Southern Palms Beach Resort

I have travelled widely across the globe, but Southern Palms truly stands out as a property that understands hospitality and does its part with excellence. From the moment I arrived, I was struck by the immaculate cleanliness throughout the hotel. Every space—from the rooms to the common areas—was spotless, fresh, and clearly maintained with great care. The food variety was exceptional. Whether at breakfast, lunch, or dinner, the buffet offered an impressive spread that catered to every palate. Fresh seafood, themed nights, live cooking stations, and delightful desserts made every meal something to look forward to. The staff were consistently friendly, warm, and attentive, creating an atmosphere that felt both welcoming and genuine. A special mention goes to Elias, the dedicated Guest Relations Official, who was always at hand to any need with remarkable speed and professionalism. His responsiveness made the stay seamless and truly personalized. Southern Palms also offers super activities that make every day enjoyable—water sports, beach walks, cultural shows, poolside fun, and relaxing spa moments. There is never a dull moment, and every activity is thoughtfully curated to enhance the guest experience. There is something for all ages. Afternoon tea was lovely. And then there is Daisy—a gem in every sense. Her kindness, charm, and effortless ability to make guests feel valued added a beautiful touch to my stay. Southern Palms delivers a blend of comfort, service, and genuine hospitality that is rare to find. I left with wonderful memories and deep appreciation for a team that goes above and beyond. Highly recommended for anyone seeking an unforgettable coastal getaway.

We were VERY disappointed with the Southern Palms Beach Resort. From the lack of food options, the outdated rooms, and the poor planning of the bathrooms (which makes it impossible to have any privacy) - our stay was really not pleasant. Disclaimer — the reservation was made though a tour company that handled our travel in Kenya so I believe the onus is on the tour company for not telling us what we were getting into and letting us decide if we wanted to stay there. The resort bills itself as “four-stars” on their instagram page, but 4 stars was absolutely not our experience. If you like wine you will not be happy with the options here. The house wines are barely drinkable. And FYI the house wines (which are dry white, sweet white, dry red and sweet red) are poured from a boxed wine pouch into a large bottle. The large bottle is then labeled dry wine or sweet wine and that is what is served. I’ve had very nice boxed wines in my life, this was not one of them. When we asked to see the wine list that was separate from the all inclusive options the list was…not impressive. After we found a bottle we thought might be better than the house wines available and ordered it off the separate menu the server apologized that the bottle of white wine we ordered wasn’t chilled yet, so we had to wait for it to become drinkable in an ice bucket. A four star restaurant would keep their white wine chilled for the customers to order and enjoy immediately! The rooms are extremely outdated and absolutely do not feel like those of a four-star resort. From what I could tell, all of the rooms at the resort have bathrooms with an open screened window facing the walkway to the other rooms in your block meaning you can quite literally hear other guests using their bathrooms. This set up seems standard for each room block regardless of where you stay on the property. I guess privacy is deemed an optional amenity at Southern Palms! When we entered our room there was a cheap looking plastic green wastebasket waiting for us in the bathroom (picture included) and the bed was poorly made (picture included). Again, not what I would expect from a 4 star resort. And don’t arrive expecting robes or slippers in the room! There aren’t any. And the two towels provided for the shower are very low quality. The resort does seem particularly well-suited to families and the kids seem to enjoy the water activities happening throughout the day. BUT if peace and quiet are on your wish list, you will want to look elsewhere. The water activities take place in the most central pool at the resort and if your room is anywhere near that pool you will hear EVERYTHING. The breakfast was the one genuinely positive part of the food experience, so at least there was something to look forward to each day. The two restaurants on site are not worth trying in my opinion. At the Brazilian restaurant the meat was flavorless. At the Italian restaurant the desserts tasted like they were still frozen. And I should note that the buffet restaurant has mostly Indian options. So if you like Indian food and that is all you want to eat for the entirety of your beach vacation you are sorted! If you like Indian food but are not super well versed in what every dish is you will struggle because there is no description accompanying the names of the dishes next to the serving tray. If you are easily overstimulated avoid this place. Each restaurant plays its own music in addition to the live music happening - so during your stay you will have the opportunity of listening to three different songs at once. Not pleasant! There was a wedding happening during our stay. Again, the tour company did not tell us that this hotel hosts lots of weddings so I place the blame on the tour company for not warning us/ setting expectations and then letting us decide if this is where we’d like to stay. I’ve included photos to show an example of what the resort looked like at the hotel during our stay while the wedding was being prepared. For multiple days crews were assembling and disassembling the wedding’s various event sites. It’s hard to enjoy the sounds of the ocean when there is a large metal structure being assembled next to you. To their credit, when we asked to be moved farther away from the water activities because of the noise the resort accommodated us. Unfortunately, moving us away from the noise did not solve the larger problem: this property is simply nowhere near the standard you would expect from a four-star resort. I would NOT recommend staying here.

From the moment we arrived, we were welcomed by such warm and friendly staff—from reception to the restaurant and the pool. We had an absolutely amazing time, and the food was simply delicious! 😋 A special thank you to Joel, Chacha, Sara, Daisy, and Wambua for always being there to assist and support us whenever we needed anything. Your kindness and excellent service truly made a difference. Asante sana for making our holiday so memorable. We had a wonderful time and can’t wait to come back! ❤️🌴✨

Very convenient location especially flying from Ukunda/ Diani airport This is one of the most beautiful hotels we have stayed at. There is a huge swimming pool so if you need privacy from the noisy activities such as water volleyball you can do so. Food is where they excel/ it is all inclusive and you are spoilt for choice. My kids enjoyed the selection. Only think I would ask is for them to have hot custard. Also unlike many other hotel ice cream for the kids is included in the all inclusive and my kids loved trying out the flavours. There was an Indian wedding which was noisy but ended at 12pm each day. You can ask for rooms further away from the main wedding. If you want to have an early night.

The ambience was great! So many activities for the whole family including a kids club. The customer care was top notch. All the staff were really friendly... They engage children really well 👌🏻 Daisy and Joel particularly stood out for me with exceptional services. The rooms are neat and tidy. The beddings and towels are clean. Definitely value for money. I would rate the noise level at 7 out of 10, mostly because there was a wedding ceremony which ran late into the night. It didn't particularly bother me though because I don't have a small baby. Overall, I loved the experience at Southern Palm. I would definitely recommend it and I hope to come back soon with my family.