Diani Blue

• Relax by beautiful Diani Beach
• Gorgeous Swahili style cottages
• Diving, sailing and dhow cruises
• Beachside drinks and dining
• Swimming pool and spa
• Excellent eco credentials

Diani Blue, formerly known as Asha Cottage, is a privately run boutique lodge built in the Swahili style on one acre of seafront property. It has a lovely open-air veranda along the front which provides seating space too - overlooking the pool towards the sea. Guests are usually booked on a bed and breakfast basis, as there are many restaurants nearby, though lunch and dinner can be provided on request.

There are just six guest rooms, all large and with air conditioning and ceiling fans. There are Swahili style Lamu ceilings, floor tiles and local carpentry work. All rooms have king-size beds, mosquito nets and spacious bathrooms. One of the rooms is larger, with its own lounge and terrace, ideal for those seeking greater seclusion.

Continental breakfast is served on the veranda, consisting of freshly baked bread, cakes, jam, fresh fruit, cereals, fruit juice and tea and coffee. A cooked breakfast is available if you prefer, at no extra cost. If you opt to have lunch here it will be a light meal such as pasta, salad, grill or snack, and dinner is a three-course meal with several choices. These meals are generally served in The Edge, Diani Blue's beach bar, or by the pool, complemented by wine.

There is a pool in front of the house and lovely gardens to relax in, and indoors there are two living rooms and a cosy bar. Massages and beauty treatments are available at Indigo Spa.

While here you can go for rides and snorkelling trips in the lodge's dugout canoe, try your hand at fishing, and take a dhow trip to the nearby marine park where dolphins and whale sharks are often seen. There are diving opportunities for beginners as well as experienced divers, and at the lodge, you can sit and watch monkeys and birds in the gardens and fish in the ponds.