Blue Marlin Beach Hotel

The location of the hotel is very good, just in front of the beach, but it needs an urgent renovation, the room was big and had sea views, but the bathroom smelled very bad, they must have issues with the plumbing system.
The comon areas of the hotel, swming pool, sunbeds, etc looked old and poorly mantained.
Only the lobby area seemed ti have been recently renovated as well as the restaurant, the only thing among the waiters, that was really worth it.
The food was espectacular and the personnel really nice and welcoming.
If the owners of the hotel would invest in a real renovation of the place it could be a really amazing hotel to stay.

Exceptional

Nice place to stay and good value.

Some notes that may be helpful:

- tuktuk 200+100 ksh tip to Ali Babour’s Cave Restaurant for 3 people (max capacity of a tuktuk). Just go out to road and flag one down. About the same cost to get to a Carrefour supermarket.
- Free bottled water in rooms (room temp). They provide more when you run out
- Breakfast (bnb option) was amazing. Fruit, yoghurt, eggs, sausage, waffles, coffee, juice
- Very entertaining watching the kite surfers in front of the resort
- Air conditioning works well
- No pressure for purchasing food, drinks or trinkets when lounging on their nice beach chairs all afternoon.
- If driving from the Momasa train station or airport it may be a many hour wait for the ferry going south out of Mombasa. A bypass bridge is possibly opening up later in 2024 which will be much faster. Flying in/out of the diani airport (Ukunda) is a 15 min drive to the Blue Marlin.

My Kenyan partner and I spent two very enjoyable days at The Blue Marlin. The location is stunning. The staff are friendly and attentive. The beers are cold. The food is good. What more could you wish for? For them to be dog friendly and they are! We took our two Chihuahua's who also had a great time. We kept them on their leads in the compound but they had the time of their lives running free on that perfect, endless beach. Thanks you Blue Marlin.

Dirty, lots of bugs we had to leave, because there were so many ants in our bed

We have been residents of Diani for six years and have eaten at Blue Marlin on many occasions. We returned today with friends after a two year absence due to an atrocious meal last time. After today, we will return again soon. It was Fabulous!
JoJo our waitress was attentive and efficient.
Fish and chips was fantastic and great value.
Thoroughly recommend.

We stayed here for 5 days, everyone was very kind, the rooms were always clean. Bath cosmetics are great, the bed is very comfortable and big. The rooms are large and have a great view. It has everything we needed. Thank you for everything. I recommend

AC not working, not friendly

A really nice hotel, food is good, beach is beautiful room great

Not to big not to small and everything you need is here.
Most relaxing place ever.
From breakfast to dinner everything is top.
Next door water sports including lessons is fantastic.
Everybody is super friendly and helpfull

The staff is really warm and welcoming. They are so prompt with their service and hospitality. Brenda Judith Kwamboka and Warida from the restaurant at blue marlin diani is very affectionate , also assists the guests at the property with utmost loyalty. Overall stay was extremely comfortable and enjoyable. ❤️

We had not visited for two years, following a very poor experience. Our meal was excellent. Fish and chips, (which caused our two year absence), and Thai Prawn Curry. Both were good sized portions, presented very well and tasted lovely.
Robert our waiter was attentive, always ensuring our drinks were full. Well done Blue Marlin - You are back and we will see you again soon.

My wife and I stayed for three nights at the Blue Marlin Beach Hotel and we had an amazing time. We had done a safari right before our trip and my wife had injured her back. Caro and the other staff members were so nice and supportive helping my wife with her bags, getting her extra blankets and pillows and even checking on her after our trip. It really meant a lot to us.

The hotel itself is beautiful and right on the beach. The restaurant was really good and the waiters were very friendly. We mostly stayed at the hotel and took turns at the pool and the beach but they will help you book excursions if you're interested. Our room had a balcony where we could see stars at night and monkeys during the day. You're also pretty close to the "town" if you want to go in to a restaurant or the grocery store.

Popped in for a coffee. Outstanding location, great staff, nice owner too.

The coffee was excellent. I am aiming to go back for a meal.

One thing that lets this place down is the attitude to litter. You can see plastic bottle tops on the ground. They need to clean it up a bit more.

The hotel is spotlessly clean and the staff are all very friendly and helpful. Great very tasty food, comfortable rooms, stunning beach with soft white sand and turquoise blue water... What do you need more?

Our recent visit to the Blue Marlin was most enjoyable. We tried various dishes from the menu that offered many interesting choices. It was simply delicious in a very cozy and warm atmosphere. Service team were excellent,very friendly and fully on point with food recommendations.
After dinner we spent time chatting with the the gracious lady property and restaurant owner and Head Chef Plumen. Both very passionate people upon there restaurant and customer satisfaction.
Definitely returning.

Had a beer in the bar paid in American dollars and it turned out twice. The price of what the menu I’m finding this happening. All too often in Diani beach. It’s a shame because it’s such a nice place but you’re just getting ripped off, left right and centre I wouldn’t return,

I booked the Blue Marlin last-minute when there were few other high-season options between Christmas and New Years. What I could find up and down the beach looked bad, and the Blue Marlin looked to be the best of lot. Traveling with my 7 year old, I'd be happy with three things... beach side, clean and a pool for the boy. lo and behold, the Blue Marlin surpassed my weary expectations.

The room, number 16, was excellent. Crisp white interior, bright, a view of the sea from a private terrace, baboon v vervet hysteria in the tree outside the window each morning, and sea-breeze evenings with screened windows. Five stars and deep restful sleep.

The staff at the Blue Marlin are superb, friendly and helpful. Don't need anything more and expect nothing less.

A strike against the Blue Marlin is that the restaurant is not superb. While its menu is attractively ambitious, it fails to deliver what is otherwise promised. But no bother, the Salty Squid is next door and my son and I made the most of our tuk-tuk contacts and got out and explored the Diani's restaurant mix. Tops included two pizza spots which appeared in a dead heat for best pizza in Diani... the Jolly Bar and Leonardo's. (It remains a tie, but very different pizzas.)

In the end we never made it into the pool as my son decided to break from the normal and actually do some sea swimming this time around. For only two people, room 16 is wonderful. Top floor high in the trees with dependable nightly breezes keeping everythjing feeling fresh. Will gladly return next time.

Unfortunately, because of the late booking, we had to switch hotels after five nights and move to what must have been the last room at a beach front hotel with a pool, the Kaskazi Hotel, one of the worst f'king dumps I've ever stayed in, rivalling the guesthouse/brothel I had to contend with outside of an IDP camp in Kitgum Uganda 20 years ago, where I had to request that the used condoms be removed from under the bed. At least at that guest house had functioning lightbulbs.

We visit diani frequently and have stayed in several places. We loved blue marlin. The rooms are basic but comfortable and the front rooms have palm tree and ocean views. The staff are incredibly helpful and attentive especially at the bar and breakfast. The lounge space is also really comfortable and relaxed. The ocean on this stretch of beach is the best. Would highly recommend a stay at blue marlin for the incredibly relaxed vibe and wonderful low key seting. Also wonderful hosts!

Good fresh food, amazing Seaview, good breaze, service very efficient. Very welcoming people. Ate prawns and Lobster, all were very fresh and very tasty. Ice cream can be improved but beside that very good value for money. In total amazing