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Sandy beaches, luxury hotels that make Kenya the ideal destination

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A view of the Medina Palms. PHOTO | FILE

From its pristine sandy beaches and luxurious hotels to adventurous game drives, Kenya’s reputation as a top leisure destination remains high despite recent security challenges.

The 2016 Travellers Choice Awards by American travel review website operator, Trip Advisor, confirms preference for Kenya’s sandy beaches and hotels.

Hotels and beaches in Malindi and Ukunda were voted among the top destinations in Africa.

Hotels in Nairobi too feature among the continent’s finest luxury sites, especially after the capital hosted several dignitaries ast year including US President Barrack Obama, Pope Francis as well as the dignitaries who attended the Global Entrepreneurship Summit(GES) and the World Trade Organisation(WTO) ministerial conference.

Travellers’ Choice award winners are determined based on the millions of reviews and opinions collected in a single year from TripAdvisor travellers worldwide.

Hotels in the country were selected and ranked in various categories including top hotels, bargain, bed and breakfast (B&Bs) and inns, luxury, service and small hotels.

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In the awards 14th edition the website which provides reviews of travel-related recognised over 7,000 properties globally in 97 countries.

In the recent past Kenya has been a top focus in Africa, given its growing hospitality sector and while insecurity had given the sector a run for its money, its slowly remerging as a global choice destination.

The prospects of the sector are expected to improve as soon as the government rolls out support, including Sh 1.2 billion rebates for charter flight operators who fly their clients to the coast.

From the sampled travellers views here are this year’s top hotels in the country.

Kola Beach Resort in Malindi

Located at Mamburui in Malindi, the hotel has 17 villas that can be booked on full board and half board accommodation as well self-catering villas appropriate for families as they are those with three bedrooms and others with four.

Medina Palms

The high-end hotel consists of 40 units whose architecture borrows heavily from the rich coastal heritage. These comprise of two luxury villas, eight beach villas, two ocean view lodges, 16 penthouses and 22 apartments that are surrounded with courtyards and tropical gardens.

Pinewood Beach Resort and Spa is a boutique hotel located in Ukunda’s south coast. The hotel designed with an intimate setting only has 38 rooms and 20 suites and has a water sports centre where guests can either go kite surfing, scuba diving or snorkelling.

The Fairmont Mara Safari Club has an outside deck that hangs over the Mara River from which guests can dine. Some of their 50 tents-42 twins and eight doubles- contain outdoor showers that enable the ultimate living in the wild experience while five premium tents with sunken baths.

The hotel offers balloon safaris as well as game drives to its guests.

Kilili Baharini Resort and Spa in Malindi has just 29 rooms and six suites all detailed with African themed décor. A unique thing with the hotel is that all their rooms have a view of either of their five pools.

Located within the Maasai Mara Game Reserve Sarova Mara Game Camp has 20 club tents, 51 standard tents, two family tents that overlook a small stream. The hotel offers bush dining options in addition to an array of other activities to enhance the guest experience.

The Sands of Nomad sits on 26 acres of land in Diani. The private gazebo placed in the middle of the pool makes a perfect setting for a quiet romantic dinner. Their accommodation includes 18 rooms, 7 beach cottages and 12 luxury suites.

Hemingways Nairobi is a 45-room boutique hotel located within the capital that provides guest with a view of the Ngong Hills and a serenity from the city’s hustle and bustle. Their brasserie hotel is famous for its signature steak.

Ocean Village in Diani has a unique premium all inclusive offering that allows guests to have absolutely anything and everything the hotel has to offer including food and drink, though this is only available to guests staying a minimum 4 nights.

Ocean Beach Resort and Spa in Malindi has just 20 rooms and 15 suites available for guest accommodation. The hotels combines both African and contemporary décor to complete their exquisite look and feel.

The list makes up some of the posh hotels that have been part of the country’s landscape. The hotels have rooms whose price averages $452 (Sh45,200). In addition to Sarova Mara Game Camp, Ocean Beach Resort and Spa, Kola Beach and The Sands at Nomad which made it to the overall top hotels here is a sample of the luxury accommodation.

The Maji Beach Boutique Hotel

The hotel in Diani has 15 individual rooms and a private (reserved) beach. The swimming pool surrounds the hotel on three sides and the property also features an ocean view Jacuzzi.

AfroChic Diani

The chic preoperty has 10 guest rooms each with their own en suite bathroom, balcony and sun-loungers.

It is on the South Coast of Kenya on the Diani beach is part of the Elewana Collection. The Collection includes other properties like the Lewa Safari Camp, Kitich Camp and Loisaba Laikipia among other in Kenya and Tanzania.

Palacina Residences and Suites

The luxury high-end Palacina Residence, off Dennis Pritt road was one of the pioneers in the ‘hotel residence’ sector. This was a concept where they offer apartments with similar amenities to a hotel.

Palacina has a selection of one, two and three bedroom apartments, eight suites, including two penthouses, or hotel rooms for guest to pick from.

Villa Rosa Kempinski Nairobi

Found in the capital city, Nairobi, Villa Rosa Kempinski is part of the two properties managed by the global chain in Kenya.

The hotel has 200 rooms in its 10 floors including a premier suite and a presidential suite. The Hotel has four restaurants-Café Villa Rosa, Lucca, 88 and Tambourin.

In addition to the restaurants, it has a cigar lounge dubbed Balcony.

Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club

Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club Resort’s 120 appointed hotel rooms are set in over 100 acres of landscaped gardens with a view of Mount Kenya.

The resort was previously awarded the 2013 Travellers Choice Awards and has been named in the Travel & Leisure Magazine as part of the ‘World’s Top 50’ List. Originally the retreat of movie star and Club founder, William Holden, the Club’s former members have included Winston Churchill and American singer-actor Bing Crosby. 

DusitD2 Nairobi

The Bangkok-based hotel and resort chain has the Hotel on Riverside Drive in Nairobi. The101-room hotel is managed and operated by Dusit International, the Thai hotel chain that owns the Dusit Thani LakeView Cairo in Egypt which opened in 2009.

Dusit International is launching operations in different countries including China and the US as part of its expansion plan. Founded in 1949, the group manages more than 20 properties across the world under its five brands.