We spent an eight day couples holiday at the Pinewood just after New Year, staying half board in a deluxe suite and following on from a three day safari package in the Maasai Mara park.

Getting there - we flew Nairobi to Mombassa and pre-booked a taxi to drive us down to Pinewood. We were prepared for the cost and the length of the drive (5000ksh and 90 mins on a good day), but probably not the condition of Mombassa itself - incredibly underdeveloped and delipidated, and a shocking reminder of the deprivations of the local population.

Room - we opted for a deluxe suite and were not disappointed. The bed was large - although two singles pushed together to make a double which I find highly annoying - with a large, spacious mosquito net and plenty of room. The bathroom was fine - although there is an art to working the showers and finding the correct temperature.

Food - buffet style with a different theme every night, and different venues too (main restaurant, beach bar, pool). No complaints here, I found the food to be excellent, well prepared and very tasty.

Service - very good. All of the staff are extremely friendly and professional. Tipping not really a problem as the resort runs a chit system - although keep hold of your receipts in order to check the bills at the end of your stay as the point of sale system in operation at the hotel is quite old fashioned and needs a bit of an overhaul. That said, our overall bill was slightly cheaper than expected, so I can't complain!

Half board vs AI - we were half board and were quite satisfied. If you have children who guzzle fizzy pop, or are really into your food and cocktails, then go for AI. If not, I recommend sticking to half board as you will only be spending money during the day and early evening on food and drinks, and as most people are in their beds by 2200hrs there won't be any late nights.

Activities - my fiancee and I were happy to walk up and down the beach, do a bit of exercise in the gym (small, but has a treadmill, exercise bike, stepper, multigym and some free weights - machines need a bit of a service), and generally mong around the pool bar. However, there are plenty of activities available at a price - snorkelling, diving, kitesurfing, horseriding, mountain biking.

Beach - Diani/Galu beach is a white sanded paradise and is an incredible beach. Yes, there are plenty of beach boys who are are a tedious pain and are out in abundance on some days. We ignored them and as we were generally walking down the beach when we encountered them soon managed to loose them. It's also worth mentioning that the wind was incredibly strong during the day, but abated overnight and between 6-8 am was actually relatively calm.

Minor irritations - (1) the room safes were not included in the overall cost and are currently 220ksh per day. (2) Some members of the bar staff spend more time going through chits and manually counting bills than actually serving you, especially in the evenings. (3) hotel guests feeding the colobus monkeys - don't do it!!

Overall - despite the minor irritations this is an excellent resort which is very well run by courteous and helpful staff. It is a small piece of paradise and definitely worth a visit, whether you have children or are just a couple as there is something here for everyone.

We have just returned from a 10 day holiday at Pinewood and already I'm missing it and planning my next visit. We took our two children, an 18 year old daughter and a nine year old son and they both found plenty to do. The good thing about the resort in my view is that it has a very very personal feel to it with delightful staff who can't do enough for you.The rooms are spacious, well appointed and very clean. The resort is very well maintained and the food is excellent. I can't recommend it highly enough.

I can only describe this hotel as a piece of paradise. The resort is so clean and well mainteained and all the staff are so friendly.
The food is out standing and so delicious and plentyful with so much choice you can not help but try it all.
I spent ten days here in dec 2011 and I have never had such a fantastic holiday. My two boys loved the pool and beach and myself and my husband could just chill by the pool and soak up the sun.Although if you wanted a bit more to do you can hire jetskis locally or going on fishing trips.
This place is a dr4eam and I will definatley be returning again.

We stayed at Pinewood back in June for a family wedding and it was amazing. Everything that is written here is true. The staff were so very friendly and helpful, the facilities were lovely and i don't think i have ever ate so much.

My only negative is that I didn't like the tortoise enclosure and a word of warning - the monkeys will come into your room if you don't lock your balcony door, and they might just leave a present or two - i learnt the hard way.