It sort of depends what you are looking for. Don't go if you want a smart posh Western hotel environment, and no contact with the local population!
This hotel is a very friendly, now slightly worn, hotel from the days when Ernest Hemingway used to do his deep Ocean fishing here. Local (wealthy) Kenyans and South African visitors still do. You can too.
It seemed not to take package tours, so feels slightly more "exclusive", and is not so big as the neighbouring 2 establishments - who are bigger, and look like they rather "stack you in". Having said that it was only slightly more expensive than a package tour to one of the two close-by hotels. The fixtures and fittings are no longer very smart, but everything works, and it is very clean and relaxed. You will sleep in a separate chalet - tea in the morning rising sun, on your own terrace served at 0645, and awaiting you getting up. Poolside beauty therapy - or just dozing in the shade, and best of all an amazing bar/restaurant area, under thatch, cool ocean breezes, waving palms, and good service - you will get to know the friendly local staff, including the ex-pat manager, who are always happy to chat, but equally will respect your privacy if you like. The "campus" feels secure and slightly remote, having good security for the guests.
At night the restaurant counts, for us, as having one of the best ambiences we have experienced - but then the Indian Ocean beating its gentle pulse on the sand below you and the African night stars above are just excellent props for the white table cloths and candle-lit service, with a gentle sea breeze cooling the heat of the day. The food is good - esp the locally caught fish, but not too "ornate", and a quite adequate wine-list. The local fruit and other breakfast stuff is very good!
If you want some adventure - the hotel has a very well run Diving centre, and also the fishing off power deep-sea boats is available, if you prefer to kill the wildlife rather than look at and admire it. Kayaks available for the sea. You can swim in the seawater pool, or of course, when the tide is up, in the gentle reef-protected surf, on the near perfect sandy beach. At low water, the beach reveals old coral rock-pools with amazing local inhabitants (small moray eels/shrimp/reef fish). Great for kids.
Off site, there are things to see and do - local ruins of a Swahili trading city called Gedi. Wildlife (inc Elephants) in the local forest. Local turtle-watch charity. Bird and seashore life at MIda creek eco venture, inc mangroves. Just get reception to arrange it.
Nowhere is perfect, and here the issue is the heat at night for us. We either had a noisy air conditioner to keep cool, or silence but too warm (the mosquito netting stops any cooling breeze) before about 3am, so the nights were slightly disturbed for us. An excuse to do some kipping by the pool in the shade!
As you can tell we're fond of this place. Its a bit of a "find", and far enough off the beaten track to be quiet. To get there ex-UK, try Thomson Hols flight direct into Mombasa - saves an internal transfer flight from Nairobi.
- Ocean Sports Hotel
- Ocean Sports Watamu
