Distant Relatives Ecolodge & Backpackers
Nature lodge in Kilifi, Kenya
Reasons to book
Great for petsBring all your friends and family, even the furry ones
High-end valuePrice for this property is higher than average in the area
Includes essentialsGarden, Pool, Pets allowed and more
About this nature lodge rental
Located at Kilifi Creek, just 3 km outside of town and surrounded by a community forest, Distant Relatives Ecolodge and Backpackers features a secluded beach area, a restaurant and outdoor pool.
Amenities
Pool
Pets allowed
Kitchen or Kitchenette
Internet / Wifi
Smoking allowed
Parking
Laundry
Balcony or Patio
TV
Wheelchair accessible
Gym or Fitness Center
Garden
Family friendly
Map of Kilifi, Kenya
Available Rooms
1 Bunk • 269 ft²
Sleeps 4
You'll be directed to Booking.com for availability & pricing
2 Single or 1 Queen • 96 ft²
Sleeps 2
You'll be directed to Booking.com for availability & pricing
1 Single • 645 ft²
Sleeps 1
You'll be directed to Booking.com for availability & pricing
1 Double • 269 ft²
Sleeps 2
You'll be directed to Booking.com for availability & pricing
$$$$
Ratings and reviews
100% verified reviews
4.5 / 5.0
Friendly staff, nothing was a problem, good bar and kitchen was ok too. The shower outside was amazing.
The compost toilet was smelly. Seems Im not so “green” to enjoy it. 😂
4.5 / 5.0
Instalaciones de 10, comida muy buena.
El acceso al complejo
4.5 / 5.0
The pool area was beautiful! Food was delicious, I recommend the mama zucchini so yummy! Staff was super friendly especially Phillip & Michael! Going down to the beach to see the glowing plankton at night was defo a highlight of our Kenya travels!
The mosquito nets were not the best so if you’re sensible when it comes to insects, maybe bring your own.
Also I had a weird moment with one of the staff members, unfortunately don’t know his name, but he took pictures of me without my permission which was kinda uncomfortable
4.5 / 5.0
The place is really nice and the atmosphere in there is super good.
The open mic is funny and on saturdays they also have live music.
Moreover, if you are interested in a sailing trip to see the sunset ask for Abuu, he is a man from Lamu who is doing this excursions with his "dhow", typical sailing boat. It is a nice trip and he is a really interesting guy.
I thought there'll be more offer of excursions. You can ask at the reception how to get to places, and they are really kind but there are not many activities planned, such a group excursions.
4.5 / 5.0
Amazing food. The best I had so far in Africa and for good prices.
Super friendly staff
Nice common areas
Good location
Nice vibe
Bugs in room because of no mosquitonets
Our room was near place for staff. They start to work early (7’ish). It’s a big staff, so it was a bit loud in the morning.
4.0 / 5.0
The staff were friendly and greet you by name (amazing!!) We we’re late arriving due to a flight delay, I received a message asking if I wanted to preorder dinner before the kitchen closed, and the menu was attached. The property was kept clean the entire time. The atmosphere is really casual and relaxed.
They had a and on the Friday night. They were great, but had some technical issues, which meant they started late and finished late. The music was going past 2am, which is fine for a lot of people. However I’m old, an go to bed by midnight, so it was a little much for me. But it wouldn’t stop my going back.
4.5 / 5.0
We got upgraded to bandas and so we were very lucky in this respect. Great staff, atmosphere, chill space, incredible bioluminescence, activities, games, mangroves and local snorkelling, huge food portions. We loved it and easily could have stayed longer.
The shared kitchen needs some attention to make the place perfect; bigger fridge, more pans, more kitchen equipment such as bowls, cutlery and serving spoons etc, spices. I think there should be some thought put into an eco water filter system for drinking water to prevent people buying single use plastics. Constructive criticism but kitchen could be improved.
4.0 / 5.0
Wonderful place in amazing nature. We highly appreciate sustainable approach and eco-concept.
3.5 / 5.0
Loved the environment beach and wooden dhow. Locals very friendly. Bed comfortable. Overall good.
No mats to dust feet before getting into bed.
Wasn’t told WiFi on arrival
Staff didn’t promote events
Weather was very rainy unfortunately
5.0 / 5.0
This pleace does everything right. Fabulous grounds, beautiful facilities, scrumptious food and from the ment you arrive you feel like home.
They have thought of everything to centre yoi as special and loved, and loke us you will want to move un and never leave. Do yourself a favout and whenever you are in Kilifi stay in this oasis i couldnt recommend it more.
Loved everything
4.0 / 5.0
I LOVE SUSTAINABILITY!!!!! So this was great. all their initiatives are amazing, they area everything about the set-up was great!
sometimes service was a little slow, but manageable…
5.0 / 5.0
I loved the different options for accommodation (from tents and firms up to private rooms and huts) and the many cosy places where you could spend your time during day and evenings. Pool was fresh and clean, toilets also very clean whenever we went there, the tropical garden created a fresh micro-climate and wonderful atmosphere and the innovative ideas of upcycling and low waste management is an encouraging step forward. Food was delicious (I loved the baobab smoothie!!), couldn’t get through all menu points we wanted to try! All staff was super friendly and helpful! if you book tours, don’t miss sunset dhow trip with ‘Popote’!!
Nothing we disliked; If you order food don’t expect low prices, but for us it was worth it. I was worried first (rainy season) that the open windows in the rooms might give big mosquito trouble - but with huge Miskito nets and fan they have - no problem at all. We hope they’ll continue developing even more sustainable ideas in the future!
5.0 / 5.0
I was supposed to stay for one night and ended up staying for a whole month! The property is amazing, so much space to chill, sit, talk. Pool is great, music is good. Menu is big, food is tasty. And the people working there are the absolute best! I felt really at home and wish I could have stayed longer. They also upgraded me from a tent to a private house, for free, just because it was empty, how nice! And even though I loved the tent, private terrace, view of the trees and monkeys, it was nice to have a private outside bathroom. So thanks guys! Hope to see you again!! I also want to promote Abu Popote and his sailboat (dhow). He is such an incredibly nice and genuine person. He can also cook for you on the boat, and sailing at sunset is great! I went sailing with him twice :).
Maybe a closer bathroom to the tents?
5.0 / 5.0
I was supposed to stay for 1 night, and ended up staying for a whole month! The property is amazing, so much space and so many places to relax, sit, talk. The menu is big, food is great. And the people working there are the absolute best! They also upgraded me from a tent to a house for free, just because it was empty. Even though I loved the tent, private little terrace, view of the trees and monkeys, a private bathroom was also very welcome. I felt really at home and would have loved to stay even longer! I also want to promote Abu Popote and his sailboat (dhow). I went on two trips with him and he is such an amazing human being. Very kind, knowledgable and a good sailor! I also heared he can cook for you on the boat. Great for sunsets as well!
Maybe a closer bathroom to the tents?
5.0 / 5.0
Stunning setting, comfortable common areas, friendl staff
nothing
3.5 / 5.0
Overall this is a nice place, with beautiful surroundings and a nice pool. Beautiful views of the woods and creek, where you can see the bioluminescence. The staff were nice and kind, and made an effort. The dorm room was actually very nice - big beds with good mosquito nets - and good value for money.
VERY loud music from morning until night. The music is great and I actually quite enjoyed it once I'd relaxed into that particular vibe - but its definitely not a quiet and peaceful place to stay, so just be aware of that if you are looking for accommodation that's a bit more tranquil and quiet. Bar prices are also very expensive, and its quite far from the main town. The dorms are affordable but private rooms more expensive.
4.5 / 5.0
I came here for 2 nights and stayed for nearly a week. Absolutely stunning place with such lovely and helpful staff. which made the place hard to leave and a joy of a experience to stay. I’d recommend this place to anyone travelling to the Kenyan coast. beautiful rooms, bed and showers too.
the beach that is near the property isn’t very nice but your only a 10 min motorcycle ride to the nice beaches. Also found it slightly frustrating that I got told it was 100 Ksh to refill water but turned out to be 200 Ksh. yet, it meant it was 4 times the price to buy a bottle of water from the store. most ECO hostels I stay in have given free water or at least it’s cost the same as the supermarket. that was my only downside!
5.0 / 5.0
Beautiful accommodation surrounded by nature with walking distance from the beach at the creek! I’ve stayed here for a month working remotely, could have easily stayed longer! Such amazing vibes and staff and felt super chill and at home <3
5.0 / 5.0
Super chill and friendly, everything is really perfect
4.5 / 5.0
Unique place in the middle of lush vegetation, within walking distance from a small beach at the creek. One has to admire that a group of friends once started this eco-lodge, at a time when there was hardly any other development or tourism facility in Kalifi. I stayed in a self-contained banda with my partner and 4-year-old. A lot of care and thought has been put into the interior and decorations. I loved the outdoor shower under the waving bamboo trees and the compost toilet. Food served at the restaurant is good with a nice, varied menu on offer.
2.5 / 5.0
The entire place is just beautiful and created with so much attention to detail. The pool is amazing! The walk to the river is really nice.
Big lush trees, lots of places to hang out, good wifi, very good menu and food. Lots of things to do. Excellent for people who likes party, loud music and sleeping in dorms. Kitchen and cleaning staff really nice.
Private double room really pretty.
Nice big common kitchen for doing your own cooking.
Very clean shared toilets.
They will charge you 4 % more than the price on Booking.com and they dont put this fee on the bill. I asked for a bill that shows the entire amount I paid, hopefully they will send it to me.
The many "Don't do" signs.
Staff seems busy looking into their phones and almost never smile. It doesn't matter how many days you stay, they will not remember your name.
Did not make me feel at home at all. First time I had this experience in Kenya.
They have a lot of day guests, and I guess that brings in the money for them, but it does create a weird and loud environment for the people paying for accommodation.
I spoiled myself with a private double room for 40 USD. Definitely not good value for money, but I think the dorms are excellent value for money.
Music was so loud most of the time, except for my last day, where it was really pleasant. First night, a bar on the other side of the road had crazy loud music until 3 am
Private room has open windows with metal bars. Monkeys come in to your room. They never did any damage to my things though.
Insects leaving piles of residue all over the bed and floor. Otherwise very clean.
No A/C, no toilet but a private shower.
5.0 / 5.0
It's a great place, it's comfortable, safe & clean & the staff were great. Best of all, it is a proper eco-lodge, great care has been taken to make everything sustainable, recyclable, and still beautiful and lovely place to be. I particularly loved the roofless shower with the bamboo creaking above it, so charming.
If you stay in a dorm & cook in the guest kitchen, it will be a very inexpensive way to enjoy a wonderful place, but why not have some meals and drinks from the bar, they are good!
Special thank you to Brian, Hamisi, & Beth for your constant help, smiles & good humour, and to Musa for the permaculture tour, which was really interesting & inspiring.
You can walk down to a pretty little beach on the creek in a few minutes, but this is not the best place in Kilifi to relax & swim, especially for a solo woman. But there's a pool or you can take a boda down to beautiful Bofa beach.
4.5 / 5.0
Everything is great! Facilities amazing and the location. Loved having the pool and great food too. Showers were so cool!!
The toilets are quite far from the tents - not ideal for a late night wee! Also it is crazily expensive compared with local prices. Kind of worth it but we spent A LOT more than intended.
5.0 / 5.0
amazing pool and accommodation, very chilled out staff. it was a struggle to leave! 5 mins walk to the beach (to see the luminescent plankton) and easy to get into town. Good Wi-Fi.
having to leave eventually
3.5 / 5.0
Pool was nice and place had a lot of potential. Our room was spacious
Staff were lazy. Dirty plates were left sitting on tables for long periods even when staff weren’t busy. Strange set up with a shower in the bedroom but no toilet. Also odd that there was no actual windows, just bars going across the window place (especially when the area has monkeys and mosquitos). No hot water (not the end of the world but given what we were paying per night you would expect hot water).
4.5 / 5.0
Nice accommodations with clean toilets and showers. The place is surrounded by nature and it is amazing seeing so much wildlife moving around.
Prices of bar and restaurant are quite expensive for backpackers considering that there is not much in the surroundings. The fridge at the shared kitchen was also quite small for the amount of guests, thus is is not worth going to buy food outside since you have no place to store fresh food.
3.5 / 5.0
the dorms were spacious, and the beds were very comfortable. (Lockers would be a great addition!) Though the pool was usually in need of cleaning....it was nice to cool off!
there wasn't a friendly vibe that I've experienced at most other backpackers. In four days, the staff never asked if I needed anything, or even said hello.....I think this behavior created the lack of friendly vibe throughout the property. And I was shocked at the restaurant prices...very disconnected from what backpackers want/need. (Prices were close to western/European prices.) Also, this was my first eco-lodge in Africa that charged for water refills (a price that was high enough to make it cheaper to buy/use plastic! )
4.5 / 5.0
The activities/food
No toilets in room
4.5 / 5.0
Everything
Open room so none of the 3 nights was possible to rest by night with noises from around..
FAQs
How much does this nature lodge cost compared to others in Kilifi, Kenya?
The average price for a rental in Kilifi, Kenya is $79 per night. This rental is $1 above the average.
Is parking included with this nature lodge?
Yes, parking is listed as an amenity at Distant Relatives Ecolodge & Backpackers. For more information, we encourage you to contact the property about where to park.
Is there a pool at this nature lodge?
Yes, a swimming pool is available for use at Distant Relatives Ecolodge & Backpackers. Enjoy the water!
Is Distant Relatives Ecolodge & Backpackers pet friendly?
Yes! This nature lodge is pet-friendly. For more information, we recommend contacting the booking provider about animal policies.
What amenities are available at Distant Relatives Ecolodge & Backpackers?
We found 13 amenities for this rental. This includes pool, pets allowed, kitchen or kitchenette, internet / wifi, and smoking allowed.
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