Distant Relatives Ecolodge & Backpackers

Setting is lovely, most of the staff are really friendly, bar one. There was no kettle (electric or gas) in the communal kitchen so I was told to ask for boiling water at the bar. When I did one of the staff told me to boil water in a pot in the kitchen. I am not above boiling water in a pot but a) the pots and sparse utensils in the rather grimy kitchen were, well grimy and b) she was standing right next to an electric kettle when she told me this. She clearly just didnt want to help me. Thankfully one of her colleagues was really helpful and gave me a cup of boiling water. Another complaint is that most of my groceries were stolen out of the cupboard in the kitchen-yogurt, eggs, nuts, biscuits etc. You cant keep food in your room because of monkeys so seems like youre damned if you do, damned if you dont. Final complaint-I was only told on checking out that breakfast was included in my stay. This would have been helpful to know when I checked in rather. Other than that, was a great stay. Not sure Id come back but ja.

A must of you are visiting the Kenyan Kilifi County coast, and even if you live in the area like I do, this is a great Staycation. thurs nights are super cool with Jam nights, featuring creative, authentic African music - always different as its improv. The forest location is so relaxing, artwork adorns the property and great food too. rooms are basic but fine, with a shared toilet block, so good value as one isn't in the room much anyway. Great for digital nomads, and there is even a private quiet meeting room for remote meetings. Great vibes in a fun and multi cultural setting!

Booked two rooms for family members.Check in was seamless, friendly staff and will definitely recommend.

Very atmospheric and sociable place. Socially committed, sustainable and with a strong local base. A great place to hang out and relax. Great music events.

If you like hostel/backpackersl vibe, this is the place for you! There are not so many options in Kenya, so Distant Relatives really stands out. You will be surrounded by nature, friendly and helpful staff, animals (monkeys, cats, dogs, insects, birds) and interesting people. When it rains, the roof might be leaking in some rooms, but the administrator resolved the issue quickly and moved us to another room. Communal toilets and shower were always clean and well-maintained. The location is a bit far from the main beach but there are always boda bodas outside the gate, and you can also call a tuktuk. They host different events such as musical jams and night parties. The food in the restaurant is also very delicious! A few suggestions for improvement: 1. Communal kitchen is not very well equiped as there are few cooking items available, especially clean ones if someone who cooked before did not clean after themselves. Maybe additional pots for heating water for tea/coffee and a couple of more frying pans would be good to have. 2. There should be dedicated smoking areas or much more non-smoking areas. It was unfortunate that many people smoked around all the time meanwhile we came to enjoy nature and fresh air - it just did not feel right that in the Ecolodge smoking is allowed almost anywhere. 3. Music sound control. Sometimes I felt like the music in the bar area was a bit too loud for morning hours when I would prefer to relax in silence as the day unfolds, but maybe I could just ask to lower it a bit. Sometimes at night it was a bit noisy too and there was some noise at around 4 am on Sunday coming from the village (must be the church!) Just bring your ear protectors :)

Staying at distant relatives was an absolute treat! We arranged for a car to pick us up from Malindi airport when we booked our stay which was very helpful. The driver was there when we landed and it was a smooth drive. The grounds at DR are beautiful, check in was easy and we were given a tour of the area. It was great to have the option to have food/drink on the premises when we weren't out and about in town. Our room was so nice and cozy (so nice to have options from dorms to private rooms with private bathrooms all at very affordable prices). The pool was such a treat and there's so many areas to hangout outside, almost always right next to outlets, as well! The staff is very kind and helpful and there's always something to do. I would definitely stay here again when I visit Kilifi!!