value for money. You do need to pay for bottled water here as the all inclusive is only on water by the glass. Also if you want to make any long distance calls then it is worth doing this outside the resort as the charges are quite high.
This Hotel chain also has a safari lodge called Ngutuni that is in Tsavo. The hotel offer 3 departures a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, it is important to also remember that when you do your 1 night safari that you check out of your room. You are picked up around 5 am and it takes about 4 hours to get to the gate at Tsavo Game reserve and then a further 2-3 hours to get to the lodge as you have a game drive on your way through. This lodge I thought was very nice, it is in it’s own sanctuary outside of the Tsavo reserve and sits around a small watering hole. The service form the staff was really good and food is served by waiter if you are in a small group or buffet if the group is over 10 people. The food I thought was very good. The rooms do not have air conditioning but do offer a fan and their are mosquito nets on request. Overall I think for a first time safari this is a great option.
The Papillon is on the south coast of Mombasa and is reached by road and car ferry and takes +/- 2 and a half hours to transfer or 20-30 minutes from Ukunda.
Written by Sarah-Jayne on 13/01/10, filed under Kenya Beach | No Comments
This has to be one of my favourite properties in Mombasa. It is a beautiful small hotel with only 5 rooms and is a real home away from home, owned and run by Dominique and John. It is set on a great beach location and it is just lovely. The standard of this small property is very high, the food is out of this world and the staff are just so helpful. The rooms are all decorated differently and are beautifully done with a huge bathroom. All the rooms are set around the small pool and there are sun beds scattered around the garden. You also have access to some hammocks overlooking the beach area. It is the ideal location for couples as well as singles. The owners do allow children as they have one of their own but they limit how many they have in house at any one time.
For 5 euros you can have use of the hotels small rowing boat that will take you out for as long as you like to do some snorkelling, and the snorkelling from this beach is amazing, and the water is so clear. This facility is only dependent on the tides so if you ask Dominque or John they will let you know when to go, we went before lunch for just over an hour and had a great experience, on our return we had lunch and I would recommend the crab salad, it is completely fresh and I swear I had the whole crab! I’m a real foody and the food is just amazing here and there are no time constraints, a waiter will come round mid morning and ask what you would like and what time you would like lunch and then it is all prepared for when you want it, I think that is a big plus when you stay in a smaller property, you definitely get the royal treatment.
The Hotel also offers spa treatments, again you speak to Dominique and she will make the arrangements for you. Across the road from this property is a small shopping centre and there is also a bar/restaurant so if you want to you can sit here and have some lunch. There is also another restaurant called 40 thieves along the beach that you can walk to. These are great alternatives to the Asha for a meal, as you may only be on a Bed & Breakfast or half board basis at the hotel.
The Asha Cottages is on the South coast and is reached by road and car ferry and take +/- 2 hours from the airport or from Ukunda it takes 20 minutes.
Written by Sarah-Jayne on 13/01/10, filed under Kenya Beach | No Comments
I really enjoyed my stay at this hotel, for a 3 star property I thought it was great and offered a lot for your money. Great for families mainly but couples and singles on a budget will also enjoy this property. There are 2 pools one for the families and one for adults only. This hotel offers 3 different areas to eat, a pizzeria - very good pizzas! the main restaurant which is buffet style and one a la carte which is at a supplement. I thought the food at this hotel was of a very good standard.
The hotel has a lot of entertainment on offer during the day and evening, so for those of you who want to do some activites then it is available. We had a go at the darts competition and needless to say we didn’t win!!
The rooms are very comfortable and the facilities and decor are standard. The rooms have mosquito nets available and also have air conditioning.
One thing I thought was good at this hotel was that they offered mobile phones for higher of 180 shillings a day, that approx £1.80 these could be found at reception. Also at reception there is a booking center for any trips you may want to take or if you want to get involved in the local area.
The Turtle Bay is on the North coast of Mombasa and can be reached by road from Mombas it takes +/-2 and a half hours or from Malindi it takes 15-20 minutes.
