Pinewood Beach Resort & Spa

You stay at Pinewood Beach Resort & Spa on Diani Beach, where forty rooms face the Indian Ocean. The resort has three restaurants: Jahazi serves wood-fired pizzas from a custom oven on the beach, Peponi hosts Tuesday and Friday barbecues with local dancers, and Bahari offers daily-changing menus near fish ponds where golden palm weavers nest.

The spa uses Swahili aromatherapy oils in treatments that start with a cinnamon tea foot wash. A chain-link fence around the property lets wildlife pass through, and drinking fountains are set out for animals in dry seasons. Local fishermen sell their catch directly to the kitchen, and the resort buys eggs and produce from nearby farms.

Beach volleyball games run through the day, and the pool bar serves swimmers without leaving the water. The resort works with the Colobus Trust to protect endangered monkeys and helped establish a whale shark conservation program in 2006. Rooms have mosquito nets and balconies; some suites add bathtubs with ocean views.

Pinewood has hosted weddings on the beach since at least 2003, when the Jahazi bar opened with its converted dhow boat seating. Maasai warriors escort brides through floral arches for ceremonies held weekdays only.