Bewitching Tiwi Beach resort

The conference room at Maweni and Capricho Beach Cottages in Tiwi. [Photo: Omondi Onyango/Standard]

By Philip Mwakio

From a past of a forest teeming with wildlife now lies a beautiful beach resort on the south Coast.

Tiwi Beach Resort is located around 21 kilometres south of Mombasa on the south Coast of Kenya and north of the famous Diani Beach in Kwale County.

Its proximity to Mombasa makes it an ideal weekend gateway.

There are various versions to explain origin of the name. Some say the name Tiwi derives from the local Digo community meaning shiny moon on the trees.

Save for the larger Amani Tiwi Beach Resort, the rest of holiday accommodation here comprises of boutique (smaller hotels) and private holiday villas.

Leading the pack of boutique hotel is the cosy Swahili House, perched atop a cliff overlooking the stunningly beautiful Tiwi Beach.

 This hotel has accommodation facilities that could take up to 40 guests in tastefully decorated rooms that are fully furnished.

Tiwi is popular for self-catering though there is the option of ordering a meal from the hotel’s kitchen under a master chef.

If you want to feel a taste of the refreshing breeze from the beach, the best spot to launch would be the breathtaking terrace.

What I love most about this gem is that everything here seems to tell a story.

Right from the lush botanical gardens that provide haven to several bird species, to the inviting palm fringed compound. I mean if you love exploring, you would never be bored at this bewitching resort.

The neighbouring Hillpark Hotel also offers self-catering villas and hotel rooms with magnificent beach views of the Indian ocean.

 Accommodation here can be on standard or executive hotel rooms or villas ranging from spacious one to four-bedroomed villas set amongst lush tropical gardens.

Spectacular falls

And the larger of hotels in Tiwi, Amani Tiwi Beach Resort is currently undergoing refurbishment following a devastating fire in 2009.

Steady and prompt repair works are almost complete with the hotel readying itself for business.

The resort and the area in which the resort is based have a colourful and vibrant culture and history.

It is believed that Tiwi was once a dense forest with wildlife roaming its terrain, with some if its earliest settlers being Arab traders who sailed by dhow and landed on its beaches.

Remnants of old century mosques and buildings attest to this fact.

 At Amani Tiwi, elements of the varied cultures are evident in the atmosphere, cuisine, and décor of the resort.

As part of the reconstruction, in addition to the 212 standard rooms, 16 new deluxe superior rooms and two executive suites have been put up.

And to accommodate people with disabilities, the resort has factored in their needs to ease access to the resort.

Some of these adjustments include wider doors for wheelchairs, ramps, and specially designed washroom facilities.