Zanzibar Bay Resort & Spa

This resort is amazing with its meals, pool by the beach, overwater bar and multiple international cuisine. However, it is far and remote so best only by car. I enjoyed my stay though with the blackouts.

We booked with my wife a during july 2024 for our anniversary. The food is super good and in plenty. The vintage structures are so appealing and makes thr place look so beautiful. We paid full board which was a good idea for us. The workers are so friendly and respective. Besides, the hotel is so clean. However, there is need for the management to change the beds or make the firm. Also, the pillows are so hard and gives headache. Thank you

I am writing this review whilst still in the resort and I have to say for what we paid for a family of 4, we have had/having a great time. The hotel albeit not very old has rustic charm given the materials they use and their determination to recycle, however even though the hotel is only 5-years old they are now renovating the balconies around the main pool, which can be sometimes annoying due to drilling. The staff here, in my opinion are extremely friendly and Jambo "Hello" is the word you will always hear. Reception: We arrived in the resort at about 9am but couldn't get into our rooms until 2pm, which after 20-hours of travel is a pain and it appears that many guests arrive early so perhaps the hotel should think about revising their check in times? Rooms: The rooms are lovely, rustic and minimalist but comfy. They are cleaned very day and you can have your bed/towels changed as often as you like, you just need to make it known. There is a mosquito net over the bed, which the maids let down every night, whilst also spraying the room. We have been bit several times by mosquitoes so make sure you take plenty of sprays. Pools: We only sat round the Zanzibar Bay main pool, which was very nice. It has a bar that opens from 10am through until 7pm serving soft drinks and alcohol. The beer is nice and poured out of bottles so l imagine not watered down and the spirit measures are plentiful. The sun beds are a little uncomfortable but you get used to them. Look out for the resident monkey who is great entertainment and a great photo opportunity. Bars: As well as the pool bar around the Zanzibar Bay pool, there is also one around the Paradise Beach hotel side (guests can use either). There is the Coconut Bar, which closes at 11pm and a lot of guests drink in this bar in the evening. A special mention to Masoud who is a brilliant bar tender and so friendly. Restaurants: There are 3 restaurants, main buffet, which is ok but like all main buffets can get a bit repetitive. Breakfasts in my opinion are limited but you can always find something to eat. The Indian and Asian restaurants were great and have to be booked in the morning but are very tasty and well worth several visits. Trips: We spent days out on trips, Nmemba Island, which was snorkelling, dolphin spotting and sand bank, we also did a 3-stop trip, which was Spice Farm, Prison Island and Stone Town, which was a full day and dragged on a bit but was still interesting and finally we did another boat trip, which consisted of seeing the Rock restaurant, snorkelling in the blue lagoon, star fish and relaxing on Mangrove Island, which was excellent value for money. Weather: We stayed from 5th July for 2-weeks and the weather has been mixed, sun, cloud, rain but I think it's the norm for this island and definitely unpredictable but it was around 30 degrees each day and warm enough at night for t-shirt and shorts. Summary: I think because of the distance and the fact there are only so many things to do