A recap of my stay at the beautiful Swahili Beach Resort in Diani Kenya

I will start by saying that this is one of the best vacations I have ever been on. Swahili Beach Resort really changed something in me and reminded me how important travel is to me. Diani beach in Kenya will always have my heart and I loved my stay at this beautiful Swahili Beach.

So, now to the recap;

My journey to Swahili Beach Resort started in Tigoni, which is a suburb on the outskirts of Nairobi city. My time in Tigoni was short because it was my first base on arrival but I had a great time in Tigoni – a beautiful place dotted with lush Tigoni tea farms and cool weather.I left Tigoni for Mombasa early in the morning, my good friend Alice from Kenya dropped me off at SGR Nairobi Terminus for my train ride to Mombasa. Driving to the SGR terminus offered me a glimpse into Nairobi city, a busy city with wide roads and skyscrapers.

On arrival at SGR Nairobi Terminus, I said goodbye to Alice and then headed towards boarding. By the way, just to let you know this was a solo vacation for me, I was traveling all the way from Nairobi to Swahili Beach Resort alone.

People and cars in a train station parking lot

Arrival at the SGR Kenya Nairobi Terminus

Once I got past security, I went to the ticket printing section where I printed my ticket from one of the machines. SGR kenya tickets are booked in advance which makes it easy on the day of travel because all you have to do is print your ticket and then wait to board the train when its time.

As a solo traveler, one of the things I like about it is figuring things out on my own while in a different country. I find it liberating and it also elevates my confidence. So, once I finished printing out my ticket, I started figuring out what next for me as I wait for the train. I then moved around, saw some restaurants that were selling food but since I had breakfast prior, I decided to find a seat and wait for boarding. The train set off at exactly 8:00 am and we arrived in Mombasa at 2:00 pm. The train ride takes between 5-6 hours depending on the train you have booked. On arrival I then used the Likoni Ferry to cross over to the other side, then used road transport (cab) to Swahili Beach Resort.

My arrival at Swahili Beach Resort Diani

I arrived at the resort on a hot sunny day with high spirits typical of any traveler on vacation. From the moment I arrived at Swahili Beach Resort, I felt right at home, the staff were so welcoming and friendly. They were ready to take my bags and directed me to the reception where I met the lovely receptionist. I was offered a seat in the waiting lounge and shortly after offered a glass of cold lemonade. The lemonade was refreshing and much needed especially after a long day of travel.

A glass of juice on a black wooden table

Refreshing glass of lemonade I had on arrival at Swahili Beach

The receptionist took me through a short briefing and also informed me about the resort’s check-in app which I decided to use because I like trying new and seamless options. The app is great because one can even check-in on the app before arrival so once you get to Swahili Beach, the process to get to your room is shorter because the resort already has your check-in details in their system. After the check-in, I was escorted to my room by one of the staff members.

My room at Swahili Beach Resort

I stayed in a superior room and let me tell you, if you decide to visit Swahili Beach, book the superior rooms. My room was spacious, had enough natural light was well-equipped and perfect for my stay.

Large bed with white bed sheets and a red bed runner

My bed in the superior room

I had a large king sized bed with bedside provisions where I could place my items when I was on the bed. I had a reading desk and table which I didn’t use as much but would work well for a business traveler who works on the go. My room also had AC which came in handy because the Kenyan coast can get hot on some days so the AC really comes in handy.

My room also had an in-room safe, this really came in handy to keep my items like passport and money safe especially when I would step out of the room to enjoy the rest of the resort. The room also came with complimentary drinking water and a tea/coffee station.

Wooden cupboard with glass bottles and a kettle on top

Tea and coffee station in my room

I also had a large bathroom with a shower and bathtub. The bathroom has a large mirror, two bowl sinks, clean towels, hair conditioner, hair shampoo and body wash. Both cold and hot running water was available and the shower pressure was great.

I am also a woman with natural hair so I used the hair shampoo and conditioner for washing my hair and it worked great. The ingredients used to make the conditioner and shampoo were natural and paraben-free – yes, I read the ingredients before using the hair products in the room.

The view from my room was probably the best part of my room. I am very particular with views and I always request for a room with a good view when booking. I had mentioned this in the email when booking and I was very happy with the room I was given. The view from my balcony was of giant palm trees, the state of the art swimming pool at Swahili Beach and further ahead I could see Diani Beach. I spent a lot of time taking in this stunning view during my stay.

Giant palm trees surrounding a swimming pool

The view from my room balcony

Dinner at Swahili Beach Resort Diani

Swahili Beach is a large beach property so they have a total of 4 restaurants on the property, the choice on where to have your meals depends on you, during check-in they will take you through their different restaurants and what they offer.

On the first day, I decided to have my dinner at the Japanese restaurant just next to the beach. Their Japanese restaurant is called Zanzibari, and the interior of the restaurant is warm. The lights, the wooden chairs,the soft music, the coast inspired decorations all make the ambiance feel warm and light.

The dinner on this day was being made by different chefs but I chose the section with a woman chef. I was seated next to a couple on vacation so it was 3 of us in this section. The dinner was an experience that I still think and talk about to this day. It was an interactive style of dinner where you watch the chef as they prepare your meal and even get an opportunity to have brief interactions with her.

A woman seated at a dinner table with food in front of her

Me seated at the dinner table

So you sit back, watch the chef prepare your meal and then have it served to you. This was a great first night at Swahili Beach! I had my 3 course meal, walked down and had my dessert as I listened to jazz music that was being played by the pool side.

Noodles and vegetable on a plate with a side of sauces

My main course meal at the Japanese restaurant

This was a great first night at Swahili Beach! I had my 3 course meal, walked down and had my dessert as I listened to jazz music that was being played by the pool side.

Swimming pool with blue lights and palm trees

Pool side at Swahili Beach. The resort really looks beautiful at night

The other restaurants at Swahili Beach include Baharini Beach Bar and Restaurant, Spice Route Indian Restaurant and their buffet restaurant which is next to the reception lounge. The next day my dinner was at the Indian restaurant where I also had a yummy taste of Indian cuisine.

Spice Route Indian restaurant where I had dinner the next day

Breakfast at Swahili Beach Resort

Breakfast at a resort or hotel is one of my best parts of travel, I am never late for breakfast because I love a good resort breakfast. The breakfast options at Swahili Beach are endless, it offers a true definition of buffet breakfast. The options included a pastry section with freshly baked bread and cakes, a fruit section, a section where you would order your style of eggs, a section with yogurt, smoothies, tea,coffee and juice. There was also a section for Swahili style breakfast and Indian style breakfast.

The choice on what you pick from the buffet is totally up to you. I picked eggs, gluten free cake, potatoes, a banana smoothie(which was so good) and coffee. The buffet breakfast restaurant has different seating areas, you can even choose to sit outside overlooking the pool and garden.

Eggs, potatoes and pastries on white plates

My breakfast at Swahili Beach

The beach

Walking to the beach was one of the best things I did while on my beach vacation at Swahili Beach. I took walks on the beach in the morning, during the day and in the evening. The morning walks were refreshing, the beach was almost empty and I enjoyed being up early sitting by the beach and watching the golden sunrise over the Indian Ocean. What a beautiful sight!

Sunrise at Diani Beach

The walks in the evening healed me and reminded me how small my problems are in the grand scheme of things. The evening beach walks were a reminder that there is a whole world out there for me to live and that I have one life so its important to make the best of it. The evening walks also offered me an opportunity to see the locals as they ended their day walking back to their homes.

Evenings at Diani beach

Day time at the beach was great because Swahili Beach Resort has sun loungers and dome shaped loungers that overlook the beach. It is a perfect area to relax, order a drink and enjoy the views of the ocean.

Sun loungers at Diani Beach

My favorite things about my stay at Swahili Beach Resort Diani

My overall stay at Swahili Beach was amazing and exactly what I needed. I would say it even exceeded my expectations, like I knew I would have a good time but my stay exceeded my expectations.

So, I will list a few things that I loved about my stay;

My room, I loved that it was spacious and had great amenities.
I liked the service, the staff were helpful at all times and very attentive. It’s like they were trained to anticipate a guest’s needs even before they ask.
The walks to the beach. So refreshing!
The swimming pool. It was large with different sections so every time I used the pool I did not feel overwhelmed by people. There was more than enough space for everyone.
Dinner at the Japanese restaurant. This was a major highlight for me.

Where is Swahili Beach Resort located?

Swahili Beach Resort is located along Diani beach in the southern coast of Kenya. Diani Beach is a popular beach destination in Kenya with resorts located along the beach and Swahili Beach Resort happens to be one of them. Diani beach is located 30km south of Mombasa in Kwale county, Kenya.