Hemingways Watamu

Hemingways Watamu

Descriprtion

Hemingways Watamu is a good place for family relaxation,good food,a swimming pool and a superb campsite for barbecue and camping. The hotel offers a comprehensive range of conference halls to cater for groups of between 30 and 700 participants, all equipped with presentation audio-visual equipment, computer laptops, public address systems and LCD projectors.

There is so much to do here – learn to kite-surf; get your PADI certificate, take a sunset dhow cruise on Mida Creek, play a round of golf on the nearby world class golf course, Vipingo Ridge; or go on safari for a few days in Tsavo or the Maasai Mara. If that all sounds a little too energetic, relax around the pool with a good book as you work your way through our cocktail menu.

Rooms

Spacious and with easy access to the beach and the botanical pool, our ocean view rooms are found in the North Wing of the hotel on the ground and first floor. En-suite bathrooms and a beautiful balcony overlooking the Marine Park provide guests with the utmost comfort and luxury. The quiet grassy area in front of the rooms is a relaxing place to read and soak up the coastal sunshine.

The Area

Watamu – meaning “home of the sweet people” in Swahili – is a small village on the Kenyan coast approximately 120kms north of Mombasa – Kenya’s second largest city. It is also 20kms south of Malindi – Vasco de Gama’s first landing point on the coast of East Africa. Watamu’s shoreline features pristine white sand beaches and offshore coral formations arranged in different bays and sheltered by a reef. The area is protected as part of the Watamu Marine National Park and is considered one of the best snorkeling and diving areas on the coast of Africa. The Marine Park is renowned worldwide for its natural beauty and boasts a diverse marine life from the visiting whale sharks and manta rays to three species of sea turtle.

Climate & Weather

The low-lying coast of Kenya creates a tropical climate with wonderful sea breezes. It is at its hottest in March but cools off in July with temperatures ranging between 26C and 32C throughout the year. The monsoons bring two distinct seasons – when the warm air moves south in March, the longer rains follow in April and May. It moves north again in September bringing the shorter rains of October and November. The southeast wind, called Kusi, blows from mid March to November, cooling the waters. The northeast breeze, called Kaskazi, brings warmer, calm seas throughout the months of December, January and February.

Culture & Traditions

The Swahili culture of the coast is an exotic mix of Omani, Portuguese and Bantu influences. Built on trade, the coastal town of Watamu was once an outpost for ivory, slaves, spices and shells. Local people are predominantly fishermen and farmers and the coast is rich in exotic fruit and sisal plantations. There is a languid pace to life here, quite different to the hectic rush of Nairobi. Middle Eastern influences are more apparent at the coast in the architecture and religion and both Malindi and Watamu have elements of an Italian feel with great pizzerias and delicious gelato available.

DINNING

Dining al fresco at the beach with a gentle breeze is one of life’s great pleasures. Whether it be breakfast, lunch or dinner, our signature menus focus on fresh produce cooked simply and served expertly.

There is something to everyone’s taste at Hemingways Watamu. Served in our main restaurant, breakfast offers a range of options to suit all types from the super hungry, the health conscious or the continental. For a mid morning treat, specialty coffees, cakes and the finest gelato are available at the Gede Coffee Gardens.The Gede menu also includes a varied selection of delicious wraps, sandwiches and sharing platters plus a variety of grilled meats and seafood along with healthy salads, perfect for lunches and more casual evenings. In the evenings we offer a full white linen service a la carte restaurant for dinner, providing a wealth of flavourful options freshly caught from the Ocean at our doorstep. If seafood is not to your taste we always have a variety of land based favourites ranging from aged beef steaks to traditional favourites such as Tandoori Chicken. A selection of pastas and vegetarian dishes are also available.

BREAKFAST

Begin your day with freshly baked croissants, fruity turnovers and cinnamon rolls with a Kenyan coffee and finish up with eggs and bacon and all the trimmings, prepared as you like it. For the more health conscious, kick start your day with fresh fruit, homemade muesli and an energizing fruit smoothie or try a local favourite of scrambled eggs with smoked tuna. Our Chefs are ready to start your day in style as you watch the day come to life over the Indian Ocean.

LUNCH

Starting the day with delicious pastries, cakes and gelato from Non Solo Gelato and running through the day and evening the Gede Café menu offers a lighter, more casual setting for guests. Homemade pastas, create your own pizza, tasting platters for one, two or more, grilled seafood and steaks and a wide range of sandwiches and wraps ensure there is something to suit everyone’s palate. Try a Cobbs Salad Wrap or Grilled Jumbo Prawns or a simple but stunning spinach quiche. Or how about our Special Sharing Platter with Crab Claws, Fish Cakes and Samosas for everyone to nibble? The Gede menu is also available in the evening.

DINNER

This is where you spoil yourself. Candle light, starry skies, gentle breezes, your favourite tipple and a superb range of fresh seafood with a Swahili flavor. Our grill also provides meat lovers with options of prime aged beef fillets or delicious Karoo lamb whilst there is always a tantalizing selection of fresh pastas and vegetarian dishes on the menu. For something extra special, catch your own fish of the day and ask our Chefs to prepare it for you to your liking. Too much to choose from? Never worry, our Chef creates a Table D’Hote menu every evening so you can try a little of it all.

SPA

Choose from our selection of African inspired skincare and massage treatments to reinvigorate and recharge after a long day in the sun.

The Hemingways Watamu spa is a natural extension of the property’s commitment to quality and personalized service. Sitting adjacent to the botanical pool in its own pavilion, the Spa offers guests the ideal hideaway to retreat for a few hours of ‘me time’. The treatment menu combines signature treatments from Terres D’Afrique, an African skincare company that takes inspiration from the traditional uses of African plants, as well as Hemingways’ own treatment recipes using the best locally sourced ingredients. Our small, experienced team of therapists are on hand to rehydrate, restore and re-energize.

Fishing

Hemingways Watamu is renowned for deep sea fishing and has also recently pioneered humpback whale watching excursions during the months of June – September. The migration of the majestic humpbacks along the coast of East Africa is truly something to behold.

As host of the ILTTA World Championships, many ESPN, DSTV and SKY televised events and numerous other Tournaments annually, Hemingways Watamu is a focal point of fishing off the East African Coast. The waters off Watamu offer hugely diverse fishing opportunities and it is one of very few places where three types of Marlin, Sailfish, Broadbill Swordfish and Short bill Spearfish are all available. With a series of underwater mountains easily accessible offshore, bait and the predators are concentrated unlike the situation in the open Ocean. Hemingways Watamu was the pioneer of the practice of ‘tag and release’ of billfish on the Kenyan coast. We continue to wholeheartedly recommend this to guests and award certificates to anglers in recognition of their catch.