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5-star hotels in Mombasa
Five-star stays in Mombasa, from Shanzu and Bamburi on the north coast to Diani Beach in the south, plus apartments and villas in Nyali and on Mombasa Island. This shortlist is for travellers who want top-class comfort on Kenya's Indian Ocean coast and are comparing 5-star options by guest rating.
Staying in Mombasa
Mombasa is Kenya's main seaport and second-largest city, on the Indian Ocean coast and the county seat of Mombasa County. The old town and Fort Jesus, a 16th-century Portuguese fort listed by UNESCO, sit on Mombasa Island, while Nyali and Bamburi on the mainland north of the island are the main beach areas. Visitors come for the coast and the historic sites, and the site lists 644 places to stay.
The hotels on this shortlist sit along the beaches and the roads that serve them: Shanzu Beach and Malindi Road in Bamburi on the north coast, Diani Beach and Diani Beach Road in the south, Serena Road and Pangoni Road near the south coast, and Links Rd, 1St Ave and Silos Road in Nyali on the island side. That spread suits couples and families who want sand and sea close by, and business travellers or short-break visitors who prefer the Nyali and island addresses.
The shortlist
Ranked by hotel class, then guest rating and number of reviews.
PrideInn Paradise Beach Resort & Spa Mombasa
Shanzu Beach
Why stay hereSet on Shanzu Beach, PrideInn Paradise Beach Resort & Spa Mombasa is a 5-star address with a guest rating of 4.7 from 13937 reviews, one of the most reviewed stays on this list. Travellers who want a beachfront resort base on the Mombasa coast fit here.
See PrideInn Paradise Beach Resort & Spa MombasaThe Maji Beach Boutique Hotel
Diani Beach Road
Why stay hereThe Maji Beach Boutique Hotel sits on Diani Beach Road, a 5-star boutique property rated 4.6 out of 5 across 260 reviews. Its small review count suits guests who prefer an intimate beach house feel to a large resort.
See The Maji Beach Boutique HotelSwahili Beach Resort
Diani Beach
Why stay hereSwahili Beach Resort on Diani Beach is a 5-star hotel with a 4.4 rating from 3426 reviews. A solid choice for travellers who want a well-reviewed beach resort on Diani's sands.
See Swahili Beach ResortMzima Beach Resort
Along Diani Beach Road
Why stay hereMzima Beach Resort, along Diani Beach Road, is a 5-star property rated 4.5 out of 5 from 134 reviews. A quieter option for guests who value a compact, highly rated beach resort.
See Mzima Beach ResortDiani Reef Beach Resort & Spa Your Beachfront Bliss Awaits
Diani Beach Road
Why stay hereDiani Reef Beach Resort & Spa Your Beachfront Bliss Awaits faces the beach on Diani Beach Road. This 5-star resort holds a 4.3 rating from 2534 reviews, and its name promises a beachfront setting for guests who want sand at the door.
See Diani Reef Beach Resort & Spa Your Beachfront Bliss AwaitsSeverin Sea Lodge
Malindi Road Bamburi Beach
Why stay hereSeverin Sea Lodge is a 5-star hotel on Malindi Road at Bamburi Beach. It suits travellers who want a north-coast beach address near Bamburi rather than the Diani strip.
See Severin Sea LodgeCowrie Shell Beach Apartments
Mombasa Malindi Highway
Why stay hereCowrie Shell Beach Apartments is a 5-star property on Mombasa Malindi Highway, offering an apartment-style stay along the north coast road. A fit for guests who prefer self-contained accommodation to a conventional hotel room.
See Cowrie Shell Beach ApartmentsAmber Villas Diani
Beach Road
Why stay hereAmber Villas Diani is a 5-star address on Beach Road in Diani. Travellers looking for villa-style accommodation close to Diani's beach will find it here.
See Amber Villas DianiMombasa Serena Th
Mombasa
Why stay hereMombasa Serena Th is listed as a 5-star hotel in Mombasa. It suits guests who want a city base in Mombasa itself rather than a beach resort.
See Mombasa Serena ThIkhaya Serviced Apartments Nyali
Links Rd Mombasa Kenya
Why stay hereIkhaya Serviced Apartments Nyali is a 5-star serviced apartment address on Links Rd in Nyali. A good fit for longer stays or travellers who want apartment space with serviced convenience on the Mombasa mainland.
See Ikhaya Serviced Apartments NyaliAvenue Apartments Nyali by CHH
1St Ave Mombasa Mombasa County
Why stay hereAvenue Apartments Nyali by CHH is a 5-star apartment property on 1St Ave in Nyali, Mombasa County. It suits guests who want apartment-style accommodation in the Nyali area.
See Avenue Apartments Nyali by CHHCasamia Suites
Diani Beach Road Diani Beach Road
Why stay hereCasamia Suites is a 5-star property on Diani Beach Road. Guests who want suite-style accommodation within reach of Diani Beach are the natural fit.
See Casamia SuitesCool Breeze Beachfront Apartments
Serena Rd
Why stay hereCool Breeze Beachfront Apartments is a 5-star address on Serena Rd. The name points to beachfront apartment accommodation, which suits travellers who want self-catering space by the sea.
See Cool Breeze Beachfront ApartmentsEnglish Point Marina Luxe C405
Silos Road Hotel English Point Marina & Spa Apartment C405
Why stay hereEnglish Point Marina Luxe C405 is a 5-star apartment at Silos Road in the English Point Marina & Spa complex. It suits guests who want a marina-side serviced apartment in Mombasa.
See English Point Marina Luxe C405Mfalme Luxury Villas
Pangoni Road Off Serena Road
Why stay hereMfalme Luxury Villas is a 5-star villa property on Pangoni Road, off Serena Road. Travellers seeking private villa accommodation rather than hotel rooms should look here.
See Mfalme Luxury Villas
How to choose
Highest-rated
PrideInn Paradise Beach Resort & Spa Mombasa leads with 4.7 out of 5 from 13937 reviews, followed by The Maji Beach Boutique Hotel at 4.6 from 260 reviews, Mzima Beach Resort at 4.5 from 134 reviews and Swahili Beach Resort at 4.4 from 3426 reviews. These are the picks when the guest score matters most.
PrideInn Paradise Beach Resort & Spa Mombasa · The Maji Beach Boutique Hotel · Mzima Beach Resort · Swahili Beach Resort
Most reviewed
PrideInn Paradise Beach Resort & Spa Mombasa carries 13937 reviews, Swahili Beach Resort 3426 and Diani Reef Beach Resort & Spa Your Beachfront Bliss Awaits 2534. With thousands of stays behind them, these are the addresses where you can judge from the widest guest record.
PrideInn Paradise Beach Resort & Spa Mombasa · Swahili Beach Resort · Diani Reef Beach Resort & Spa Your Beachfront Bliss Awaits
Small and quiet
Mzima Beach Resort has 134 reviews, The Maji Beach Boutique Hotel 260. Severin Sea Lodge has no guest score recorded yet. Fewer reviews point to smaller, less crowded properties, a good fit if you would rather avoid the busiest resorts.
Mzima Beach Resort · The Maji Beach Boutique Hotel · Severin Sea Lodge
Nyali and island
Ikhaya Serviced Apartments Nyali on Links Rd, Avenue Apartments Nyali by CHH on 1St Ave, English Point Marina Luxe C405 on Silos Road and Mombasa Serena Th all sit in Nyali or on Mombasa Island, the side with the old town and Fort Jesus, rather than the beach strips to the north and south.
Ikhaya Serviced Apartments Nyali · Avenue Apartments Nyali by CHH · English Point Marina Luxe C405 · Mombasa Serena Th
Where to stay in Mombasa
Diani Beach
The south-coast beach area, reached by the Likoni ferry from Mombasa Island. Swahili Beach Resort and Diani Reef Beach Resort & Spa list Diani Beach or Diani Beach Road addresses, with The Maji Beach Boutique Hotel, Mzima Beach Resort and Casamia Suites on the same road. It is the stretch for a beach-led stay outside the city.
Our picks here: Swahili Beach Resort · Diani Reef Beach Resort & Spa Your Beachfront Bliss Awaits · The Maji Beach Boutique Hotel · Mzima Beach Resort · Casamia Suites
Bamburi
Severin Sea Lodge sits on Malindi Road Bamburi Beach, and Cowrie Shell Beach Apartments on the Mombasa Malindi Highway. Staying here puts you on the north-coast sand with the city a short drive south.
Our picks here: Severin Sea Lodge
Shanzu
Shanzu Beach is on the north coast, in the same mainland belt as Nyali and Bamburi. PrideInn Paradise Beach Resort & Spa Mombasa carries a Shanzu Beach address and the highest guest rating on this shortlist, so it is the natural choice if you want the top-scoring stay on the north-coast sands.
Our picks here: PrideInn Paradise Beach Resort & Spa Mombasa
Plan your stay
Getting there and around
Moi International Airport serves Mombasa. The Madaraka Express train runs between Nairobi and Mombasa, and the city is also reached by road from Nairobi, about 440 km away in a straight line. On the ground, the Likoni ferry links Mombasa Island with the south coast, which is how Diani Beach is reached; Nyali, Bamburi and Shanzu lie on the mainland north of the island.
When to go
The coast is hot and humid all year, and daytime temperatures remain high throughout. The long rains usually fall from April to June, so visitors should expect warm, damp conditions for most of their stay. Outside that wet stretch the weather is still hot and humid, which makes the beach areas of Nyali, Bamburi, Shanzu and Diani Beach the focus of a trip at any time of year.
Things to do near Mombasa
Questions, answered
Which of these 5-star hotels is closest to the centre of Mombasa?
The Nyali and island addresses are nearest: Mombasa Serena Th lists Mombasa itself, while Ikhaya Serviced Apartments Nyali on Links Rd, Avenue Apartments Nyali by CHH on 1St Ave and English Point Marina Luxe C405 on Silos Road are in Nyali on the mainland side. The Diani Beach hotels lie to the south, beyond the Likoni ferry.
Which hotel has the best guest rating?
PrideInn Paradise Beach Resort & Spa Mombasa has the highest score on this shortlist at 4.7 out of 5, from 13937 reviews. The Maji Beach Boutique Hotel follows at 4.6 from 260 reviews, Mzima Beach Resort at 4.5 from 134 and Swahili Beach Resort at 4.4 from 3426.
Do any of these hotels have no guest rating yet?
Several do not carry a guest score in the data: Severin Sea Lodge, Cowrie Shell Beach Apartments, Amber Villas Diani, Mombasa Serena Th, Ikhaya Serviced Apartments Nyali, Avenue Apartments Nyali by CHH, Casamia Suites, Cool Breeze Beachfront Apartments, English Point Marina Luxe C405 and Mfalme Luxury Villas.
Which hotels are best for families?
The larger beach resorts give families the widest guest record to check: PrideInn Paradise Beach Resort & Spa Mombasa with 13937 reviews, Swahili Beach Resort with 3426 and Diani Reef Beach Resort & Spa Your Beachfront Bliss Awaits with 2534.
Can I stay in an apartment or villa instead of a resort?
Yes. Cowrie Shell Beach Apartments on the Mombasa Malindi Highway, Ikhaya Serviced Apartments Nyali on Links Rd, Avenue Apartments Nyali by CHH on 1St Ave, Casamia Suites on Diani Beach Road, Cool Breeze Beachfront Apartments on Serena Rd, English Point Marina Luxe C405 on Silos Road and Mfalme Luxury Villas on Pangoni Road are all 5-star apartment or villa stays.
Are the hotels on the north coast or the south coast?
Both. PrideInn Paradise Beach Resort & Spa Mombasa is at Shanzu Beach and Severin Sea Lodge on Malindi Road Bamburi Beach, with Cowrie Shell Beach Apartments on the Mombasa Malindi Highway, all north of the island. Swahili Beach Resort, The Maji Beach Boutique Hotel, Mzima Beach Resort, Diani Reef Beach Resort & Spa and Casamia Suites are on Diani Beach in the south.
Does the site show rates for these hotels?
No rate is quoted on the site. Availability for these Mombasa hotels is checked live for your dates, and booking goes through IMPT, the booking partner behind the site.
How many places to stay does the site list in Mombasa?
The site lists 644 places to stay in Mombasa, Mombasa County, each with its own page built from the booking supplier's record. This shortlist covers the 5-star options among them, ranked by class and guest rating.
Hotels near landmarks
The nearest hotels to the landmarks in and around Mombasa