Kobe Suite Resort

You stay at Kobe Suite Resort on Garoda Beach in Watamu, where the suites look out over the Indian Ocean or the resort’s tropical gardens. The beach is white sand, and the Watamu Marine Reserve is a short snorkel away. The resort has two swimming pools — one by the ocean, one in the gardens — and a spa for massages.

The suites are built in a modern African style, with king-size beds and open spaces filled with natural light. The presidential suite sits above the others, with views down the coast. For larger groups, Casa Blanca villa holds three bedrooms around a private pool, all within the resort grounds.

Two restaurants serve Mediterranean food with local flavors. Kobe Beach Restaurant plates seafood by the water, and La Terrazza offers breakfast on its ocean-view terrace. The cocktail bar mixes drinks for sunset, with the beach and marine park as the backdrop.

The resort arranges excursions to Tsavo East National Park for safari drives, and partners with a local kitesurf school for lessons on the bay. Weddings and events are held by the pools or on the beach, with the kitchens catering for groups.

Garoda Beach is the reason the resort is here at all — the suites face the water, and the restaurants are built to catch the breeze.