Whitesands Hotel, Mombasa

Advantages: Great hotel, next to the beach, helpful staff
Disadvantages: Heavy rain can cause powercuts!

...any adaptors. The hotel: Whitesands is the largest beach resort in Mombasa and can hold up to 1200 guests. It is 4* and is a 40 minute drive from Mombasa airport and is secluded away from the main road. It has quite a colonial feel to it as you pull up with a large white exterior and pillars. As soon as we pulled up the staff were there to unload our bags and we were welcomed with a fresh glass of orange juice as our rep checked us all in. As we ...
...to go to our rooms but we were provided with plenty of drinks and cool, menthol towels to be comfortable. The reception area is air conditioned and has ponds flowing throughout it's open walls. There are also a lot of rooks flying around but if you don't feed them they will go away. We were all inclusive, so whilst we were waiting we were taken upstairs to have this explained to us further. We were each given a wristband, so the staff knew not to ... Read review

Advantages: great staff and service / setting
Disadvantages: sellers on the beach!

have stayed at the Whitesands Hotel twice in the past year - both trips were with my partner. The first was a holiday and the second was completely voluntary charity work in nearby village Bamburi. The rooms were beautiful and cleanliness was of a very high standard, the maids were also polite and enjoyed a chat each day with us. We made lots of friends and have stayed in touch with many of the staff - they are genuinely nice people and cannot do ...
...on the beach trying to sell you their wares! Its a bit annoying and slightly frightening if you have never experienced it before! You have to be firm with them in your decisions to buy or not to buy! They even ask you to sell them your socks, nailvarnich etc.! The hotel facilities were excellent, clean pools and areas surrounding are very well maintained. The outside bar was amazing - small nightlights on each coffee table overlooking the beach ... Read review

Advantages: excellent hotel with the best facilities and staff
Disadvantages: you need a guide if you venture off the premises!

This is where myself and my husband stayed for our honeymoon. We had the most fantastic stay here, and certainly recommend the all inclusive option. The staff are excellent. The rooms and facilities are brilliant. The choice and availability of food and drink is superb. There are various excursions to organise through the hotel. There are lots of things offered such as massages, hairdressing, live entertainment, shops, internet etc. and the hotel ...
...anywhere better to stay. The rooms are plain, yet very clean, and many have great views. The only thing I didn't like, was seeing a great big spider outside! There are several pools, and areas to sunbathe. You can also carry out a diving course through the hotel. Taxi's are easily arranged, and the location of the hotel, is not far from the local shops/attractions - I paticually loved the nearby horse-riding. ... Read review

I think Whitesands is way overrated. I am a Kenyan and I must say this hotel is NOT a 5 star hotel. The rooms have not been updated for years. The owners should do some benchmarking with some Carribean and other tropical destinations. Whitesands is way overpriced and lacks the exclusive service I have seen in Jamaica, Bahamas etc. The beach boys and other traders are also a nuisance to everyone. Is there anyway to maintain the privacy of the guests in the hotel? I recall when I was younger, the beaches were private properties of the hotels and no one other than guests were allowed on the beach. It was so much nicer then....

Can't wait to visit Mombasa again,visted last summer me and my family and had beautifully dinner listen to one off nice live band's (Safari sound) don't miss out is really greattttttt.