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The Sands at Nomad - 4Star
The Sands Hotel, Mombasa is an exceptionally luxurious boutique hotel on the south coast of Mombasa, nestled within 25 acres of indigenous coastal forest overlooking the picturesque Diani Beach. The hotel is easily reached by road and approximately 45km’s drive from Mombasa International Airport. Mombasa, the nearest town to The Sands is roughly 34km from the hotel and the area also has a local airstrip within 5km of its location.
The Sands on Diani Beach Mombasa was officially opened in November 2005 and incorporates some of the most modern facilities and beautiful woodwork in Kenya. The brainchild of Mario Scianna - a gifted local artist - The Sands boasts hand-carved polished mahogany structures, soaring sail-work, classic Venetian ‘stucco’ work and traditional Swahili architecture. Two of Mario’s masterpieces – the stylish bars, Marco’s and Mario’s - can be seen at the adjacent Leopard Beach hotel.
One of the hotel’s main focal points is its beautiful 5m deep swimming pool with pretty central gazebo. A table can be set for two in this attractive setting, overlooking the inviting waters. The pool is also a great location for diving lessons, boasting to be the deepest on the entire coast line.
The reception area is beautifully curved and sports a shaded open-air jacuzzi terrace, a Romanesque bar, an al fresco restaurant offering great Thai cuisine, a boutique and a ‘global connectivity centre’. Another great plus point is the Forest Breeze, The Sands’ own massage centre and health spa, situated within the shaded forest area. This well-equipped health and beauty hub offers traditional massages, Ayurvedic and Reflexology treatments, bio-anatomy therapy and lots of great beauty treatments. And if that isn’t enough – you can even go for a traditional Thai Massage at the Red Pepper restaurant’s rooftop terrace.
The Red Pepper isn’t only known for its relaxing massages, its food is also worth writing home about. They offer superb Thai seafood and traditional dishes, and complement the other restaurant and bars on the property. The Sands’ affiliation with the nearby Leopard Beach Hotel also broadens your choice of dining venues and entertainment, and makes for an extended resort to fulfil all your leisure needs. Leopard Beach and The Sands are by far the most luxurious and aesthetically pleasing hotels in Mombasa.
The Kenyan coast is well known for its excellent diving sites and conditions, complete with coral reefs, playful dolphins, whale sharks and tons of tropical fish. The Sands has its own impressive SSI Platinum and PADI 5 star diving school called Diving the Crab. They welcome all levels of diving skill, from beginners to the more experienced diver. Their repertoire includes diving courses, wreck explorations and whale shark spotting (not for the fainthearted). Other watersports include kite surfing, windsurfing, kayaking, pedalos, deep sea fishing, motor boating and private marine safaris.
And if you’re more of a land lover, you’ll be spoilt for choice with their offerings. There’s a nearby 18 hole golf course and casino, great beach lounging, excursions to the Shimba Hills National Park, cultural and botanical tours encompassing the fauna and flora rich surrounds and even private Jacuzzis in most of the suites – great if you’re planning to do as little as possible – holiday style!
Apart from the great facilities, the sports and leisure options and the great service, The Sands stands out from the rest for its 275 metres of prime beach frontage – all for the pleasure of only 80 guests. What’s more, the staff will go out of their way to ensure your utmost comfort, even offering private beach barbeques at your request.
This place is a true island paradise – complete with rows of palm trees, an azure ocean and pristine white beach. Whether you’re after spending hours simply charging your batteries lounging around the pool or on the beach, or up for a challenge on a kayak, a motor boat or out on safari – The Sands won’t disappoint. This place has it all!
The rooms
There are quite a few accommodation options at The Sands, including 18 Forest and Sea View rooms, 7 exclusive beach cottages and 12 luxury suites. Unfortunately the Sea View Room classification is misleading, as these rooms do not actually have a sea view. They do face the direction of the ocean, but you can’t actually see the ocean from your room. If you are specifically looking for a sea view, it would be better to upgrade room categories. All of the rooms come equipped with air-conditioning, mini-bars, satellite television and integrated music entertainment systems.
Four of the Forest View Rooms and 8 of the Sea View Rooms are interconnected, making them ideal for families or groups of friends. All of the 18 rooms are doubles and, as with all the other accommodation types, have en-suite bathrooms.
There are quite a few different suites to choose from, depending on the level of luxury you require. Firstly there are the Wimbi, Roman and Kaa suites with private Jacuzzis, luxurious bathrooms and stunning views of the Indian Ocean. These suites are on the first floor and come equipped with a terrace, spacious reception room and beautiful furnishings. The Peponi Master suite has a king-sized Jacuzzi that opens out onto a grassed garden terrace. This superb first floor suite has an impressive bathroom and is very luxurious. Next is the Mbega Suite, situated within the central reception building and overlooking both the sea and the forest. This suite is really pretty and has its own private veranda.
The Mbuyu Grande Suite is exactly as its name implies – quite grand! It is set apart from the rest of the suites and overlooks the ocean. This one is quite unique and has been built in the traditional Swahili style with a high thatched roof. It even has a waterfall that descends into a crystal pool below. Here you’ll be spoilt to bits as the suite has a classic four poster bed on a raised podium, a private secluded veranda, an elegant sitting room and a partially out-door bathroom with its own jacuzzi. This one is perfect for romantic couples or newlyweds.
There are also six Ocean View Suites with beautiful vistas of the blue waters. These are available as one or two bedroom units and are ideal for families or groups of friends as they have large rooms and a great private veranda.
The Beach cottages have thatched roofs and private verandas and offer exceptional views in a picturesque setting.
The facilities
Fast Facts
Location: The Sands Hotel Mombasa is located on Diani Beach on the South Coast of Mombasa, Kenya. Mombasa Town is approximately 34km from the hotel, while Mombasa International Airport is 45km away. There is a local airstrip situated roughly 5km from the hotel as well.
General facilities:
• 2 restaurants
• 2 bars
• Juice and ice cream parlour
• Swimming pool
• Diving centre
• Boutique
• Massage centre and spa
• Conference/meeting facilities
• Cyber café
• Multilingual staff
• Access to Casinos
Room facilities:
• En-suite bathrooms
• 12 inter-connecting rooms
• Air-conditioning
• Minibars
• Satellite TV
• Integrated music and entertainment systems
• Most of the suites have private verandas and Jacuzzis
Activities:
• Excursions to the coastal town of Mombasa
• Shimba Hills Game Reserve
• Road or air safaris
• Sunset and dinner cruises
• Chale Island day trips by boat
• Boat trips on M/Y Blue Wave
• Nomad indigenous forest walks
• Diving The Crab-SSI Platinum/PADI 5 star (Scuba diving for beginners & advanced)
• Kite and windsurfing
• Pedalos and kayaks
• Deep sea fishing
• Billiards
• Nature trails in the Nomad Forest
• 18 hole golf (par 72 course within 5 minutes)
• Boating
Services:
• 24 hour room service
• Private car hire and taxis
• Hotel doctor on call
• Transport to/from Mombasa Town and Airport
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Wedding and Honeymoon packages
The picturesque setting that is home to The Sands is ideal for weddings and romantic honeymoons.
A number of beautiful venues for the ceremony exist including the hotel’s terrace, the unique swimming pool,
the pretty gardens, the white beach as well as some more ‘adventurous’ ones such as aboard one of the luxury hand-made motor launches or even under water with the use of scuba equipment. If any of these tickle your fancy – why not give us a call and we can put something together.
For honeymooners we suggest one of the great suites with their own private veranda and Jacuzzis.
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