They say once you go all-inclusive, you never go back. Maybe they don’t. All the same, all-inclusive hotels are quite popular and for good reason. The all-inclusive meal plan includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and selected alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. In other words, it is the meal plan one opts for when one does not want to spend any more money on food or drinks while staying at a hotel. That being said, not all all-inclusive packages are equal. So which hotels have the best all-inclusive packages?
Baobab Beach Resort & Spa
Baobab Beach Resort & Spa is the self-proclaimed best all-inclusive resort in Kenya and there’s little to argue with in that statement. The resort is located on the world-famous and award-winning Diani Beach where the resort itself is a recipient of multiple awards such as Africa’s Leading Family Resort in 2022 and 2020 as well as Kenya’s Leading Beach Resort in 2019 just to name a few.
So how does the resort fulfill its all-inclusive meal plan? In five restaurants and six bars and lounges. Without any context, one would think this is a description of a busy high-end district in one of the world’s major cities. However, all the restaurants, bars, and lounges are set within the resort’s 80 acres of lush tropical gardens overlooking a 500-meter stretch of Diani Beach. That and three individual swimming pools to top it all off.
Voyager Beach Resort
Voyager Beach Resort is a ship-themed resort situated on Nyali Beach, Mombasa, and undoubtedly gives Baobab Beach Resort a run for its money. While Baobab is arguably Kenya’s most popular beach resort, Voyager Beach Resort can make a case for itself as being the North Coast’s most popular resort. Unlike Baobab, however, Voyager does offer other meal plans such as the Half Board meal plan though this is rarely advertised but can be requested.
Voyager Beach Resort has good service from the staff and is famous for its evening entertainment events and animation programs. Over the years, Voyager has earned several awards with one notable one being Trip Advisor’s Certificate of Excellence for its consistently good reviews.
The resort delivers its all-inclusive meal plan from three specialized restaurants and four bars including a sports bar and 24-hour lounge.
Southern Palms Beach Resort
Southern Palms Beach Resort takes us back to Diani as this resort also has a serious all-inclusive offering. The resort was established in the ‘90s and has had a recent renovation in 2019. It is luxurious with room categories starting from Superior Rooms which means the hotel completely skips the Standard Room category present in most other hotels. Southern Palms is also notably popular with the Indian community here in Kenya speaking to its particularly good culinary offering.
The resort offers up its all-inclusive meal plan from four restaurants and four bars. Two large swimming pools also dot the landscape of the resort. The one downside to staying at Southern Palms is seeing that it brands itself as a luxurious resort, not that any of the other hotels in this list are not, its rates tend to be higher than most hotels.
PrideInn Flamingo Beach Resort & Spa
The PrideInn brand name is renowned in Kenya and synonymous with great service and luxurious hotels. While PrideInn has several hotels on the Kenyan coast, the most notable ones are PrideInn Flamingo and PrideInn Paradise which are often confused with each other, especially for clients who have not had the pleasure of staying at either one.
PrideInn Paradise is the more luxurious offering and is famous for being Kenya’s most kid-friendly beach resort aided by the fact that it has an aqua park designed specifically with kids in mind. However, PrideInn Paradise does not have an all-inclusive meal plan and only goes up to a full board meal plan.
Despite being the “little sister” to PrideInn Paradise, PrideInn Flamingo is a decent resort and offers a commendable all-inclusive package rivaled only by Voyager’s on the North Coast. Furthermore, PrideInn Flamingo is usually better-priced compared to its sister resort with sometimes its all-inclusive meal plan being more affordable than PrideInn Paradise’s half-board meal plan. With the two hotels only 500 meters apart, it feels like they’re both toe-to-toe in healthy competition.
Turtle Bay Beach Club
Further along in Watamu, Turtle Bay offers arguably the best all-inclusive package in the region. Firstly, the resort is quite affordable. Secondly, it offers two all-inclusive options. One is the expected all-inclusive meal plan while the second adds motorized watersports to the package. As such, for one fairly affordable amount, one has all their vacation needs met from dining to activities. For those who caring for the environment is close to their heart, it is worth noting that Turtle Bay is an eco-hotel and was the first recipient of the Gold Eco Rating Award by EcoTourism Kenya.
Neptune Hotels
Neptune Group of Hotels has three notable offerings in Diani, namely, Neptune Village, Neptune Paradise, and Neptune Palm. The three resorts are all-inclusive resorts with Neptune Village being the most affordable and Neptune Palm being a luxury boutique resort that is more expensive but still fairly priced relative to the overall market. There is also Neptune Beach Resort in Bamburi, Mombasa which also offers an all-inclusive meal plan.
The three Neptune hotels in Diani are in the same complex with guests staying at Neptune Palm having full access to all three sections.
Plan Hotels’ Malindi Hotels
Plant Hotels has three luxurious hotels in Malindi, namely, Sandies Tropical Village, Sandies Malindi Dream Garden, and Diamonds Dream of Africa. Similarly with Neptune Hotels, these three Malindi hotels are also situated together with Tropical Village being the entry-level offering, followed by Malindi Dream Garden which is most suitable for couples, and then Diamonds.
The three hotels have a good all-inclusive package and perhaps the best in Malindi. Noteworthy is that the three hotels can be called luxury boutique hotels as they have comparatively fewer rooms than most hotels making them ideal for exclusivity, privacy, and relaxation. Two restaurants and three bars serve up the all-inclusive package.
Honorable Mentions
Kenya has some of the best beach resorts in the world and every hotel on the Kenyan coast can make a good case for itself. Therefore, it goes without saying that we may have missed some good hotels such as Diani Sea Lodge, Diani Sea Resort, Papillon Lagoon Reef, and Bamburi Beach Hotel
Ones to Watch
Leisure Beach & Golf Resort in 2022 rebranded to Diamonds Leisure Beach & Golf Resort after being acquired by Plan Hotels. Expectedly, the quality of service and all-inclusive offering is bound to match that of other Plan Hotels properties and this resort has the potential to become a top all-inclusive hotel.
Do you agree or disagree with our list? Which hotel did we leave out that deserves to be featured on the list?
