Watamu accommodation from NZ$145

Good hotel

Hemingways Watamu was just what we were looking for in terms of somewhere to relax and rest after an injury and work. Watamu itself is a bit less interesting in the off season (I.e. most restaurants are closed, as are many of the gear shops), but it’s still lovely if not a tad bit windy. Staff were amazing! Highly recommend.

This was the most magical vacation and guesthouse that we have ever stayed at! The facilities are gorgeous and the staff is so sweet and accommodating (and always available) and we LOVED the big and beautiful pool. I think floating around in the water at night with the palm trees swaying above me was the most magical experience I have ever had. The hotel has wonderful gardens and is situated on a beautiful beach! Concerning the bad reviews- the guesthouse is located in a small town in East Africa and costs under $100 a night for an exotic beachfront guesthouse, I really don't understand why people expect the hotel to be a 5 star resort in California (you want that, you need to expect to pay for it). That means that power is going to go off every now and then (they ALWAYS got it to come back reasonably quickly!), the food is going to be African and take a little while because everything is fresh and often made to order and there may be a few bugs (though we never saw ANY! they were always cleaning and we found everything to be exceptionally clean) I have been a social worker in East Africa for 16 years, and I can say the food is going to be a transition for anyone arriving in the country- it isn't hygiene related, it is just going to be rough for some people who are coming into a new continent with different bacteria. Whenever we host teams, even for the teams that choose to ONLY eat at nice guesthouses and snacks that they brought, people will always get sick.