Diani Reef Beach Resort looked picture perfect going by the images I had seen of it and I was eager to discover if this destination was as perfect as it looked. Yes, pictures do lie – photoshop lol. It was raining when we reached Diani but even the fact that we had to circle three times before landing because of the bad weather was not going to dampen my enthusiasm to have some fun, food and relaxation. We were met at the airport by a courtesy car and soon we were on our way to the Diani Reef Beach Resort. All the time I was crossing my fingers that our mini vacation would not be ruined by the heavy rains the metrological department had predicted.
On arrival at Diani Reef Beach Resort we were met by some traditional dancers and a cold chilled madafu as a welcome drink. This was a great surprising start to our 3-day vacation, I was with two of my friends, fellow bloggers Wamathai and Bonita. My first impression was this place was beautiful, the resort has managed to combine art, design and functionally to create a beautiful property. There are pools of water with fish and an artificial lagoon with wooden bridges over them. The resort sits on 34 acres of leafy evergreen land and is situated on the beach front. Diani Reef Beach Resort and Spa have won numerous awards including Africa’s Leading Spa Resort in 2015 and 2010, and Kenya’s Leading Beach Resort in 2015 and after staying there you can see why.
We were staying in standard Queen sea facing rooms, with a beautiful view of the white sandy beach, and the pool. There was a welcome note from the General Manager and some complimentary fruits. Outside on the balcony, there are 2 chairs where one can sit and just look out at the ocean.chairs where one can sit and just look out at the ocean. The air-conditioned rooms are spacious, with a big bed at the Centre, and some furniture where one can chill, read a book or catch up on some work at the table. The room has a tv, an electronic safe, and the room comes with tea/Tea/Coffee making facilities, a hairdryer, a minibar and standard bathroom amenities.
After freshening up we went down for some coffee and to get a tour of the facilities, well at least those we could see inside because it was raining. Your choice of coffee or tea comes with cookies which is pretty cool.
Diani Reef Beach Resort is very spacious, with wide open spaces and buildings set apart, you could spend an entire day exploring and not get bored. I loved the fact that there are so many places you can sit and relax, if you are a social person you can hang out with people but if you are an introvert there are plenty of places you can hang out on your own. The resort architecture is friendly for persons with disabilities with ramps all over the place and a lift. There are also 2 rooms that are specifically for persons with disabilities near the lift.
The rooms
There are standard, deluxe, junior suite rooms, penthouses and two presidential suite.
The deluxe room has additional amenities from the standard room including, extra lounge area, satellite television and a jacuzzi in the bathroom. The junior suite has an open plan lounge, dining and bedroom area. The bathroom also has a jacuzzi.
The Penthouse has a massive area of 198.73 sq. meters with a private verandah. The Penthouse overlooks the wide blue water ocean. The luxury suite provides an open plan lounge, seating, dining and bedroom area. It also has a jacuzzi.
The Presidential suite is huge – 228.61sq. meters. The suite has a separate lounge, dining area and a dedicated bar with an open plan bedroom. It has a facility for dedicated butler services on request, and it has a walk-in closet, Jacuzzi, cubicle bathroom and a private verandah overlooking the ocean.
Part of the view from the Presidential Suite
Restaurants
Coral Rock Cafe
The Coral Rock Café is the main dining area at Diani Reef Beach Resort. It offers buffet service for breakfast, lunch and dinner with live cooking. It serves international cuisine. This is where we ate most of our meals and the food was fantastic. I would recommend the fried red snapper, it was so delicious I couldn’t get enough. The chefs have also got a flair with fruit and vegetable carvings.
Fins Seafood and Grill
This is the restaurant that’s located on the beach front. We had lunch there once and dinner for our second day. In the evenings they have a show with dancers which is a wonderful way to spend your evening. The restaurant serves fresh seafood, meat and light Mediterranean food. It is very informal during the day and becomes formal at night, so if you are looking for a place to have a romantic candlelit dinner then this is the place. There is also a bar there and you can sit at the tables overlooking the ocean and sip your drink as you look out at the ocean or people watch.
The pizza, fish and chips are awesome and so is the grilled meat served in the evenings.
The Sake Oriental Restaurant
Trying out the Japanese Teppanyaki was one of the highlights of our trip. This is live cooking as you watch and you are treated to a performance by the chef as he slices, dices and sears different meats. If you love oriental food then I recommend this restaurant. It offers a fusion of Japanese Teppanyaki, Chinese & Indian cuisine. You can book one of the two teppanyaki tables for an exclusive evening with friends and family. Try the Japanese Teppanyaki live cooking – Where Cooking Meets Performance – Japanese Teppanyaki at Sake Restaurant, Diani Reef Beach Resort
Bars
There are different bars including the Zebra bar located in the different areas but one of the unique features is the pool bar. You can have your swim, then swim up to the pool bar and have a drink as you are still immersed in the water, as they have bar stools inbuilt inside the swimming pool.
Swimming Pools
There are two swimming pools and a baby pool. One of the pools is for those who like peace and quiet, while the other is a family friendly pool which is just next to the baby pool so families can have a good time together.
Conference Facilities
There are also conference facilities for that business meeting including a theatre, a classroom, a hall and a boardroom that can take different numbers of people.
The Maya Spa
We tried out the Sauna and massage at Maya Spa. It is a wonderful way to relax, leave your stresses behind and get yourself into a holiday mood. The Spa has a Jacuzzi as well so if you don’t have one in your room not to worry you can still get the jacuzzi experience. The Maya Spa is one of the best spas on the Kenyan coast, and it has even won awards. Once you check into the spa you will see why, it is a combination of the ambience, and the treatment that you get that makes it so unique. Travel: Why You Need To Visit The Fabulous Diani Reef Beach Resort And Spa
If you are into fitness there is the Maya Gym, with a complete range of state of the art equipment backed-up with Aerobics and Pilates training.
Kids Activities
Diani Reef Beach Resort is the perfect getaway if you have kids because they have the kids club at Coco Jumbo! This exclusive area for children is a perfect place to enjoy & have fun in a safe environment. There are facilities such as a Video Play Station, table tennis and pool table are available. There is also an area with double deckers where kids can have a nap when they are tired. A crèche and a 24-hour babysitting facility are also available on request.
Your kids will not be bored as there are daily supervised activities with the animation team at the Sports & Entertainment Centre. The centre has a movie theatre. Your kids will not go hungry as there is a kid’s club menu, exclusively for kids during the day-time (09 am to 06 pm).
At the sports and entertainment centre adults can also have fun at the pool tables or if you are a group you can decide to watch a movie or two (you need to ask about this as movies don’t automatically run).
Activities on the beach
You can sunbathe on the beach lounge chairs, take a swim in the ocean, take a walk to see the sea creatures when the tide is out or ride a camel. If you are more adventurous you can go skydiving, or indulge in some water sports or go snorkelling or take a glass boat trip. Here are some things to do in Diani – Fun things to do in Diani Beach, Kenya.
Romantic destination
If you are planning for your honeymoon or a romantic escape with your partner then Diani Reef Beach Resort is perfect for you. They can organize for you dinners on the beach (they do so for honeymooners). We had a romantic gazebo organized for us to experience what couples get and I have to say it is pretty special.
What I loved about Diani Reef Beach Resort can be summarized as great food, fantastic service and the relaxing environment. I really enjoyed the food, it was delicious, fresh and served with flair. The staff are really attentive and they were always checking up on the guests to see if they need anything during meal times. The whole resort is built with relaxation in mind and a lot of detail went into making the resort an aesthetically pleasing place for guests. It’s the little things that make Diani Reef Beach Resort stand out.
Diani Reef Beach Resort has a train tourism package which will allow you to save up to 25% with the hotel. The package takes effect from Mashujaa day and will end in December. In February this year, Diani Reef introduced a saving plan for domestic tourists dubbed Easy pay plan. The Easy plan is an initiative that allows domestic tourists to choose a discounted package with the hotel and save up for it over time. This is a great way to save for a holiday over a period of time and know that you are guaranteed to get a room when you are ready to have that relaxing vacation.
