Shimoni Vacations from $551

Clean, quiet, safe, spacious room, convenient location and great staff.

Our stay at Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort & Spa was memorable, thanks in large part to Mr. Peter, the resort driver. He was waiting for us when we arrived at the Mombasa train terminal and immediately made us feel welcome. He was extremely friendly, taught us a little Swahili, and shared interesting facts about Mombasa’s history as we drove past various locations on the way to the resort. If possible, request Mr. Peter as your driver—he is the best! We also loved dining at Thai-Ci and we ate there every day. Our favorites were the tempura shrimp and wok chicken with fried rice. We paid for our shuttle from train station in advance. My husband and I requested an update on the $59 credit at least three times, and each time we were told that the staff were checking on it. At checkout, we were informed that we needed to pay for our transportation back to the train station. I asked whether our credit could be applied, and they agreed. The standard shuttle cost was $40, but we were not offered the remaining $19 balance. In short, the all-inclusive package covers only a one-way pickup from Mombasa Airport; train-station transfers may involve additional charges, so confirm the arrangements and any credits in advance. Bring plenty of Kenyan shillings for tips because the resort does not have an ATM, and there is not one nearby. Also, our room was very hot, and we were unable to adjust the temperature to and there were no fan in our suite.

This is my second visit, very good all round, but they ran out of clean free water.