Kilifi and Kwale bask in glory of hosting Kenya six top hotels
What you need to know:
- Medina Palms Marketing Manager Gilbert Thinji said the hotel was crowned the best due to the good services it offers.
- The KTB boss called on other tourism players to borrow a leaf from the hotels to enable the country attract more high-end holiday makers.
- Mr Sheikh praised investors in the South Coast for refurbishing their hotels to international standards. He said this had offered local and international tourists quality service and accommodation.
Six hotels at the Coast are among the top 10 in the country, according to a US website.
The 2015 TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards puts Medina Palms, Watamu at the apex of the best hotels in Kenya.
Fairmont Mara Safari Club in the Maasai Mara Game Reserve is second while Lantana Galu Beach is third.
Sarova Mara Game Camp in Maasai Mara Game Reserve is fourth, Ocean Beach Resort & Spa fifth while Kilili Baharini Resort & Spa is in the sixth position.
At the seventh spot is Pinewood Beach Resort & Spa while Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club, Nanyuki is eighth.
Baobab Beach Resort is ninth as The Boma Nairobi completes the list.
Medina Palms, Ocean Beach Resort & Spa and Kilili Baharini Resort & Spa are in Kilifi County.
Those from Kwale County are Lantana Galu Beach, Pinewood Beach Resort & Spa and Baobab Beach Resort & Spa.
TripAdvisor ranked the hotels based on choices made by travellers from around the world.
On the TripAdvisor website global travel, reviewers described Medina Palms as “a most wonderful experience not to be missed” and “gorgeous”.
Fairmont Mara Safari Club is an “exotic resort with a caring crew” while Lantana Galu Beach has “charm and beauty, it is a beach of beaches” and is “just beautiful”.
GOOD SERVICES
TripAdvisor is an American website providing reviews of travel-related content and includes interactive travel forums.
Medina Palms Marketing Manager Gilbert Thinji said the hotel was crowned the best due to the good services it offers.
“At Medina Palms, guests experience the best services, quality accommodation, good food and drinks,” he said.
Kenya Tourism Board Managing Director Muriithi Ndegwa Monday said the accolades by TripAdvisor had made Kenya proud, a demonstration that the country has some of the best tourist products in the world.
He said KTB would take advantage of the honours to woo more international holidaymakers and revive the sector.
“It is encouraging that our hotels and beaches earned global recognition. This, of course, is evidence that Kenya has quality products,” he said.
The KTB boss called on other tourism players to borrow a leaf from the hotels to enable the country attract more high-end holiday makers.
At the same time, tourism industry players and Coast leaders expressed joy at the reviews.
Kwale Tourism Executive Adam Sheikh said he was impressed, especially by the fact that three of the hotels were in the county.
Mr Sheikh said the ranking had demonstrated that the county had some of the finest beaches in the world and hotels of international standards.
“It should be noted that the review of the best beaches and hotels is conducted by tourists themselves, a demonstration that Kenya has superior products,” he said.
Mr Sheikh praised investors in the South Coast for refurbishing their hotels to international standards. He said this had offered local and international tourists quality service and accommodation.
He added that the county had attracted new hotel investments.
