SWAHILI BEACH HOTEL
I love a good wedding. Even more so, a destination wedding. It’s even better when the couple in question gets it so right and books their wedding at a fabulous hotel. It is for this reason that five of us ended up staying at Swahili Beach Hotel.
Swahili Beach Hotel is one of the newest hotels along Diani beach, on Kenya’s south coast. Having heard some good buzz about it, we were only too eager to check it out. The hotel’s architecture is influenced by the Swahili culture and this is obvious right from the hotel’s gates which resembles a Lamu-style door (just that much bigger). One’s first impression once inside the hotel’s lobby is just how big and airy the space is. The walls are white-washed and they have maximized the use of natural light. I was warmly received with a virgin dawa and escorted to my room.
The rooms also carry on with the Swahili-culture theme. My room was massive considering I had paid for a standard one. The piece de resistance was the huge four-poster bed, draped with mosquito netting along the sides. (Much better than the dubious nets that usually hang right above the beds in some other establishments). The ‘big-and-airy’ theme continues with the bathroom and main room only separated by a sliding door that remains open. There are two daybeds with the usual scattering of irrelevant cushions, and a wide verandah that overlooks the beach, the pools, or the hotel’s grounds depending on the location of your room. Wooden accents complete the interior décor with the rooms featuring extensively carved niches. As with most 5-star hotels, there is also a mini-bar (unusually unstocked), coffee-and-tea making facilities, an electronic safe, Wi-Fi, and a flat-screen TV. Although to be honest, if you have time to sit and watch telly, your holiday is sorely lacking. The hotel prides itself on being eco-friendly and as such, uses solar power to heat its water. Unfortunately, for those who like their showers steaming-hot, you have to leave the water running quite a long time before it gets warm.
The main restaurant, the Majlis, is where we had most of our meals-buffet style. Each day had a different menu planned. Being so close to the sea, the seafood was the freshest I’ve had in a while. Wisely enough, there were at least two omelette/pasta stations so there was never too long a queue for food. The highlight of each of my dinners was the wonderful [and complimentary] Swahili coffee served after dinner. The waiter insisted it had medicinal qualities as it had everything in it from cinnamon to ginger. Whether or not that was true, it tasted delicious. The restaurant’s walls are covered with black-and-white pictures depicting Swahili people and activity just in case you forget what the hotel’s main theme is. On each night there was different entertainment for the guests. Sadly, it was your typical “Mombasa holiday” entertainment. You know, different bands singing “Jambo bwana” dressed in various kitenge outfits. I’m only surprised we didn’t get to watch some acrobats.
Each evening we settled at the Baraza Bar, which is the main cocktail bar. With its plush sofas, it took more than human effort to not just curl up and have a nap. There is an extensive cocktail and wine list for one to make a selection from. The service is a bit on the slow side, though. Despite often being the only customers at the bar, it took a while to get our beverages served. It is wise to keep your own tab of what you’ve had to drink to avoid a mix-up with the waiters, which we experienced on our last night there. That said, the waiters were incredibly polite, seemed eager to please and closed shop once the last guest had retired for the night.
The beach bar-cum-Italian restaurant, Baharini, has been fitted out completely in reclaimed dhow wood furniture. The sitting area extends to the beach where the sofas have been converted from local canoes and are laden with soft, white cushions. It was at Baharini where we had our run-in with what Nairobians refer to as “coasto culture”. The waiters were slow and looked like they wanted to be anywhere but there. One Thomas, in particular, made our night when he audibly sighed at having to walk up to the pool bar to fetch a particular drink. But, when in Mombasa… All the same, it is the perfect place to kick off your shoes, dig your toes into the sand, and enjoy the night’s ocean breeze.
The Champagne and Oyster Bar is the hotel’s a la carte seafood restaurant raised 40 feet above the beach. There is a dark-wood long bar where a range of champagnes are available and one can sample local fresh oysters. There is a daily ‘catch-of-the-day’ and brilliant views of the ocean.
The best feature of the hotel has to be the swimming pools. Starting right at the reception area, there are several infinity pools going all the way down close to the beach. There are several lounges set out for guests and attentive pool attendants. Next to the main pool is a swim-up bar where afternoon tea is served every evening.
A wide range of water-sport activities are on offer by the hotel. If the prices are too steep, as they are wont to, there are a number of beach boys who can organize the same sports at negotiable prices. For those so inclined, there is also a spa which offers various treatments using top-of-the-range products. A children’s club is also on hand to entertain the kiddies and baby-sitting services are offered at no extra charge.
All in all, my friends and I had a wonderfully relaxing holiday at Swahili Beach. It’s a beautifully designed hotel and though the service was sometimes lacking, it’s clear that all the staff are out to ensure their guests enjoy themselves. I figure if people leave your establishment on the verge of depression, you must have done something right.
Slims is a great after work place to meet. On this occasion I was meeting the girls after they were done working. Got there around 5:30pm and it was still empty but by 7pm...the place was buzzing.
