Leisure Lodge Reviews

Just returned from a 2 week stay here to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary and had a fantastic time.

The place was faultless. It was like paradise. This was our first time in Kenya and as other people have said the drive from the airport to the resort is a bit of a culture shock. Most of the staff working at Leisure Lodge are local and they are the freindliest and most respectfull I have ever met. Spanish hotel staff could learn a lot from the Kenyans. Nothing was too much trouble. The resort is in two sections, the hotel side and the club side.People in the club side have the freedom to roam anywhere in the complex but hotel side can only use their side. We had actually booked to stay at southern palms but my travel changed our accomodation for reasons we are not really sure of but I think they did us a big favour as we were given accomodation in the club side. The rooms are larger and the setting is very peacefull. They have a free to use internet cafe which is handy for emailing family back home. Food in the resort was excellent and varied, with theme nights followed by good quality entertainment.We never had any problems getting loungers either at the beach or pool side.The beach is beautifull and the sea is the warmest I have ever been in. There is always a breeze but it is warm which makes it bearable to sit in but you have to be careful as the sun is very intense and hot.We did a 2 night safari at the governors camp with balloon trip arranged through the rep. It was quite expensive but as this was a special trip I did not want to chance anything going wrong and we did see many different animals and got some great pictures and video footage. If we go again though I would consider using a local operator.

All in all we had the trip of a life time and hope someday to return.
Remember to take usefull things for the village children eg. t shirts, socks, pens and pencils. They are greatful for anything you can give them.

We went to the Leisure Lodge in March 2005 as a last minute allocation on arrival holiday with Thomson holidays. Everything about the booking process went really smoothly and exactly as had been planned.

Upon arrival at the hotel we were greeted by friendly staff with a complimentary coconut drink and cool flannels for our faces which was a welcome relief following the hour and a half journey from the airport in 36 degrees heat.

We were taken to our accommodation which was in the Bahari Wing. This consists of two storeys. We were on the bottom storey and the rooms were very spacious with a king size bed and a single bed as there three in our party. This made a nice change from the European hotels where the 3rd bed is usually of a put me up type! There is a safe in the rooms which is free to use and very secure. I would describe the accommodation as simple but adequate. There is a bath and shower in the bathroom. They do not supply extras such as shower gel/ shampoo so make sure you take your own. There is also a television and a fridge which they allow you to use for your own purposes which is very useful for storing water etc,. Air conditioning is also included.

The view from all of the rooms is fantastic. On the ground floor there are terraces with patio furniture which overlooks one of the pools and beautiful white sandy beach and turquoise sea. The grounds are beautifully kept with palm trees, flowers and lawns much better than I had expected. Monkeys, lizards and parrots live quite happily in the grounds also but it's a good idea not to feed the monkeys, some excellent photo opportunities though.

Food- The standards here are excellent. In the main restaurant they alternate between table d'hote and buffets ouside on the terrace which are best described as stunning. The choice is amazing and there really is something for everyone's tastes. The fish buffet is the best I have ever experienced in a four star hotel. The chefs obviously take a lot of pride in their work. My only criticism would be that there is a not a particularly comprehensive wine list. The waiting staff are all very friendly and nothing is too much trouble for them. We went on a half board basis which was more than enough for us. There is a choice of places to go for lunch within the hotel mostly snack type things and their pizzas and salads are nice and very reasonably priced. Large pizzas about £3. I personally feel that full board would be a bit much unless of course you like stuffing yourselves full all day every day! You can pay to have a lunchtime buffet if you feel like it at about £6 it's not that expensive. You can also choose to eat at other restaurants within the hotel. They have a fishermans cove restaurant which you pay extra for but they give you an allowance towards it if you are full or half board.

Bars- There are several bars in the hotel. My favourite is the coral bar which is right on the beach. The local beer Tusker is lovely ice cold and works out at £1.50 for 500ml bottles. Fanta and coke work out around 40p for 300ml- very reasonable. The staff are friendly but service is very laid back and at first seems slow but you get used to it as you wind down...the best thing about this place is how relaxed you feel a perfect getaway from stressed lifestyles back home. Everything can be signed for so no need to carry cash around with you unless you want to.

Entertainment- There is evening entertainment on the terrace outside, it stays beautifully warm all night which suprised me I thought it would be cold at night. There are dancers and singing acts which are all very good.

Beach- The beach is lovely with fine white sand and the sea was so warm it was like getting into a bath I have never known sea like it. The water is lovely and clear. There is a coral reef which you can walk out to at low tide but you will need to wear suitable footwear like sandals..flip flops are not sturdy enough. There are loungers and shades provided by the hotels and if you see the beach attendant he will allocate you one which you get to keep as long as you are there. Towels are also provided. The only drawback is the hustlers on the beach who will try to get you to buy things or go on trips. Also do not be fooled into letting them escort you to the reef. They will say it's dangerous and you need a guide (i.e them) it's perfectly safe to go yourselves. These guys are really just cheeky chappies and I didn't feel intimidated by them it can just get a bit annoying however the hotel employs a security guard who stays on the beach all day they are excellent and if you get friendly with them they will keep the hustlers away from you. I bought the guard a couple of soft drinks on about the third day (they have a really long day in the blistering heat) and had no hassle for the rest of the week. Incidentally the hustlers never come up as far as the loungers. The only time you will get caught by them is if you want to go into the sea but if you time it right you can get there and back with no problems. There is also a windsurfing school

Weather- The temparature this time of year was about 32-36 which was lovely. There was sunshine all day from about 7am until about 7pm when it starts to get dark. This is the end of the season and there were rain showers during the night. There is a lovely breeze which I think is a bonus as it makes the heat very comfortable although of course the sun is still very strong so use plenty of sun cream. As I have said it is still very warm all night so no need for cardigans or jackets.

Other facilities- The cashiers office is excellent and can change currency or travellers cheques. There is a casino in the hotel which I did not go into but I met other guests who seemed to enjoy it very much. The shops in the hotel are very nice and the souvenirs are reasonably priced. The hair salon is very good and my 12 year old had her hair braided which looked fantastic. There is a golf club which belongs to the hotel although you have to be a green card holder to use it. You can achieve this by having 10 hours training with a pro which can be organised at the club. Ideal if you are there for two weeks.

Outside the hotel- It is situated in a good location with small shopping centres closeby where you can purchase large bottles of water to keep in your room. Right out of the hotel it is best to keep on the same side as the hotel until you get to the shops as there are souvenir sellers who will try and rip you off. They can be very persistent and can be intimidating. It is best not to even get involved as I know some people who bought things just to get away from them. There is no such thing as 'just looking' to them. I would recommend if you want souvenirs to buy them at the hotel as they are reasonably priced and good quality. I did a bit of haggling at a local shop and bought some nice things but ended up paying about the same as the hotel. I suppose the only difference is the money goes to the shop owner and not the hotel...it depends how strongly you feel about it. Other than that there is not a lot to do outside of the hotel unless you go on organised trips.

I stayed at the hotel as only went for a week and it was very relaxing but like any beach holiday would get boring after much longer. I will definitely go back but would go for two weeks spending a week on safari first.

I would recommend this resort and hotel to anyone. It is immaculately clean and well maintained. The staff are friendly, welcoming and very happy. It was superb value for money and the only extra money we spent on food and drinks for three of us was £159 for a whole week ..far less that we had anticipated.( We allowed for £100 A DAY!) This included lunches, ice creams and a fair sprinkling of wine, beer and cocktails too. It really is a superb place to go and relax I felt happy the whole time I was there.