Aquamarina is a private oceanfront cottage at Smeraldo Malindi Beach Club, on the rocky coast of Malindi, where the waves meet the rocks at the edge of the garden. Swim in the pool under the palm trees, eat lunch in the open-air banda with the ocean in front of you, and fall asleep under a carved four-poster bed to the sound of the waves.
The cottage
Traditional Swahili craft throughout: hand-carved Zanzibar beds, makuti thatch roofs, and deep-cooled stone floors. The cottage sleeps up to twelve guests across six bedrooms and six bathrooms, with wide verandas and a shaded upper balcony for slow afternoons.
Room to gather
The open-plan lounge wraps around built-in daybeds — the classic Swahili baraza — under dark hardwood beams. Cool stone floors, sea breezes through the lattice doors, and enough space for everyone to spread out.
Dining by the water
Breakfast, lunch and dinner happen in the thatched banda beside the pool, with the lagoon straight ahead. A cook can be arranged — Swahili curries, seafood from the day’s catch, chapatis at sunset.
Bedrooms built for slow mornings
Six bedrooms, all with carved hardwood beds, cascading mosquito nets and ceiling fans — two with air-conditioning. The master opens onto its own terrace; the kids’ bunk room is a favourite.
Amenities
- Direct ocean accessSwim from the rocks below the garden
- Private poolSun all day, lit for evening swims
- Cook on requestSwahili and international menus
- Fast Wi-FiStarlink-backed, works for calls
- Housekeeper includedDaily cleaning, linen and towels
- Sleeps 12 in 6 bedroomsFour-posters, nets, fans + A/C
- Ceiling fans throughoutPlus backup power for rare outages
- Water sports nearbyKitesurf, snorkel and dive trips
House rules
- Check-in from 15:00 · check-out by 11:00
- Maximum 12 guests, including children
- No smoking indoors · no parties or events
- Shoes off indoors, please — the floors are original
- The pool is un-fenced; children must be supervised
“The most beautiful week of our lives — we ate every meal with the waves below us and never once wanted to leave.”
— A guest, February 2026