Nyali beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in Kenya, and Nyali beach hotels are the best way to truly experience this beauty. They offer world-class accommodation, tours to iconic sites, and a host of thrilling activities for you to discover.
Every hotel in Nyali Beach offers the same standard facilities and features – mosquito nets, aircon, free WiFi – but many fail to deliver and will leave you disappointed.
So, in this list, I’m only recommending the hotels that live up to their promise, and go beyond your best expectations.
Quick Guide: The 9 Best Hotels in Nyali
- Best hotel for business travelers: Bahari Beach Hotel
- Best hotel for families: Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort and Spa
- Most romantic hotel: Severin Sea Lodge
- Best budget hotel: CityBlue Creekside Hotel and Suites
- Best mid-range hotel: Bahari Beach Hotel
- Best luxury hotel: Hotel EnglishPoint and Spa
Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort & Spa
- 4 uniquely designed swimming pools
- One of the longest and cleanest beachfront in Nyali
- Unforgettable views from every room
Sarova Whitesands ticks all boxes when it comes to beach hotels. The resort is big enough to accommodate business travellers, romantic getaways, and family retreats, with enough seclusion for each.
Set right on the edge of the Indian Ocean and within a grove of flourishing palm trees, Sarova Whitesands includes 4 outdoor swimming pools, 3 restaurants, a nightclub, a well-equipped gym, and a beauty spa.
The rooms are spacious, exceptionally clean, and bathed in natural light from ceiling-high windows and glass doors.
The staff is happy to accommodate any request (within reason), including organising tours and setting up outdoor dining at the beach.
Speaking of dining, the food is delicious, precisely what a Nyali beach experience demands.
Severin Sea Lodge
- Spectacular traditional Swahili architecture, with circular, thatched buildings.
- Imani Restaurant is built on a dhow overlooking the Indian Ocean
- Lots of vegetarian options on the menu
Severin Sea Lodge has taken the heart and habitat of the traditional Coastal people, added a touch of contemporary life, and presented the world with the friendliest, most serene and comfortable beach destination.
The lodge is located a minute’s walk away from the ocean, and Severin takes full advantage of this. Balconies and terraces are elevated above the beach to give an overlooking view into the blue horizon.
The rooms are enormous and kept simple enough that they don’t distract from the general laid-back Nyali atmosphere. The food is a delectable mix of African and international cuisine. The staff does an excellent job being both attentive and unimposing as they attend to you.
Hotel EnglishPoint and Spa
- The pier!
- There’s a high-end “The Underground” nightclub.
- A full luxury spa experience
- All-day dining at the Nautica restaurant.
I’ve mentioned some hotels with modern finishes so far. EnglishPoint takes the cake. This hotel takes inspiration from rural English marinas polished with sleek surfaces, ambient lighting, and visionary design.
The hotel’s outstanding feature is a pier that stretches well over a clear blue ocean. The view from the tip, with the wind rushing by, is exhilarating and unmissable.
The hotel’s huge rooms are kept minimalistic, making them satisfyingly airy. The variation in restaurants is impressive. You can easily switch from steamy romance in the evening to laid-back brunching the next day.
EnglishPoint feels like Nyali Beach imported from the future. It is one of the most sensational on the coast.
Bahari Beach Hotel
- One of the most well-equipped gyms on Nyali beach
- Rooftop pool overlooking the ocean
Bahari Beach looks like it was built in the stone age from the outside. Inside though, the hotel is ultra-modern with touches of earthy and woody designs. It’s built on a low-rising cliff right at the beach, giving majestic ocean views from the entire length of the building.
Bahari Beach would be my choice for a solo trip to Nyali. The hotel serves up exactly what you need. The staff are delightfully friendly and attentive, the menu has enough variety to keep you happy and satisfied for days, and the rooms are perfectly simple and cosy.
Kilua Beach Resort
- 4-level terraced swimming pool
- Sprawling vegetation over pillars, walls, and balconies
Kilua Beach Resort is a refreshing blend of traditional Swahili decor with modern touches and natural tones. No hotel on Nyali beach urges rest and relaxation like this one. The open-circle design and the terraced swimming pool direct you towards the soft beach life, locking out the rest of the cruel world.
The apartments in Kilua are spacious, clean, and comfortable, with a good array of power outlets in every room. They have kitchens if you prefer to cater for yourself, with the option of hiring a private chef.
The restaurant menu is limited, but the food is well made. And the staff are pleasant.
Serena Beach Resort and Spa
Highlights
- The butterfly park takes you to a different world
- Magnificently colourful everywhere you look
Like its Nairobi counterpart, Serena Beach Resort is heart-warmingly colourful. This hotel caters to every class of traveller, including destination weddings and surfers.
Serena’s style is always unique. It’s rustic and ragged in places, classy and historical in others. You build excitement as you explore.
The hotel has large Islamic-inspired rooms with comfortable beds and warm, welcoming bathrooms. There are 3 excellent restaurants, with Jahazi grill serving some of the best seafood in Nyali. Top this with 4 bars spread across the compound.
The butterfly park is an unexpected, brilliant touch by Serena. I bet you’ll spend a good deal of quiet time there.
Travellers Beach Hotel
- Lagoon-style swimming pool
- Massage service, spa, and state-of-the-art hairstyle studio
- Focus on sports, with a gym, squash and tennis courts
Travellers Beach is a low-key hotel that encourages you to tailor your own experience.
There’s nothing extravagant about this place. Rooms are just the right size with just the right amount of furnishing. The restaurant serves fancily dressed up food, but it’s still local delicacies, so you don’t compromise your Nyali experience.
There’s a swimming pool and a nicely decked-out crèche for kids. And right next door is a public beach where you can play volleyball or football with the locals. Beach vendors will get a bit irritating, but you can politely turn them down easily enough.
If the impulse for an impromptu getaway hits you, Travellers Beach is a fine location to satisfy it.
Nyali Sun Africa Beach Hotel and Spa
- Jacuzzi in some rooms
- Excellent, bold, glaring decor
Nyali Sun Africa is not exactly mid-range, and it’s not exactly budget. It falls somewhere in between, but with elegance and style. The hotel has this sultan-like style with rich, bold colours, bright lighting, and heavy furniture.
There are 2 swimming pools but ignore those – the beach is just a minute away. Rooms are more spacious and well furnished than they deserve to be. Some even have an indoor jacuzzi.
The hotel has 3 restaurants and 3 bars, one a pool bar. The food selection is limited, but it’s Nyali – the food will be good!
CityBlue Creekside Hotel and Suites
- Views of the ocean from the creek.
- Conference facilities are a key feature.
- The swimming pool is right at the edge of the creek.
The absolute best thing about CityBlue Creekside Hotel is in the name. The hotel is built alongside Tudor creek just as it meets the Indian Ocean, giving almost every room an unobstructed ocean view.
The rest of the hotel is centered chiefly around budget business accommodation. Every room has a desk as part of the beautifully simple furniture. The beds, in particular, are uniquely designed.
However, Creekside has its romantic side. There’s a grassy garden with an artificial stream running through it. You can sneak a night under the stars here and have a chat while listening to the gentle flow.
How to Get to Nyali From Nairobi
The fastest way to get to Nyali beach is by air. There are direct flights from JKIA and Wilson Airport to Moi International Airport in Mombasa. From there, it’s just a 20-minute drive to the beach.
You could also take the SGR train from Nairobi to Mombasa. The journey takes 5 hours by the express train or 6 hours by the Inter-county train.
If you’re up for a road trip, the journey takes about 8 and a 1/2 hours.
9 Things to Do in Nyali
I’ve written a complete guide to the best places to visit in Mombasa, which has over 20 of the best tourist attractions, restaurants, and more to keep you busy during your stay in Nyali
But if you’re in a rush, here’s a quick summary:
- Explore sea life in its natural habitat at Mombasa Marine National Park.
- Step into the 16th century by visiting the ruins of Fort Jesus
- Visit the reclaimed world-renowned ecological achievement that is Haller Park
- Try extreme watersports like surfing, windsurfing, and kitesurfing.
- Looking to play with reptiles? Slither along to Mamba Village.
- Play a few rounds of golf at Nyali Golf and Country Club.
- Plan a day out with the kids at Wild Waters Kenya.
- Catch the latest movie at Nyali Cinemax.
- Take care of errands like shopping and banking at Nyali Centre.
Final Thoughts
The best Nyali beach hotels are clean, have delicious food, and are tended by friendly staff. But each hotel’s minor differences and little touches make you appreciate how magnificent they are. Even the ocean view differs depending on where you are. So I hope I have helped narrow down the right hotel for your next trip.
Whichever of these 9 hotels you choose to stay in, I hope they live up to my recommendations. Let me know in the comments section below if they do or don’t.
And while you’re shopping for coastal destinations, check out our guides to Diani and Kilifi, two superb holiday locations.
