Driftwood Beach Lodge

When you walk into a lodge, open your case, realise you have got far too much stuff ! Then you walk outside and WOW 🤩 you just know you have found the perfect place🏖️. Not flash and noisy, but chilled and happy, everyone is just so warm, food is great, staff are amazing and so helpful. My new home in Jambiani 👍

What an absolute gem. The lodge is run by the most amazing couple Dricus and his wife Uschi, who cater to your every need. Nothing is too much to ask, and they go out of their way to ensure that you have the best holiday possible. The bar staff (JJ, Rashid, and Teddy) are super friendly, always with a smile on their faces, and make sure that your cocktails and drinks are always cold, and that you never go thirsty. We stumbled on Driftwood when looking for accommodation that is situated on a quieter, but still popular beach, and it has surpassed all of our expectations. Whilst staying there we actually had 3 other couples check in that were staying at other hotels north of us, and could not stand the crowds and music at their hotels. They took one look at Driftwood and came in directly to ask for rooms. The food prepared by the local chef was amazing, and the seafood platter that we ordered on the first night, was most generous. We will definitely be going back to Zanzibar next year, and when we do, we will definitely be staying at Driftwood Beach Lodge again. There is no reason to look any further. We have traveled all over the world, and we can honestly say that staying at Driftwood was one of the best stays we have ever had.

had an excellent evening meal at Driftwood - beautiful surroundings friendly staff and above all excellent food. I would Highly recommend this little gem on the shores of the Indian Ocean in Jambiani

We loved our stay at Driftwood and wished we'd stayed longer! The bar & restaurant staff (Teddy, Rashid & JJ) were super friendly and welcoming, and Anne very kindly helped us arrange day trips which was much appreciated (do the paddle boarding and snorkelling if you can!). The food was delicious, as were the cocktails! Lovely place to relax with a sea view. It was great being able to swim in the pool with a sea view when the tide is out too. The location was ideal to explore Jambiani, and you can walk along the beach to Paje if you enjoy a long stroll with beautiful sea views! This felt like the ideal place to relax by the beach but also get a feel for local life (you're not stuck in an isolated resort like on other parts of Zanzibar). Driftwood is a more rustic style which was what we wanted. Relaxing at a beach front hotel in a good location with very friendly staff and a lovely, relaxing atmosphere - it was amazing!

We stayed at the Driftwood Beach Lodge for 4 nights. We had a cottage overlooking the ocean, so we fell asleep to the sound of the ocean every night. It is well maintained and has a lovely pool. The managers were tremendously helpful and committed people, so we lacked nothing. In addition, the restaurant offers a varied menu with good value for money. Excursions are also organised from the accommodation. Tip: go for the blue safari! It was a fantastic and unique experience!

After an exciting, but also strenous safari week on mainland Tanzania, we - a German family of three kids (11 to 18 years) and their dad - spent five days at Driftwood Beach Lodge to relax and enjoy the comfort of this beautiful place. We received a warm welcome by the managers of the lodge, Dricus and Uschi, and all staff personnel, and immediately felt at home. Surrounding the warm freshwater pool and the restaurant/bar area, rooms are layed out as individual bungalow units (approx. 6 to 8 altogether), composed of a sleeping room, bathroom and veranda, all nicely furnished in driftwood style according to lodge's motto. Daily serviced rooms with very comfortable beds, white linen and soft towels await you. Cold and hot water runs from the faucets in more than just droplets, and all appliances worked as they should - what a comforting treat, compared to the "premium hotel" where we had stayed before! Some guests might miss air condition, but since windows are equipped with moskito nets and security grilles, you can let the island's comfortable breeze cool you at night (in fact, we had generally very little issues with moskitos on the island). Even though Jambiani beach appears to be a safe place, the lodge has a 24-hour security service which made us feel in good hands at all times. Small shops by friendly locals are in short walking distance, with one (Eco Tours) offering exclusively handmade local products to take home as souvenirs. Notably, there is also a German bakery nearby that offers good bread and specialties like Kaiserschmarrn. However, we liked the lodge's restaurant and its menu (all at fair prices) so much that we didn't really try others. Last, a few more words about Dricus and Uschi, the South African couple who manages Driftwood Beach Lodge: we have met many nice people in Tanzania, but Dricus and Uschi really stood out among them. Regardless of what you need, and when - they always gave us excellent advise, arranged taxis and helped us with tour bookings. The latter was particularly useful since there are so many small businesses which offer tours, but the risk that they rip you off or don't hold their promise seems high. One everlasting memory was a half-day fishing trip, organized by Dricus, with our "catch of the day" fileted and grilled for us by the lodge's chef - delicous! Five stars for this great place!