Fodor's Expert Review Kilili Baharini Resort & Spa

This elegant resort, much favored by Italians, is in large grounds amid a profusion of tropical flowering plants 4 km (2½ miles) from Malindi. Spacious airy rooms, mostly decorated in white, have classy Swahili-inspired antique furniture such as carved four-poster beds, complemented by the dark browns of the rugs, bedspreads, and lamps. A private furnished veranda looks out onto the pool where your breakfast is served each morning. Even the Romans hardly had it so good. The cuisine is international, with delicious seafood dishes, and there are two bars, a spa, and a fabulous private beach. The name delightfully means "sofa by the sea" in Swahili.