“To travel is to live,” said Hans Christian Andersen - Danish author. That’s how travelling should feel, and to live again, I stayed at the beautiful 7 Islands Resort, Watamu. I had never visited Malindi until then, and I quite enjoyed it. Even though I didn’t do too much sightseeing (because I wanted to be those “stay-in-the-hotel” tourists), there is so much you can do while in Malindi. You could step into history at the Gedi Ruins, see the diverse marine life at the Watamu Marine National Park or walk over to the nearby Bio-Ken Snake farm. Check-in at the hotel was great, quick and the staff is super-friendly. The lobby is gorgeous, with the interiors exuding Arabic and Swahili roots. The rooms exude the same, and I couldn’t help but feel so calm and refreshed looking at the white and somewhat rustic design. If you’re staying at the hotel, and not doing too much exploring, you will still be entertained. The hotel has a wide-range of activities from aqua aerobics to night quizzes and free cocktails. The only downside is that they cater more to the Italian audience than the local one, so maybe try learning a bit of Italiano. I heard sentiments that the hotel was racist for catering more to their Italian audience than the Kenyan one, but if you ask me, they were quite accommodating to the majority of the guests - who were Italian. Plus, I like to think of myself as pretty open-minded and adventurous, so I quite enjoyed feeling like I was in Italy (without having forked out the airfare). The beach, like all Kenyan beaches, was quite lovely. And the mini-islands that surround the main beach serve as little romantic spots where you and your significant other can swim up to and even enjoy a barbecue of seafood if you wish. If you wake up really early, say 6AM, you may get to see dolphins swimming by the mini-islands. I’d give staying at 7 Islands a 4 out 5 stars; I didn’t enjoy their variety of food, nor the fish – which I especially go for when I’m down at the coast. All in all, you can still enjoy your stay when you’re there. Thanks for stopping by Fab One's!
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Sitting on 16 acres of prime land is the wonderful PrideInn Paradise Beach Resort, in Shanzu beach Mombasa. I had the pleasure of staying there for two nights and sampled what the hotel had to offer – such as exquisite food, a large aqua park and really comfy beds (I kid you not). This is just to name a few of their amenities. Stepping into the lobby of the hotel, I could already smell the salty ocean air of the Indian Ocean. I love the way the breeze caresses you, making you feel like you are being hugged by a fuzzy bear. If you ever read more of my posts where I am in a Coastal town, this is literally what I always say about the ocean breezes. Anyway, I digress. My hotel room had a view of the ocean, even though a bit distant, I could still see it. For someone like me who always has back issues, the bed was comfy and soft…so soft. The TV in the room had actual good channels – it wasn’t just one of those TV’s you switch on in vain, knowing the hotel won’t have anything good showing. Now, the food. I want to get to this part because of how much I enjoyed it. The hotel had a wide option for starters, salads, main dishes, dessert pastries and more. The Dau Restaurant is large, and where the hotel serves buffet meals, plus considering that the hotel has the largest convention centre in Mombasa, it makes sense to have a large eating area. My favorite was the pancakes and syrup, so sweet, light and tasty. I also really enjoyed the fish, because who visits Mombasa and doesn’t delight in seafood? From their barbecued Kingfisher to their prawns – they really know how to touch a foodie’s belly. I realise now that I should have taken a picture of my pancakes...but oh well, I inhaled them, before I thought of anything else to be honest. One other stunning feature you have to check out is their Aqua water park. It’s hard not to notice since it is so prominent once you enter the hotel. It was created to be family-friendly, so everyone can enjoy the park - and yes I did! The slides are particularly enjoyable, so go wild and tap into that inner child (no pedophile pun intended).
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