Hemingways Resort, Watamu

The resort has 74 spacious rooms and suites, each with a balcony or verandah and stunning views over the Indian Ocean. They are all attractively decorated and very well appointed with en-suite bathroom, airconditioning, fans, mosquito nets and fridges for cooling drinks. Suites, which are larger and tend to have the best views, also have a separate sitting room.

Food here is taken very seriously and dishes are prepared from the freshest of ingredients with vegetables grown on the hotel's own farms and fish caught daily. The cuisine has African, Arabian and Eastern influences cooked to western standards. During the warmer months dinner is served al fresco on the terrace to the sound of lapping waves and the breeze rustling in the palms. There is also a well-stocked bar.

If lazing around in the sun beside one of the two pools elevated above the white sand beach, one of Kenya's finest, is not enough, a wide array of recreational activities are on offer. These include water sports such as sea kayaking, windsurfing, snorkelling and scuba diving on the Watamu Marine Reserve, or tennis, a gymnasium, big game fishing and dhow cruises. In addition, excursions such as walks in the Arabuko-Sokoke coastal rain forest, bird watching and coral reef or dolphin cruises may also be arranged. Last, but not least, after so much activity, why not enjoy one of the excellent soothing massages or beauty treatments the resort has to offer.