Best Zanzibar Hotels – Where to Stay on the Island (With Prices!)
- Global Travel USA Operadora Turistica Ltda.
- Apr 8, 2022
- 6 min read
Going to Zanzibar? Make your Trip with our Partner in Tanzania with our worldwide Travel Services, Zanzibar is the perfect mix of beach and culture! If you love the beach but get bored easily, this could be the perfect destination for you! Now that you have decided to go to this beautiful island, you must need of recommendations for great Zanzibar hotels with Global Travel Corp. USA–you are in the right place!
Zanzibar is an African island off the coast of Tanzania. It’s a fairly small island and has about 1.3 million people living there.
With lots of activities to do like snorkelling, surfing, and kite surfing, as well as the opportunity to learn about the culture and history, this isn’t just a beach vacation (please check my detailed post on Amazing Things to Do in Zanzibar here). I’ll tell you all about the best Zanzibar hotels in different locations on the island!
If you’re already planning a trip to Zanzibar Island or want a great island vacation, there’s a lot you’ll need to know about this beautiful destination! There are different areas of Zanzibar, each with its own feel and vibe.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE BOOKING A HOTEL IN ZANZIBAR
Do you already know when you are going to visit?
When planning your trip, I recommend you take the rainy season into account.
Dry season (June to October)
It’s best to visit Zanzibar in these months, when it’s cool and dry.
Hot season (December to February)
Long rainy season (March to May)
Short rainy season (November)
NOTE: Wondering when to go to Zanzibar for scuba diving? It is best to go from June to October on the North coast and between November and March on the South coast.
IMPORTANT: More about the tides – the tide goes out to a coral reef that’s 1 to 1.5 km off shore. The north coast is popular because you can always swim there, even at low tide. During high tide on the west coast, the beach entirely disappears as the water comes all the way up to the rocky cliffs.
The best way to know when high tide and low tide are is to check the Tide Forecast. It changes day to day so you can check out predictions for when you’re planning to visit.
1. The North coast – Kendwa and Nungwi beaches
The North coast is popular because it’s least affected by the tides. There are two popular Zanzibar beaches in the north, Nungwi and Kendwa.
Nungwi is known for its diving, while Kendwa has more nightlife to offer. In the north, you can also visit Mnemba Island, just a kilometer off the shore. This has great diving and snorkelling spots and is also a home to green turtles!
Here is my list of hand-picked hotels in North Zanzibar, all sorted by price and category so it’s easy for you to find what you need:
LUXURY ($170 USD AND ABOVE)
Riu Palace Zanzibar has a private beach, a spa, and a dive center. It truly offers a luxury, all inclusive Zanzibar experience!
Zuri Zanzibar offers beachside bungalows in Kendwa for couples or for families if you’re on a Zanzibar family holiday. When you’re not on the beach, you can wander through the garden or hang out by the pool. This is truly one of the best Zanzibar luxury hotels!
Zanzibar Queen Hotel is one of the best north east hotels. Located in Matemwe, this hotel has diving facilities, a barbeque, water sports facilities, and even a spa center! Mnemba Island is also just 6 km off the coast.
Z Hotel is a beautiful spot for an escape. It has everything you could want, including an infinity swimming pool and a spa. It also is known for its famous Z Hotel rooftop bar, which might be one of the best places on the island for drinks at sunset!
MIDDLE-PRICED ($60 TO $170 USD)
Nungwi House is a great spot if you’re looking for spacious rooms and a great, free breakfast. It’s centrally located and is a quick walk from the beach. This a great option among middle-priced Zanzibar hotels.
Natural Kendwa Villa has both a pool and a private beach area. I also recommend the restaurant, which offers a delicious buffet every morning. This hotel is also considered to be one the best 4 star hotels in Zanzibar!
Aluna Beach Lodge is only a few steps away from the beach; it has a pool, garden, restaurant, and bar. You’ll never even want to leave the property! If you do feel like leaving though, the Lodge is right next to a maritime conservation center where you can learn all about the turtles.
Warere Beach is right off the beach and some of the facilities it has include a pool with a bar. What more could you ask for? The hotel also has amazing views from the pool deck!
BUDGET (UP TO $60 USD)
Green’s Guest House Nungwi is just 300 meters from Nungwi beach. With a garden and terrace, as well as free Wi-Fi, you’ll have plenty to do after a long day on the beach.
Makofi Guest House is another option in Nungwi. You can either opt for a cheaper, hostel experience in a mixed dorm room or select a private room just for yourself. The patio also gets busy at night if you’re looking to meet other travelers!
Kidoti Wild Garden is perfect if you’re looking for some relaxation. Located about 6 km outside of Nungwi, this eco-friendly hotel is solar powered. I recommend it if you’re looking for a bit of a quiet escape.
Papaya Guest House is a great option in Nungwi. It has a bar and a restaurant, so you don’t have to go far for good food and drinks! It also has a garden and each room leads out onto a patio.
BONUS – SPECIAL HOTELS IN ZANZIBAR
UNDERWATER HOTEL
If you want a truly unique experience in Zanzibar, consider staying in a Zanzibar underwater hotel. The Manta Resort has an underwater room off the shore where the bedroom is underwater. You may have heard of “sleeping with the fishes,” but never like this!
The top floor of the room is a lounge area where you can lay out in the sun and relax. The main floor has a deck, outdoor living room area, and a bathroom, of course. Then, you head down a ladder and experience the magic of the ocean. Windows in the underwater bedroom let you see the sea life around you. This is a one-in-a-lifetime experience that will let you be immersed in the ocean like never before.
If you want to stay right on the water, check out Dreamer’s Island. You can rent a houseboat right off the coast of Stone Town and really enjoy the ocean. From the boat, you can fish or just sunbathe on the deck. Imagine being able to snorkel right outside your front door!
Another amazing idea is to stay on Mnemba Island, a small island located around 3km off the coast of Zanzibar and probably the most intimate and secluded place you can stay in Tanzania. It is truly a beach paradise and it is also perfect for people who are going to Tanzania for their honeymoon, but not only them! If you want to truly feel like you are on your own private island paradise, I recommend staying at AndBeyond Mnemba Island! There are only 12 rooms on the entire island and each of them is equally gorgeous!
NYUMBANI RESIDENCE
Most of the time when I travel I go “incognito” because I don’t want any extra attention and I want to get a real experience – without anyone trying to impress us for free publicity!
Daniele got up to say goodbye purely in the name of hospitality. He and his wife were also extremely nice and welcoming during our whole stay.
So, Nyumbani is actually a residence meaning we had the whole apartment (60 m2) to ourselves with a fully equipped kitchen and huge living room. They only have about 7 rooms I think and they all face the pool- how cool is that! I loved making smoothies for us every morning and having breakfast with this wonderful view- it was an amazing way to start the day!
Laundry service and food delivery as well as the transfer from the airport can be arranged (I think it was about 40 USD one way to the airport). They can also call a taxi for you to get to the nearest “town” (Paje); this will cost about 7000 TSZ ($3 USD) one way. Otherwise, we found that there are tons of restaurants within a 5 minute walk (ask the owner for recommendations as they are Italian and they know the good places! 😉 )
If you’re addicted to Wi-Fi, I will tell you that the internet isn’t super fast (it’s not fast anywhere on the island to be fair!). But there is a router right in your bungalow, so no need to go to the lobby or anything like that.
All in all, I really enjoyed my time there and I highly recommend this place if you want somewhere tranquil and intimate.
BOOK NOW BY GROUPS FROM 12 PEOPLE TO 30 PEOPLE, ENJOY WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
MAKE YOUR QUOTATION WITH US...!!!
PARTNER: GLOBAL TRAVEL CORP USA & JAMES TOURS AFRICA
Yorumlar