MOTHER IN LAW OR MONSTER IN LAW – THE TURTLE BAY VILLAS CAN ACCOMMODATE BOTH TYPES
(Posted 06th October 2020)
Just like an overload of saccharin, when you have spent a morning sucking on mabuyu (candied baobab seeds) as you write and surreptitiously sipping on the Fanta you had left over from last night’s pizza fest, so does one get slightly fed up of hotel life.
Turtle Bay Villas in Watamu is the antidote, offering the kind of accommodation any super-critical mother in law would approve of. Hence the title of this episode. Mothers-in Law are rarely considered in anybody’s travel plans, being as they are usually vilified at best, or ignored at the worst. So why not be the bigger person this year and take your mother-in-law on holiday with you this December? Has COVID taught you nothing about the urgency of kindness? Or even if your motives are a little less altruistic, you will still score a generous amount of points.
Arranged around a multitiered oblong swimming pool reminiscent of a turtle popping it’s head out of its shell, the 7 four-bedroom villas and 4 two-bedroom apartments are fully fitted with what a person could want because they are individually owned and rented out to you when the owner is not using them. As such you will find all the variables of a lived-in house, including bookshelves and sculptures, well-loved twin beds for the children and a lovely four-poster in the upstairs Master bed for Mum.
The veranda upstairs next the master bed in one of the houses is a revelation in how you can have a private corner to bask in the sunset amidst neighbors and not feel visible. I have a tendency of overthinking and sometimes just want to be outside to unwind my mind, but it has to be somewhere where nobody can see me. I am sure this is something most people can resonate with. Because these are home environments, the sounds of children and laughter are near, as well as the sound of the sea, with the beach a mere 100m away across the street outside the compound gate.
The community is well secured, with Mr. Rondo the Community Manager running a tight ship. Curt and clipped even in his Bermuda shorts, the manicured gardens reflect his management ethos: keep it neat and clean. Cracking a smile out of him was a little difficult but we got there eventually. However, you could tell that this this man took his job personally. He goes so far as so hang bedsheets around the 4 poster beds when the owners are not around to prevent moisture damage and such. Coast air is very humid and salty. The units have air conditioning, as well as ceiling fans for those like me who hate the artificial air.
One of my readers who has just watched this episode as I uploaded this morning has commented: “We actually stayed in the same villa 6 in mid-September for 3 nights. We were 4 sisters, 8 kids and 1 grandson. Minus Jacqui’s daughter, Chantelle and her daughter. It was so much fun. We had a BBQ on the last night and there are many excursions in the area, from snorkeling and BBQ at Mida Creek to visiting the Gede Ruins”.
There is also Ken’s Bio Snake Park, which is actually the Anti Venom Centre for East Africa, which I definitely plan on checking out when I am next in the coast from the 12th to the 22nd of October so keep your eyes peeled for those episodes.
So Turtle Bay villas are available to buy to stay, buy for rental, or daily holiday rates as well. To rent one of the 4 bed-villas for the day costs $150 in the low season and $200 in the high season, and the 2 bed apartments cost $100 in the low season and $150 in the high season. This is especially cost effective now as prices have been reduced to $120 for the villas. The cost of a maid and chef as well as insurance is included. You can also rent long-term for up to 6 months at $800 per month, however the additional costs of a chef, maid and insurance is now separately negotiated by you and paid directly to them. This allows for flexibility and convenience. Therefore, this is an excellent arrangement for Mother-in-Law, that you could even make permanent… the possibilities are endless.
To make a booking call Mr Rondo:
+254 727 728 212
Don’t forget to mention you saw it on The F.O.M.O. Travel show:
I promise you will get extra-special treatment.
Namaste.
Contact Achola Rosario via coalrosa@gmail.com if you are interested to have your location featured on the F.O.M.O. Travel Show and on www.ATCNews.org
