being a member of RCI, and wanting to do a kenya trip, malindi's coral key resort was an option we had. But going by all the reviews, we were very hesitant till we actually went there. we had made up our minds to choose another place ,if need be.
Communication on the net with the hotel public relations can be very anxiety-inducing, as their replies are not prompt at all, and then when they do, one is not sure if they said yes or no to any questions you may have asked! We had asked to be picked up from the airport, and till we actually saw the car outside, I wasnt sure if anybody would come at all.
then the reception at the hotel was slow and tedious.They insisted on doing all the formalities before we checked in and got refreshed (after a very long flight).
All through the stay there, one gets the feeling that they are trying to extract money from you, wherever possible. They ask for a deposit per person for a week, a deposit to use the kitchen-otherwise its locked, a daily charge to use the facilities etc. So, even though you think you've paid all your money up front, when you book, you still have a lot to pay when you go there.
having said that, i must also say that the resort was very well maintained, the locals who work there are very friendly and helpful. yes ,there is a slightly better treatment if you are italian, but if you ignore that, its still a pleasnt stay. Dont go in for the daily food package- the in-house pizzeria is excellent where you pay for the dish you choose, and there are nearby local restaurants that are wonderful. We lunched at the 'Old man and the sea' everyday. it was cosy and very nice, and had pizzas in the resort every night. there's a local store about 100m distance from the resort where you get breakfast cereal, juices and milk. So, even though we didnt use the kitchen, we still made our own breakfast and tea.It works out the same, and you get a choice.
The pools are excellent. trips arranged by the resort are very expensive, but if you have the time, you can hunt around in the main town and get good bargains. The beach attached to the resort isnt very great to speak of. we walked a lot in malindi town, and occasionally felt scared, but mostly it was ok ,with not many people bothering us. If you are planning to buy habdicraft , buy them here, as they are more expensive in nairobi and the safari resorts.
The bad reviews may have been because of bad experiences, bad timing,bad personal behaviour--i dont know. but our experience overall was very good, other than the expensive part.

Rooms outdated and stuffy,lots of mosquitoes,and bats.faulty air conditioning.quickly checked out and headed to the more pleasant kilili baharini.

Overall a great place to stay. Clean, good buffets and friendly staff. Not sure what all the bad reviews were about. If you don't like the beach boys, the security will shoo them away. The alley next to the resort has many 'shops' where the locals sell souvenirs. They will bargain with you on price.
Special thanks to the activity staff at Coral Key. Mahomed x2 and Charlie gave us extra special attention during our stay. Entertainment was provided near the bar every night after dinner. They were genuinely always concerned with our comfort. Everybody greets you with a friendly Jambo. We felt waited on hand and foot. We weren't Italian either.

Just returned from Malindi and a stay at the Coral Key Resort. Having read the reviews on this site I was unsure whether I was going to heaven or hell. Much, much closer to heaven. I am really unsure what those reviews that trashed this resort were after, but my family and I had a wonderful stay.

The service was prompt and friendly. This is an aging facility, so there was a problem here and there, but each problem was promptly addressed by the friendly staff. My room was clean, air-conditioned and hot water was plentiful. The room was cleaned at least twice a day!

The beach in Malindi isn't the prettiest beach I've been to, but that may have been from an influx of seaweed that can be found anywhere. The hotel does have a large Italian clientele, but so what? Malindin itself has a huge Italian influence, as well as British and African. The staff were friendly and we had no problems at all in that regard. The resort is beautiful with flowers everywhere. At least 7 swimming pools, tennis, a climbing wall, spa services and gym facilities on site.

Malindi is a very, friendly town and getting around is very easy in the ever present tuk-tuks. Safaris (world class) in the Tsavo reserves just about 90 minutes away. We booked a 3 day/2 night safari through JT Safaris. We had an amazing trip with Sisto our driver/guide. We saw 4 of the big 5 on the first day! Sisto was very knowledgable about the animals, flora, fauna as well as African history. This was the best experience we could have ever hoped for!

What I disliked was trivial. Rooms were sparsely furnished, but you don't spend much time there. The "beach boys" arevery annoying, but the hotel does a fabulous job at limiting their access to guests while not on the public beach.

Mohammad - the tour director - arranged our tours to the Gedi Memorial ( a must see) and the Blue Safari. He is very personal, worked hard to please us! He even called when we were at the airportto fly home. He wanted to wish us safe travels and thank us for staying at Coral Key!

Food at Coral Key was good. We chose not to go with full board as we were going to be gone for a few days. We also ate at the Driftwood - very good and The Old Man and the Sea - a must do as it truly was amazing!

The Coral Key Resort is highly recommended