Leopard Beach Resort & Spa

From the outside, this place looks a bit like an African village. Cue whitewashed walls, dark wood beams and lots of palm-thatching. What's more it's all set in a 30-acre tropical paradise of hibiscus, palm trees and untamed jungle – perfect for a private garden safari.

Inside, Leopard Beach Resort & Spa is like something out of a forgotten era. Open-plan areas and colonial accoutrements lend it an Out Of Africa air, with vast vaulted roof spaces, glossy tiled floors and muslin-draped daybeds. Pretty ponds and ornamental gardens plot a pathway to the poolside, as well as restaurants like the teak-deck Chui Grill, where seafood and steak are the order of the day.

The bedrooms come in two varieties, a sea-facing cottage or a room in the main hotel. They come with all the usual suspects such as a minibar, air-conditioning and TV. But the ultimate widescreen entertainment – troops of long-haired black and white Colobus’ going about their monkey business - can be seen from your bedroom window.

You’ll find it right by Diani Beach, just footsteps from the sand. As such, it comes with a side-order of sea sports like windsurfing and snorkelling. There’s a dive centre right on the sand, so you can catch the action below the waves.