Hi! My name is Lenana and I love long walks on the beach…

Question, do you ever go through times when you absolutely crave the ocean? I know I do…

I love the feeling of sand massaging the bottom of my feet…

I love the sound of the waves crashing on the beach…

I love the warm weather and the cooling breeze…

I love the ocean…

Seeing that early December is low peak season, flights and accommodation to Diani were super affordable which made things easier for me as I planned my trip…
So, the day finally came. I grabbed my plane ticket, my 9.7KG bag and rushed to the airport to catch my flight.

The flight was short and sweet… We enjoyed the view of the clouds, as we sipped on some over priced beverages (enyewe Jambojet is not serious… you are stuck between dying of thirst or breaking your bank *rolls eyes*).

With a big thud (literally btw) we landed on the Ukunda airstrip. The landing was so rough I was not even sure what to do with myself… The pilots literally dropped us from the sky like we were a big sack of cabbages. I ended up grabbing the hand of the person who had sat next to me as I screamed for my life (hahaha I really do embarrass myself sometimes). The weather in Ukunda was just right…
Everything looked so calm, peaceful and perfect…

I was officially ready to sit back relax and enjoy every minute of my holiday….

A Warm Reception

At the airport, I met a taxi guy trying to charge me Ksh 1,500 to take me to the hotel (that was 15 minutes away and there is no traffic in Ukunda btw)… This guy seriously thought he was going to get a kikuyu like me to remove all that cash? I would rather walk.
But eish! Thank God for uber, they came through and I ended up paying Ksh 250 for my ride to the hotel.

After a quick 15 minute drive, we were finally in front of gate of what was going to be my home for the next 3 days – Jacaranda Indian Ocean Beach Resort.
I was so giddy… I could barely keep it together.

As soon as I walked in, I was given the warmest welcome by such lovely people… (shout out to Charles at the front desk… that guy deserves a raise LOL).
I was also given a nice refreshing glass of cold juice with a cold towel as I waited to check in.

The lobby was so beautiful and airy (exactly what you need as you wait to check in…)
The best part of the reception … was the view to the ocean.
I literally wanted to drop my bags and jump right in… but I had to hold myself back and act appropriately…

The reception has all these tiny little details that add a lot of character to the look and feel of the reception.
The details help enhance the the architecture of the Indian Ocean Beach Resort and add a very coast-arian feel to the place.

Finally, my room was ready and the porter was ready to show me to my room
(room 301… which by the way is the dopest room)…

Then I was handed a welcome letter from the General Manager of the hotel to welcome  me to the resort (let me just tell you, I felt so important… wacha tu).
Sometimes, it’s the simple things like a welcome letter that really makes you feel appreciated.

Accommodation

Remember when I told you my room was absolutely amazing… I meant it.

Their rooms are super spacious, and so pretty. They have a green and pink theme going on. They also have air conditioning (some even have a fan as well), and a tv (that actually works… trust me that is a BIG plus). I got a room with a garden view… However, they also have beach front rooms available. Imagine waking up to the ocean right in front of you… Now that’s the good life 🙂

And guys… their beds I swear, can fit 3 people (adults). Those beds are HUGE and super comfortable. I shamelessly sprawled myself across it and there was still so much room left over. So don’t hesitate to bring your boo thang (boyfriend/husband) for your holidays when you come here (I am not an enemy of progress hehehe).

Now lets talk about the bathrooms…
Just like the room itself, the bathroom is big. There is enough space for you and  another person to get dressed without getting on each others nerves (which is super important for couples).  The coolest part of the bathroom is the fact that it can be an open bathroom (yes you read that right) or closed (if you want your privacy). The concept is pretty awesome actually. You see, they have these blinds that enable you to open and close bathroom according to your needs. It’s also nice because the bathroom has a lot of air, hence, doesn’t steam up that much… meaning you can use the mirror right after a shower.

The layout of the room is very unique… It’s clear that they put a lot of time and thought into how to make the rooms feel great and look great as well.

Ambiance 

Diani has the most beautiful beaches.

The beaches are clean, not packed with a million people and a pleasant place to take a stroll on.

I woke up early each morning to take a stroll on the beach… It was just the most amazing feeling. The wind softly caressing my cheeks as I watch the waves dance back and forth. The sound of the birds chirping and the coolness of the breeze. It was perfection…

The weather in Diani was very moody; the sun kept wanting to play hide and seek with us… One minute its out, the next it decides it can’t/won’t shine anymore.

The Food

Let’s start with breakfast.

Anyone who knows me well knows I LOVE breakfast… I can have breakfast for lunch, dinner, and even as a snack.

Breakfast is life!!!
I loved the fact that the resort took breakfast very seriously. It was well prepared (tasted good) and there was a variety of things to chose from.  They had an egg station, a pancake and waffle station (and they were super generous with the nutella). They had fruits, yoghurt, cereals, pastries and fresh fruit juice.
It was the best…

The main meals were always delicious… What I loved was the fact that they had different themes for different meals. On our first night, it was a Chinese dinner and on our last night, it was curries and chapatis.
This made it even more interesting for me because I could never guess what was in store for me….
I get bored with eating the same food over and over again (and trust me, most restaurants that do buffet never try to change it up… it’s the same thing constantly).

For their meals (lunch and dinner) they give the option of either eating from their buffet or ordering from their menu.

Their buffet is inclusive of; a bowl of soup and bread rolls (their soup by the way is just happiness in a bowl), a salad bar, the main dishes for the meal (with starches, red and white meat, vegetables (basically a well balanced diet), then finally dessert.

At some point, we talked to the chefs and requested if they can make for us some food from their menu. We wanted to see what else they had hidden in the kitchen…
They were more than excited to do so…
And in no time, we found ourselves surrounded by many plates of food…. It was like food heaven and I was ready to indulge.
(Confession: “I don’t actually like fish, or sea food for that matter.”)
So, I was pleasantly surprised when I found myself almost licking the plates clean when they served us their food. Their crab was amazing. I had never eaten crab before that moment… but they encouraged me to try it and they promised it would be worth it… trust me, it was. The fish was what I liked most (I can’t even believe I said that). It was full of flavour and somehow they had found a way to make it taste sweet (not like candy floss) but it had a hit of sweetness to it that made my tastebuds do a happy dance in my mouth.

After the sea food, they brought for us steak. I was exciiiiited! I love steak! (I am such a carnivore). They presented it so well I felt so much pain tearing it apart.

Finally, they gave us dessert… One dessert was a fruit platter and the other was a yummy chocolate cake with ice-cream (with a lovely message).
It was such a sweet treat.

Entertainment

Each night, after dinner, the hotel has a different show/activity for the guest.
On out first night, they had these awesome maasais do a dance for us as they sang some traditional songs and put on an AMAZING show.
This really made the night interesting and it gave us a chance to jump with the maasai dancers and generally have a great time with other guests from the resort.

During the day, the resort has various activities for the residents at the hotel. They have water aerobics, beach walks, water polo and water volleyball…
There are so many activities for the guests to take part in… never a dull moment.

The Bar

Our bartender ensured we were well taken care of wherever we were. Whether we were by the beach, at dinner or by the pool… We had an endless supply of drinks (Including the Jacaranda Indian Ocean Beach Resort signature cocktail) 🙂

Conclusion

I really enjoyed my stay at the Jacaranda Indian Ocean Beach Resort. The staff are all SUPER friendly including the gardeners and security. Everyone greets you with a smile and is always helpful. The first day I got there, I got a small cut on my foot and the guy at the front desk rushed to go get me some antiseptic to disinfect the cut and when he couldn’t find, he was willing to buy me some. I really appreciated the fact that the staff were always willing to go out of their way to ensure that all the hotel guest were well taken of and everyone was feeling ‘at home ‘.  They always served with a smile, and genuinely seemed to love their job. The General Manager for the resort is a very hands on person, and he ensures that everyone’s experience is superb. The food was yummy (I was constantly full through out my whole stay) and the chefs were very friendly.  The accommodation was nice and room service always ensured it was clean. The views were breathtaking (need I say more?). The price was right…. Would I go back there again? YES!!!! In-fact,I can’t wait to go back there. My stay was everything I needed from a holiday.

The ocean is everything I want to be. Beautiful, mysterious, wild and free
-By Unknown

Until next time…
Chao!

*Click->  HERE  to go to Jacaranda Hotel’s  Website to get more information.

Send any queries in regards to pricing to sales@jacarandahotels.com

Click HERE to check out the offers they have down at the Indian Ocean Beach Resort.