Southern Palms Beach Resort

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We arrived at the complex late in the evening and were checked in very efficiently by the friendly and helpful reception staff. The management had kept the buffet restaurant open for us which was much needed!
The room:
The room was a standard double with a four poster bed. Although quite basic, the room was immaculate and had a balcony facing the pool area. Monkeys liked our balcony too and there are lots in the grounds of Southern Palms. The room is cleaned on a daily basis.
Pool Areas:
The pool areas were amazing - one being in a giant horseshoe shape with a swim up bar in the middle and sun loungers all the way around the outside, and the other being a small fresh pool with a swim up bar and a jacuzzi in the shade. There is regular and friendly service by the bar staff throughout the day.
Beach:
The complex is right on a stretch of beach which is how I imagined paradise to be. There is brilliant snorkelling in shallow waters which is included in the all inclusive deal. You can get hassled by touts on the beach, which can get a little tiring, although if you stay immediately outside the hotel area you tend not to be bothered by them.
Food:
The main food is a delicious buffet for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with all manner of delicacies, including some traditional favourites as well as African dishes. Breakfast was my favourite! There are also 2 a la carte restaurants which you can visit once a week each - an amazing open air BBQ / Grill restaurant where you choose your food and watch it being cooked for you. This was divine and I would have eaten here every night if possible!
The second is an Italian restaurant, and the food was average - not bad but I have had a lot nicer. There are also snacks available throughout the day
Entertainment:
The daytime entertainment team were fantastic with lots of sports such as water volleyball and table tennis and water aerobics. There was some nighttime’s entertainment shows (a snake show was quite scary) and discos afterwards.
Service:
Most of the staff were extremely helpful and friendly and went the extra mile to assist.
Safety / Security:
We had been warned before we arrived to exercise caution and not leave the security of the hotel alone. However, each morning I left the hotel and ran between 8 - 13 miles along the main roads and found the people to be extremely friendly and more bemused by me. We never felt threatened at all, and while I would recommend not venturing out after dark, in the daytime it is fine.
There are some fantastic market stalls along the road outside the hotel and I would recommend you visit them! Especially Titus the Rasta man who makes exquisite wood carvings at very reasonable prices, and you can see him carving them.
Trips:
We did a day in Mombasa booked through a local taxi company which cost us about £10 per person (including tip) for 4 people. The actual price was £30 but we enjoyed it that much!
Other excursions we would recommend are a trip to Haller Park to feed the endangered Rothschild Giraffes and see the Hippo and tortoises and also a nighttime’s voyage on the Tamarind Dhow. That was the highlight of our week.
Overall I would thoroughly recommend a trip here - we had an amazing relaxing time and didn’t want to leave.