Hemingways Watamu

Marion at the Spa is one of the best therapists I've ever had. She worked out a troublesome knot in my shoulder in just two sessions. Patrick in the dining room was fantastic too, and the staff overall were excellent. Don't hesitate, this place is absolutely worth it. Thank you, Marion, you're the best.

The rooms are stunning and cleaned every day, and the staff were amazing and always helpful. Food was okay, with different theme nights. One thing to arrange yourself is the airport transfer: they charged me Ksh 8000 for a round-trip taxi, while Uber would have been at most Ksh 5000. We were extremely satisfied with our stay.

The beach access is good, and snorkeling from shore gave us plenty of wildlife to see. The hotel is well located, and the rooms are lovely, clean and well equipped. But for the premium price, the rest didn't meet my five-star expectations, and I doubt we'll return. Service had some nice touches and the staff were friendly, but it was slow and disjointed. At busy times the restaurant and bar needed more staff, as waits were long. Breakfast and dinner buffets were average, with little choice and some dishes gone before service ended. The lunch menu we tried was good and reasonably priced, which made the uneven food quality a shame. We booked half board, yet after our first dinner the hotel tried to charge us, insisting we sign because they thought we had B&B only. It made what should have been a nice first evening away with my wife uncomfortable. We contacted our travel agent and showed the booking several times. The next day the hotel finally accepted we were half board, but made no effort to compensate us. WiFi was very poor, with repeated interruptions and weak signal outside the room. Hemingways seems to be relying on its reputation for high quality while falling short of what I'd expect from a five-star hotel. More like four stars, still with the premium price tag, so it didn't feel like good value.

Under the new manager, things are so much better. Local friends had good things to say, so after being disappointed a few years ago and staying elsewhere, we decided to try again. I'm glad we did, and we'll return soon. The room was beautifully appointed, with fresh flowers and classic design. Staff were fantastic overall, especially Hassan at the pool, who's always been their best asset. Food was generally good, though breakfast was a bit poor for a five-star hotel. Housekeeping could improve: they often forgot towels, tea or robes, and the phones didn't work properly. A good 4.5 🌟, very good overall.