Zanzibar Holidays 2024 / 2025 | Destination2 (2024)

cherry girl

Overall if you don’t spend much time in the room everything else is quite nice. Service is great and the staff is really friendly. The whole resort looks great and you can spend great time there. The rooms are okay if you don’t let any bugs in there but we had a small fight with several bugs. I also got Tanzinite ring from the resort and the quality is great and prices of the jewels are also okay. The experience I had was memorable.

Soňa Nárožná

Super !! it is wonderful here and I recommend everyone to come. the food is great, there is also a reptile restaurant with a bar. the employees are friendly, the rooms are clean. this resort is great! there is a safe, guarded place. I even lost my phone and they found it :) funny, it wouldn't happen in my country. I love Africa, I love Uroa Bay Beach Resort.. you can also do trips, various experiences. come here and you won't be disappointed!

Anita Hari

Very well organized Resort. Congratulations and thx very much! ❤️ This is very important for the essential welfare in Africa. First: there is 0-24 local Doctor at the resort, he is super thorough and cute. Second: there is a very professional, very strict Chef, the menu was amazing and delicious every day. Third: the Staff is very-very nice.You can go everywhere around the hotel or the places further away with a nice local driver as well. Zanzibar is wonderful.

Ziphathele H Sibanyoni

Rooms were neat but door to bathroom broken. Finishes were broken. Cleaning staff did however provide fresh towels and clean the room well. Reception staff terrible. Security at the gate terrible. Our group had an incident with the wife of the owner/supervisor who ended fighting with us. Beautiful beach but too far from activities almost 2 - 3 hours drive to everything. They also do not give options of different transports or your guides. Monopolise tour guides and transport to only 2ppl. Food was blend.

Tish Ramsahai

The time finally arrived for our long-anticipated holiday to Zanzibar. We were met with wonderful resort staff upon arrival at the resort who made the check in procedure seamless after a long journey. Despite plumbing and air conditioning issues, the maintenance team timeously solved these problems to make out stay pleasant which allowed us to continue with the excitement that we initially had from the time we had left South Africa.The room offered a spectacular view of the ocean especially during sunrise and sunset. The large rooms and well accommodated veranda were equipped with garden furniture allowing us to enjoy the natural breeze that the resort and near ocean setting had to offer. The excursion sales group was extremely helpful with offering the best and most affordable rates to visit the main attractions within Zanzibar and the breathtaking experiences of visiting places such as the Kuza Cave, snorkelling experiences, stown town and the unforgettable experience of being able to view and swim with the dolphins.This experience suffered a turn of events when we were informed that our booking ends on Saturday morning at 10:00 AM even though we had informed our travel agent that we would like to have this extended until 9:00 PM which was the planned time of departure for the flight to South Africa. We were thrilled when a staff member(Ruth) was able to reserve our assigned room at an additional fee of 100 USD which included meals/beverages , however according to my booking I had already paid a fee for meals/beverage until check 9 pm – for our departure to the airport. However, despite making numerous requests to the reception staff and telephonic calls to the Uroa Bay staff for the housekeeping team to attend to our room it appears as though the housekeeping team refused to clean our room. After a period of about four hours, we had finally received clean linen – bath towels only and the room not made. It appears these requests were frivolous however these requests fell on deaf ears. We finally checked out and was requested to rate our stay which we declined due to the disgusting services received.

Ulana Cole

NOT GOOD! Weather was hot and very humid and a/c units did NOT work. No glass windows only screens so couldn’t keep inside cool AT ALL. Sheets were stained in bed and wet from humidity. Ants in the bathroom on walls. Showers would not drain. Bats hung at night from the top of the grass roofs that cover your room and their waste would drop on top off your rooms roof which in turn made the rooms smell like urine terribly bad. Food was so-so. Bath towels smelled terrible. Electricity went out all the time. Wi-Fi was a hit and miss. Staff were nice and friendly. Location/beach was beautiful!

Dori Travels

The beach bungalows and restaurant offer an excellent view of the ocean, making this location a great place to stay. The property is covered in fine white sand and provides enough sunbeds and benches. Trees are also present in abundance, offering shade on hot days. However, be cautious around pine trees as they can hurt your feet when walking barefoot.The rooms are spacious but could use a bit of modernization. Each beach bungalow has a swing on the terrace, ideal for relaxing and listening to the waves. The pool is located in the back of the property, protected from the wind, and provides a great opportunity to watch birds and baboons.The hotel is situated in a secluded area, offering peace and quiet. There are hardly any beach boys or Masaai trying to sell things on the beach. However, if you're looking for entertainment and parties, this isn't the right place. You can walk to Paje in 10 minutes, where there are lots of stores, bars, and parties on the beach.Paje is on the east side of the island and experiences strong tides. At low tide, swimming is not possible. However, you can enjoy long walks on the beach. Don't forget to wear bathing shoes, as there are sea urchins everywhere!

Eszter Kiss

A complete tourist trap!!!! I don’t recommend to anyone to stay here. The food is terrible, the house is impossible to keep clean. There are no windows so the air conditioning and the cleaning is only for show, in 5 minutes the sea breeze will fill the place with sand, ants everywhere and spiders hanging from corners and decorative walls (they don’t even have a vacuum cleaner). If it rains all your clothes, your bed sheets, towels will be wet and it’s impossible to dry them out. The people are apparently nice but their bad English and unprofessional attitude will bother after 1-2 days. (All of them will come to you during breakfast asking if you slept well - they don’t listen or care about your answer) but when you need a drink in the middle of the day they are nowhere to be found. You also have to beg them to take away empty bottles or dirty glasses from your bungalow. If you don’t ask for sealed bottled water they will try to trick you into drinking tap water from glass bottles. The manager says come to me with any problem, I got food poisoning the last days and when I told him, he said it was impossible because we all ate the same food. No concern, no “are you feeling good? Do you need medication”. Just to be clear, I ate the whole day at the hotel, I ordered tomato sauce spaghetti (no meat) because I thought there is no way to go wrong with it. Other guests witnessed that I got sick after dinner but to the manager it was impossible. The only good thing about this place is the landscape but don’t be fooled, after 2 days you will want to leave and won’t be allowed to (no money back, doesn’t matter that the conditions don’t fit what they sold you). The beach is also dirty and smells from algae and dead fish. When I arrived the pool was dirty too, they cleaned that the next day.

Dr.Darshan Kumar

Great location, checkin and greet was excellent. Staff are very friendly and welcoming. Rooms are great but can be improved with little bit refurbishment and upholstery cleanliness. Staff was very accommodating and provided extra bed and mosquito net. Food and entertainment was well planned and organised.Would like to extend special thanks to the manager Saurabh who ensured everything was comfortable for us.

David Ehle

Decent hotel. Rooms are good enough, although they need upgrading. Staff service is nice and friendly, sometimes a bit slow. Pool area needs to be built anew, and investments on new sunbeds are necessary. Same goes for the sunbeds close to the sea. Eating is ok, dinner is better than breakfast. Get tours, otherwise you will get bored quickly.

Simon Richards

Nice hotel on a really lovely beach. The day-to-day staff are the stars of the show, the front desk team are lovely, the rooms were cleaned well and the bar and food staff were all really friendly. On top of that the ‘animators’ Kani and Momo were great with checking in and organising things around the hotel during the day and in the evenings. We had the half board option, breakfasts were nice but the dinners were quite similar each night so we ended up eating down the beach a few nights (Chichi’s is a local restaurant, 5min walk, with great food and cheap prices!). Would recommend not booking with the hotel for excursions - we did it for ease, but the costs were very high and the service quite poor in comparison to the hotel. Note that the ‘Safari Blue’ offered by the hotel isn’t the official safari blue, but a knockoff version, which isn’t made clear - and everyone on our boat was charged $50pp including transport, whereas ours through the hotel was $130pp. Unfortunately when we raised this the Operations Manager for the hotel was incredibly rude - we proposed an amount we thought was fair for the service rather than the full price, she made a big issue of it, before accepting our original proposal - which left a really sour taste from what had been a good stay. The remainder of the stay was a 4*, but the Operations Manager’s behaviour reflects really poorly on the hotel - good thing she’s not in a customer service role!

Robert Walton

Kena Beach is an extremely peaceful and relaxing hotel with beautiful gardens, spacious fully-detached rooms, large bathrooms, indoor and outdoor showers, many food options, a dive centre, and wonderful staff. It was the perfect retreat after 10 days of safari and we didn't want to leave. We travelled with our father/father-in-law, and he was there a few days before us alone. The staff looked after him so well. He also learned to dive with the great dive centre Scubafish. We went B&B but had lunch in the hotel everyday as well, and some dinners. The food is good value. There are also many options for dinner nearby, and we particularly liked walking along the beach to The Rock and Seles.The beach is great is beautiful. The whole place is very relaxing and quiet but with the excitement of diving. The perfect place to rest and recharge. Would definitely return.

K J

THIEVES WORK HERE and the hotel doesn't care. We had multiple items taken from our locked room while staying here. We notified staff in writing and recieved no response. AVOID AT ALL COSTS if you don't want to be robbed on your holiday and then have nothing done about it. Was prepared to believe it was one bad egg ruining our holiday but the absolutely disgusting lack of service and/or care highlights that this is a deeply rooted issue and they aren't worthy of guests.

Sheila Mary

We stayed for a few nights here and also went to the dive shop!They have air conditioning in the rooms which is great and also a spa on site, and wifi throughout the rooms and hotels. The staff is super friendly and accommodating. We got the breakfast package and then charged the other things to the room (it's cheaper to pay cash). The buffet was great and changed every night. They also changed their drink specials every day which is nice! The drinks are made with fresh fruit (there is fresh fruit everyday with all the meals available as well). They do offer all inclusive food packages but I decided not to do it so I could eat at other restaurants at the beach.Con: regular meals (not buffet) can be pricey for the portions you receive.Bedroom had a outdoor patio and outdoor shower which was nice.They even have two robes and a safety box in the room.Overall I would recommend staying here and they offer services like spa, and tours at the front desk.Don't forget to bring cash to tip!

Alexa Nell

We had such a lovely time with Hishma and the team at Kena where we enjoyed our honeymoon! We were treated like family and looked after very well. Nothing was too much trouble and everyone was super friendly. The rooms are beautiful, the food delicious and the atmosphere very relaxing. We would highly recommend a visit here and wish we could return every year!

Sebastian F

I spent 5 days in this hotel. The hotel is located in a beach which is quiet and has a significant change of tide, during low tide is not possible to swim. The beach is clean and the sea is beautiful. An advantage to this hotel is that it is not in a touristic area hence less hassle from sellers and people offering things all the time as in the other beaches. The area is quiet, so you have to think of relaxing and enjoying the time in the hotel or taking some tours. I highly recommend this hotel, the people working are very kind and the food is great, with lots of options for vegetarians. It is a must to take at least half board.

Robert F

Plus: the staff, food, setup, familiarity, coziness, pools.Big minus: the difference between high and low tides is 3 meters. 6 hours a day there is no sea to swim. The sea water is overheated, full of seaweed and garbage items. This is due to the reef being like a kilometer away and blocking water exchange. This hotel is no good for beach and sea lovers.

Victoria Sutter

The people there were absolutely fantastic! They are so nice and friendly - we even became friends with Omar from the reception and Belo who didn't only cook our food, but also teached us some Kiswahili. We'll love to come back one day! Also the hotel itself, the food, the beach and the activities there were really good - we really enjoyed our stay!

Verca Verca

The hotel is in a quiet location right next to the beach. Excellent wifi by African standards, constant electricity, air conditioning. Breakfast in the form of a buffet, which is also not common in Africa. Pleasant staff, helpful staff at the reception, where they exchange money for local currency. If needed, they will provide transportation from and to the airport. 1 way $50. Pools clean, sure to make up for missing water at low tide. The food is delicious, everyone will choose. They also take into account diets. A gluten-free diet is not a problem. Beds comfortable. I can only recommend.

Andrea Menandro

I spent 3 days with my family and overall we had a good time. The room was nice and with a great view on the ocean and beds were comfy. The bathroom was also good even if the shower lacks the hand shower. The staff was super friendly and ready to help. The pools are great, there's also a small one where our 2yo has lot of fun. The area is super quiet, same for the beach. WiFi is ok, average for Zanzibar I'd say.The hotel weakness is the food. Overall there's a lack of quality and skills from the staff: overcooked eggs in the morning, poor salads, even the fish was the worst tried on the island. I save the dinner grill who saved our meals. Same for the co*cktails, they can do better. This is linked to the preparation of the staff who sometimes proved to be a bit amateur. The attitude is great but it's not enough for a 4-star structure.

Tracey McLennan

Absolutely fabulous. We were there over Christmas and it was amazing. The resort and staff are so accommodating, the food was delicious. Can highly recommend it and will definitely go back again.

Thea Britz

Thank you to Gladness and her team, for always being so friendly and helpful.You helped to make our stay from 5 November to 14 November 2023 a memorable idyllic experienceThe food and our room were great, thank you!!Gladness, thank you for going the extra mile for us!We will definitely recommend Karafuu to all our friends.

jena

الإنجليزية:The hotel is very relaxing and peaceful. I enjoyed relaxing during my vacation and taking a few trips, which were beautiful and safe through the hotel's official booking office. I also enjoyed the diving and snorkeling trips from the diving center, which were really good and cooperative. The food is excellent and varied, especially the seafood restaurant, but it was only spoiled by the noise of the beach (too many people talking at the same time). The spa is wonderful and the location is magical. The Eve program was very good (I really liked the masseuse Natasha). I hope to meet you again soon.

dave knox

Excellent hotel. Great service and a perfect location. Few problems ɓut not suitable for anyone with a disability, too many steps. Also when booking out every thing steps. No food drink or even tea or coffee No matter how long your wait

Konstantine Dobromilskiy

we liked the hotel, stayed in j. suite with ocean view, whole bungalow was ours. everything was great. food was ok. (just consider that you're in africa with all possible shortages). hotel staff were perfect

Lorcan Carlsen

The resort itself was really enjoyable to stay at. There were lots of activities to keep busy and they had a daily shuttle into Stone Town. Taking a day swim in the ocean just takes some careful and patient walking because of the beach sand/urchins.There was a large variety of food on offer at each meal, but everything was always tasty.The rooms were spacious, clean and beautiful. The hairdryer wasn't working but it didn't matter.The staff were super friendly, helpful and accommodating.

Eman

Beautiful hotel to spend your vacation in their service and help is superb and the amenities and facilities are great. It’s not that far from the airport and the roads and smooth. I highly recommend it for families or couples. If you were looking for beach access they have three different accesses.

Teuntje Braaf

We really enjoyed our stay at the Seacliff Resort. A beautiful resort with every comfort and luxury. It is clean and tidy, wide choice of food and drinks. We have not lacked anything. We stayed here for over a week and enjoyed it very much. We would like to thank Ashley for her great efforts, she did everything she could every day to make our stay as pleasant as possible. Everyone on the staff did their utmost. But Ashley stood out for us. She is an asset to the resort and has a heart of gold! Ashley and the whole staff big big thanks!!!

Jennifer Jones

I absolutely enjoyed my stay at Sea Cliff Hotel. My husband and l were allocated a room that was a bit tired and small however when l told the Public Relations Manager about my plan to move to another hotel she kindly upgraded me to a Suite. That’s what l call good service.The Front Desk staff were very friendly esp Diana.Will l recommend this hotel - YES!!

V M

The location is very very beautiful. The staff is very friendly and nice. There is cleanliness. There is a great variety of food and drinks. You can enjoy live music at dinner at night,

Diogo Novo

I’m Super Grateful to the General Manager and All his Team that made our stay truly Amazing and unforgettable!!! They are just in a league of their own! Sweetest, Nicest and Kindest people ever! Everything was beyond Amazing! From our suite with private pool to the best food I ever tried… I’m usually not a morning person but here I was able to go for a swim in the sea at sunrise and the water was just perfect! You wouldn’t even feel any temperature difference while entering in the water! You guys are Beyond Amazing and we’re forever Grateful! Can’t wait to come back 😀👍🤗

Katarína Minárik

Our stay in this hotel was perfect - clean, spacious and modern rooms, nice swimming pool, beautiful green environment around the hotel, nice beach. What was most amazing though is the staff, always helpful and very friendly. Special thanks to our young friend Haroun, who took care of us practically the whole time we were there, Abdulhamid & Laurent, Doctor, Kamis, Sharif or Mr. Will Smith of Zanzibar :), Olivia, Mildred and others. You made our stay unforgettable! We would definitely love to return back to Zanzibar and to this hotel. Asante sana :)

Peter Sokan

The management have to look into the restaurant most especially in the food area, there were lots of flies on the food for the customers to serve during the breakfast and lunch time.The management should look in to this and do the necessary correction. I should suggest if the the management can put automatic doors and air comditioner both in the serving and eating areas as this will not let the flies touch the food. Flies are carriers of diseases that can affect people's internal organs.The staff both in the kitchen and the eating area are very lovely and good. They should keep their good services up. I can recommend the services of the staff to whoever want to come down to the hotel.The administrative staff are good but they should keep their records up to date. Myself, my wife and our family friends that lodged in the hotel were emberraced when were about to leave the hotel. They asked us for the money that we have already paid before we arrived for our lodging.If the management can look into the above comments and put things right, people will love to come down for resting and funs.

Joyce Muthoni

We had a beautiful 3 night stay with my husband and it was one of our best experiences. Very warm welcome, check in was not cumbersome. We had a beautiful suite with a private pool, the service was amazing and everyone was so friendly. We will definitely go back there again.

londoner2304

This review covers a 7 night stay in February 2024 by a family of 2 adults and 2 young kids.GRAND LUX SUITE: a sizeable suite advertised at 115m. I believe the bedroom and bathroom area of the suite are similar to that of a standard room, but the suite also offers a fully separated living area. The highlight of the suite is the outdoor area, which has a larger than expected private pool (albeit not exactly private as overlooked by other rooms), a ‘sunken lounge’ seating area, and a beachfront location. It is a nicely appointed suite with good air conditioning and comfortable bedding, although there were surprising signs of wear & tear given the resort is still new. We also weren’t a fan of the sunken lounge which is quite uncomfortable to sit in.BEACH: very picturesque with white sand beaches and nice shades of blue water. Due to tides, actual swimming in the beach is only possible for a couple of hours a day, although exploring the seabed during low tide was interesting as well. There is a current in the water as well as seaweed and other debris, plus there were loads of buskers giving you the hard sell on tours, bracelets and other stuff, this was pretty relentless! Thankfully this was out of sight when on the property itself (which is at a slightly higher elevation), allowing you to enjoy those beautiful views uninterrupted.MAIN POOL: well-sized with a small kiddies section (60cm depth). Sun loungers around the pool were limited, even more so if you wanted to be in the shade, but we did manage to find something whenever we visited. In the blazing hot weather, the water was usually at a pleasant temperature, almost too warm at times.KIDS CLUB: pretty sparse with a TV and some arts and crafts, plus a small outdoor area with a slide and swings. However, this was more than made up for by the excellent staff working at the kids club – Norah and Fadhila – who went above and beyond expectations, for example coming out to the pool or popping up unprompted during the evening entertainment to look after our kids.RESTAURANTS: a weak point. The main restaurant serves a buffet format for all 3 meals and the food was mostly average and uninspiring. The breakfast buffet was very standard, again nothing to get excited about. A meal at the newly opened Lebanese restaurant Samaa was worse than the buffet. Generally dry meat dishes and an order of lamb chops which was so tough it was almost inedible. In contrast, the poolside lunch venue was not bad. Other things to note: i) no air conditioning and limited fans in the restaurants; ii) not many local restaurants located within a short drive from the hotel, so non-hotel alternatives are limited.SERVICE: we were pleasantly surprised by how friendly and genuinely happy the staff were. That said, while basic requests were dealt with efficiently, any request that was even slightly unusual would tend to result in long delays. For example when we asked for some sun loungers to be placed outside our suite, this caused mass confusion and ended up taking over 3 hours to materialise. Also note there is no concierge service at the hotel, they have outsourced this to a large tour agency who provided delayed, impersonal responses.CONCLUSION: an enjoyable stay despite a few niggles. The beautiful aesthetics of the resort gave off tropical paradise vibes, and combining this with super friendly staff, it was difficult to be in anything other than a good mood! The price point of the rooms and incidentals are quite reasonable, so factoring in value for money, some concessions can be made on the occasionally confused service or other shortcomings. That said, the food offering is the one area where there is obvious room for improvement. I hope this is something that can be addressed in future…

James Raymond

It’s a real good hotel, the rooms are very comfortable and the pools. Also the evening entertainment is mesmerizing to watch but the best part of it is food and staff members of the hotel are really heartwarming. I’d like to come back next time again with a lot of friends

Nebila Abdulmelik

It's a beautiful, new resort. Luxurious as most of the rooms either have a jacuzzi on the balcony or a shared pool for the block if on the ground floor. The main buffet has a beautiful view of the water. The pools are fantastic. The decor is incredible.Food takes a bit of time so you have to be patient.

Marius Ginaitis

Clean and good rooms. Good staff. The administration is trying to solve all the problems. Delicious food. Good alcoholic drinks and co*cktails. There is always free space at the sunbeds. You can swim in the sea from the stairs, because there is no beach.

bedour ogeil

Just a beautiful slice of heaven for our honeymoon and a place we will definitely be coming back to and recommending to all of friends and family.This property is so beautiful. The sunsets are something out of a movie.When we checked in and we instantly got upgraded to a better room where the sunset views with the pool were just the highlight of our day. It was our honeymoon and it was one of the most memorable stays of our whole honeymoon and I told my husband we will definitely be back for our one year anniversary and stay in the same room.The room, the food, THE BREAKFAST, the facilities the service and cleanliness are high level.Thank you so much for everything really this stay has meant the world to us. We can't wait to do it again with KWANZA 🫶🏽🌞🌴✨

Marquia Nottingham

Overall Staff was amazing. Room service Martha and Tamali were great! Guys at the bar serving drinks were amazing they deserve a raise because I’m sure they aren’t being paid enough.

Jim Smith

Large rooms with sea view and outside bath amazing but large rooms only have one Aircon unit that is not enough. Too hot in rooms. Lovely museum hotel with history going back to 1557.

Synne Marie Nisted

A calm, beautiful and great place to stay. Me and my family was there for two nights and really enjoyed our two days there. Good food, very kind staff and great location!

Johann B.Dalton

In Paje one of the best quality price locations.Everybody writes about the tide but that is up to you when you plan your travel.Cannot control nature, but understand it is a big factor if unknown..In general we were very happy..Very peaceful, stuff all very nice..

Mugdha Tasgaonkar

Perfect location with best service!Staff is very kind and helpful. Resort is beautiful and clean. Food was delicious. I loved the lady who makes omelet!Egon who manages customer requests is very polite, good in communication and handling requests. As soon as I arrived, Egon explained me resort map and timings which was very helpful. I never had this service in any other resorts. I was a solo traveller and Egon helped me get to know surrounding activities and arranged car service.You can enjoy quite time for yourself without anyone bothering you!Kite surfing school is located in the resort private beach- very helpful and kind team. Beautiful private beach! Rooms are cute little hut kind of style.Loved my stay!

T S

I would like to share my review of our stay at this hotel in Paje, where we had planned to spend four nights. We chose this all-inclusive hotel, only to discover that it was anything but all-inclusive. The advertising for all-inclusive is far from the truth. Upon check-in, we were informed that all-inclusive only applied from 11 AM to 11 PM, and anything ordered outside those hours, including water, incurred extra charges.Both lunch and dinner consisted of a main course and dessert, with a minimum wait time of 30 minutes for the food. Snacks were not included in the all-inclusive package; they came at an additional cost. Regular drip coffee was included, but cappuccinos and other coffee drinks were extra, which seemed absurd.The hotel rooms were mediocre at best, with very firm beds and pillows. The beach was crowded with vendors, and they had umbrellas that couldn't be folded down. There was also a large tree right above their "private beach," making it impossible to sunbathe on the beach without being hassled by vendors.I must say, I don't understand how this hotel has earned its stars, as it certainly doesn't live up to the quality it claims to offer. I would strongly advise against booking the all-inclusive package at this hotel and wasting your money here. I won't be returning, and I won't recommend this hotel to anyone.The only star I give is for the bar staff and beach staff who was very friendly and made the visit bearable.

Martin Pelletier

This was a great stay with delicious food and very friendly staff. There's a concrete wall between the beach chairs and the beach itself. The beach was also full of algae so we therefore spent more time at the swimming pool and the swim bar. The room was spacious and the bed was comfortable. The hotel is 90 minutes from the airport so I would stay there for longer than 2 nights if I were to stay again at this hotel.

Kathie Nunley

The resort is beautiful. The staff are very very friendly and hospitable. The views from the beach are gorgeous.There are three restaurants and several bars to choose from. Breakfast includes cooked to order eggs or omelettes as well as waffles. The dinner is very good. I thought the prices were very reasonable. I had curried chicken for dinner for $13 and a beer was $5.There is a fitness center that is open 24/7 but the treadmill is very old and doesn't work very smoothly but there's a good selection of weights and an elliptical. The grounds are meticulously maintained.The rooms are beautifully presented. Air conditioner is excellent. There is a coffee and tea service in the room with packaged instant coffee. And there are two very large one liter bottles of water that are restocked each day.The only real negative and the reason I only gave it four stars is because of how difficult it is to get to. It is a 1 to 2 hour drive from the airport, depending on traffic... And the roads once you get to Nungwi are atrocious.

Sarah L

The location of this property and the views were astonishing. The rooms were spacious, clean and no matter where you stayed, you were close to everything. On top of all of that, the staff was absolutely incredible. Every single member who I interacted with was so helpful and genuine and they had security everywhere, so you always felt safe.The bad? We did the stay 4 get 1 deal and by day 3, we were very sick of the food. Buffet for breakfast and dinner and lunch options didn't change, but there also weren’t too many options outside of the resort, so we were kind of stuck with what we got. Additionally, the gift shop pricing was insane. I needed sunscreen and it was $40 USD! I wandered out and was able to get some for $20, but I guess that's what happens when you stay in a tourist trap.

Thomas Born

Super nice and friendly staff. Great beautiful garden, very delicious food, quite and you feel safe all the time. We spent 3 nights. We booked direct over the Marriott App, price was fair. Some Rooms got already a upgrade others get currently upgraded but you don‘t see or hear anything about that. Based on the investment they do, location and friendly people I gave 5 Stars.

Pa Lin

Location, location, location- looking for a spot to host a retreat and this resort was recommended.We had a guided tour of the grounds, explored all room options and the amenities, including the spa.It's in a great location- just steps from the sea.We ended with a fantastic meal from the lunch buffet, the options were endless and the service exceptional.

Lameck Jumamosi

The hotel has a warm and homely feel,the welcome experience was great from Mr Urfi and his amazing reception Staff..the food was mouthwatering and the staff was attentive to detail and friendly.Food quality was fresh and tasty,with a variety of food for everyone.I could never have asked for a better place to spend my vacation.This is a world class resort and more than a five-star resort.Will definitely be back.

Sabine Pelka

They cancelled our booking one month before our stay. We received the message via our booking platform (voyage privee). We contacted the hotel immediately but they didnt have the decency to reply.

Ray Ward

Rooms were good apart from the very firm mattresses. We changed mattress to get some sleep better than sleeping on a bench. Food was generally good, with fresh fish, curry nights with smiling waiters including Rose. Drinks were better than most hotels that we have stayed at and a special mention for Robin and Happy. Super location, but with daily pestering from beach sellers if venturing onto beach. Use of next door BlueBay hotel was good giving a variety of loungers with parasols, canopies, daybeds and tree shade; good evening entertainment made for a good stay.

TZENI THOMATIKOU

Fantastic hotel in Zanzibar! Very good food and co*cktails at All inclusive! Entertainment show every night!The bungalows are very beautiful! All the hotel staff is excellent but especially the lady Aliyah in the reception!

John Mackay

What a fabulous resort with the most welcoming of people. Loved our holiday experience from the moment we stepped foot inside. A welcome drink and cool towel was a nice touch and they even had a room we could get changed in before the 3pm check in.Great food service, and the local food was delicious.The hotel maids were first class.They did a night time spray to keep the mosquitos away which was lovely.I won’t say much about the area orsetting, just look at the photos and that says it all. I can’t wait to return!

Tasha -

The rooms in this hotel are really run down especially the bathroom. We had water running down the wall. Definitely not what you want from a 5 star hotel. The gym was a good size but had an extremely leaky roof!!The staff are lovely and they are really accommodating.The spa was good for massages but you get charged extra for everything, steam room and sauna use and hot tub (which is just a bath…) so that was disappointing!Staff are lovely and the beach is nice. The island is so poor tho, I think it’s not an ideal location if you want to go out and explore the area. We only went as it was partnered with our safari in Tanzania. I think you struggle to find a proper 5 star service on the island without paying crazy prices

Sarah Cool

My daughter and I enjoyed 3 wonderful nights at Blue Bay in early Nov 2023. Staff were pleasant, attentive and helpful at all times. Our 2nd floor room was very nice with a beautiful view from our balcony. Food and drink were delicious. The cafe area was quiet and relaxing. Nightly entertainment during dinnertime was fun! The pool and bar were refreshing. We enjoyed a really nice massage. And kayaking in the ocean was wonderful! We can’t wait to visit again in the future.

Bjorn Jochems

An amazing place, with the best staff.Beautiful rooms that are kept clean at all timesDelicious food and amazing showsBeach view perfect for snorkeling.Daily trips are available to stone townScuba Diving trips can be booked.Just the best place for an amazing relaxing holiday

Caroline Goodchild

A beautiful resort with amazing staff. We had a fabulous week here. The food was delicious and varied and there were lots of vegetarian options. The rooms were lovely and we had the biggest bed I have ever seen! The grounds of the resort are beautifully maintained. Would definitely recommend The Bluebay and would love to come here again.

paul lawrenz

Very nice Hotel with amazing staff. The only minus is the WiFi that doesn't work all the time and the food which is good but not great. Otherwise I can definitely recommend going!

Jozef Pitak

Great resorts, very nice and always smile &helpfull staff. Clean, excellent food.Just small minus is that beach ⛱️ in this time we visited (march) was not very clean and water was extremely hot.But overall for sure will come again during different time

Piotr Maciejewski

Great place to relax and chill out … relatively quiet, peaceful with great service and happy and committed staff. Very helpful and extremely friendly. Service is basically just very good and fast. I do remember Innocent helping my wife and me on multiple occasions without even asking … place we would very much enjoy coming back

Simona Žirovnicka

A truly magical hotel in Zanzibar, Africa. Lots of greenery, beautiful Indian Ocean, pool, shops, gym, bars. Beautiful reception with all facilities. Amazing service and hotel management. Very warm and helpful people. The room has a huge bed, a TV, a bathroom and a balcony with a rocking chair. Lots of yummy food.

Evan Engel

Awesome resort and location! The beach and all the restaurants were amazing. All the pools and amenities were top notch, and the rooms were spacious and clean. This property is well maintained and very beautiful.The only downside, which turned into quite an issue, was the lack of power converters. This resort uses different plugs than all the rest of Africa, and offers no USB charging ports built in (which many camps in the middle of nowhere had). This meant we were unable to charge anything after weeks of safaris where this was not an issue. The front desk said they had converters to use, but they must only have a couple and they are first come first serve, so they were never available for us no matter how many times we called. Finally, one time when we called to ask if any were available, the front desk said "have you tried using the one for the coffee machine?" Sure enough, that is the only appliance in the room that uses a standard African plug. Wish they would have said that at the beginning of our stay.

Yasmin salavati

The Hotel is really a nice big hotel with multiple amazing restaurants. They Have one of the best Chefs In town which Is Chef. Ali . Do not miss a dinner at The Breeze , Its delicious and the venue is super Cozy and beautiful…At the Reception A lady Named Witness was very very helpful she accommodated us so well and whenever we needed . On Tuesdays they do Amazing buffet at the pool with live music with variety of amazing fresh food .The Restaurant staff Elizabeth and Rashid were super lively and kind always smiling I loved it .The room was clean they were wven cleaning our room and prepare it for the nighr for the second time every day .The location is almost on the north east of the Island and There is Mnenba Island near by if You want to see the dancing dolphins or enjoy sunbanks . In general was amazing experience will definitely come back….

Guide in Georgia

The hotel is not new, there is a smell of moisture in the rooms, especially if you turn on the air conditioning. Therefore, we did not use air conditioning and we were very hot at night. The service is excellent throughout the hotel: at the reception, in the restaurant, during massages and housekeeping - everyone is friendly and smiling. Delicious food, quite a large selection of dishes. Another minus is the beach, it is dirty due to the tides. also, it is better not to leave the hotel premises, especially in the evening

Anita Orl

We stayed at Diamonds Mapenzi Beach for 7 nights and it was fantastic. The rooms were spacious and cleaned twice a day. The hotel was beautiful, and the staff was incredibly helpful. The food was tasty, though occasionally a bit cold. The beach could use occasional algae cleanup. Nevertheless, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay and plan to return.

Emilia Mol

Like paradise!! Beautiful garden, big rooms and bathrooms, lovely and helpful stuff. Food is amazing. Fresh juice for breakfast was more than refreshing! Beach is nice and beachboys are not allowed to come to the beach in front of the hotel, that was very good!

Dully Rashird

It was amazing to have another vacation in this place.❤️Me and my girlfriend with our friend Monika.It was amazing to be back here for the second time, we was here last year in November for 14 days and this year from February 28 to march 10, all the time we had here was amazing and enjoyable. The front office Team under Ali control was very nice and helpful to us, The housekeepers team with their Manager was great to us and we happy that they managed to bring 2️⃣ apples 🍎 to our friend room every single day as she needed, thank you for that Alex the housekeeping manager and your team, beach staffs they was nice also, Waziri, Baraza and Daniel the most wonderful people and very helpful all the time.The F&B team they always wonderful, kind, helpful and friendly people all the time, nice drinks delicious food and great service. Marwa, Rachel, Anna, and Tiem and all of the staffs are amazing.The truth is the new F&B Manager he is racist Men to a lot of guests and he totally looks harsh to the staffs I saw him often he shouting and yelling sometimes telling his team what to do after lunch or dinner in the middle of the restaurant at service time loudly, things which is not professionalI think he know that, as a waiter/ waitress, or bartender you need to be happy, healthy, peaceful in physical and mental ways to make a good service to the guests, but he is not offering this to his staffs all juniors staffs looks scaring him and they are not sure for everything they do in front of him, which is totally wrong as a manager.All in all we love that place and we will comeback as always very soon.

Breezy Bce

It was a very good stay for our honeymoon but the service is definitely the thing to improve.The worst experience, unfortunately, was during our honeymoon dinner. They organized a special dinner on the beach with beautiful atmosphere and view on the Indian Ocean BUT the service was catastrophic, more than 1 hour to have the appetizer, we noticed that to the server, I think they just forgot us. After that, the main plate comes quickly and we waited 1 hour more for the dessert... They asked before to choose your menu but you can find the same thing at the main buffet, it just looks better in the plate, very disappointing.For the good points, room service is always nice and the room is always clean, we had a special attention every day with flowers on the bed, wine on the terrace... The guys who are on the beach are very kind with us too. We did an excursion with one of them to see the coral reef it was awesome.The all-inclusive is really nice because you have a large choice of drinks (hot & cold) during all the day at the pool bar, during the lunch/dinner and at the beach bar if you are on a beach villa, it's very practical.The buffet is good, you can find a large choice at every meal, servers are always kind but they are definitely not enough, you can wait your drink for 15 minutes or they can just forget you.For the conclusion, except the service, the hotel and the staff are incredible, you can enjoy your vacation with a wonderful view and services.

Centaine Parker

We visited for dinner (we didn’t stay)My partner and I visited The Island Pongwe for dinner last week. We got a small boat from the beach near the island which was a really enjoyable ride across. The meal itself was delicious, we had the urchins to start which were so unique and tasty. I had the tuna steak and my partner had the lobster pasta. Both dishes were delicious and we ate every bite. We also got the sangria, 100% recommend it was so refreshing and has lots of local fruit. The service was fab too with friendly and patient wait staff. After the meal the tide had gone out again so we had to walk back to the beach in the dark, just an fyi in case anyone has issues with that (we didn’t). Thanks so much for having us. :)

Jerry Diaz

Pongwe Island Beach Resort offers a blissful escape with its pristine beach, lush surroundings, and attentive service. The tranquil atmosphere and well-maintained facilities create a serene retreat. The accommodation is comfortable, and the restaurant serves delicious meals, showcasing local flavors. While the resort may not be overly luxurious, its charm lies in simplicity and the natural beauty that surrounds it. Ideal for those seeking a peaceful getaway in a picturesque setting.

Sara Algain

One of the most beautiful getaways!It’s very chill, outstanding views and a tiny island comprised of almost 6 rooms, staff are super friendly and Receptionst mister Frank was super nice and caring 🙏🏼Truly didn’t wanna leave the property🥲💔And omgg the Massage was!!!

D

Beautiful private island hotel in the Indian Ocean 🌊🌴😍 we did not rent a room here but got shown one and they look amazing. You can eat at the restaurant without being a guest at hotel and enjoy the food and go for a swim in the ocean as they have private access. Frank gave us a warm greeting upon arrival and showed us around very kindly.Food was good. We ate bruschetta florentina which was small but very tasty. The tuna tartare which was fresh and light. The grilled steak which was very tender and cooked to perfection. The only mediocre dish was the avocado egg salad which was nothing special.

Pratima Chawla

My review is for the food only. I didn't not stay at the lodgeThe drinks are great. The device is fantasticThe tuna carpaccio was not good. Very very fishy taste for the tuna in the carpaccioThe tuna tartar however tasted incredible. Very fresh. No fishy taste.The grilled prawns in butter and herbs were amazing. But for the. Price, you only get four king prawns.The lobster roll was ok. Not the best I've tasted.We appreciated the water view as the tide was coming in, the Drinks and service were all great.

H A

The most beautiful hotel. Literally breathtaking views. Very clean and the best staff!! Thank you to the general manger and Solomon for making us feel welcomed. Food was delicious also.

Florian Boecker

First of all: we had a great vacation, but it took a bit of flexibility… 😂We booked a villa at the seafront which was worth the extra money, the atmosphere in the evenings was magnificent.The hotel itself is a bit rundown, some repairs are certainly overdue. Food is good, but not more. Hard to understand why you can’t get really fresh fish on an island… The staff is very friendly, but would benefit from training (and motivation). The spa is recommendable and the gym a well kept secret 😂

D

We enjoyed our stay by all means. The service is on point at all times, rooms get cleaned everyday once or even twice. It is very safe with a lot of security. The waiters are super friendly and attentive. Dinner and breakfast buffet included in price with a lot of variety for all tastes. Location is not bad at all, approx 10-15 min from centre walking. The ocean view suite is great, very comfortable big beds, big and spacious bathroom with bath robes and all accessories. Smart TV and mini fridge etc. All you need at a very good price!

Rafaela Zereu

A perfect hotel! People are so kind and the rooms are amazing and really comfortable. We were in our honeymoon and they made sure everything was perfect. Thank you for the Essque Zalu team for the amazing experience.

ikuak

Great food. Awesome service. Excellent rooms. Kids playroom allows you to have some alone time. Spa treatments. Gym. Excursions and transfers organized by the hotel.

John Cooper

While the location is a bit longer than 1 hr from Stone Town and the spice farms, it is a very beautiful and perfect spot on the Indian Ocean. The service is exceptional, including Edward at the bar. Mtwana provided some of the most impressive dinner service I've had...Eva is so kind and loving. Just a wonderful experience all around. The dinners are fantastic. I'd definitely recommend Breezes for a relaxing and lovely vacation.

Marika Al-Khalili

We spent 5 nights here after a safari in Ol Seki Mara, Kenya, and we are so happy we did! This resort is absolutely stunning, staff are outstanding and the atmosphere is very relaxed. The half board option was perfect for us, meaning we could choose what to have for lunch from an a la carte menu or bar snacks menu instead of overeating at a typical resort buffet every day. Drinks were also always available to purchase with staff available any time you wanted to order. It was also easy to tip when signing for the purchases with option to add a tip on each receipt. Staff were always available to help but everyone was extremely polite and not overbearing. Prices were very reasonable for the large portions, and drinks were also fairly priced with local beverages being much cheaper than imported ones.The food was 10/10, and even the dreaded dinner buffets were exceptional. Dinner set up changes every night throughout the week with 3 sit down meals and 4 buffet nights.We also did a diving experience at the Rising Sun diving centre, and this was a highlight of our Zanzibar stay. Really reassuring and professional staff there.As honeymooners, we also had dinner at The Tides one night which is a small restaurant on the beach available exclusively to 2-4 people. This was great but make sure you arrive hungry! 6 large courses plus drinks were a bit of a challenge for us. I think perhaps they could charge a bit less and serve less food.We only visited the spa for a short complimentary treatment but wish we’d booked more. Really beautiful setting and lovely therapists.Overall - Beautiful grounds, stunning spa, pristine beaches, warm welcome, outstanding food and many small surprises during our stay made it the best honeymoon we could have wished for.We’d recommend Breezes Beach to everyone looking for a relaxed escape in paradise.

akynos burlesque

LOVE! LOVE! LOVE! Boy did this place spoil me. My first few days there and i must admit i was BORED! It was an adjustment phase i suppose. I couldn't sort how to get to town which wouldn't cost me a limb and it was also raining excessively to everyone’s surprise. Once I figured out how to do daily escapes and got acquainted with locals, the trip and my stay here became a life changer!I Just landed back in Germany & wish I could live there. Exceptional staff. TOP NOTCH. Accommodating, friendly, well trained. Great breakfast every single day. Can even bring extra to your room or staff will deliver it. The buffet dinners were my FAVORITE! The Swahili buffet made me SO HAPPY! Great live entertainment and just good calm vibes.The watersports team was my favorite people to visit daily for great conversations and to learn to swim. I wanted to see marine life so badly! One of the guides took me under his wing and taught me how to swim and snorkel. Seeing those reefs and amazing fish, after only several lessons because of Hassan's kindness & patience took my life goals levels up several notches. I trust that man with my life!I was only supposed to stay here ten days but was lucky to extend a few days with an upgrade because these people just know how to do their jobs!Breezes is a 5 star resort BECAUSE the predominantly Black and local staff are so good at what they do. Please tip them regularly and well. This hotel could not be what they are without them.As a solo traveling snob, I am NOT easy to please. This trip I got SO LUCKY with the reasonable rates and this team was professional from email til the time I left. I had two favorite star servers, Dora and Rajabu who are just shiny examples of why this place is so great. ALL of the staff are highly professional people and we could all be so lucky to stay at a place they are working at.The location is off the beaten path and getting local transportation into the nearby town might be tricky, but not impossible and worth the effort. You can walk, but good luck. The sunburn is serious and im saying that as a brown skin Black woman.This is not a party hotel, but if I can return for my birthday with friends in the summer, it will be. 😁I'm already planning a Xmas 2023 visit back to Zanzibar, but unfortunately I can't stay here this go round. I am so spoiled that I am looking for the Breezes vibe with other places but coming up short.The only thing I didn't like here was my experience with the dive center which is separate from the hotel, though located on the property.Other than that, the place is well taken cared of, on the beach and is exactly what you need when trying to unwind.The internet is really not great here so plan around that. Also, look up! You can see some constellations in the sky. Absolutely amazing!Enjoy your stay!S

Meltem H.

We could not have asked for a better stay than ours for our honeymoon. Breezes Beach Club is a well-run resort on the east side of Zanzibar. From the moment we were picked up from the airport to when we left, we were pleased with the support provided by the staff whenever we had questions. The staff is extremely helpful and kind (Liz and Emmanuel at the reception!) and the extra activities added a lot of fun and interest to our stay. The resort itself is new and always kept clean. The massage therapists were amazing, and the food is simply out of this world. Every night, we were presented with a rich menu that was fresh and tasty. I highly recommend Breezes Beach Club & Spa to anyone considering it!

rob E

A nice resort, but didn’t “wow” us. We went for the latter half of our honeymoon but it didn’t feel special.Rooms - felt dated. Massive bed, which was great. And wonderfully cool from A/C. But lacked the finer touches which would make it 5*. Tea bags & sanitary products not always replaced. Shower has washing products dispenser from plastic box which felt budget. Grouting not tidy. Wardrobe slightly broken. Razor charger coming away from wall. Just felt like the room hadn’t been retouched since it was first designed.Maybe the higher end rooms are much nicer.Thankfully you don’t spend that much time in your room on a beach holiday.One thing that particularly annoyed us was the one bottle of water you get per day in the room - after that it’s $2.70, which feels a lot for a necessity in that heat. There’s water at the breakfast buffet but not lunch or dinner. We felt some judgement when we then brought our refill water bottles filled from earlier in the day rather than buying another bottle at dinner.We had recently come from safari where we had unlimited filtered water, so maybe set our standards too high.Service - everyone very friendly & attentive! Great breakfast servings of tea & coffee. A mix of a la carte dinners & dinner buffets. Very good spread for buffet I’d say, but the a la carte nights felt much nicer - I wish all dinners were all a la carte. Breakfast buffet works well.Great to be checked in on by bar staff while on the beach.Feels like an ever present tip culture, but maybe that’s a US influence vs UK lifestyle. Generally everyone very friendly, maybe some judgement felt at times around not tipping every time on a $3 bill.We found the co*cktails to be expensive for what they were. Saying that, the Zanzibar Dawar was delicious!On one day we did the Sultan Bath & couples massage & that was lovely! Followed in the evening by the Tides 2 person private dining experience. That felt really “honeymoony” & would very much recommend!Location - it’s a lovely looking beach & sand to sit out all day. The beach itself does a cool reef walk during low tide, but lots of sea urchins so not sure if a great swimming beach. There are prettier beaches out there.The general resort is kept really clean! Lots of people maintaining the gardens all the time.Lots of tour options to do around the island, not that we did any as we just wanted to beach ourselves.Overall, we absolutely came back feeling very relaxed from the beach resort, which is what we hoped for.I would recommend the resort for a holiday, but not so much for a honeymoon destination.

K L

Mini market and fruits stall. Reasonable price. Friendly boss.

Brent Jason

Incredible resort. The staff are so wonderful and friendly. The physical property is gorgeous and very well maintained. The rooms are HUGE and stunning. The bathroom is amazing, huge soaker tub, rain type shower head, two sinks, light up mirror. Nice balcony. The beach is pure soft white sand and turquoise blue sea. I hope everyone can stay here in their life..

Megan Venter

Look no further than Royal 💪 we were super impressed from the get go. Our room was spacious and super clean at all times. The food was amazing and we really appreciated the variety of foods and delicious desserts. The resort has 360 degrees of beautiful views, and it's so convenient to jump into one of 5 pools to cool down and have a drink. The staff is amazing and friendly and willing to go the extra mile for you. On the booking sites and their website it state that they serve selected local beers, wine, rum etc which is included in the package and we got exactly that. Would highly recommend the resort, and we'll definitely be back 😁

copae alexandru

Our recent stay at the Royal Zanzibar Beach Resort was marked by a blend of unexpected challenges and exceptional service that truly exceeded our expectations. While we encountered some issues upon arrival due to a flood that had occurred in our booked room, the way the staff handled the situation demonstrated a level of dedication and care that left a lasting impression.Upon learning about the flood, the staff immediately sprang into action, providing us with clear communication and reassurance. Understanding the inconvenience caused, they went above and beyond by arranging for us to stay at another hotel for a day while the situation was resolved. This proactive gesture helped alleviate any stress or frustration, allowing us to continue our vacation without interruption.When we returned to the Royal Zanzibar Beach Resort, we were pleasantly surprised to find that they had upgraded us to a room with an ocean view as a gesture of goodwill. The upgraded accommodations surpassed our expectations, providing a stunning backdrop for the remainder of our stay.Although there was a brief moment of disappointment when we learned that the originally booked room was unavailable, the swift action and genuine care shown by the resort's staff quickly turned the situation around. Their dedication to ensuring that we had a memorable and enjoyable vacation was evident in every interaction, from the warm welcomes to the thoughtful gestures.Despite the initial hiccup, our stay at the Royal Zanzibar Beach Resort turned out to be a truly unforgettable experience. The beauty of the surroundings, coupled with the impeccable service and attention to detail, made it a vacation to remember. We left feeling grateful for the kindness and professionalism of the staff, and we look forward to returning to this tropical paradise in the future.

Johnny Sinner

We spent two weeks here. It was the worst vacation of my life and I travel very often. The room was dirty and smelly. Everything was damp. We had huge co*ckroaches running around our room every day. As far as food is concerned, it's also a big disaster. Little choice of food and the same thing over and over again. The staff is arrogant and slow. Never ever. Avoid this hotel if you can.That price absolutely does not correspond to the number of stars of this hotel 👎

Eli Cohen

The place is beautiful and has its own beautiful beach where you can swim all day.It also had many long big pools, with enough resting beds around.The rooms is specious and has everything you need. We took the ocean view room, although the view was partial from the first floor and the near volleyball was not friendly to our afternoon sleep. You will also need to shut the room’s curtains for privacy.The shower also has some dump smell and you need to ensure to keep the windows open.The Spa service was one of the best I experienced.Note that they take 5% on credit card payment, so remember to take enough cash for the extras.As an all inclusive hotel it has a large buffet restaurant with wide variety of food, although not everything with the same quality. The a La cart restaurant offers limited variety but better food (do not expect gourmet).The included drinks variety and quality is low (except the espresso coffee that is very good).

judy armstrong

I would stay here again and again. This place is beautiful, the rooms were big, and the food was great at the buffet. I was able to eat lovely vegan food at every meal. The service was excellent, the place remained very clean, the beach was beautiful! They had four pools including a garden pool bar and hot tubs. The workers were so friendly and the customer service was second to none. I loved my massage at the spa. There is plenty to do or not. I highly recommend this beautiful resort.

Timo Oluschinsky

Fantastic new resort. Food is amazing. Rooms big and very clean. Service is perfect, they do anything for you. Lots of activities. The beach is amazing with great snorkeling spots.Two minor points: you can’t get any cash if needed (not from reception, no ATM), simple drink orders take sometimes very long.But still overall wonderful resort that I would always highly recommend. We stayed for 9 nights.

Vanessa

Pros: friendly staff, maybe too friendly at times.Clean roomThemed nights with traditional dancers were nice.Cons: not 5*. Remote area. You can’t even leave the resort.Buffet dinner is very average. You have to make reservations on the app to book the restaurants. Something which should have been told to guests before. Restaurant food wasn’t good anyway.Room is ok. We asked for sea view but didn’t get this.Caters well to kids and families which doesn’t make it suitable for adults wanting a quiet vacation.Do not book excursions with staff or give them your number. Once you leave, they will start begging you for money. Very unprofessional and I won’t be returning back.This resort shouldn’t be advertised as a 5*. If you are used to 5* standard then this isn’t for you.

ash riley

A lovely place! We literally don't have a single thing to critique. Even the most basic rooms were huge. The hotel itself is gorgeous and really big (but the buildings themselves aren't, so it doesn't feel like a huge complex). The two pools are absolutely gorgeous and the bars were amazing. The restaurants were also a hit and even though you have to reserve in advance for the a la carte restaurants, it was super easy via their app you use during your stay. But to be honest, the buffet was so good, you'll be fine no matter where you eat. There was always a cool dinner show or music. There were plenty of vegetarian options as well, and even some vegan ones. Now to the staff, who were the highlight of this trip. every single person you come across is SO NICE! They do everything to make your stay as pleasant as possible and are just genuinely the nicest people I have ever met. Special thanks to Benjamin Bahati from the buffet who went above and beyond every day and Musa from the lobby. I mean, I'd love to mention so many more on here but I simply can't remember all the names! From the lobby to the beach, everyone was amazing. At one point I got sick during my trip and the doctors on call took great care of me. Keep in mind that the tides can get quite strong here, so for us it was usual to spend the morning at the beach and the afternoon by the pool when the tide went down. Oh, and a big plus for coffee drinkers: The coffee here was amazing, which isn't always the case in all inclusive resorts. For us personally the spa was a bit too expensive, but I went to the gym a lot and it was lovely, clean and had all the essential and high quality machines. I'd 100% recommend this place to everyone! Make sure to get to know the lovely personnel as they do truly transform your stay. In regards to the location, the hotel is located about an hour from the airport, away from the main hotel zone, which makes for a nice and quiet stay with a large beach area for the hotel. Trips to stone town were ideal for a day trip for example. Anyways, this is a 1000% YES!

Sally Touray

The most amazing experience! We visited in October and had the most wonderful time. The rooms are amazing and well cleaned. The whole resort was stunning. We looked forward to the evening entertainment every night and the food selection was always great.The people really make your stay here extra special. Every single person was friendly. Always had a smile on their faces and would always say hi.From when we 1st arrived June from Reception was very warm and welcoming and really looked after us. Omar and Herzoni from the bar were fantastic. These are just the names I remember but EVERY SINGLE PERSON really made our stay enjoyable and memorable. Thank you for making our trip to Zanzibar a memorable one and we look forward to visiting again and hope to see everyone again.

Asim Ghulam

Nice hotel but has some downsides. The hotel is on a big hill so requires walking up a steep hill every time you need to get to your room.Also outside of breakfast and dinner, you are limited with food/snack options. The bars have limited snacks and the ‘grill’ has poor quality food and is self service.Also you often cannot swim in the pool as there is limited space and when you find space they are playing volleyball and splash guests as they play.

Claudio Colicchio

From the moment I set foot in the enchanting Hotel Riu Palace in Zanzibar, I knew my stay would be nothing short of extraordinary. This hotel isn’t just a place to stay; it’s a destination in itself, offering a mesmerizing experience that lingers in your memory.The architecture and ambiance of the hotel are a perfect blend of luxury and comfort, set against the backdrop of Zanzibar’s breathtaking natural beauty.But what truly sets Hotel Riu Palace apart are its culinary offerings. Each restaurant is a gateway to gastronomic delights, serving a wide array of delicious cuisines that tantalize your taste buds. Every meal is a celebration of flavors, expertly prepared and beautifully presented, making dining here an experience in itself.The service at Hotel Riu Palace is the epitome of excellence. Every staff member goes above and beyond to ensure guests feel special and well-cared for. Their attention to detail and warm, welcoming demeanor make you feel like royalty.A special shoutout to Allen from the Ginger Bar at the main pool. His remarkable skill in making everyone feel comfortable and his exceptional service truly enhances the overall experience. Allen’s dedication and charisma add a personal touch that makes your stay even more memorable.In conclusion, my stay at Hotel Riu Palace, Zanzibar, was an unforgettable experience. It’s a place where luxury meets comfort, culinary delights meet impeccable service, and every moment is a treasure. I highly recommend this hotel to anyone seeking a five-star experience in every sense. Thank you, Hotel Riu Palace, for an incredible stay!

Jonnie Irvin

Greetings,First I must say that Zanzibar is beautiful, absolutely stunning, from the weather to the food to the aromatic spices that this island is known for. After spending 5 days in Nairobi, Kenya on Safari we took the short flight to Tanzania, Zanzibar, and were looking forward to the coastal weather.However, the RIU Palace Zanzibar is a collection of disappointment, mediocre flavorings, off brand liquor and wine, and questionable racial behavior in regards to people of color- non white.Room:We booked a 2 bedroom villa, that was spacious with its own cabana, pool, seating area and walk in closets. I ( my husband and I) have stayed in luxurious accommodations all over the world, and we found this villa to be the best of their ability- however this is a 3 star hotel at best. The power would periodically go out at the villa, which left us without air conditioning in this hot and humid weather.There was also a lack of working outlets as the outlets do not work and a shortage in the spare bedroom light.The rooms (villa) are decent, however they are perched upon hills, that require a lot of walking and navigating. This would not be a problem for most but pregnant women and elderly please be aware. They do provide golf carts but we were told that they only had one working golf cart for the entire villa - FOR THE ENTIRE VILLA. My husband and I, as well as my sister and best friend all have witnessed us waiting in line and caucasian patrons behind us, where the golf cart attendant asked us to wait to take them first. ABSOLUTELY NOT. 3 attendants in particular who were natives I assumed, on 3 different occasions catered to the other races, while asking us to wait, after being told that we were in line first and were the ones that originally called the golf cart in the first place. I as a Wealthy African American Woman would never EVER choose to spend our dollars at a RIU Resort specifically because of these racial instances. I would think in a island as diverse as Zanzibar this would not happen, but I have resigned myself to believe that some locals are brainwashed into thinking "white is right: or better. My Husband had to speak up for our party and assert his rights into how we would not be treated.There is a lack of towels and basic amenities.There is NO Room service whatsover. I have never been to a 5 star property where room service was non existent.There were a multitude of lizards and small amphibians that were able to access the villa as well.Food:The ease of accommodation and boarding is what you expect when you choose to book with an all Inclusive Resort- however, the offerings were limited and reservations for the specialty restaurant's were often booked up.All restaurants, save for one bar, closes at 11:00 PM. After there is a bar thats serves drinks with liquor you have probably never heard of, lite bites and cold ham and cheese sandwiches, that you would have to walk to- at night, with dim lighting throughout the property, traveling through hills. As there is NO Room service whatsover.Amenities:There is a very nice pool and bar " Ginger Bar" that has live music. The music is lacking of culture and vibrancy. It comes off as cruise ship, lounge singer karaoke. I believe there is a spa, but after the un ease of accessibility we chose not to partake in activities outside of the property.1 out of 10, and that 1 is for Ms. Mamu who was our daily villa cleaner and Ms. Glory who was an amazing server everyday for breakfast.Other than that I would not recommend for a luxurious, albeit your will get a workout navigating through these hills to get to your room.

Kaitlin Morton

The resort was beautiful and service was perfect. All the employees were incredibly kind and attentive and I thoroughly enjoyed my stay.However, this resort is in a 95% Muslim community and I noticed that not one woman was wearing a hijab. It is absolutely WRONG of Riu to deny their employees religious freedoms such as this. Riu is not a chain I will support for as long as they deny respect of their employee’s religious preferences.

Zidane Fdil

outstanding service. everyone here deserves a rise.very kind people around, all will make your stay better. you feel like they’re doing their best, and they deliver whatever you want.loved the hotel, loved the spot, loved the personnel and the manager, they’re all here to make your stay amazing.thank you guys for an amazing holiday you made to me and my friends. we love you and we’re coming back 🫶

Carolina Rodriguez

I spent a week with my family in this hotel and it was an excellent experience. We took the beach house with pavilion and the concept is very good, spacious, clean and nicely decorated rooms.The food is very good, the buffet is very complete and in the other restaurant the menu is friendly and nice.The level of service is the best, they followed up on our requests and we always found friendly and warm people. The manager Sachith who looked after us was excellent.The hotel pool is nice and big and the beach is one of the best compared to the surrounding hotels.In conclusion we would come back without hesitation. Great week, super hotel!Highly recommended.

Nicola Bochtler

1. RoomThe room is nice and big, we got the sea view villa. The room has its own swimming pool and its own private place to sit on the beach, which is great.2. ServiceThe service is great, people are nice and friendly.3. LocationThe beach is the nicest place on the island. The water is turquoise blue and the sand nearly white. You don‘t have ebb or tide, its all day nice for a swim.4. HotelThe hotel is very nice, a big swimming pool enough deck chairs for all people, when you are in the villa you have your own private part on the beach and private deck chairs.5. ConclusionThe price-performance ratio is therefore correct, its a dream to be there6. FoodThe main place to eat is a buffet, food was always very good. But for this price it should also be possible to eat „a la carte“ thats the only missing star.

Marianna De Meo

We spent 4 nights in a Deluxe Ocean View for our honeymoon. Food is delicious, service is nice and friendly, there are different theme nights every night, with music and entertaining. There are activities and things to do everyday. The SPA tratments are amazing. They treated us with a complementary dinner, discount for a massage and some complementary fruit in the room. We felt very welcomed and pampered during our stay.

Gianfranco Errico

Beautiful holiday in a wonderful place. The rooms are kept in perfect working order and cleanliness. The staff always friendly and courteous. A special thanks to Ally and especially to Fabiola, an Angel of sweetness, courtesy and professionalism at the same time He made us all feel at home.

Nonhlanhla Makhoba

Honestly an average hotel aesthetically and otherwise. The service was good from most staff, but the hotel forgot my husband's special day, which was the reason we went there in the first place after I'd made plans with them the evening before.The only upside to this hotel is the beach, which you can still enjoy as a day visitor in the neighboring establishment. So, definitely not worth booking at this hotel.Would not book here ever again.

Sandy Kemanecioglu

This was my second stay in this amazing hotel. We were in a bungalow, the room was spacious. The breathtaking view. Regarding F&B, everything was perfect! A great culinary experience. The choices were varied. The teams were very smiling and welcoming. Thank you all and particularly Nicolas, Rishi and Daniel.

Nomthi Nene

Amazing scenery and brilliant staff. Safe, secure and clean premises. Well kept building and furniture is true to the culture. Highly recommend it to anyone looking for comfort

Fadi Masoud

Solid A. Rooms are old and very DATED, AC is a jet engine, the beach is FAR (must take a golf cart), Food is good, service / staff are wonderful. Bring bug spray. For the price, this hotel needs an facelift.

Pat Elliott

We have just returned from Melia Zanzibar and have to say it was superb! From the moment of arrival to the final goodbye, staff were terrific, attentive, smiling, courteous and all round nice people.The resort is fantastic, room with sea view large, with everything you could possibly need.All inclusive but choose the extra special The Level which was lovely for my husband’s 70th birthday celebration - made it very special.Facilities, pools, grounds, spa, gym fantastic and food plentiful and tasty.Had day trips out which were great.Thoroughly recommend this 5 star hotel and thank you to all for making it special

Fernando Martinez

My wife and I spent a week at the Melia Zanzibar in January and it was an unforgettable experience. The common areas of the hotel are spectacular, with a large swimming pool, lush gardens and direct access to the beach. The food was also delicious, with a wide variety of dishes to choose from.But the best thing about the hotel was undoubtedly the staff. They were all very friendly, helpful and always willing to make our stay as enjoyable as possible. We felt at home.In short, we highly recommend the Melia Zanzibar to anyone looking for a perfect vacation in a paradise.

Sajjadabbas Esmail

We had a wonderful holiday as a family of 4, with children aged 4 and 2.The staff are the gem of this place. Ever so wonderful.The rooms were impeccable.Views were amazing, the pool was refreshing. The dinner spread was amazing. Lucky to be there for Indian night. The food spread was delicious. No blemishes.The breakfast was not worthy of a 5 star hotel.Both days, had the same food for breakfast, that’s something that can be improved on.The second day, there was a delay in cleaning the room. We were out most of the day. But the guys came to clean a long time after we got back. Closer to 3 pm.

Csaba Matroz

We stayed 4 nights in Residence Zanzibar and enjoyed it very much.The beach is fabulous, the garden is huge, nice and well maintained.The villa is spacious, comfortable, very good quality, we enjoyed the XL size shower. Cleanliness is impeccable.We found the golf cart service extremely helpful and appreciated the bikes.The personnel is very friendly and helpful, both room and restaurant service is outstanding.Highly recommended.

Skud Traveller

We stayed in the 2 bed presidential villa - absolutely huge and definitely the highlight of our stay. The place was unnecessarily big, spacious but I felt they could have done more with the garden space to benefit from the sea view. We were a family of 5 and it would have been nice to have outdoor seating for all 5 of us to sit together.The restaurant : here is where I was disappointed- the food is tasty but the buffet setup looks more 4star than 5 star. Especially the fruit fridge with its neon light was such an eyesore - 5 star hotels have a chef who prepares the fruit, of your choice, while you wait. There are nicer and more modern ways of serving food rather than large stainless steel containers on top of a warmer.Nitin, bar manager chatty and friendly offered great service.The second restaurant was little more than a few tables set up outdoors with a few fairly lights. Pretty though.Pool area needs to be refurbished and looks outdated, wooden floor boards are uneven.When the tide goes out, the beach is too shallow to swim…All in all, the villa was awesome and the service very good, but the resort needs a bit of love.

Sean Brusky

We rang in the New Year and spent five beautiful nights in a luxury pool villa at The Residence. It was a perfect way to unwind after a multi-week safari in Tanzania. The food was diverse, first-class, and better than expected - especially the New Years Eve buffet on the beach unlike anything we’ve experienced. The staff was friendly. We took advantage of the excursions, including a Stone Town tour, and a dolphin swim. There were some challenges with excursions being overbooked and the pricing is steep relative to what you can find on TripAdvisor, but the convenience of arranging through the hotel and departures from the beautiful pier make it worth it. We'd suggest reserving excursions early on arrival. Other highlights for us were the glass infinity pool, kayaks, spa, bike rides around the beautiful property, and monkeys everywhere. If beach swimming is your thing, you’ll need to time the tides. For us it was early morning or late evening ocean swimming and pools during the day. At low tide, the beach was not usable, but as we understand it, that is the case almost everywhere in Zanzibar. Kudos to the team at The Residence for a great finish to our trip!

Stella

The hotel is very beautiful and nicely spread out. Feels very private. The beach ist absolutely amazing but be aware of the low tide ;) Every now and then the monkeys pay you a visit which makes the whole experience a lot more special. We really enjoyed the food and the individual pools in the villas... BUT the place could use some touching up. We had a lot of issues with our villa which made the stay at The Residence a little difficult for us. The staff was very friendly and tried to help immediately but it didn’t always work. On our last day we were so frustrated and angry because the problems didn’t get fixed. It’s not a very private vacation when someone is constantly in your villa trying to fix the AC, the pool or the toilet (all very important things). Also we were shocked when we saw how they handle the goats (all on a very short leash with no access to water) :(

Jas A

Stayed here for a week and absolutely loved it. The staff are so friendly, can't do enough. It's on the beach and there's a lovely big pool, good gym, private yoga sessions, a nice spa. It's very private and the staff ensure it stays this way as there's only 16 bungalows. They also organised a trip for us to see dolphins and turtles and the drivers/taxi service they use is brilliant too. Would definitely recommend for a quiet break, one of the best resorts we've stayed in

Петя Станчева

I don't write many reviews but this hotel really deserves it ! With the very entering of the resort they make you feel that you have come to the right place, to feel at home, to feel cared for and cared in exactly the best way. The atmosphere everywhere is cozy, everyone is smiling, they are ready to do anything to make their guests feel satisfied and happy and they do it from the heart and it shows! The pictures don't even show how beautiful the nature is there, the guys who maintain the garden are phenomenal, down to the smallest detail. For us, in terms of price and quality, they are unsurpassed! Everything was extremely tasty and beautiful, high quality drinks, co*cktails and service.Special thanks to all the great team who made my birthday unforgettable, with all the surprises, you guys are great! and last but not least the outstanding Michelle! an amazing professional, an amazing person..without her, Tulia will not be the same !

הילה מאיר

I stayed in Tulia for two weeks and it was absolutely incredible!the staff are the kindest and lovely, always smile and giving you the best feeling ever.the rooms are big and super clean.I highly recommended on this hotel, was really outstanding and I will be back for sure!

John Paoli

We had a wonderful three nights at Tulia following 8 days of being on safaris. The resort’s grounds are gorgeous, the food was delicious and the staff is wonderful! We had a late flight from Zanzibar to get home. Our checkout was at 11 and they had someone checking into to our room. We thought we’d get into StoneTown but the logistics proved tough. Katrina and the staff were wonderful and let us use a different room for the day to shower and use the resort facilities without charge. It was above and beyond anything we’d have expected! It made a very long 3-flight trip home much easier. Thank you Tulia for putting an unexpectedly wonderful and generous end to a really fantastic trip!

Jonathan Fatahi

My wife and I had an exceptional time at Tulia! We were greeted like royalty (fresh fruit, drinks and the smiling staff) before being shown to our gorgeous room. We were literally in awe of the room, the location, view of the beautiful beach and the luxury of what we were experiencing. The entire team was friendly, professional and always willing to go the extra mile. Food was amazing quality and quantity. The pool and water slide were fun, clean and perfect for us. And the gym was perfect for what I needed. In short, stay here, you will enjoy every minute.

Moritz von Falkenhayn

Rooms were great and very clean. What they do best is their exceptional service. Food was very good and they are happy to fulfill every wish. They were happy to prepare extra vegan dishes for me for breakfast lunch and dinner even if they had other vegan options on the menu/buffet. The kitchen crew was simply outstanding, thank you so much!

Kamelia

This is a gem of a hotel. The grounds are gorgeous and expansive and the rooms are impeccable. The pool is big and absolutely lovely, but most importantly it is on a gorgeous stretch of the beach.I am a true cynic about all inclusive hotels, but this one was truly exceptional. Although most meals were either a buffet or set menu with two options, they would not hesitate to make any dish you prefer on demand. All of the food was very fresh and the Chef and sous chef were regularly monitoring the meal services to ensure the best quality.The spa is absolutely gorgeous, and I had a wonderful massage by their specialist.Most importantly for me, the service staff is friendly, kind, and really does their best to ensure you are having a great time.They also provide various water activities, including exploring the ocean floor during low tide which goes out wayyyy farther than you can ever imagine, it is truly mesmerizing.This is the hotel to stay in when you choose not to do to many outside excursions and truly want a great relaxing and luxurious experience in your hotel.The only downside to this establishment is how far it is from Stone Town and the North Beach where most activities are on the island. So if your ideal trip includes day trips and exploration, this is not the place I would choose to stay in.Overall, my stay was absolutely lovely.

Helen Woldemichael

Not enough words to say how amazing this place is. The staff are all there to cater to your every need. They were just so lovely I can't thank them enough for making my stay so pleasant. Food was delicious, I literally didn't have anything I disliked. Just 5 stars all around.

Sanaya K

We came here for our honeymoon and Baraza was a lovely hotel although a long drive from stone town and the airport/ port if wanted to do activities or day trips. Loved that they had some free water activities however the extreme low and high tide made it quite hard to do this/ sometimes even go into the sea let alone the lower beach which would get covered by the water which we were unaware of and was very breezy. We are thankful we did all inclusive as not much else out there nearby and the pool and other amenities were good. The surroundings, pool and service overall were wonderful and we were very happy to relax and unwind here. Really enjoyed their daily activities they put on and evening entertainment too!Only thing I would highlight is for the all inclusive, is that when we went there wasn’t the stereotypical buffet or a choice for menus for dinner. Baraza had a choice of 2 mains, the rest was a set menu just veg or non-veg. We would have liked some more choice in terms of food options as for some days we didn’t particular enjoy the food/ menu items as they were just not to our taste- just a heads up for future customers in case they are fussy eaters etc too and expect more of a stereotypical all inclusive menu. However the chefs were happy to make us something else if we wanted but had to tell them in advance earlier in the day.If you want to relax and just lounge by pool this is ideal for you!

nabila

Wow! This property is stunning and picturesque in every corner you turn. The grounds feel endless and our villa was very spacious as well. The staff is amazing and went above and beyond. When we first arrived Bori and Brazilian host (sorry forgot name) greeted us with a warm welcome and from there on out took care of all our needs and special requests. Peresia did a fantastic job being our server and even set up a surprise lunch for us by the beach. That lunch was so fresh and delicious. If you're not a fan of their buffets , they will make pretty much anything for you on demand. We enjoyed the buffet for the most part but did have special requests they met. We did two water activities, reef walk Musa and Eric and snorkeling with Eidi. Enjoyed both thoroughly! I would highly recommend the snorkeling if you want to see a ton of fish. If you go on the reef walk make sure you cover up and wear a lot of sun screen. We got gnarly sunburns but the experience was amazing. The only experience that we did not enjoy as much were our massages. They were kinda disorderly and inconsistent. The spa room is gorgeous though, just like the rest of the hotel. Also if you are someone that likes to spend time at the beach (we love to spend our time in the pool), their personal beach area is not that large and the low/high tide will deeply effect your experience depending on the time of day you visit the beach. We walked around sunset and it was beautiful. All in all, would definitely come back.