The Maji Beach Boutique Hotel

Set among coconut palms and a manicured garden, the hotel's frontage is just a few metres from the beach. Heading indoors, you pass a pool that wraps around three sides of the main area, with its back to the lobby. The interiors are cool, with a high-ceilinged lounge and adjacent veranda, a smart dining room – the menu tempts you with its variety of Swahili, Middle-Eastern, Mediterranean and Indian cuisine, a billiards room and a small gym.

Fifteen individually designed rooms and suites range in size from 20 to 100 square metres. Essentially, the larger the accommodation, the more luxurious the fittings, from the Garden View room on the first floor, to the Executive Suite with an ocean view on the top floor. Size notwithstanding, the rooms are beautifully decorated, with antique wooden furnishings, comfortable beds, balconies, aircon, minibars, TVs and en-suite bathrooms. The larger suites have two bedrooms and bathrooms and an ultra-cool Jacuzzi bathtub.

It's easy to while away the hours on a draped sunbed, or sipping cocktails with your feet in the sand, but there's plenty to keep you busy in the vicinity. Excellent snorkelling and SCUBA diving can be had nearby (details at reception.) Several operators rent out gear, so you can paddle-board, surf, kayak, kite-surf or windsurf right in front of the hotel. Further afield, you can swim with wild dolphins, play a round of golf, or even go skydiving.