Private beach, white sand, sun-loungers, beach umbrellas
Check availability

Reviews of Chale Island Resort

4 out of 5
Chale Island Resort
Diani Beach Road, Chale Island

Reviews

9.6

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 82 out of 112 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 27 out of 112 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 3 out of 112 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 112 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 112 reviews" "

9.4/10

Cleanliness

9.6/10

Staff & service

9.2/10

Amenities

9.2/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.8/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Eilidh Louise

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful location that felt very private.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2024

8/10 Good

simon

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful setting with excellent staff. Minor issues were ran out of tonic, shouldn’t really happen in a quality place. Also most of the civilised world doesn’t allow smoking in standard bar/food settings so don’t think they should
Stayed 8 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Brian

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very comfortable and quiet place to get away from it all and enjoy the coast. Good food and great hospitality.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023

8/10 Good

Rita

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Amenities
Beautiful island and wildlife. The bandas are pretty and comfortable. Nice pools. Food was mediocre at best. There was a lack of variety and the quality wasn’t that good.. Staff was okay but some services were lacking e.g no kettle in the rooms, no phone to call room service, and no slippers. I had higher expectations considering the beauty of the island and how much potential it had.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Heaven On Earth
This trip might have ruined the Kenyan coast for me because I don't know how I'll find anything even remotely close to being as wonderful! The rooms are luxuriously comfortable and the three pools are each lush and pure bliss. The management was personal and friendly and even though I was traveling alone I did not feel lonely as they went out of their way to greet me and remember me by name. Worth every penny: I will be back.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2022

10/10 Excellent

Yana

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful hotel
This is one beautiful place. One of a kind.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2021

10/10 Excellent

Abby

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
If you are looking for a beautiful place to visit at the coast and also feel relaxed this is your place. The staff are very friendly, efficient and ready to help and make sure you have a great visit. This is a small Island so there is not much to do, but if you are looking for a place to disconnect for a few days it's perfect. They do over a few activities within the Island and you can also arrange for trips outside the island. The is Amazing food . Fresh fish everyday . They use a generator to power the place so you don't have power during the day. Its turned off about 10am-5pm. Wifi available if needed. Beautiful place. We had a great time. Thank you
Stayed 5 nights in Jan 2022

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great place. We were pleasantly surprised by the food— great taste and variety. The beach is great during high tide, and there are plenty of swimming pools to keep you busy during low tide.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2021

8/10 Good

Demetris

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
The property is magical.Great experience.Unfortunately a 2hr return to Mombasa city turned into 6hr traffic jam.I would advise you to leave way before your outgoing flight as you would possibly miss it.The BIG problem is the ferry to cross over.Normally there are 5 ferries crossing but today there were only 2..... Besides this ,everything else was perfect.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2021

10/10 Excellent

Murani

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2021

10/10 Excellent

Pixley

Stayed 1 night in Dec 2021

10/10 Excellent

Alejandro

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
great hotel!
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2021

10/10 Excellent

Salina, Wilmington

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2021

10/10 Excellent

Alnoor

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Amazing location, fantastic hotel, awesome staff!! Andrea the General Manager genuinely cares about the guests. Highly recommended!
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2021

10/10 Excellent

Vincent, Mclean

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Weak WiFi
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2021

10/10 Excellent

Audrey

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
If you’re looking for relaxation. Look no further.
Beautiful island and beach !! This was our second visit and we’ll certainly be back again.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2021

10/10 Excellent

Lisa

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
FABULOUS!
I can’t recommend this place enough! The views were once in a lifetime! Security was excellent and so was the food! Beware of the baboons but absolutely go to the spa every day! This was truly the hotel of a lifetime and we couldn’t have enjoyed ourselves more! ❤️❤️❤️
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2021

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Amazing once in a lifetime...Until you return again! I cannot begin to say enough about this resort, island, staff and stay. It's all amazing. The ambiance and atmosphere are just the beginning. The staff are as friends and family. The food is outstanding. Every dish made to spec... in taste and appearance not to mention the vast selection. FYI- I now have 10 lbs to take back off! :o) We stayed a week before going to Zanzibar and immediately realized Zanzibar was a waste and headed back to Chale for another week stay. I can't begin to tell you how much I miss this place since returning to Montana, USA. I hope to be back very soon!
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2021

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
A one of a kind -amazing place! We liked it so well we extended our stay in Kenya to return for another week. The location, property, food, staff and atmosphere make this place a once in a lifetime experience- well at least until you return again. The beaches and reefs are perfect for exploring, snorkeling etc. The rooms- bungalows are very clean, private and well kept with amazing views. The staff is extremely friendly and I can’t begin to tell you about the quality and assortment of food offered throughout the day. I am so glad to have found Sands of Chale! It clearly is now on my top list of places to stay again future. Thank you!
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2021

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great location ideal for couples!
It’s a great island resort and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The staff are understanding and ready to help. They even went so far as to do something special for my birthday! Very nice personal touch, which is much appreciated! Just one thing to remember is that they shut off the electricity (which could be good for a holiday without devices!) between 10-5 everyday, except in the penthouse and the suite on the rocks (please correct me if I missed any others). So, bear this in mind when you book.
Occasional visit from monkeys
The boat dock at the island
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2021

10/10 Excellent

Mark, Fl

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The staff made us feel like we were at home. And went out of there way to accommodate us in every way. Will definitely be returning.
Stayed 7 nights in Feb 2020

6/10 Okay

MArk

Liked: Staff & service
Good, but not $225 a night good.
Overall, this was an okay place. For an average of $225 per night, I would have expected much more. Service was above average. Food was about what I would expect on a cruise ship. Pretty good, but nothing that will blow your socks off. It is a buffet, and how many buffets have you been to that you've said "this is one of the best meals I have had!"... likely none. On the island, it is beautiful. That said, there isn't that much to do beyond beaching, handing by the pool. Which is if it your thing that works, yet it is rather limited. The rooms are again, just okay. For $225 I would have expected much more. They had a musty smell to them and with no air conditioning for 10 am - 5 pm, it leaves little place to escape the heat during the day. The bathroom isn't fully sealed to the outside, which leaves room for bugs, and you will get them. Hot water didn't work for us, we followed the instructions and left the red switch on for 15 minutes, and got nothing. For $225 a night: I would expect a flawless memorable experience. I would expect a super spectacular greeting with coconut drinks, red carpet rolled out, all the amenities, and best in class meals. Unfortunately you aren't going to get that here. I would recommend finding a property on Diani beach for half the price, and opening yourself up to other beach options and restaurants of your choosing.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Amazing location, beautiful bungalows. Unfortunately the cocktails were not very good
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2019

10/10 Excellent

Melissa

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great trip overall!
Amazing stay! Super unique environment and friendly staff. The food and spa were to die for!
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Beautiful Romantic resort on wild island.
Overall we had a great stay. It's a beautiful place with some incredible views. They actually have done a phenomenal job in ensuring the buildings fit in well on the island. It's peaceful and a great way to disconnect from the outside world as there is wifi but the connection is very poor. This being said, the rooms and some of the buildings are a bit tired and could do with renovation including updated lights in the rooms which can feel quite dark at night. paint jobs in places, etc... (this being said the idea is that you would normally never be in your room as electricity is off 10am - 5pm as the island runs on a generator) The staff however are very friendly and will definitely go out of their way to help you or make your stay more enjoyable. The food was overall pretty good with some good variety at the buffets including local Kenyan food which was great. All activities (Kayak, snorkeling, etc) come at extra cost so be mindful of that. Take some entertainment with you in case of rain as there are no TVs in the rooms and they have no board games at the hotel. Avoid the spa, as the treatment rooms though technically in the rainforest are actually quite close to the generator which makes a LOT of noise. Apart from the minor elements above, we had a great stay and would probably stay again at the right price. Please note that I would rate this . hotel more like a 3.5/4 (at a push) by European standards.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2019
Response from front office manager on 10 Oct,2019
Good morning, Much regards from the entire Chale Island team. It is indeed reassuring to know that even after the minor elements, you still managed to experience an overall great stay at our resort. It is rather unfortunate that your stay at our establishment coincided with the rainy season thereby limiting your enjoyment experience. We wish there was something we could do but as it is, we cannot subdue nature. The Sands at Chale Island is situated on an isolated island. Due to the remoteness of its location, even the governments’ electrification program is yet to arrive at the Island. Consequently the electricity we use is locally produced by generators. This explains why we practice power rationing. Anyway we have noted with keen interest all the areas you have mentioned and we promise to make the necessary adjustments where we deem appropriate. We apologize for any inconvenience caused and we pray to host you again in future. thanks

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2019
Response from front office manager on 10 Oct,2019
Thank you for dropping by

10/10 Excellent

AISHA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2019
Response from front office manager on 11 Jun,2019
Thank you for dropping by

10/10 Excellent

Brenda

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful.
Beautiful islands and ocean, great staff, great food, peace and quiet! We will be back!
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2019

10/10 Excellent

Jonas Bille

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 4 nights in May 2019
Response from Front office manager on 11 Jun,2019
Thank you for dropping by

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Travelled with group
Liked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This is a cool property. Staff was friendly. The bandas/ bungalows (20,21,22 are the best) are worth the money spent. The spa had very good treatments - got 2 when I was there - and has a very nice location over the mangroves.The only real minus point was the food. Besides the live cooking stations, everything was repetitive. I visited in Nov 2017 and now in May 2019. The food was identical during both my stays across the years. The food remained the same every day I was there in May as well. Please add variety. Definitely worth a visit just for the seclusion.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2019
Response from Front office manager on 24 May,2019
Jambo! Thank you for creating time from your probably tight schedule in order to share your experience during your stay in chale island. We are very delightful that your holiday in general was awesome.Thank you for mentioning our spa(maisha poa) of a good service that triggered your return to the second massage. Our ultimate goal is to work towards the overall satisfaction of our guests.We are overwhelmed by your positive comment on the live cooking stations, we are so appreciative. We apologize for any inconvenience caused during your stay. We have noted with keen interest the remark concerning our menu and we will try to adjust accordingly so that when you next visit you will enjoy to the maximum.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
It’s a little slice of paradise, staff are so friendly and the food is excellent.
Stayed 8 nights in May 2019
Response from Mike on 24 May,2019
Thank you for taking time to share your experience with us while in our little paradise chale island. It was indeed a pleasure hosting you and we are so glad to hear that the food was excellent and the staff in general and that's why we will not hesitate to offer you a hand of invite in your next future holiday.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Stayed 3 nights in May 2019
Response from Front office manager on 24 May,2019
Thank you for dropping by

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The resort is peaceful and quiet. The views from the beach bandas are serene and this alone could justify your stay. We stayed 4 days, 3 nights. If you stayed for longer than 1 week I think the lack of terrain, activities and food might leave you feeling like you are missing out. However, for 5 days I think you leave feeling utterly refreshed, like you've just spoiled yourself in a luxurious location. Would come back
Stayed 3 nights in May 2019
Response from Front office manager on 24 May,2019
Jambo!, The sands at chale island fraternity couldn't agree more with you, The milieu around chale paradise is not only tranquil as you correctly stated but also exceedingly charming and enchanting. We are overjoyed just to know that in general your vacation at our facility was awesome and filled with memories that you wont forget easily. With the same breath it is important to say that we also derived a lot of pleasure by playing host to you. It is our hope that we will host you again in the future during any of your upcoming holidays.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2019
Response from Front office manager on 24 May,2019
Thank you for dropping by

10/10 Excellent

Carsten

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Cozy little paradise
Very cozy place and perfect for some romantic days. Good food, most staff is very attentive and especially the se view bandas are amazing.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2019
Response from Mike on 24 May,2019
Greetings from the sands at chale island team, Thank you for taking your precious time to write such positive comments about our property. We are so glad and honored that your time in chale island was awesome.Indeed the chale island staffs are trained to ensure the satisfaction of all our customers in general.Thank you for the excellent comments about our rooms and the food, we appreciate it very much. We hope it is not too long before we are able to host you again your near future holiday. Thank you

10/10 Excellent

DeanCowles

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We have stayed many times on Diani Beach area and this ranks up with the best of them. Secluded, not as many beach boys, great meals, large standard rooms, wonderful smaller intimate pools and the island says it all.. will come back. Oh and the two tank dive trip was excellent
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2019
Response from Mike on 24 May,2019
Receive our heart felt greetings from the sands at chale island, It was truly our honor hosting you in this little paradise the chale island island. We are glad that your stay in general was awesome. With no doubt, the scenic beauty and the enchanting nature of our island says it all.Thank you for the enthusiastic description of the rooms,our meals and the pools. Our team works hard to ensure it delivers an excellent service of worth your while. We are equally overwhelmed on the two excellent tank dives that you experienced here in chale and am sure you will always create some time from your busy schedule in order to visit and enjoy with us. Thank you

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful setting. Lovely staff. Responsive management. Food a bit bland and repetitive after a few days.
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2019

10/10 Excellent

Sam, Arlington, VA

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This was the best experience I ever had for vacation. All the staff were super friendly and professional. Manager, Andrea, would come to our table to make sure everything is okay. Every spot in Chale island was beautiful, well maintained, and natural. Food was very fresh and delicious. I just can't find anything bad about this place. I told Andrea we would come back very soon. My girlfriend and I loved it. Thank you guys!
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2018
Response from GR on 26 Dec,2018
Thank you for sharing your experience on Chale Island!! Hope to welcome you back soon

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2018
Response from GR on 26 Dec,2018
Thank you!

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Amazing holidays, love that place. We were looking for similar place like Maldives with my husband and this is exactly the place - you can have your own villa with private garden, food is amazing and fresh every day. Staff from hotel was very helpful and in great mood every time, offering help anytime we needed. Beautiful island, I definitely come back one day. Thank you.
Stayed 11 nights in Nov 2018
Response from RG on 5 Dec,2018
Thank you for your positive feedback!!

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 14 nights in Nov 2018
Response from RG on 5 Dec,2018
Thanks

10/10 Excellent

angela, uk

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Paradise
You can’t beat the location. Beautiful beach beautiful nature and wildlife. Really authentic experience. Staff were fantastic The manager talked and mingled with all the clients. Very professional. Expected the drinks to be expensive as your on an island but they were reasonable. Food was very good and fresh but it’s a buffet so a little bit limited. Overall loved it .
Stayed 11 nights in Sep 2018

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Idyllic location
Chale is in an idyllic setting and offers peace and relaxation. Small selection of activities, ok buffet food but fresh grill was the best. Afternoon tea was included in the half board with cakes and tea/coffee available. Beach was amazing, but sea was a bit difficult to swim in as it had shallow water above seaweed and reef mainly, with a few urchins. Great for exploring rock pools for starfish and the occasional sea snake ! We loved our room, no 58, as we were high above the tree canopy - less bugs, and had some protection from the strong southerly wind. We saw some great sunrises and Moon rises as well. All in all a great unique location.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2018

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A slice of paradise. My husband and I had a great time doing a mix of activities they offered and simply relaxing by the beach or one of the 3 pools!
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2018

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2018

10/10 Excellent

Li, London

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Most stunning hotel, best staff and incredible spa!
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2018

10/10 Excellent

Stella

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Spectacular One of a Kind Island in Kenya
Had an amazing weekend at the Sands. The Island is spectacular!

10/10 Excellent

Balazs, London

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful island and hotel
I spent 7 nights there with my wife and we are very satisfied. The hotel had organized excursions so we could see nice and interesting places. We could see the true African life. Management and staff are also very nice. Thank You
Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2018

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Absolutely astonishing in every aspect.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2018

10/10 Excellent

Sophie, Edmonton, Ab

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful eco conscious resort
The resort is gorgeous and right on the beach. Very quiet and relaxing. The rooms are nicely appointed. Our room had a rear patio facing the beach with direct access to it if you so pleased. The room was clean and spacious, although we did spend most of our time at the beach or pool. There is a basic gym there with an elliptical and bike, a few free weights and benches, if you are so inclined. The food in the restaurant is good, it had a small selection of Kenyan, Indian, and European dishes. And the staff was very accommodating and friendly. The only thing you should know before you go, I guess as with any resort, there are excursion vendors on the beach and while they don’t acost you while you are lounging, they will approach you as you make your way to the water. I normally don’t have a problem with them, but one was unnecessarily aggressive on our last day. But overall, we did have a wonderful stay. We will be back again.
Stayed 8 nights in Nov 2017