Jinchini House, Msambweni
Well-run and attractive old-style seafront house with bags of family charm
Location
The beachfront house is located about a 10-minute drive from Msambweni village along a dirt road. It is roughly a 35-minute drive south of Diani, where all the supermarkets, hotels and restaurants are located.
Layout
Jinchini has four bedrooms, two on top, two on the ground floor. Downstairs, there is also a small living room area with board games and books left behind by previous guests and family. In fine weather, dining takes place on the patio outside. There is a large and well-equipped kitchen (with spices and other condiments) where the in-house chef cooks up his magic.
Rooms
The rooms are pretty simple and rustic – two single beds pushed together serve as a double. There’s a master bedroom on the ground floor, and all rooms have en suite showers or bath, fans and nets.
Dining
Jinchini is usually offered on a self-catering basis, but a cook is provided within the price. He is very adept at a wide range of seafood dishes, and the owners helpfully provide a shopping list which includes tried and tested dishes. The cook takes care of sourcing fish and shellfish from the local fishermen.
Activities
Jinchini is a pretty chilled house right on Msambweni beach, located in a spot perfect for paddling in the sea. The house also boasts a pool in the terrace garden located behind up a flight of stairs from the house. Tour operators – some of them more kosher than others – will probably come up to the house to offer boat trips to Funzi and Wasini, among others, but make sure to check with the house staff whether they recommend them as they can be somewhat fly-by-night operators. Best of all, go with a reputable company such as Pili Peppa, which has an established track record. Others will visit with wares to sell, or offer massages. If they are a bother, the staff will ask them not to come back. In Diani – a half-hour drive away – diving and a wide range of watersports are available.
Upsides
Jinchini is very relaxed and extremely affordable. It is also very competently run by a team led by Kassim, the house manager.
Downsides
It is a more old-style villa than some of the smarter entrants of Watamu, Diani and elsewhere, which suits some, but not all. Like many old houses, it has some minor inconveniences, such as a shower that produces a dribble of water.
Price
If the owners are contacted directly via their website, the house is offered at Ksh 20,000 a night. It is advertised at roughly the same rate on Airbnb, but the host site’s additional charges and exchange rate fees push up the nightly cost.
www.jinchini.com
Location
The beachfront house is located about a 10-minute drive from Msambweni village along a dirt road. It is roughly a 35-minute drive south of Diani, where all the supermarkets, hotels and restaurants are located.
Layout
Jinchini has four bedrooms, two on top, two on the ground floor. Downstairs, there is also a small living room area with board games and books left behind by previous guests and family. In fine weather, dining takes place on the patio outside. There is a large and well-equipped kitchen (with spices and other condiments) where the in-house chef cooks up his magic.
Rooms
The rooms are pretty simple and rustic – two single beds pushed together serve as a double. There’s a master bedroom on the ground floor, and all rooms have en suite showers or bath, fans and nets.
Dining
Jinchini is usually offered on a self-catering basis, but a cook is provided within the price. He is very adept at a wide range of seafood dishes, and the owners helpfully provide a shopping list which includes tried and tested dishes. The cook takes care of sourcing fish and shellfish from the local fishermen.
Activities
Jinchini is a pretty chilled house right on Msambweni beach, located in a spot perfect for paddling in the sea. The house also boasts a pool in the terrace garden located behind up a flight of stairs from the house. Tour operators – some of them more kosher than others – will probably come up to the house to offer boat trips to Funzi and Wasini, among others, but make sure to check with the house staff whether they recommend them as they can be somewhat fly-by-night operators. Best of all, go with a reputable company such as Pili Peppa, which has an established track record. Others will visit with wares to sell, or offer massages. If they are a bother, the staff will ask them not to come back. In Diani – a half-hour drive away – diving and a wide range of watersports are available.
Upsides
Jinchini is very relaxed and extremely affordable. It is also very competently run by a team led by Kassim, the house manager.
Downsides
It is a more old-style villa than some of the smarter entrants of Watamu, Diani and elsewhere, which suits some, but not all. Like many old houses, it has some minor inconveniences, such as a shower that produces a dribble of water.
Price
If the owners are contacted directly via their website, the house is offered at Ksh 20,000 a night. It is advertised at roughly the same rate on Airbnb, but the host site’s additional charges and exchange rate fees push up the nightly cost.
www.jinchini.com
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