Hemingways Watamu

The newly renovated Deluxe Ocean View Rooms are located on the top floor of the North Wing. The Deluxe Ocean View Rooms offer a whole new flavour of laidback luxury. Marble tiled en-suite bathrooms with double vanities and private balconies – providing jaw dropping views of the Indian ocean and mesmerising horizon, offering the quintessential R&R experience. The rooms feature many modern amenities, a few of these being flat screen TVs, complimentary Wi-Fi and mini bars plus coffee machines. The magical Watamu breeze that flows through these exquisite Deluxe Ocean View retreats means you may not even want to leave your room.

The Deluxe 2 Bedroom Residences are larger in size and range from 240m² to 305m². Located in the South Wing of the hotel, these modern, coastal luxury apartments are soaked with natural light and offer a large master bedroom with en-suite bathroom and a second large twin bedroom with adjoining bathroom. Both bedrooms have wonderful views of the Indian Ocean, as well as direct access to a majestic open terrace. Additional space and areas feature comfortable interior and exterior lounging and dining space and a fully equipped contemporary kitchen. Guests of the Residences enjoy full access to all hotel facilities with the added benefit of being completely self-sufficient if that’s what you’re looking for.

These ultra-lux Penthouse style duplex apartments feature living and dining areas with exquisite furnished terraces on both floors offering the perfect set up for groups of friends or large families. The Penthouse Apartment provides two large master bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms and two large twin bedrooms with adjoining bathrooms – all bedrooms provide extraordinary ocean views and direct access to the beautiful terrace. These apartments feature both interior and exterior lounging and dining spaces, plus a fully equipped contemporary kitchen.

Awake to freshly baked croissants, fruity turnovers and cinnamon rolls, paired with a Kenyan coffee and finish up with eggs and bacon and all the trimmings, prepared as you like it. For the more health conscious, kick start your day with fresh fruit, homemade muesli and an energising fruit smoothie or try a local favourite of scrambled eggs with smoked tuna. The Chefs are ready to start your morning in style as you watch the day come to life over the Indian Ocean.

For a mid-morning treat, specialty coffees, cakes and the finest gelato are available at the Gede Coffee Gardens. Indulge in delicious pastries, cakes and gelato. The Gede Café menu offers a lighter, more casual setting for a lunch time treat. Homemade pastas, create your own pizza, tasting platters for one, two or more, grilled seafood and steaks and a wide range of sandwiches and wraps ensure there is something to suit everyone’s palate. Try a Cobbs Salad Wrap or Grilled Jumbo Prawns or a simple but stunning spinach quiche. Or how about our Special Sharing Platter with Crab Claws, Fish Cakes and Samosas for everyone to nibble?

The evenings allow you to spoil yourself further. Candlelight, starry skies, gentle breezes, your favourite tipple and a superb range of fresh seafood with a Swahili flavour. The grill provides meat lovers with options of prime aged beef fillets or delicious Karoo lamb whilst there is always a tantalising selection of fresh pastas and vegetarian dishes on the menu. For something extra special, catch your own fish of the day and ask our Chefs to prepare it for you to your liking. If you feel too spoilt for choice, do not worry as the Chef will create a Table D’Hote menu every evening so that guests can try a little bit of everything. There is something to everyone’s taste at Hemingways Watamu.

The Hemingways Watamu Spa is a natural extension of the property’s commitment to quality and personalised service. Sitting nearby to the botanical pool in its own pavilion, the Spa offers guests the ideal hideaway to retreat for a few hours of self-care, love and ‘me time’. The spa blends signature treatments from Terres D’Afrique, an African skincare company that takes inspiration from the traditional uses of African plants, as well as Hemingways’ own treatment recipes, using the best locally sourced ingredients.

Guests can choose from a selection of African inspired skincare and massage therapies to reinvigorate and recharge after a long day in the sun. The spa offers a collection of unique facial and body treatments that are linked with the beneficial effects of aromatic products for both women and men. These bespoke treatments help nurture and maintain the youthfulness of the face and body and ensure wellbeing, relaxation and balance.

The pavilion also provides a fitness centre and gym, the energetic instructors are on hand daily to put you through your paces. Fully air conditioned, the gym is equipped with a variety of cardio-vascular workout machines and an assortment of free and standing weights. Additionally, Hemingways Watamu is fully equipped to kit you out with tennis gear. If the heat of the day is too intense for tennis, play early morning before a fresh breakfast or after sunset under the floodlights.

Hemingways Watamu is renowned for deep sea fishing. The waters off Watamu offer incredibly diverse fishing opportunities, therefore is one of very few places where three types of Marlin, Sailfish, Broadbill Swordfish and Short bill Spearfish are all available. As the pioneer of the practice of ‘tag and release’ of billfish on the Kenyan coast, Hemingways Watamu continue to wholeheartedly recommend this to guests and award certificates to anglers in recognition of their catch. All conventional tackle is provided (although those fishing on fly should bring their own kit) along with delicious fresh packed lunches from our kitchen and drinks.

Fishing charters are 10-hour full day excursions or 5-hour half days, depending on your preference. The excursions typically kick off just after sun rise when conditions are calm and often best for an early catch. The experienced crews are happy to work with beginners and help them through each step on the fishing learning curve. Children interested in fishing are very welcome to participate too.

All Hemingways Watamu’s deep water fishing craft are twin engines and in touch with each other and the shore by radio link. Hemingways Watamu has 3 categories of boat, all carrying lifesaving and firefighting equipment on board.

Gede – Uncover the Gede Ruins, one of the ancient Arab towns that dotted the East African Coast. It dates from the late 13th or early 14th Century and was ultimately abandoned in the early 17th Century. Excavated since 1927, many areas have been revealed, including the Great Mosque, the Palace, several residential houses and pillar tombs. Surrounded by towering shady trees, a walk through Gede is a must for anyone interested in the Swahili people, Kenya’s history or architecture.

Malindi – As you wander the stone streets of this sea-town, you’ll notice it has a distinctly Italian flavour – you can even find homemade Italian gelato here. Unusual Swahili treasures lurk amidst the dusty commodities of haphazard shops. Visit the House of Columns, or Malindi’s museum, containing a library and photographs of the colonial history of the town. Vasco de Gama himself stands in stone just across the bay, near the Portuguese chapel.

Mida Creek – Encounter the Mida Creek reserve, formed of extensive mangrove forests, warm shallow waters and large areas of mud flats at low tide. A bird-lovers paradise, here guests will spot many local birds, such as greater flamingo, yellow-billed stork, great white egret and malachite kingfisher. The area hosts as a winter home for many migrants too, such as the crab plover, curlew sandpiper, whimbrel and sanderling. The osprey and African fish eagle are often overhead. The Creek is used by the local population for subsistence level fishing. Many small, dugout canoes will pass as you cruise in the creek. Mida Creek is also the spot to watch the spectacular African sunsets whilst sipping an icy cold Dawa aboard an old Arabian dhow at the end of an active day.

The Hemingways Collection is enormously proud to be associated and to have partnered with a variety of not-for-profit companies and groups for the benefit of the communities and areas that they operate in. Hemingways support a varied group of institutions both financially and operationally some of which focus on improving people’s lives and others which focus on environmental sustainability.

“Watamu Marine Association is a non-profit, voluntary organization bringing together a diverse membership of groups and organisations primarily to benefit the Watamu community, protect the environment and promote quality tourism.

Formed in 2007, Hemingways is a founding member of WMA and continues to work closely with the Association and its membership. The Association is steered by an elected Committee and invites local public authorities and government agencies to actively participate in meetings and decision – making processes. WMA administration and running costs are covered by internal fundraising and membership support ensuring any donations are spent directly on WMA projects and community programmes.

One of Watamu Marine Association’s most successful projects to date is the Community Waste Management Project which aims to recycle plastic waste found on the beaches of Watamu for arts and crafts production thereby providing income to the communities. Other vital projects include minimization of coastal pollution through beach clean ups, campaigning against illegal fishing methods and over fishing with threaten coral reefs and other vital marine habitats and the empowerment of local community groups to participate in management and decision making processes related to the marine resources.”