The East African holiday hotspot that should be top of your travel wishlist — and where to stay

For many, trips to Kenya equal safari, early morning game drives and Big Five spotting, but the coastline is equally enthralling and a villa holiday on it is far too often overlooked.

Enter the Villa Collective, which recently added a selection of next-level, fully-staffed beachfront properties to its rental portfolio, dotted along the country’s shores, from Diani beach south of Mombasa, to Kilifi, Watamu and Lamu further north. ‘I’ve been visiting Kenya for most of my life as I have extended family there, but it was during Covid, when I spent months working remotely and travelling around the country, that I realised just how outstanding some of the seafront villas really are,’ says Villa Collective founder Nick Cookson, who lists the winter sun, direct flights, and minimal time difference to the UK as plus points for the destination.

He describes Watamu as the most family-friendly and excellent for watersports; Kilifi as a popular getaway for Nairobi residents; and Lamu Old Town as the most culturally interesting of the coastal locations.

The latter, of course, is the oldest and best-preserved Swahili settlement in East Africa and a UNESCO World Heritage Site which, together with the fishing village of Shela, had a resurgence during lockdown when it was deemed something of a refuge.

Now, aside from the legendary Peponi Hotel — which has long been the heart of the hedonist social scene; think jet-set artists, supermodels and actors — and the newer Jannah hotel, owned by fashion designer Anna Trzebinski, there are more easy-to-access, top villa options than ever before.

Villa Collective’s edit includes five-bedroom Honeymoon House, which is owned and designed by American film producer Chris Hanley, and seven-bedroom Dhow House, the home of fashion and photographer agent Katy Barker — both in Shela.

‘Being in Shela is a real immersion into village life: there are donkeys in the streets, you can hear the call to prayer and walk to Peponi for sundowners,’ says Cookson. ‘Alternatively, we have properties such as Amani House, on Manda Island opposite, for that full beach experience. You can jump straight into the sea and it has a boat with a captain, so you can be in Shela in five-minutes.’

It’s not just Lamu that has seen a renewed spark of interest either. ‘There’s a real energy along the Kenyan coast and a huge amount of locally-funded development happening at the moment; it’s exciting to be part of it,’ says Charlie Lovell, co-founder of the London-based, design house Youngman Lovell, who has been commissioned to create two holiday homes for a Kenyan family — one in Diani, the other near Kilifi.

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Villa Collective’s footprint in these two hotspots includes sanctuary-like Alfajiri Beach Villa, which has an infinity pool surrounded by palm trees overlooking Diani beach (activities on offer include snorkelling, diving and dhow trips to explore Kisite Marine Park) and six-bedroom Sirai Beach in Kilifi, a short drive from the kite surfing school on white sand Bofa Beach.

Available only via Villa Collective, it has a master suite, plus five garden cottages, a lap pool, spa, tennis court and helipad; plus, deep-sea fishing available off of the villa’s boat.

For guests who do still want their safari fix, albeit from a beach base, the company can arrange daily excursions to Tsavo East National Park, but ultimately it seems as if a new crowd is flocking to the coast first, rather than an after-thought. Cookson agrees: ‘We’ve perceived a growing demand for these villas as stays in their own right, not just as safari add-ons.’

Villas via Villa Collective start from $1,500 a night. Visit their website for more information and the whole collection