Pinewood Beach Resort and Spa

We spent Christmas here, and I’m glad we chose this resort. The property is beautiful, well maintained and nicely lit inside and out. There were plenty of pool and beach loungers, cushioned beach chairs, and umbrellas for shade as well as open spots for sunbathing. I’ll definitely return. The food was outstanding, so we were glad we took the full board option. The staff were friendly and helpful, and made every part of our stay feel special. Rooms were comfortable and well equipped, with good air conditioning and ceiling fans in the rooms I saw. I also liked the mosquito nets on tracks around the beds, which left room to charge phones by the nightstands without feeling closed in. There was lots of hot water too. Ground-floor rooms are much larger, with a double walk-in shower, more living space and a much bigger patio. I think the upgrade is worth the extra cost. My one concern was the lack of an inside security bolt on the door. I’m cautious about safety, but I wedged a piece of furniture behind the door and still slept soundly. The back doors had top and bottom locks on the inside, and they felt secure, as did the bathroom window.

From the balcony of my ocean-view room at Pinewood, I could sit for hours in the swinging lounge chair and take in the incredible panorama. The hotel kept dinner varied, with meals in the restaurant some nights and a beach BBQ another evening. The food was consistently great, and the service was just as good. I also enjoyed the beach volleyball and soccer. Bore Bore nature sanctuary is only minutes away, where I got to feed a giraffe.

The hotel has lovely rooms, great food and friendly, helpful staff. But a group of 40 schoolboys and girls is here at the moment, making a lot of noise and taking over the pool, beach and sunbeds. It won’t be a quiet place for the next few days.

After a week on safari, we spent another week here relaxing. The staff did so much to make the stay special and couldn’t have been more helpful. Special thanks to waiters John and Moses, gardener Patrick and our cleaner Milly. Our garden-view room was spacious and comfortable, and there was always a good range of quality food.