On an unspoilt island just 15 minutes flight south from Mombasa lies Funzi island, home to one of the most special beach lodges in Kenya – the Funzi Keys. The lodge is the brainchild of a charming Swiss Alessandro Torriani, who imparts a wonderfully relaxed ambience to the place with his delightfully self-deprecating sense of humour and easy hospitality.

The are 17 huge cottages here, the best of them the 9 Deluxe Beachfront rooms that lie sprinkled literally on the edge of the beach, with the sea at high tide almost reaching to your door (that’s if your cottage actually had one – the spaces for doors and windows are covered instead by mosquito-unfriendly mesh allowing you to wake every morning to the gentle sound of the ocean)

The cottages themselves are enormous (possibly even too big!) with cool slate floors, a fan and open mesh covered windows allowing in the refreshing sea breezes and keeping things comfortable. Speaking of comfort, guests get to luxuriate in massive 4-poster double beds draped in white muslin.rooms that lie sprinkled literally on the edge of the beach, with the sea at high tide almost reaching to your door

The pace at Funzi Keys is unashamedly relaxed and informal with no dress code or fixed meal times. Why not relax with a drink in one of the loungers or hammocks dotted around the huge freshwater pool as you watch the local fishing dhows sailing slowly by, enjoy a blissful massage from the resident therapist, or get dropped off with your partner on a deserted sandbar for the ultimate romantic picnic.

At the heart of the lodge is the Omani-influenced main building, an informal yet stylish area in keeping with the entire feel of Funzi Keys. Here you can relax in a chunky sofa stuffed with colourful Swahili cushions in the comfortable lounge area or enjoy a drink from the dhow-shaped bar. Its all very much a barefoot and casual affair, even in the bar and restaurant. Most meals are enjoyed in the upstairs restaurant which enjoys lovely views out over the Indian Ocean, although we’d probably prefer that the glass panels shielding the area from the wind weren’t there.

If you’re looking to be a little more energetic, there’s plenty on offer too – sailing, canoeing and windsurfing, creek fishing, boat trips to the sandbank (the beach at the lodge itself is not as good), dolphin spotting, scuba diving and snorkelling in the Kisite Marine Park, or perhaps a boat trip up the Ramisi River or Funzi Creek. Or if you’re keen on deep sea fishing, the legendary Pemba Channel beckons.

After a busy (or lazy) day, there’s little to touch relaxing with a long, cold sundowner (the lodge has been built on the western side of Funzi Island, so it is one of the few in East Africa that actually gets to enjoy the sunset) as the fire for the night’s beach barbeque is lit.

Huge and very comfortable rooms equipped with massive baths perfect for wallowing about in after a day in the sun and water

Fantastic massages help you to get rid of any remnants of city stress

Wonderfully imginative dining places - sometimes on sandbanks, or on the beach with beach bags around a fire, othertimes in your bungalow - and the freshest seafood!

The beach immediately in front of the lodge doesn't have the clear aqua waters of Zanzibar for instance - but the sandbanks nearby are gorgeous

Personally we're not crazy about slate floors, preferring screed