Pinewood Village is a very comfortable and unassuming beach hotel located at the bottom end of Diani Beach. They have recently renovated almost the entire place and it is by far the best value for money on the Mombasa Coast.
Pinewood is a reasonably sized hotel, so if you are not into crowds during high seasons, then this would definitely be a great option. The beach is private and the living areas also contribute to the private atmosphere. The owners built the hotel way back in 1990 and wanted to keep the place small and intimate with the emphasis on a more personal holiday. We found that they have managed to maintain this philosophy and the place is indeed filled with charm.
There are no big frills and fusses about the place. It is simple yet very comfortable. If you read their brochure in the room, you will see that they wanted to keep everything neat and simple and to everyone's taste. This is exactly what they have done and maintained. They've also fancied up their reception area, and built a beautiful fish pond near the entrance.
The hotel offers tons of activities and facilities to satisfy any holiday maker. They have a gorgeous pool area and a very festive pool bar, both right next to the beach. Here you will be able to laze in the sun with the sounds of the waves in the background. Some of their many activities include squash, tennis, heaps of water sports (they have the biggest water sports centre on the Mombasa coast, which includes some 7 jet skis), and even a well stocked library. They also offer sea safaris, excursion to nearby villages, scuba diving, deep sea fishing and many many more great things to occupy your time. So as you can see, there is plenty to do for both families and individuals, at a fraction of the cost of some of the other resorts.
Pinewood Village has four room categories to choose from. They range from the 36 Standard Rooms to the 2 Executive Suites. All the room types have mosquito nets, ceiling fans and air conditioners. They have hairdryers available on request, as well as room safes that are charged for separately. The rooms are in 20 detached units with 2 standard rooms upstairs and the suite downstairs.
The Standard rooms have all been fitted with new floors, new bathrooms, new furnishings and an overall new look. The bathrooms have granite counters, large showers and new modern toilets. The rooms are comfortable and delightfully furnished with bright African mats and African artifacts.
They also have 18 suites that have recently been refurbished. They sport new floors and kitchens as well as en-suite bathrooms with double showers, and great verandas with comfy new baraza benches. In addition to the normal amenities, the suites come equipped with a bar fridge and a telephone. As an added bonus you receive the services of a personal chef who will cook your dinner in the privacy of your own suite and to your individual specifications. This is particularly popular with honeymooners and is definitely recommended. And if you don't feel like having dinner in your room, you are welcome to eat at the restaurant.
Next in line are the Executive Rooms. These rooms have great sea views and are more luxurious than the Standard Rooms and Suites. Their bathrooms have double showers and the rooms have balconies that look out onto the pretty surrounds. These rooms have minibars as well as telephones and are really comfortable.
The final and most stylish of the rooms are the two Executive Suites. These sea fronted rooms have their own verandas that look out onto the ocean. As with the suites, you also have a personal chef at your command for individualised, private dinners. And to make things even better, the Executive Suites even have a bath tub in addition to their great double showers.
Food at Pinewood Village is prepared fresh using all local ingredients and vegetables that are grown on the property. The seafood is provided fresh daily and guests have the choice of enjoying the daily evening theme dinners or being pampered in their suites by a personal chef. Meals can be provided half-board, full-board, or all inclusive as determined by the guests when making reservations to stay at the resort.
There are four eateries and three bars at Pinewood Village. The main restaurant, Bahari, has its own bar and lounge attached to it and is open daily for breakfast and themed dinners five times a week. The atmosphere is very relaxed here and the décor is exotic, including a fish pond in the middle of the establishment.
The Tamu Snack Grill is open for lunch and afternoon tea as is the Jahazi Bistro. The Jahazi is said to have the ‘best pizza in town’ and the Jahazi bar next door is right on the beach. It is open for business daily from 11am to 1am.
The Peponi Restaurant offers guests informal dining on the beach complete with a sand floor and twice a week they offer BBQs and theme dinners. The Pool Bar is open from 9am to 4pm and in addition to alcoholic drinks off all types, they also serve ice cream and milkshakes. It is located right next to the swimming pool and close to the beach.
Location: Diani Beach, Mombasa
Dress Code: Casual
General facilities:- 3 Restaurants
- 3 Bars
- Lounge with satellite TV
- Pool
- Internet facilities
- Zawadi boutique
- Telephone service
- Safari and excursion desk
- Massage and Beauty salon offering hair braiding, a variety of massages, manicures and pedicures
Room Facilities:- En suite bathrooms with showers
- Air conditioning
- Ceiling fan
- Hairdryer on request
- Room safe (additional cost)
- Balcony
Other Room Options- Executive Rooms
- Double showers
- Mini bar
- Telephone
Suites and Executive Suites- En suite bathrooms with double shower (additional bath tub in Executive Suites)
- Veranda
- Kitchen with services of personal chef for dinner
- Fridge
- Telephone
Activities:- Aqualand water sports centre which has the whole lot!
- Diving
- Snorkelling
- Windsurfing
- Kite surfing
- Jet skis
- Kayaking
- Beach volleyball
- Cultural tours and excursions
- Massage
- Squash court
- Floodlit tennis court
- Table tennis
- Darts
- Deep sea fishing
- Sea safaris
- 18-hole golf course nearby
Services:- Laundry and dry cleaning
- All major credit cards accepted
- 24 hour medical service on call
- Taxi service
Open: Pinewood Village closes between end April and beginning June.
Pinewood is ideal for a paradise wedding followed by a wonderful honeymoon. Pinewood's wedding package includes a Maasai warrior escort for the bride to the beautiful beach venue, massage, pedicure and manicure treatments, flowers, cake, cocktails, sparkling wine, a romantic dinner as well as wedding photos and a DVD.
