At the beginning of the year, our entire team went down to the South Coast for our annual team building. We stayed at Lantana Galu Beach which is set on a quiet and pristine stretch of beach in Diani. Several weddings take place here every year (one of our staff members is actually getting married at Lantana Galu Beach in a few months), and the property has long been a favourite with couples and families.
There are a total of 47 well-furnished Swahili-style living spaces to book including suites and villas ranging from one to three bedrooms, all well-serviced for self- catering, in addition to a restaurant and bar overlooking the beach. For families or bigger groups like ours, you can book one of the chalk-white three bedroom villas which include three spacious ensuite bedrooms (king, queen and a twin room) on the upper floor and a staircase winding downstairs to the fully equipped kitchen, lounge and dining room. The beachfront villa even has an outdoor private plunge pool in which we spent cool evenings having drinks and catching up.
The indoor design is airy and open plan with large glass windows letting in maximum light and the coastal breeze. The decor is a mix of traditional Swahili carved furnishings with sleek and modern necessities such as air conditioning and ceiling fans – vital given the often warm coastal temperatures – WiFi, satellite TV, an intercom system and more.
Le Cafe
If you are looking to organise your own meals, you can take a tuk tuk out to shop for ingredients at several places along Diani Beach Road or you can choose to hire a private chef who will take care of all the shopping and cooking for you. Lantana also offers a convenience shop with a selection of items ranging from milk to bread and trendy beach items. Stop by Le Café, the all-day dining bar and restaurant next to the garden swimming pool overlooking the beach, with an extensive menu complete with an in-house bakery and freshly homemade pasta. As our aim was to bond with one another to foster a better working relationship, we had all our meals together at the main restaurant.
OTHER FACILITIES
There is a fully equipped 24 hour gym for any fitness enthusiasts, complete with a massage and beauty studio for your holiday pampering. There are also two pools: one beachside and the other in the garden, and we had an ever so competitive game of water polo in the latter. Both options have paddle pools excellent for children.
The 24 hour reception and concierge service is exemplary, while the business centre offers printing, scanning and photocopying services.
ACTIVITIES
The Lantana Galu Beach team set up and facilitated fun competitive games such as beach handball, a sack race, towel squeezer, apple gobbling and more for our team.
The concierge can help you organise an array of water sports and other activities such as kitesurfing for which this spot is a hub, windsurfing, deep sea fishing, dolphin safaris, scuba diving, snorkelling, sailing in traditional boats, skydiving and much more. You could also be content to just potter on the beach building sandcastles with your little ones, sunbathe, play beach volleyball or hop on one of the many camels that amble past everyday offering scenic rides on the beach.
Prices during the low season start from Ksh 26,900 for a two-bedroom apartment and Ksh 20,900 for a penthouse suite.
