Diani Reef Beach Resort & Spa - Your Beachfront Bliss Awaits

8.0

Excellent

341 Guest reviews

8.0

Excellent

341 Verified Reviews

Read all reviews

Cleanliness8.2/10

Service8.6/10

Comfort7.8/10

Condition7.4/10

location7.6/10

Neighborhood7.8/10

Amenities7.6/10

I loved it there

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Property is kind old but the resort employees did outstanding service for the customers.

Al a carte menu is poor Food served is small

The staff were all friendly The place was 3 star, not 5 Limited fun activities to engage with

Hospitable staff and excellent service. The property is not new but still in good shape. We saw monkeys hoping in the big coconut trees from our balcony (seaview). Everything is clean including swimming pool, nice fresh air. We hopped on tuktuk (three wheel motorbikes) to the town (about 2km away) for forex and shopping. We detested the salty shower at first but got used it eventually (just don't drink it).

This is a 3 star hotel not 5 star. The hotel is dated and the rooms desperately need an upgrade. We had a leak from the AC in our room and there was a strong sulfurous like smell that kept coming from the bathroom. Everything in the rooms and hotel generally is just old. The location is perfect and hotel has so much potential but its very neglected. I wouldn't recommend and this hotel IS NOT A 5 STAR!

I really enjoyed my time at this hotel.. the beach is absolutely beautiful and the staff were sweet and very helpful

Staff is extremely nice

Great stay

The staff were extremely helpful and friendly. We had a great stay, food was very good, toiletries were eco friendly using aromatics essential oils. Location close to everything you need.

We liked the group activities like water polo. There was variety of food during dinner. Most of the staff were friendly and the lady at reception ensured we got the honeymoon compliment. They also upgraded our room from standard to deluxe at no extra cost.

Friendly staff

The staff was fabulous. They all made sure our stay was wonderful. The hotel had some repairs being done however it did not interfere with our stay. We had a wonderful time.

Good hotel and food was good staff friendly

The hotel has a great location with convenient beach access, and both dinner and breakfast were excellent. However, I was disappointed to be charged extra after booking my second night through Expedia. It seems they don't favor third-party bookings and charge more than the rates listed on such platforms. Despite this, it's still a good place to stay overall.

The hotel has a convenient beach access, and both dinner and breakfast were excellent. However, I was disappointed to be charged extra after booking my second night through Expedia. It seems they don't favor third-party bookings and charge more than the rates listed on such platforms. Despite this, it's still a good place to stay overall.

I don't know how you make your VIP rating because for me the service was only just above average. I spoke with reception about the lack of any hot, even warm water, and finally on the last day got lukewarm water. Meals improved markedly once it went to buffet style. I was also charged 3000 KSH more than the price on there price list for a snorkeling trip and then when inquiring about a jetski ride found them to be 3000 KSH more expensive than the one I found just down the beach. Overall I don't think it was very good value for money.

Superb stay at Diani Reef, lovely beach, great food..all staff very friendly and welcoming...special mention for the restaurant staff who were fabulous and made us amazing vegetarian dishes...Highly recommend

Room had a few tiny roaches in the bathroom. We only stayed 1 night so no terrible. Grounds are nice and clean. Staff very helpfu and attentive. The monkeys stealing food seems to be a bit out of control.

The hotel accommodations though good the rooms need some updating.

Great hotel, courteous staff and wonderful meals.

Not clean

Very nice view on the ocean from the room. All staff were very friendly and always willing to help.

It was a good place.

I really liked the resort...this was an experience to be remembered for a long time

HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE. CAVEAT EMPTOR - BUYER BEWARE. I’ve travelled the world and stayed at over 100 resorts and hotels and don’t expect perfection, but Diani Reef Beach Resort and Spa is near the bottom. In summary, will never return here and do not recommend Diani Reef Beach Resort and Spa. Diani Reef Beach Resort & Spa is, at best, a 5 out of 10. Compared to other resorts, this is a Motel 6. 1. DO NO COME HERE UNLESS YOU LIKE COLD, OILY SALT WATER SHOWERS. ALL THE POSITIVES WERE NEGATED BECAUSE NO HOT WATER, NO FRESH CLEAN WATER. IT’S A DISGRACE. 2. ONLY COLD, OILY SALT WATER FOR SHOWERING THE WHOLE STAY. 3. DECEPTIVE ADVERTISING. FULL BOARD IS A SCAM. 4. NOT WORTH $180 USD PER DAY. *A summary and a full write-up with the Good, the Bad and the Ugly are below. If I had known or they had decently posted on their website about the water and shower situation I would never have come here. I did not expect extreme luxury, but at least the basics for $180USD per day. This is the only resort and spa in the world without fresh, hot clean running water. The staff are not the problem (they are all fabulous), it’s the ownership and senior management. Previously, I’ve stayed at Southern Palms in Diani, Severin in Nyali, La Mera and an Airbnb in Shanzu for 3 months. They are all Michelin 5 star resorts compared to Diani Reef Beach Resort & Spa. I am a seasoned world traveler and have also been four times to K

Hotel needs a serious renovation. The elevators do not work, there is no water filtration system, and the entire resort is outdated.

Recommended stay

Very good resort with great rooms, swimming pools, good breakfast ( buffet) would recommend, the only issue was that you can't open the window at night as there is no misquoters ( nets on the windows)

It’s an average hotel, the rooms, staff and food is average for the price

Beware** Horrible Experience

Beware* This hotel is a 2 star at best No hot water during our stay even after they moved our room, poor customer service, poor management, they yes you to death and do nothing to solve your problem. Our bathroom had hair all over it upon check in, door lock malfunctioned, locked out of our room multiple times, food service is below average, restaurant was out of half the items on their menu, hotel and rooms are outdated, pictures on we site are very deceiving, Very disappointing, would not recommend.

The staff were approachable and kind. Entertainment was good.Overall my stay at the property was good and I recommend this place. My only concern is if they can upgrade the bathrooms

Amazing!

Definitely would do it again.

I liked breakfast, dinner was good. We had adequate water for drinking in the room.I also liked service at the swimming pool. I did not like the bed and the bedsheets. There were inordinate delays in room cleaning.

Best vacation EVER!... Where do I begin... This resort far exceeded our expectations, in so many ways... We looked forward to each and every day that we were there, and we really hated to leave... First and foremost, the staff was excellent... The food 😋 was soo good... All three meals were buffet style and each meal had so many choices... There were mini bars throughout the resort, to include being served on the beach... Lastly, but certainly not the least, were the beautiful monkeys, who were so gentle... We can't wait to return next vacation, and we will definitely stay much longer... Thanks for the opportunity to share...

The ambience of the hotel does it for itself. It's in a great location. There are so many places within the property where couples can feel cozy. There are ample seating areas. The friendly staff sets this place apart. There is a mixture of young people on the staff and seasoned employees. You can feel relaxed while there. If you decide to hit the beach, expect to be solicited to purchase items by the locals. There is a private area provided by the property where you wine be disturbed. All of the meals are top notch. I also trust the management here. There was a slight issue but they made sure I was taken care of and accommodated.

Coming next!

Staff exceptionally nice and friendly, but there was a water problem that lasted for 24 hours and communication was so bad about it, there was no running water at the batthroom which made it hard to stay at the room with no shower and no flushing water for toilet. the communication from management was so bad and didnt know how to handle this issue. despite that the condition of the bathroom itself was so bad.

A grand old hotel, but well past its prime

The hotel looks, from the outside, like paradise - well built, connected to the environment, beautiful spaces. Unfortunately, this ends when you enter the rooms - clearly left from the 1970s and despite the really immense efforts by the staff to maintain them, they are really, really old. Oxidised metal surfaces, doors not closing, crumbling ceiling panels, rock-hard mattresses, a pervasive smell of damp. Some surfaces obviously are damaged enough and are simply painted over. No hot water throughout the morning (usually only available after 2pm) and the water was (because it's desalinated) horrible to the taste. Also, breakfast was bland, most of the time cold and largely flavourless. BUT, the staff are mostly amazing, friendly and they will do everything they can to make your stay comfortable.

Dinners and swimming pool

The staff were great, breakfast was good, however the resort is in need of a massive make over. The rooms,furniture and facilities were very old and tired looking. The bathroom had salt water. The restaurant had limited choice and the food was ok but nothing special. I know this is east Africa, but the room rate is poor value for money. This stay was a second honey moon for my wife and I, the time together would of been better if we just stayed home.

Overall the staff was courteous.

The beach is not crowded. You can enjoy a quiet walk and pick sea shells. The residents at the beach are friendly and helpful.

It is an ok hotel

Only issues we had were the room keys. The key sensors are old as hell and broke multiple times at our stay..

Excellent buffets

Location is excellent as right on the beach. As it’s a resort there’s a lot of kids and also lots of live entertainment which may be a distraction if you want some quiet. Rooms are a bit old and the amenities don’t always work. The water in the tap and shower is very salty and so feels rather uncomfortable. Even the sheets smell of salt! Excellent buffets if part of your package. Beware of the monkeys! They grab your food whilst dining!

would not bookd again

After 6 Days of Safari we were looking forward to some comfort as it seemed to be a 5* Hotel. We were a bit disappointed, the Hotel facility is really old, pool is so-lala, the rooms are not in a good condition, we had to change room as not even TV was working. also, very salty water (we have been told its normal in Diani though) and it was quite noisy until late at night. The buffet was OK, but really not what you expect from a 5* hotel - and i am aware you can not compare to europe - but if you do, its really a 3* hotel. The best thing was the staff - super friendly although a bit slow at time..but thats ok, its holidays. however, i would not come back here as too many small things were not as expected. if you book and expect a 3* hotel, you might enjoy it but dont expect a 5* facility here.

The check in process takes a very long time. It appears that your room is not ready upon arrival, you will have to wait until a room is prepared for you. The staff gets you checked in promptly but then waiting about 30 minutes ( or more) for a room is just too long.

Property was maintained but had need for renovations. Elevator not working full time. Beach was great.

We stayed in a junior suite which was very nice. We were on the top floor, two flights up with the elevator on the other side of the property (and it did not work reliably); however, the stairs are not difficult to climb as there are not that many and they are not steep. The beach and Indian Ocean were beautiful but you cannot plan to frolic there because there is a strong undercurrent. The beach is nice but the winds can be strong. The pools are nice. Our stay was a relaxing way to end our visit to Kenya.

This resort should be considered a 3 star resort and not a 5 star. The room and especially the bathroom was run down and old. Besides needing an upkeeping, the staff were welcoming and nice. It’s in a great location in front of the ocean.

Awesome -ness

Am glad I chose diani reef for my stay and do I'll give it 10/10 from very friendly staff that ensure your comfort, the view from the hotel is awesome the rooms,the beach and everything... I'd reconsider it upon return😊

Just OK

Definitely in need of renovations as over all condition of room was mediocre, especially the bathroom. Toilet was very hard to flush, and the bathroom felt dirty, dirty clothes line. Patio door would not close properly so there was a gap allowing bugs in. Fridge seemed to be overheating, very hot in the cupboard. Dinners at the beach bar were nice and the staff were very friendly. This was a RIU standard hotel in its day for sure but it needs updates to bring back life to it.

Quite a lot of renovation work going on but being done discretely. Fantastic location for beach lovers (mind the sea urchins) and would like to go back when it has been restored to it's pre-covid glories. Dining is limited to a buffet (didn't try) or a beachside restaurant that doubles up as a dance venue, so there wasn't anywhere to have a quiet meal. Staff very good, prices not unreasonable for the venue and food was OK. I was there on business but would have happily enjoyed a family holiday there.

I love Diani reef. I wish they would consider giving residents instead if asking your room number every time you try to go somewhere like you are tress passing.

Courteous and professional staff. Excellent service

There was nothing I could fault about this hotel for the money we paid. It was fantastic.

Nice enough. Monkeys get a bit over zealous at times and will even enter your room if you leave the balcony door open and are not looking. But they do add to the exotic flavor of the resort. The food was good and the room was fine. All in all a very nice place.

I had a wonderful time which was made by mostly the entertainment at night dancer by name Elizabeth was extremely entertaining the dj was also very good, the bar man at the pool was very friendly but the buffet need to improve on talking to the guest when serving them food .rather than that is the best hotel ever, I would recommend it and I will definitely come back

The location of Diani Reef Beach Resort & Spa is excellent. Just a minute walk from the room to the beach. Most rooms are toward the ocean and the views are wonderful. Staff are very friendly. New Year Eve Gala Dinner is awesome with lovely band and a variety of food. Very satisficed with the stay in Diani Reef Beach and thanks very much to Expedia to arrange the booking.

Overall a pleasant experience over the festive season. The rooms need refurbishing though, particularly the bathrooms. The staff were pleasant except just one person but that i believe is his personal character flaw as opposed to the hotels fault. There aren't enough sunbeds and there was always a struggle to find one as some guests would selfishly reserve some even though they'd barely use them during the day. The hotel needs to look into getting more sunbeds to cater for the peak seasons.

Everything was terrible. Room was not clean and has a smell of a house with mold. There was no electricity the whole day Sunday to use AC, charge phone and laptop etc. seems like the electricity was turned off intentionally to save money while guests are suffering. The towels are long overdue and dirty and so are the bed sheets and comforters. I WILL NEVER GO BACK and also mad at Expedia for not checking on the properties it recommends.

Great place, great fun.

The Hotel Staff especially Susan were top notch in making sure my stay was perfect!

I did

I did not like the food Option and the condition of the rooms

I like the staff. Other than the pool bar attendant who was discriminatory, everyone else was great. Muhammed at front office was exceptional.

Everything was good

My husband and I spent 5 days at Diani Reef Beach Resort and Spa. We had a very relaxing time. The airport pickup and drop-off were so smooth. Our driver gave us a lot of insight into the region. Our check-in was easy and Samual, at the front desk, was always around to help. Susan is so pleasant! She booked us a beautiful sunset river excursion and also connected us to in-room covid testing prior to our departure. It was so simple! My husband did a couple of one-on-one workout sessions with Cedrick in the gym and he was happy with the instruction. Although half the hotel was under construction you don't even notice. There were some points when we felt like we had the entire resort to ourselves. We are both looking forward to returning with our children soon.

The beach was fantastic, the evening entertainment was great.The location is superb. The pick-up price from the airport was quite expensive considering that we could use Uber.

The staff where super nice and helpful

I like their beach

First time guest

The musty bathrooms and towels that were originally white now a color I can not describe doesn’t give a five star vibe. The meal at the outside cafe was a nightmare. I ordered fish which tasted like a chewey overcooked oily chicken. The mashed potatoes tasted raw paste. Needless to say the few bites I took were enough to upset my stomach. Too many people standing in the buffet kitchen looking at you when you try to get food like you are doing something wrong. It can be intimidating. I went there to have a quiet get away and I had high expectations.

The staff was very friendly and they were respectful and helpful. The buffet selection was perfect.

Liked: -The hotel was clean and the staff were well trained. -The breakfast was great! Variety and quality was good. -Dinner was good overall but most of the meats were over cooked and dry. Dislike: -Water situation is a struggle. We were always out of water, you get 2 small bottles a day the rest you have to buy. And you can't bring outside water in. This I really didn't like! -The meals can get crowded or maybe it was just bad luck for me. But one morning I couldn't get any thing from the grill section(eggs, omelette, etc) there were 20 people in the queue!

The linen looks outdated (old) - the hot shower did not reach good temperature and the pressure was also not enough.

We really enjoyed our stay! The resort is located right by a beautiful strip of the beach where swimming is great and during low tide you can have a walk on the reef. The only minus is the food, the quality is not great. But no worries, just across the road there are great Indian and Chinese restaurants that I definitely would recommend! Also supermarket and a little tour company ran by Nic

Horrible service!

Horrible service. Rooms need urgent refurbishing. Bars and restaurants need younger, better trained staff. Would not stay at this hotel again any time soon.

Walking distance to the beach and it will be the best memory for our honeymoon

The property needs upgrade, and the hotel staff need to treat every guest the same way.. locals visitors are treated less welcoming than other foreigners..

Friendly staff, great food choices, location and cleanliness.

Excellent!

It was so refreshing! Though I may have forgotten my phone in Room 4025. Would be glad if they found it.

Get away

Great experience worth the price and the stay. Lovely destination for family and also couple looking to vacation at the coast.

A beautiful location, resort needs a renovation

The resort is located in a magnificent position, the grounds are huge and the gardens beautiful. The buildings are nice and the lounges are comfortable and elegant. The service staff were all very helpful. However, the resort shows signs of aging and badly needs a renovation. Many outsude wood structures are rotten and falling down. Our room was extremely humid, the bed and our clothes always felt damp. The walls were often wet to the touch. The bathroom fittings were old and we needed some small repairs done. Overall the feeling is of an old resort that has huge potential (amazing beach and nice beachside bar/restaurant, great spa) but a major renovation is due. Also the fact that half the buildings are boarded up and appear to have never been finished doesn't help.

A nice half-board resort for families

A nice resort with very friendly and helpful staff; and beautiful beach front. We especially appreciated the special buffet for Christmas and 2 previous days, the atmosphere created by the staff and animation team was lovely. We also enjoyed a lot our evening in the beach bar, with its creative cocktails and direct view on the sea. The rooms near the swimming pool can be noisy, part of the premises were under maintenance (a pool, a bridge) and one of the restaurants was closed, which limited a bit the options in the resort. Overall we would recommend it for people and especially families looking for half-board holidays.

DO NOT STAY HERE. WORSE RESORT IN THE WORLD.

DO NOT STAY AT THIS HOTEL IF YOU LIKE NICE THINGS AND WANT A TRUE 5-STAR EXPERIENCE. This hotel lies about being a 5 star resort when in fact it more of a 2 star resort. Everything is completely dated from the rooms, to the glasses served at the resort itself. From check-in, I had an issue. It took over 30 mins to check in which is annoying given the 2 hour drive to get there for MOI Airport in the heat. The service is also completely slow at the restaurant and you are served on the cheapest of dinnerware and cloudy plastic cups that clearly needs to be replaced. The food is also mediocre. I had to check out a few days early after being upgraded to a junior suite which was also just as terrible as my old room. If you’re looking for a true 5-star experience. Go stay at Swahili Beach Resort! It’s worth the price there. I am still waiting on my refund from this property who refuses to answer the phone. The water in the room runs brown at times, the tubs are disgusting. I can go on and on about how terrible it is there. Save yourself the trouble and book somewhere else.

The staff friendliness and attention to details. They made me a farewell cake when I left.

The hotel was good with good overall service. Staff

Stay away from the spa section

Booked an appointment at their spa. Was there in time and was led into the massage room. Then I waited 20 minutes without any further service or explanation. Then I got up and got dressed and said I would cancel the massage. This kind of service is very poor and created an atmospare of irritation during my stay. I think that the hotel sould get rid of their spa section unless they improve their service. Without the spa section I would have rated the hotel higher.

The staff are amazing kind and hospitable! The breakfast was nice and the beach guards are so kind

Former luxury resort under bad management

Diani Reef Beach Resort COULD be a very nice place. Setting is beautiful, beach is gorgeous, building and pools very nice but run-down and not maintained. The rooms are ok, smallish but not very worn out. A/C works very well in room (not well in gym). Pools are big and nice but water very salty and water level so low that circulation cannot work properly. Pool also very cracked and does not look inviting at a closer look. WORST OF ALL, however is the management's poliicies and attitude towards clients: welcome-letter is in practice just a reminder of what is prohibited (including bringing any snacks, water, drinks from outside to fill your fridge) and what is offered at the hotel. If you read the electronic one you are further informed that eating outside hotel is dangerous and changing money should only be done at hotel. In fact wonderful restaurants abund just outside the gate and a half dozen reliable banks very close too (offering 110 KES/$ instead of the hotel's 90KES/$ - so who is actually cheating?). Breakfast is ok for a tourist resort but dinner buffet is hardly worth 1/3 of its price and a la carte list is both boring and of low quality. But prices are five star...Sorry to say that while most of the staff are quite nice (and not strict abt the stupid policies) the restaurants (price and quality) and negative attitude of management (somehow trying to inprison you on site) ruins experience. Also tried 5 times to get a cold, expensive beer but was +15C COULD be nice

Awesome place.

This is an amazing place. The people are kind and helpful, the meals are delicious, and the rooms are great as well. I plan to return when possible.

Hotel room services are not up to the mark. Hotel staff is not attentive to phone calls when needed

Beach was great. The love of my life had a wonderful time in the water... She is still kissing me and hugging me and calls me darling every since she had a great time at the beach. The coconut on the beach was better than soup in the kitchen. The sand on the beach was smoother than the concrete pavements to the beach. The monkeys need to be killed as they are very annoying. They steal and the beg for even wine. The guests were somewhat ugly. A resot without pretty ladies and handsome guys is like a brothel.

Special

Thanks to the staff at the hotel for a very nice stay. Everyone was very friendly and they had good measures in place to keep everyone safe from COVID. The food was better than expected and the hotel was in a nice location. I would go back and recommend others support this business in these difficult COVID times!

Beware, the rating on thr hotel isnt a true reflection of what you get There are other hotels i would recommend for the same price that will provide a much cleaner beach, sun beds whose matresses arent torn and food and beverages that are much better. Disappointed

The staff were very friendly and took good care of us. We went for our honeymoon and had a fabulous time there. We would definitely go back if given a chance. It was so relaxing!

Lovely established resort hotel only footsteps to the beach.