Serena Beach Resort Spa Mombasa

Serena Beach Resort & Spa Mombasa is a luxury sanctuary situated on the beautiful Shanzu Beach, adjacent to the Mombasa Marine National Park on the North Coast of Kenya.

Recognized as one of the African continent’s finest resorts and a member of the Leading Hotels of the World, the hotel offers consummate standards of accommodation, service, cuisine, and amenities.

The resort subtly integrates indigenous design and materials with the highest standards of modern hospitality. In spirit and style, it is inspired by the legendary 13th-century Swahili town of Lamu, featuring flat-roofed Arabesque houses with distinctive hand-carved doors and guest rooms that overlook shady courtyards.

Set amidst verdant, bougainvillea-filled gardens shaded by gently swaying palm trees, this 5-star resort represents the ultimate tropical escape, offering an oasis of tranquility framed by whispering coconut palms and the white sands of the Indian Ocean.

Location & Accessibility

Serena Beach Resort & Spa is strategically located on the serene Shanzu Beach, approximately 18 km north of Mombasa city center. It sits adjacent to the Mombasa Marine National Park, offering both privacy and easy access to the region’s attractions.

By Road:

From Mombasa City (Island):

Route: Drive north via the Nyali Bridge onto the Mombasa-Malindi Highway (B8).
Drive Time: Approximately 30 to 45 minutes, depending on traffic at the Nyali Bridge.
Directions: Continue past Nyali, Bamburi, and Whitesands. Look for the signpost for Serena Beach Resort on the right side of the road in the Shanzu area (about 1.5 km past the Whitesands junction).

From Nairobi:

✓  Arrival: The resort is located in Shanzu, clearly signposted on the right-hand side, about 18 km from the city center.
✓ The Route: From Nairobi, drive south to Mombasa (Miritini), then cross the Makupa Bridge onto Mombasa Island. From the island, cross the Nyali Bridge to the North Coast and follow the Malindi Highway (B8) past Bamburi. The drive from Nairobi covers approximately 485 km (300 miles) along the A109 Mombasa Road and typically takes 8 to 9 hours.

From Moi International Airport (MBA):

✓ Distance: Approximately 30 km.
✓ Drive Time: Transfers typically take 45 minutes to 1 hour, though this can vary significantly with traffic.
✓ Route: Exit the airport and take the Port Reitz Road to join the Mombasa Road. Cross the Makupa Causeway onto the island, then head north across the Nyali Bridge to join the Malindi Highway.

By Rail (SGR – Madaraka Express):

✓ Arrival Station: The SGR train from Nairobi terminates at the Mombasa Terminus in Miritini (west of the island)
✓ Route: The new Dongo Kundu Bypass and Makupa Bridge have improved traffic flow, but the drive to the North Coast (Shanzu) typically takes 1 to 1.5 hours (approx. 35 km)

By Air:

✓ Flights: Daily scheduled flights operate from Nairobi Wilson Airport (via Safarilink or FlyALS).
✓ Transfer: From Vipingo, it is a short 20-minute drive south to the resort, bypassing the busy Mombasa city traffic entirely.
✓ Vipingo Ridge Airstrip: For a faster, more exclusive, and scenic arrival, guests can fly into the private Vipingo Ridge Airstrip.
✓ Moi International Airport: Serves as the main hub for international and domestic flights (Kenya Airways, Jambojet) from Nairobi (JKIA) and other regions.

Accommodation

The resort features 166 guest rooms and suites, all arranged in intimate, single-story buildings, each framed by Swahili architecture. Each room is enhanced with native art, Maasai-inspired hand-painted wall frescoes, and private balconies or terraces.

Room Categories:

✓ Superior Sea View Room: Similar to the Superior Room but positioned to offer views of the Indian Ocean.
✓ Lamu Suite: Features direct pool and ocean views, a master bedroom with a four-poster bed, and a spacious living room.
✓ Zanzibar Suite: Features garden views, spacious bedrooms with four-poster beds, separate sitting rooms, and private terraces.
✓ Family Sea View Room: Accommodates 2 adults and 2 children with an interconnecting balcony, featuring a King bed for adults and twin beds for children, plus ocean views.
✓ Family Room: Features a common entrance corridor leading to two separate rooms—one for parents and one for children. The children’s room has its own bathroom, twin beds, and a TV.
✓ Superior Room: Designed in Swahili style with traditional niches and fretwork cabinets. Available with King or Twin beds, these rooms feature bright coastal cotton furnishings and bathrooms with bathtubs and separate showers.
✓ Deluxe Garden View (Queen or Twin): Located in the garden wing, these spacious rooms are decorated in cool sea blue and white. They feature double doors opening onto a private balcony or terrace with direct access to the grounds.
✓ Garden Suite (Shella and Tundwa): Duplex suites located on the first floor of the garden wing. They feature a patio entrance, a sitting room, a bedroom, a spacious bathroom with a massage shower, a guest bathroom, and a private sun terrace with sunbeds.

Room Amenities:

✓ Electronic safes
✓ Fully stocked mini-bar
✓ High-speed Wi-Fi internet
✓ Private balconies or terraces
✓ Flat-screen TV with cable/satellite
✓ Fully air-conditioned with individual control
✓ Hairdryer, bathrobes, and shaver outlets (110V/240V)

Dining & Culinary Experience

The resort offers authentic Mombasa flavors and international cuisine across its restaurants and bars.

Restaurants:

✓ Pizzeria: Features an authentic brick pizza oven (stone and wood fire) offering vegetarian, meat, and seafood toppings
✓ Sokoni: A brasserie-style café overlooking the fishpond. Serves snacks, pizzas, and authentic Swahili delights. In the evening, it hosts acrobatic performances or traditional dance acts
✓ The Jahazi Grill: An Arabian dhow-themed seafood restaurant offering alluring ocean views. The menu features fresh fish caught daily. (Lunch: 12:30–2:30 PM | Dinner: 7:30–10:00 PM)
✓ Fountain: The main restaurant offering sophisticated Swahili-style dining with stunning ocean views. Serves sumptuous buffet breakfasts, themed international buffet nights, and Swahili banquets

Bars & Lounges:

✓ The Lounge: A friendly spot for Swahili teas, coffees, and beers
✓ Swim-Up Pool Bar: Located in the large outdoor swimming pool, offering a tiki-bar vibe
✓ Mkungu Beach Bar: An open-air thatched bar on the beach lawns facing the Indian Ocean
✓ Nyota Bar & Terrace: A rooftop bar offering cocktails, whiskies, and beers with wonderful views for stargazing. Ideal for pre-dinner drinks or a nightcap

Experiences, Sports & Maisha Spa

Water Sports & Activities:

✓ Deep-Sea Fishing: Available upon request.
✓ Swimming: Large outdoor pool with swim-up bar and wading pool.
✓ Scuba Diving: Private lessons and open water diving lessons available.
✓ Complimentary Sports: Windsurfing, sailing (private lessons available), and introductory scuba try-outs in the pool.
✓ Glass Bottom Boat Trips: Inclusive of Marine Park fees (Payable to KWS: USD 20 for non-residents / KSH 150 for residents).

Land Sports & Fitness:

✓ Padel Tennis: A mix between Tennis and Squash, played on an enclosed court
✓ Tennis & Squash: Four floodlit tennis courts and two air-conditioned squash courts
✓ Fitness: Daily aerobics classes, gym, volleyball, table tennis, and beach lawn stretching

Maisha Spa:

✓ Beauty therapy services (facials, manicures, pedicures)
✓ Treatment rooms with private outdoor showers and ocean-facing massage tents
✓ Male and female spa facilities, including steam rooms, saunas, and outdoor Jacuzzis

Family Friendly Features

Serena Beach Resort is a family haven offering extensive facilities for children.

✓ Accommodation: Family rooms with separate sleeping areas and adjoining room options
✓ Dining: Dedicated children’s menus, earlier meal times (Noon and 6:30 PM), highchairs, and baby-friendly food
✓ Kids Club & Animation: A complete children’s animation program, supervised nature trails, and coconut picking
✓ Educational Activities: Visits to the Butterfly Centre, participation in the Sea Turtle Programme, and educational evening talks

Events, Weddings & Conferences

Weddings:

The resort specializes in Palm Weddings and beach ceremonies.

✓ Locations: Beach lawns, tropical gardens, or cathedral-style nature settings
✓ Residency: Couples must be resident in Kenya for 4 working days before the ceremony
✓ Documentation Required: Valid passport, Birth Certificate, Certificate of no impediment to marriage, and 1 colored passport photo. (Documents must be sent 8 weeks prior.)

Conferences:

✓ Capacity: Facilities for up to 120-200 delegates
✓ Equipment: Complimentary internet and audio-visual equipment
✓ Venues: Includes the Baobab, Mashua, Flame Tree, Desert Rose, and Bougainvillea conference rooms

Highlights of Serena Beach Resort & Spa

✓ Gold Level Eco-Rating: Recognized by Ecotourism Kenya for its outstanding commitment to sustainable tourism and environmental responsibility
✓ Lamu-Style Hospitality: The resort is known for its “Sunrise Surprise” breakfasts and “Swahili Banquets,” offering authentic cultural culinary experiences
✓ Butterfly Conservation Centre: Home to a dedicated butterfly park that hatches and releases indigenous species, offering guests a unique educational experience
✓ Prime Beachfront: Located on Shanzu Beach, offering a pristine stretch of white sand protected by the Mombasa Marine National Park, ideal for swimming and snorkeling
✓ Architectural Masterpiece: The resort is a replica of a 13th-century Swahili village, featuring winding lanes, carved balconies, and coral-built houses inspired by the ancient town of Lamu
✓ Turtle Conservation Project: Since 1993, the resort has run an award-winning turtle conservation program, protecting over 400 nests and releasing over 43,000 hatchlings into the Indian Ocean
✓ Maisha Mind, Body & Spirit Spa: One of the few spas in Africa accredited by the International Spa Association, featuring outdoor massage tents, eco-friendly treatments, and “Big Five” inspired therapies

Serena Beach Resort Spa Mombasa Accommodation Rates Per Night Include;

Accommodation on Half Board Basis

Notes;

* Single Room Rate – 75% of Double Room Rate
* Third adult in a triple – 50% of the Double Room Rate
* Full Board Supplement inclusive of all taxes and service charges – 40 US Dollars

Activities at an Extra Cost

* Buffet Lunch – 40 US Dollars
* Lobster Dinner – 75 US Dollars
* Windsurfing (6 lessons) – 400 US Dollars
* Under the stars beach cocktail – 55 US Dollars
* Beachside Breakfast with “Bubbly” – 50 US Dollars
* Swahili Evening or Meat & Fish BBQ – 60 US Dollars
* Sea Food Barbeque on Beach Lawns – 75 US Dollars
* Glass bottom boat ride (Inclusive marine park) – 60 US Dollars

Deep Sea fishing:

* 4 Hours – 400 US Dollars
* 6 Hours – 500 US Dollars
* 8 Hours – 600 US Dollars

Entertainment

* Yoga – 70 US Dollars
* Disco (Per session) –  470 US Dollars
* Karaoke (Per session) –  250 US Dollars
* Jazz Trios (Per performance) –  280 US Dollars
* Acrobatic Troupe (Per performance) –  280 US Dollars
* Traditional Dancers (Per performance) –  300 US Dollars
* Live Band / Taarab Band (Per performance) –  600 US Dollars

Transfers

* Airport, each way (1 to 3 pax per vehicle) –  70 US Dollars
* Airport/, each way (4 to 7 pax per vehicle) –  90 US Dollars
* Train Station, each way (1 to 3 pax per vehicle) –  90 US Dollars
* Train Station, each way (4 to 7 pax per vehicle) –  100 US Dollars
* Limousine service Airport/Train Station each way- 110 US Dollars

Serena Beach Resort & Spa Mombasa has 164 guest rooms, including standard rooms, superior rooms, family rooms, and suites. The guestrooms are tastefully fitted with air conditioning, tea/coffee-making facilities, a minibar, satellite TV, a work desk, a safe, and a private balcony/ terrace.

The superior rooms are designed in a Swahili style, with traditional niches, fretwork cabinets, and brightly colored coastal cotton soft furnishings in red, white, and yellow, or cool blue.

The family rooms have a common entrance corridor leading to two separate rooms. The suites are elegantly fitted with separate living rooms and private terraces. The luxury suites also feature bathtubs and massage showers. The restaurants are distinctive in their own way, offering different dining experiences.

The Fountain is locally inspired by Swahili cuisine and décor. The Jahazi Grill is an Arabian dhow-themed restaurant offering a seafood menu prepared with the finest, freshest local ingredients.

The Sokoni pays homage to the traditional brasserie-style café and offers snacks, pizzas, and authentic Swahili delights. The Pizzeria features an authentic brick pizza oven fueled by a stone and wood fire. There are also a variety of fresh toppings, including vegetarian, meat, and seafood.

The Makuti is an open-air thatched coffee and tea bar with breathtaking views of the resort’s expansive beach lawns. The Swim-Up Pool Bar is set in the pool and offers a selection of cocktails, beers, and whiskies as guests soak up the tiki bar-style vibe.

The Nyota Bar and Terrace is located on the rooftop and offers a selection of cocktails, beers, and whiskies, as well as beautiful views of the night sky for stargazing. The Lounge area is a perfect place to unwind with a selection of Swahili teas, coffees, and beers. The ice cream parlour is where guests can savor a wide range of ice creams, gateaux, and cool drinks.

The Maisha Spa is where guests can indulge in massages, yoga, Ayurvedic treatments, and more to support their personal rejuvenation and holistic renewal.

Serena Beach Resort Spa, Shanzu Beach, Mombasa, North Coast, has 4 conference rooms with state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment. The rooms can accommodate 12 to 150 guests and are ideal for meetings and seminars. The resort offers several venues for weddings, team building, and cocktails.

The venues are on the beach or by the poolside. There is a well-equipped gymnasium, 4 lawn tennis courts, and an outdoor reflection pool flanked by sun beds and bougainvillea hedges.

Activities in Serena Beach Resort Spa, Shanzu Beac,h Mombasa, North Coast include archery, windsurfing, deep sea fishing, snorkeling, beach walks, catamaran sailing, water aerobics, and beach volleyball

Mobile: + 254-721-242-711
WhatsApp: +254-721-242-711
Reservations: +254 718-179-967
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://africanspicesafaris.com