Diani House

This wonderful family home is surrounded by five hectares of riotous tropical gardens with birds and visiting troops of black and white colobus monkeys. A wide, covered veranda runs along the front of the house, and inside is a huge lounge and separate dining room. Comfortable couches, chairs and tables are scattered around the edge of the veranda, with a pathway through the gardens down to the lovely swimming pool and gazebo overlooking the palm-fringed beach.

Accommodation consists of four en-suite double or twin bedrooms in the main house, and a separate two-bedroomed family bungalow in a secluded spot in the garden. The rooms are very comfortable – each has a unique theme, with a charming, old-fashioned shabby chic feel, beautiful dark wooden bedsteads beneath mosquito net canopies, and fun Swahili-inspired fabrics adding splashes of exotic colour. All the rooms have ceiling and floor fans, and a private terrace opening out to the gardens.

A highlight at Diani House is its private boat kitted out with deep-sea fishing tackle and watersports equipment. Use it to go game fishing, dolphin spotting, snorkelling the reefs and cruising at sunset. Take a drive to Mombasa and explore the colourful markets, or head out to Shimba Hills Reserve, renowned for its large herds of elephant. The larger resorts further along Diani Beach have a number of lively bars and restaurants if you feel like a night out.