We just returned from tropical village resort - five night stay following a 7 day safari.

Very relaxing and enjoyable, the staff were friendly, food excellent, rooms clean and large. All inclusive was great - did not spend a penny all the five days we were there. You do have to pay for some activities eg diving and watersports.

The visit to the marine park £20 per person for half a day (Booked through Kuoni) was excellent. However if you snorkel beware of fire coral. This is a stinging plant which lives on the coral and is almost invisible. It gives of a sting which is a little worse than a nettle sting. Not highly dangerous but initially painfull. To avoid it just keep from direct contact with the coral reef.

Back to the hotel - the locals on the beach are anuisance. The hotel has security guards and the area of the beach where the hotel sun beds are is patrolled and the local predators are not allowed in that area. However the public beach area (immediately by the water) is not patrolled and this is where tourists get pestered with large numbers of locals selling anything from sandals to safaris.

My advice - IGNORE THEM, TELL THEM NOTHING and they will go away however it can take 2 - 3 for some of them to take the hint. There tactics are to try and make friends with you.

Swimming pool is huge and very deep. No lifeguard. Daily activities include Archery, Aerobics, Guided walks, Massage, Nightly entertainment etc.

The great thing about the hotel is the fact that all the noise and entertainment at night is well away from ALL rooms so if you want an early night you will not here a thing. All entertainment stops at midnight without exception.

All inclusive includes three meals a day. with usually a large bbq at night. Drinks are also included in one of the three bars.

Very few English people there largely italian but everyone was very friendly.

The lounge area is superb for early evening cocktails which start at 6pm. Large sofas under a huge thatch roof. Fantastic.

All in all after a 1700 km drive on safari this was the perfect place to be, however, wish we had stayed 3 more days !!!

Like most guests we arrived at the Tropical Beach following a gruelling (but fantastic safari), week. From the moment we arrived at 11pm we were pampered and well looked after and spent a lovely week lazing around.

We upgraded to a junior suite during our stay and found the location of the room ideal. The rooms were around the front of the receoption area with a good view all around. The staff were attentive and friendly, we seemed to be, at the time, one of the few British guests out of mostly Italians staying for several weeks.

The food was very good, although repetative and lacking in variety which I would not have expected in this class of hotel. I must stress that this wasn't a problem as we could have eaten a la carte at an extra cost if we really wanted too.

After a week of intensive safari we chose not to do too much activity in the hotel, the animation team did their best to encourage us as there was daily activities (Water gym, stretching, dance class, volley ball and water sports), to choose from. We politely declined and that was that.

The evening activities were limited to tribal dance shows (would have been okay but for seeing them in Masai Mara the previous week. There was the odd animation team show, which I suppose was okay too. The choice is yours and all are fun if you like to stay up as my daughter and wife did. Being a grumpy git i stayed in the bar enjoing the odd Tusker!

We were really tired of the hard sell, from craft shops the previous week and finally at the hotel with the beach boys. I know they're trying to make a living but it got so bad we stopped going out to the beach and decided not to go into Malindi town. As it turned out we were informed that the town was just more craft shops selling the same stuff that we'd seen countless times the previous week.

I think looking back there were a few things to point out, if you really look closely you'll find a few niggly things. Remember that the hotel is 15 years old now and is showing its age in a few places. The pool needs some attention, the bathrooms too other thank that it is, in our opinion, an Oasis in Malindi.

I would highly recommend and would return, I think a week is enough after a safari and we are thinking of using the hotel as a base for our next trip to Kenya.

A beautiful hotel, in beautiful gardens and over looking the indian ocean, paradise! I've visited tropical 7 times now, and will still return next year. The staff cant be more friendly. A well run hotel five stars in my eyes! well done Bruno!

Pro :
- Large rooms
- Cleaning not perfect, but OK.
- Good italian food (Buffet only)
- Very good security
- Near "Malindi Beach" hotel, where you can have excellent "Restaurant à la carte" with very honest prices. (15-25 euros)
- Small market where you can buy souvenirs directly with people that make them. Very good price if you can discuss.
- Some good activities the evening.
- One new Catamaran - Hobbie cat (12 euros/30 min) and one good windsurf (8 euros/60 min) available.
- Excellent service.
- Quiet

Cons :
- Salt & dust on robinetery in bathrooms.
- Salt water. (But I think that's the same for all hotels around that beach).
- You cannot watch the sea without having somebody trying to sell you a trip on the beach.
- Very expensive shop, about 3x the price. (Prefer the small market on the side)
- No european alcohols, but you can have many if you go to malindi beach restaurant.
- Breakfast food not very good.