Hemingways Collection has announced that Hemingways Watamu will re-launch in January 2018 following a multi-million-dollar transformation.

The hotel will reveal a full refurbishment that cements its position as the leading property of its kind in the country.

With a stellar reputation, and guests who have visited year-in-year-out since Hemingways Watamu first opened in 1988, the hotel will retain its original spirit – whilst adding a new touch of African flare.

The new look maximizes the hotel’s idyllic setting at the heart of the Watamu Marine National Park – home to turtles, barracuda, whale shark and wonderful coral reefs.

The re-designed Hemingways Watamu will re-open with 39 bedrooms – including 13 brand-new deluxe ocean view rooms – and 21 Residences, offering one-, two- or four-bedroom apartments that will be available for purchase and as part of the hotel inventory.

The project has been led by South African firm DSA, while the result will be simple, clean and elegant.

Interiors will be characterised by plantation shutters, diaphanous-draped four-poster beds, and a laid-back modern coastal vibe.

Colours of the sea and sand come together with touches of driftwood and local materials.

Rooms will be spacious inside and out; every room and apartment will have a private balcony with an ocean view.

A new botanical swimming pool alongside the spa and modern gym will transform relaxation for guests on the Kenyan coast.

Treatments by Terres d’Afrique, an African skincare company that takes inspiration from the traditional uses of African plants, will help guests to fully relax into the Watamu pace of life.