Serena Beach Resort & Spa

Atmosphere and the food was amazing

We went there as a family over christmas and we were quite looking forward to a memorable time together, but what we experienced there resulted in a completely soured festive season. The hotel is quite expensive, so one would expect the services to be impeccable. I guess the joke was on us. First of all, our rooms were double booked, despite us booking the rooms in June and completing the payments by September! so we spent the better part of the first day waiting and waiting and waiting for our room, till around 7 pm when the management decided to move us to some rooms that we could tell had not been used for a long time...the rooms were being used as storage units! The walls were painted shoddily, with some of the paint smeared on the wall paintings, can you imagine! The rooms were hurriedly cleaned to accommodate us so they were quite dirty. There were burn marks on some of the surfaces. The wood finishings had large cracks, the doors could not close, and worst of all, the AC was faulty. So we spent 5 dreary days of heat over christmas wishing we had stayed home and saved the over 800 thousand shillings we had spent hoping for a memorable christmas! The food was meh, room service was always late( they would routinely clean the rooms at 7 pm), and even some of the food was stale! We made several complaints to the manager, a Mr Ali, who offered us complementary alcohol as an apology, without even finding out whether we take alcohol! When we politely declined the alcohol, it was delivered to us anyway! What gall! The taps were leaky, the toilets smelly, and the rooms musty. There was no ambience, the atmosphere was flat and the entertainment uninspired. The offer by the hotel to make up for their errors by hosting us another time was flatly rejected, who in their right mind willingly goes back to hell? They also offered us a 10% discount on food and drinks which we were considering rejecting due to our disappointment. In any case it only resulted in a saving of ksh 4, 000. I see the many great reviews and I am so shocked because our experience here was so horrible. Needless to say, this is not a place I would recommend for anyone.

We stayed for 7 nights during low season as a family of five, including a 1-year-old, and virtually every aspect of the experience lived up to what we had hoped for. One thing worth highlighting upfront: despite the hotel being quite empty during our visit, all services and activities ran as normal. This meant we could book anything on short notice, which was a genuine bonus. Staff Friendly and attentive throughout. Any requests or issues were handled promptly and without fuss. Grounds and Setting The gardens are lush, well-maintained, and full of greenery. The East African architectural design was exactly what we were looking for, a refreshing contrast to the generic modern hotels. Stunning sea views, and three pools catering to all ages. Food The seafood was excellent, and both the breakfast and dinner buffets were great overall. That said, if European-style pastries, sausages, cheeses, or pizza are important to you, do not expect them to be highlights.y Rooms Beds were exceptionally comfortable. The family room configuration offers two spacious rooms, which worked very well for us. We were assigned a ground-floor sea-view family room at the far end of the property, which gave us welcome privacy. This was particularly useful as we had water sports gear to dry outside daily and the children could move in and out freely. The trade-off is a noticeably long walk to the restaurant and pools, so if proximity matters to you, request a more centrally located room. The bathrooms are fine but would benefit from a refresh. Facilities High quality overall: proper espresso machines, a brand-new padel court, a solid gym, reliable air conditioning, a TV with pay channels, and a children’s area with a PS5. Activities and Spa We enjoyed both the spa and the on-site water sports centre. Snorkelling equipment and life vests were good quality for adults and adequate for children, though we brought our own for the kids. Opt for the newest gear and you’ll be fine. The complimentary activities were a real highlight: an introductory scuba dive, kids’ club, padel tryout session, catamaran ride, and a butterfly garden. All were genuinely enjoyable. Kids rooms is well equipped and the children enjoyed playing with the animation team. I would say best for children between 4 and 8. The Beach This is the one area to manage expectations. The beach itself is not maintained by the hotel, so seaweed is a constant presence and the tides are strong. Add to that persistent vendors offering tours and general foot traffic from passers-by, and it is far from a peaceful spot to relax. There is a small sandy area within the hotel grounds as an alternative, but it does not replicate a proper beach experience. All in all, our expectations were met and in several respects exceeded. A heartfelt thank you to the entire team.

Cozy stay at Serena Beach Resort & Spa. Loved the spa experience - the sauna and jacuzzi were super relaxing. Breakfast and dinner were good overall. The room was lovely: airy, comfy bed, and very relaxing (just remember to close the windows unless you want monkey visitors 😅). Beautiful grounds and an amazing live band playing reggae, Amapiano, and RnB - perfect millennial vibes lol.

I enjoyed my stay. From the pickup at the airport to the very clean room and great food.