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4- and 5-star hotels in Diani Beach
A shortlist of the 4- and 5-star hotels in Diani Beach, Kwale County, on Kenya's south coast. It is for travellers who want a starred stay behind the white-sand beach and are weighing which of these places fits their trip.
Staying in Diani Beach
Diani Beach is a long white-sand beach on Kenya's south coast in Kwale County, south of Mombasa, about 455 km southeast of Nairobi in a straight line. Visitors come for the beach itself and use it as a base on the south coast; Shimba Hills National Reserve lies inland, and Ukunda Airstrip sits next to Diani.
Almost every hotel on this shortlist is addressed on Diani Beach Road, which runs behind the beach, with a few on the named beach itself or on nearby lanes such as Beach Road, Ali Barbours Road and Coconut Grove 1. The setting suits couples and short-break travellers who want the sand within reach, and families or groups who prefer a villa or cottage of their own. The 5-star entries, Grand Amber Villa and Seabreeze Haven, sit on Beach Road and Diani Beach Road respectively.
The shortlist
Ranked by hotel class, then guest rating and number of reviews.
Grand Amber Villa
Beach Road
Why stay hereGrand Amber Villa is a 5-star address on Beach Road, the highest class in this Diani Beach shortlist. Guests who want the top category of stay in Diani Beach will find it here, with the beach and the resort's main stretch within easy reach of the address.
See Grand Amber VillaSeabreeze Haven
Diani Beach Road
Why stay hereIt is a pick for guests who want the highest category of accommodation while staying on the road that runs through Diani Beach.
See Seabreeze HavenThe Swimming Ostrich
Diani Beach
Why stay hereThe Swimming Ostrich is a 4-star hotel at Diani Beach with a guest rating of 4.3 out of 5 from 45 reviews. Those scores make it the best-reviewed property on this shortlist, which will appeal to travellers who read ratings before booking. It suits guests who want a 4-star stay in Diani Beach with a solid record of guest satisfaction behind it.
See The Swimming OstrichDiani Villa
Coconut Grove 1
Why stay hereDiani Villa is a 4-star hotel at Coconut Grove 1, set back from the Diani Beach Road addresses that most of this shortlist shares. It suits guests who prefer a 4-star base in Diani Beach away from the main beach road, with the coast still within the Diani Beach area.
See Diani VillaKitu Kidogo Cottages
Ali Barbours Road 80400 Diani Beach
Why stay hereKitu Kidogo Cottages is a 4-star property on Ali Barbours Road in Diani Beach. The address puts it on one of the side roads of the resort rather than the beachfront strip, which suits travellers who want a 4-star cottage stay in Diani Beach and a quieter setting off the main beach road.
See Kitu Kidogo CottagesVilla Madinina
Diani Beach Road
Why stay hereVilla Madinina is a 4-star hotel on Diani Beach Road, the address shared by many properties on this list. It fits guests looking for a 4-star villa-style stay in Diani Beach with the beach road as their base for the length of the resort.
See Villa MadininaVilla LeoMar Diani Beach
Diani Beach Villa Leomar
Why stay hereVilla LeoMar Diani Beach is a 4-star hotel at Villa Leomar in Diani Beach. It is a straightforward choice for travellers who want a 4-star villa in Diani Beach, with the property named after its own setting in the resort.
See Villa LeoMar Diani BeachLions Home
Diani Beach Road
Why stay hereLions Home is a 4-star hotel on Diani Beach Road. It suits guests who want a 4-star stay in Diani Beach on the road that links the resort's beachfront and its inland side, keeping the whole of Diani Beach within reach.
See Lions HomeThe Coconut Beach Boutique Lodge & SPA
Diani Beach
Why stay hereThe Coconut Beach Boutique Lodge & SPA is a 4-star hotel at Diani Beach. The boutique lodge format suits travellers who prefer a smaller, individually run property to a large resort, and it is a 4-star option for a Diani Beach stay.
See The Coconut Beach Boutique Lodge & SPAFlamboyant Diani Beach
Diani Beach Road Flamboyant
Why stay hereFlamboyant Diani Beach is a 4-star hotel on Diani Beach Road at Flamboyant. It is a 4-star choice for guests who want to stay on the main beach road of Diani Beach, with the beach and the resort's services along the same stretch.
See Flamboyant Diani BeachGalu Ecolodge Diani Beach
Galu Beach Kenya Beach Road
Why stay hereGalu Ecolodge Diani Beach is a 4-star hotel on Beach Road at Galu Beach. The Galu Beach setting places it at the southern end of the Diani Beach coast, which suits guests who want a 4-star ecolodge stay away from the busiest part of the resort.
See Galu Ecolodge Diani BeachDadida s Pool Cottage
Diani Beach Road
Why stay hereDadida s Pool Cottage is a 4-star hotel on Diani Beach Road. It suits travellers who want a 4-star cottage in Diani Beach with a pool on the property, based on the beach road that runs through the resort.
See Dadida s Pool CottageV Szameitat Homes
Diani Beach Road
Why stay hereV Szameitat Homes is a 4-star hotel on Diani Beach Road. It is an option for guests who want a 4-star self-contained style of stay in Diani Beach, on the road that connects the resort's beachfront with its inland side.
See V Szameitat HomesGolden Duranta Villas and Apartments
Diani Beach Road
Why stay hereGolden Duranta Villas and Apartments is a 4-star hotel on Diani Beach Road. The villas-and-apartments setup suits travellers who want a 4-star base in Diani Beach with more space than a standard room, on the resort's main beach road.
See Golden Duranta Villas and ApartmentsStay.Plus Diani Luxurious Villa
Diani Beach Road
Why stay hereStay.Plus Diani Luxurious Villa is a 4-star hotel on Diani Beach Road. It suits guests who want a 4-star villa stay in Diani Beach, on the road that runs the length of the resort and keeps the beach within easy reach.
See Stay.Plus Diani Luxurious Villa
How to choose
Top-rated pick
Only one hotel on this shortlist carries a guest rating: The Swimming Ostrich, a 4-star address on Diani Beach, scores 4.3 out of 5 from 45 reviews. If you want the stay other guests have already rated, that is the one to start with.
5-star stays
Two hotels here hold 5-star class: Grand Amber Villa on Beach Road and Seabreeze Haven on Diani Beach Road. Choose between them if the star class matters more to you than a guest score, since no other hotel on this list is rated 5-star.
Beach-road addresses
Seabreeze Haven, Villa Madinina, Lions Home, Flamboyant Diani Beach, Dadida s Pool Cottage, V Szameitat Homes, Golden Duranta Villas and Apartments and Stay.Plus Diani Luxurious Villa are all addressed on Diani Beach Road, the road that runs behind the beach. Pick from these if you want the beach road as your base.
Seabreeze Haven · Villa Madinina · Lions Home · Flamboyant Diani Beach · Dadida s Pool Cottage · V Szameitat Homes
Villas and cottages
Diani Villa on Coconut Grove 1, Kitu Kidogo Cottages on Ali Barbours Road, Villa LeoMar Diani Beach and Golden Duranta Villas and Apartments offer villa or cottage-style stays. They suit families and groups who want more space than a single room, all at 4-star class.
Diani Villa · Kitu Kidogo Cottages · Villa LeoMar Diani Beach · Golden Duranta Villas and Apartments
Where to stay in Diani Beach
Diani Beach Road
Diani Beach Road runs behind the beach, and most places to stay in Diani line it. Staying here puts you on the strip that gives access to the long white-sand beach on Kenya's south coast in Kwale County, south of Mombasa. Seabreeze Haven, Villa Madinina, Lions Home, Flamboyant Diani Beach, Dadida s Pool Cottage, V Szameitat Homes, Golden Duranta Villas and Apartments and Stay.Plus Diani Luxurious Villa are all addressed here.
Our picks here: Seabreeze Haven · Villa Madinina · Lions Home · Flamboyant Diani Beach · Dadida s Pool Cottage · V Szameitat Homes · Golden Duranta Villas and Apartments · Stay.Plus Diani Luxurious Villa
Galu Beach
Galu Ecolodge Diani Beach is addressed on Galu Beach, at the southern end of the Diani shoreline that site pages name as Galu Beach. It is the only hotel on this shortlist whose address places it there, so choose it if you want that end of the coast as your base.
Our picks here: Galu Ecolodge Diani Beach
Plan your stay
Getting there and around
From Mombasa Island the usual route is the Likoni ferry and then the road south. Ukunda Airstrip, next to Diani, has domestic flights. From Nairobi, Diani Beach is reached by road. Most places to stay line Diani Beach Road, which runs behind the beach and gives access to it, so getting around the strip means moving along that road.
Things to do near Diani Beach
Questions, answered
Which hotel in Diani Beach is rated highest by guests?
The Swimming Ostrich, a 4-star hotel on Diani Beach, has a guest rating of 4.3 out of 5 from 45 reviews. It is the only hotel on this shortlist with a guest rating shown.
Which hotels here are 5-star?
Two: Grand Amber Villa on Beach Road and Seabreeze Haven on Diani Beach Road. No other hotel on this shortlist holds 5-star class.
Which hotels are closest to the centre of Diani Beach?
The addresses on this shortlist are spread along the Diani strip rather than gathered in one centre. Most sit on Diani Beach Road, which runs behind the beach.
Are there hotels on Diani Beach Road?
Yes. Seabreeze Haven, Villa Madinina, Lions Home, Flamboyant Diani Beach, Dadida s Pool Cottage, V Szameitat Homes, Golden Duranta Villas and Apartments and Stay.Plus Diani Luxurious Villa are all addressed on Diani Beach Road.
Which hotels suit families or larger groups?
Diani Villa on Coconut Grove 1, Kitu Kidogo Cottages on Ali Barbours Road, Villa LeoMar Diani Beach and Golden Duranta Villas and Apartments are villa or cottage-style 4-star stays, which give families and groups more space.
How do I get to Diani Beach?
From Mombasa Island the usual route is the Likoni ferry and then the road south. Ukunda Airstrip, next to Diani, has domestic flights, and from Nairobi Diani Beach is reached by road.
Do the hotels on this shortlist have pools, spas or parking?
The records for these hotels do not list facilities, so pool, spa, parking, breakfast and pet policies cannot be confirmed here. The Coconut Beach Boutique Lodge & SPA carries spa in its name.