Cardamom House, Kuruwitu Beach
A delightfully secluded and relaxing small boutique hotel quietly tucked away in vibrant tropical gardens overlooking the Indian Ocean, Cardamom House is designed and furnished in imaginative and sophisticated Swahili-modern style and makes for a perfect away-from-it-all break at the beach.
Summary
- A hidden gem of a beach lodge in a lovely ‘jungly’ coastal setting
- Off-the-beaten-track, personal and restful, family-run and owner-managed
- Spacious, architect-designed, well-planned accommodation across four striking buildings
- Roof terraces, shady garden and poolside areas, private dining spaces and quiet corners
- Delicious meals from the all-female team – served in a dozen or more locations
- Enjoy 1.6 km of pristine empty white sand beach and swimming pool (14 x 4m)
- Water sports including snorkelling, kayaking, SUP, boating and windsurfing
- Fitness centre, workouts with personal trainer, massages, yoga, taekwondo
- Conservation minded – supports sustainable fishing and Kuruwitu marine park
- Accommodates up to 20 guests in 10 air-conditioned suites and penthouses
Location
Vipingo/Kuruwitu Beach is home to a small community of holiday homes between Kilifi to the north and Mombasa to the south. Kuruwitu Beach consists of 1700 meters of lovely, empty white sand that, at low tide, connects to the further 2000 metres of Vipingo Beach just to the south. The Vipingo Ridge Beach Bar, about 1500 metres from the house, is a nice rustic-chic place to eat, drink and relax.
The offshore reef is home to hundreds of fish and marine species and is a wonderful place to swim and snorkel. The Kuruwitu Marine Conservancy was the first Locally Managed Marine Area (LMMA) on the Kenyan coast, established with the aims of preventing overfishing, preserving the area’s fragile ecosystem, protecting the turtle population, carrying out marine research and community projects, and supporting local livelihoods.
Kilifi, 15 kilometres to the north, is a busy small town with plenty of shops and services, including a well-stocked Naivas supermarket and several recommended places to eat and drink, including The Food Movement on Kilifi Plantation. All kinds of water sports and activities are available, and Kilifi Creek is home to 3 Degrees South Water Sports Centre, AquaVentures Dive Centre, Sunset Dhow trips and much more. Mtwapa, 15 kilometres to the south, is a busy commercial centre and the city of Mombasa is 25 kilometres south of the house.
There is an excellent golf course at the nearby Vipingo Ridge development. The course has been designed and built to the exacting USGA standard and is of international class. It has a spectacular setting at the top of the ridge overlooking the Indian Ocean, and there is also a clubhouse and sundowner bar.
Detailed Information
Accommodation at Cardamom House
THE TOWER – 3 SUITES
- One suite on each floor with large king-size beds with mosquito nets
- The first-floor bedroom can be converted into a twin by adding an extra single bed
- Spacious en-suite bathrooms with shower and double basins
- Writing desk, safe
- Air conditioning, ceiling, and floor fans
- Access to two independent furnished barazas offering spaces for privacy, sundowners, and dining
- Sea views
VILLA SHELA – 2 SUITES
- Large king-size beds with mosquito nets
- Both suites offer a spacious en-suite bathroom with a shower and double basins.
- The ground floor suite also has an outdoor shower.
- The first floor suite also has a bathtub.
- Writing desk, safe
- Air conditioning, ceiling, and floor fans
- Spacious furnished private terrace with sea view
- Access to two independent furnished barazas offering spaces for privacy, sundowners, and dining
VILLA LULU – 1 SUITE
- Large king-size bed with mosquito net. Can be converted into a twin by adding an extra single bed
- Spacious en-suite bathroom with shower and double basins
- Writing desk, safe
- Air conditioning, ceiling, and floor fans
- Private garden terrace with access to the swimming pool
- Sea view
- The suite can easily be combined with Villa Shela to form a three-suite family villa
MANDA TOTO – 2 PENTHOUSES & 2 SUITES
- 2 sea-facing master suites with large king-size beds with mosquito nets:
- Spacious en-suite bathrooms with shower and outdoor bathtubs and double basins
- Walk-in wardrobe, writing desk, safe
- Air conditioning, ceiling, and floor fans
- Spacious furnished private terrace with sea view
- 2 garden-facing suites with king-size beds and en-suite bathrooms
- The rooms are interconnected with a terraced lobby
- An independent sea-facing terrace between the two penthouses includes a kitchen and dining area
How to get there
By Road
The house is situated a few minutes from the main coastal highway, 30 minutes south of Kilifi, just over one hour’s drive north of Mombasa and 90 minutes south of Malindi.By Air
There are seasonal flights during Easter holidays, public holidays, High Season (July-30th September), and festive/Christmas season (8th Dec-8th January) on Fly ALS from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport to the airstrip at Vipingo Ridge, which is about 15 minutes away by road from the house www.flyals.comAirlines flying to Malindi and/or Mombasa from Nairobi include:
Kenya Airways (from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport) www.kenya-airways.com
Safarilink (from Wilson Airport) www.flysafarilink.com
Jambo Jet (from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport) www.jambojet.com
Skyward Express (from Wilson Airport) www.skywardexpress.co.ke
Visitors Book
“Cardamom House is a true place of magic and a retreat unparalleled. As soon as you arrive you can feel the extraordinary attention to detail with which this house has been designed. Everything is harmonious, stylish and furnished with a lot of heart. The service is first class, attentive, warm and pleasantly unobtrusive. Particularly impressive is the high standard of healthy eating. It is cooked exclusively with fresh, high-quality ingredients and every meal is a treat for body and soul.”
“What an experience and stay. A beautiful boutique hotel where all wishes are fulfilled. Fantastic supporting program, such as canoeing, beach walks or massages on a terrace with a great view. Super delicious food with each menu specially created for us. There is something to discover at every corner in the Cardamom House, the hotel was furnished and designed with so much attention to detail. Every evening we were surprised with a different dinner spot. We would love to come back!”
Rates
Resident Accommodation Rates
- Minimum stay – 2 nights
- Maximum occupancy—20 guests
- Minimum stay over Christmas and New Year – 3 nights
Standard Season Resident Rates (9th Jan to 2nd April, 7th April to 31st July, 1st Nov to 19th Dec)
Half Board
Kes 31,040 per person sharing per night
Kes 34,520 per single per night
KES 7,760 per child (3-6 yrs) sharing with adults
KES 15,520 per child (7-16 yrs) sharing with adults
KES 23,000 per child (3-16 yrs) for their own room
Full Board
Kes 33,040 per person sharing per night
Kes 36,520 per single per night
KES 4,130 per child (3-6 yrs) sharing with adults
KES 16,520 per child (7-16 yrs) sharing with adults
KES 24,000 per child (3-16 yrs) for their own room
High Season Resident Rates (7th to 8th Jan, 3rd to 6th April, 1st Aug to 31st Oct)
Half Board
Kes 37,980 per person sharing per night
Kes 41,880 per single per night
KES 9,495 per child (3-6 yrs) sharing with adults
KES 18,990 per child (7-16 yrs) sharing with adults
KES 28,240 per child (3-16 yrs) for their own room
Full Board
Kes 39,980 per person sharing per night
Kes 41,880 per single per night
KES 9,995 per child (3-6 yrs) sharing with adults
KES 19,990 per child (7-16 yrs) sharing with adults
KES 29,240 per child (3-16 yrs) for their own room
Christmas and New Year (20th Dec to 8th Jan)
Half Board
Kes 37,980 per person sharing per night
Kes 39,880 per single per night
KES 9,495 per child (3-6 yrs) sharing with adults
KES 18,990 per child (7-16 yrs) sharing with adults
KES 28,240 per child (3-16 yrs) for their own room
Full Board
Kes 39,980 per person sharing per night
Kes 41,880 per single per night
KES 9,995 per child (3-6 yrs) sharing with adults
KES 19,990 per child (7-16 yrs) sharing with adults
KES 29,240 per child (3-16 yrs) for their own room
Easter, Christmas, and New Year Supplement (3rd to 6th April, 24th, 25th, 26th, 31st December, and 1st January)
Kes 7,500 per person per night
These rates include full-board or half-board accommodation, meals, beach meals, bottled water, tea, coffee, soft drinks, and VIPing airstrip transfer.
EXCLUDED SERVICES
- Drinks from the bar
- Transfers
- Excursions
- Mombasa/Malindi airstrip transfers: $160 per vehicle per way (has to be prearranged)
- Massages
- Laundry Service
- Late departure can be arranged but must be prebooked, and a surcharge may apply for extra lunch ($35 per person), activities, and other services.
These rates are for East African residents—please contact us for non-resident rates.
These rates and terms and conditions are valid for stays up until 8th January 2027.
Check-in – 2 pm, Check-out – 12 pm
Please contact us to make a booking
Please familiarize yourself with all the terms & conditions on our website when making a booking.
Bookings can only be confirmed upon receipt of payment. Until a booking is confirmed, availability is subject to change without notice.
