Kenya’s Indian Ocean coastline is just amazing, and many of the hotels and resorts here are among the best in the country. The southern port city of Mombasa and Diani Beach offer the most alternatives, but the further south of Kenya also has options. The luxury isn’t usually the main focus. However, it frequently can be. Here are our picks for the top hotels and beach resorts in Kenya.

There is no set order of quality for the hotels listed below.

1. Diani Beach, also known as Diani Sea Resort

The Diani Sea Resort is a great site to stay by the sea, surrounded by palm trees and other tropical vegetation. Swim in a flower-filled pool, savor the restaurant and bar with captivating views of the sunrise and sunset through the palm trees, and get a good night’s sleep in the airy, stylish rooms. The activities available here, which range from kitesurfing to a leisurely cruise in a glass-bottom boat, set this location apart from other beach resorts in Kenya.

2. Diani Beach at Baobab Beach Resort

Although many Kenyan beach resorts make the claim to be by the sea, none are as close as Baobab Beach Resort; aside from a lovely stretch of sand, there is nothing between you and the ocean here. With several bars, dining options, swimming pools, stunning grounds with expansive views of the sunrise and sunset, and a spa, Baobab offers everything a resort ought to have. The bright rooms have tiled floors, wood furniture, and beautiful African statues in some.

3. Diani Beach’s Leopard Beach Resort & Spa

There is something here for everyone in terms of beach resorts in Kenya. Standard suites, villas, cottages, and even a magnificent private home are among the available accommodations. A restaurant, several bars, a swimming pool, and a seaside setting are all standard.

4. Mombasa’s Serena Beach Resort & Spa

An old-fashioned safari hotel grafted onto the East African shore, Serena Beach Resort & Spa is located quite near the water’s edge and not far northwest of Mombasa’s old town. The spacious rooms are filled with vibrant furnishings and imitation Swahili architectural details. Excellent facilities at the hotel include a spa, restaurant, bar, fitness center, and swimming pool, with a great selection of water sports available.

5. Almanara Boutique Hotel (Diani Beach)

When you stay at the environmentally conscious Almanara Boutique Hotel, you’ll feel as though you’ve stumbled onto a movie set depicting what hotels along Kenya’s coast should look like. Everything here is great, from the restaurant and bar to the beach, spa, and palm-shaded pool. The rooms are stunning, combining luxury with a designer’s eye for detail.

6. Beach House Msambweni (Msambweni)

Msambweni Beach House is a delightfully secluded spot to stay along Kenya’s breathtaking southern coast. There is elegance and a genuine touch of refinement everywhere you look, and the rooms range in size and design from suites to villas. There’s also a beach, a bar, a restaurant and impeccable service.

7. Elewana AfroChic Diani Beach (Diani Beach)

One of Kenya’s loveliest beach resorts, Elewana AfroChic Diani Beach has an impressive portfolio of individually styled rooms, each true to local Swahili culture, especially in the use of local wood. Staying here, it can feel like you have your own private beach, and everything is well done, from the facilities (swimming pool, bars, restaurants) to the kind greeting from those who’ll care after you during your stay.

8. The Maji Beach Boutique Hotel (Diani Beach)

Consistently named among Kenya’s greatest beach hotels, the Maji features vast and opulent rooms, each with its distinct charm. Some are decorated with old wood furnishings and four-poster beds, while others have Persian carpets and West African designs.

Each has a plenty of natural light and is incredibly comfy. There’s a superb on-site spa with a selection of treatments, as well as cafes, restaurants and swimming pools. Like a castle moat, one of the pools winds around the grounds. The best part is that it all takes place close to a lovely beach.

9. Diani Beach, also known as Waterlovers Beach Resort

The four-star Waterlovers Beach Resort has a strong East African vibe with wooden ceremonial figures and other traditional decor in many of the rooms. There are villas, suites, and even a penthouse. If a colobus monkey shows up on your balcony, don’t be shocked. A fantastic package is completed with a welcoming pool, bar, restaurant, and spa, a prime location on the beach, and lots of activities.

10. The Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort & Spa at Mombasa’s Baburi Beach

The Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort & Spa, which is a part of the sophisticated and classic Sarova hotel brand, features lovely rooms with milk hues. They are dispersed throughout areas where the deepest green palm palms contrast with the sea’s and sky’s equally deep blues. Everything you need for the perfect beach vacation in the Indian Ocean is here, including restaurants, bars, and pools, one of which has a waterslide. It is located north of Mombasa, near Bamburi Beach.