Perhaps this is your situation. You booked a two-week trip to the Kenyan coast through a travel agent in our home country. You didn't want to spend too much and were pointed to a "great deal". The photos looked ok and you figure, "We are going to spend most of our time by the beach".

Maybe you are from Sweden, or Denmark or Poland(most of the people we met were from these places). You don't speak English as your first language and when things go wrong(as they often will)this makes it hard to complain about things. In fact, it is unlikely you even filled out the feedback form you were handed at reception when you checked out.

Now, you find yourself trapped at Kilifi Bay Beach Resort. Not just for five days. But for two. Long. Weeks. Yikes! What can you do?

First, don't panic. Make the best of your situation. You need to believe in the power of positive thinking. The glass is not half-empty. It is half-full. Don't dwell on the negatives. Focus on the positives. Afterall, you are in Africa. Just because you made a mistake on selecting Kilifi, don't ruin your vacation.

Second, make friends with a fellow guest. Companions make a difficult situation easier to bear. When you are able to share(and hopefully laugh) about all the defects, you will find release and feel less bitter. It also helps you realize you are not suffering alone. Your fellow guests will be able to share their stories. You will cry, cringe and shudder. Then hopefully you will enjoy a good laugh. It could always be worse, right? If you are able to make a friend who can speak english fluently, all the better. They can help you to lodge your complaints and to assist with filling out the feedback form.

Third, do not take an excursion through the hotel. Did you get that? As of December 2011, excursions are offered without a fixed price. Perhaps this will change. It should change or guests leave with a negative impression of Mada Hotels. The individual who is selling them to you is making tonnes of cash. If there were fixed prices, the other staff would raise alarms and the prices would be much lower. Book your excursions through the beach boys(David is one who is found on the beach to the right of the hotel) and you will save money and probably get a better experience.

Fourth, spend as much time as possible on the beach. Go for a long walk. Baobab Sea Resort is a safe, three kilometre walk to the right. You probably will not be told this by the hotel(we were told by one of our fellow guests) but you can use Baobab's facilities and take drinks/food there. Both hotels are owned by Mada. If you don't feel like walking back, the hotel has a free shuttle. We enjoyed the ocean as much as possible during our stay because the lower pool was filthy. Maybe we have high standards. If you call seeing water beetles the size of a silver dollar swimming alongside of you high standards. Or, not being able to see your feet while walking in the murky shallow end. Apparently, the pump was not working. For the whole five days we were there.

Finally, some small pointers. The name of the manager is Peter. He is a good guy. He is easy to spot because he is the one with the smile on his face. Get to know him. Tell him how your day is going. Try some of Boniface's pizza. He makes his thin-crust pies for lunch or for a pre-dinner snack. Enjoy the free massages. Maria is more systematic and methodical than Edna. Edna has stronger hands(although they are sometimes gritty with sand). Book a table in advance on the outside patio of the Fisherman's Restaurant. Eating indoors is hot and stuffy.