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Palm-fringed white beach meeting turquoise water from above

Where you’ll stay

Zanzibar Resorts, Villas & Heritage Hotels

Stay styles for every coast and comfort level, from Stone Town merchant houses to pool villas, remote island lodges and a private island. We match specific hotels to your dates.

Comfort levels

Four Comfort Levels

  1. ComfortWell-run lodges and classic camps with genuine warmth — excellent guiding without the extras.
  2. PremiumSpacious, characterful camps in prime locations, with exceptional service and food.
  3. LuxuryRefined camps and lodges — often with plunge pools, fine dining and the very best positions.
  4. Ultra-LuxuryExclusive-use reserves and a handful of suites: privacy, space and complete flexibility.
Area
Comfort level
Collection

21 stay styles

Comfort

Stone Town · old-town lanes

Old-Lane Boutique Townhouse

Boutique hotel

A tall, narrow townhouse deep in the lanes has been turned into a small hotel, with lime-washed walls, carved shutters and a steep staircase up to a rooftop where breakfast comes with views over the tin roofs to the harbor. It puts the markets and the waterfront a few minutes away on foot, at a gentler price level than the grand seafront addresses.

  • A small number of rooms, some with Zanzibari beds
  • Rooftop terrace for breakfast and sunset
  • Short walk to Forodhani Gardens and Darajani market
  • Steep stairs and no lift at most

Ideal for: Independent-minded travelers who want character and location more than facilities

Premium

Stone Town · restored merchant house

Restored Merchant-House Hotel

Heritage hotel

Built around a shaded courtyard for a 19th-century trading family, this style of hotel keeps its original carved doors, stained-glass fanlights and lofty ceilings, with rooms furnished in Zanzibari antiques and brass-bound chests. The rooftop restaurant is one of the best places in town to watch the light fade over the minarets.

  • Courtyard rooms and suites with antique four-poster beds
  • Rooftop restaurant and bar
  • Staff who arrange guides, porters and dhows
  • Stairs throughout; lifts are rare

Ideal for: Couples and culture lovers who want Stone Town’s history in the fabric of the building

Luxury

Stone Town · seafront

Seafront Palace Heritage Hotel

Heritage hotel

Hotels in this style occupy restored palace-era buildings along the waterfront, where sea-view suites open onto the channel and the pool looks out at moored dhows. You get the old town on your doorstep with the spa, dining and service of a fine resort, and cars can usually pull up at the entrance.

  • Sea-facing suites with balconies or terraces
  • Pool overlooking the harbor
  • Spa and more than one restaurant
  • Steps from Forodhani Gardens and the Palace Museum

Ideal for: Honeymooners and travelers who want Stone Town’s atmosphere with space, a pool and polished service

Comfort

North coast · Kendwa

Kendwa Sunset Boutique Hotel

Boutique hotel

A small, easygoing hotel on Kendwa’s broad white beach keeps simple rooms or cottages a few steps from water that stays deep enough to swim through most of the tide. The beach faces west, so the bar fills at sunset and the day ends with dhows silhouetted against an orange sky.

  • Garden or sea-view rooms a short walk from the water
  • Beach bar and seafood restaurant
  • Sunset dhow trips and snorkel boats from the beach
  • Pool at some

Ideal for: Couples, friends and first-timers who want easy swimming and a relaxed scene at a moderate price level

Turquoise water off Nungwi beach with a boat offshorePremium

North coast · Nungwi

Nungwi Family Beach Resort

Beach resort

On the northern tip of the island, larger resorts in this style combine several pools, family rooms and, at many, a kids’ club with a beach where the sea stays swimmable for most of the day. Nungwi village, its dhow builders and a choice of dive centers are close by, so there is always something to do between swims.

  • Family rooms and interconnecting options
  • Several pools, often with a shallow children’s pool
  • Kids’ club and babysitting at many
  • Dive center or water sports on site at some

Ideal for: Families and groups who want pools, space, activities and swimming that does not hinge on the tide

Turquoise water off Nungwi beach with a boat offshoreLuxury

North coast · west-facing beach

West-Facing Luxury Beach Resort

Beach resort

Spacious suites and villas step down through landscaped gardens to a west-facing beach, with an infinity pool, a full spa and several restaurants. Because the seabed shelves quickly here, you can swim before breakfast or after lunch without consulting a tide table, and every evening ends with the sun sliding into the channel.

  • Suites or villas, some with private plunge pools
  • Infinity pool and full-service spa
  • Several restaurants and a beach bar
  • Kids’ club at some, adults-only areas at others

Ideal for: Couples and families who want resort polish, room to spread out and dependable swimming

Traveler greeting the sunset from an infinity pool over the Indian OceanUltra-Luxury

North coast · private villa residence

North Coast Private Villa Residence

Beach villa

A multi-bedroom residence on the north coast, sometimes within the grounds of a top resort and sometimes standing alone, gives you a private pool, your own chef and a butler, with the beach at the end of the garden. Families and friends have room to be together or apart, and resort facilities are often a short stroll away.

  • Two or more bedrooms, each with its own bathroom
  • Private pool and direct beach access
  • Personal chef and butler or villa host
  • Private dhow and boat trips on request

Ideal for: Families, celebrations and couples who want exclusive space and service on the swimmable north coast

Premium

North-east coast · Matemwe

Matemwe Barefoot Lodge

Boutique hotel

Thatched cottages sit on a low coral headland above Matemwe’s long, quiet beach, looking across the lagoon toward Mnemba. The mood is barefoot and unhurried, and the reef is only about 20 minutes away by boat, so divers and snorkelers are often in the water before the crowds.

  • Thatched cottages with sea views
  • Dive center on site or next door at many
  • Tidal lagoon, with swims planned around high water
  • Village and seaweed-farm walks

Ideal for: Snorkelers, divers and couples who want quiet, a village setting and quick access to the Mnemba reef

Traveler greeting the sunset from an infinity pool over the Indian OceanLuxury

North-east coast · facing Mnemba

Mnemba-View Pool Villa Retreat

Beach villa

Every villa in this style has its own plunge pool and a deck facing the reef around Mnemba, so the hours when the lagoon drains are spent in your own water rather than waiting for the tide. Boats leave from the beach for the reef, and dinners can be served on your terrace or out on the sand.

  • Private villas with plunge pools and outdoor showers
  • Boat trips to the Mnemba reef from the beach
  • In-villa dining and spa treatments
  • Kayaks and paddleboards at high tide

Ideal for: Honeymooners and couples who want privacy, a pool of their own and the best of the Mnemba reef

Comfort

South-east coast · Paje

Paje Kite-Beach Lodge

Boutique hotel

Paje’s broad, shallow lagoon and steady trade winds have made it the island’s kitesurfing hub, and lodges in this style sit right in the middle of it, with simple rooms, a sociable bar and kite schools a few steps along the sand. At low tide the sea retreats far across the flats; at high tide the lagoon is warm, flat and ideal for learning.

  • Simple rooms or bungalows near the beach
  • Kite schools and gear rental nearby
  • Beach cafés and bars within walking distance
  • Very tidal lagoon, best for swimming around high water

Ideal for: Active travelers, kitesurfers and friends who want a lively beach village rather than a resort

Premium

South-east coast · Jambiani or Bwejuu

Jambiani Village Boutique Hotel

Boutique hotel

Small hotels in this style line the long south-east shore between fishing villages, with a handful of rooms, a pool for the hours when the sea is out and a lagoon striped with seaweed plots. Evenings are quiet, the cooking is often excellent, and the freshwater pool inside Kuza cave is a short drive away.

  • A small number of rooms or suites near the beach
  • Pool for swimming at low tide
  • Village walks and seaweed-farm visits
  • Jozani Forest about 15–25 minutes away

Ideal for: Couples who want character, calm and a village setting on the east coast

Turquoise water off Nungwi beach with a boat offshorePremium

Michamvi Peninsula · sunset side

Michamvi Sunset-Side Resort

Beach resort

Resorts on the western shore of the Michamvi Peninsula look across Chwaka Bay, which makes them one of the few east-coast addresses where the sun sets over the water. The bay is calmer than the open coast, though still tidal, and pools, family rooms and beach restaurants make this a comfortable base for mixed groups.

  • Sea-view rooms and family suites
  • Large pools for the low-tide hours
  • Sunset bar facing Chwaka Bay
  • Easy reach of Paje, Jozani and the south-east villages

Ideal for: Families and couples who want an east-coast stay with sunsets and a resort’s facilities

Traveler greeting the sunset from an infinity pool over the Indian OceanLuxury

South-east coast · private pool villa

South-East Private Pool Villa

Beach villa

Behind a garden wall on the south-east shore, the villa is yours alone: a private pool, an open-air shower and a terrace where breakfast appears whenever you surface. A villa host keeps an eye on the tide and plans reef walks, sandbank lunches and swims around the hours when the lagoon is full.

  • Private pool and walled garden
  • Villa host and in-villa dining
  • Guided reef walks and sandbank picnics
  • Spa treatments in the villa at many

Ideal for: Honeymooners who want complete privacy and a daily rhythm set by the tide

Traveler greeting the sunset from an infinity pool over the Indian OceanUltra-Luxury

East coast · exclusive-use villa with host

Exclusive-Use East Coast Villa

Beach villa

The whole property is yours: a secluded villa of several suites on a quiet stretch of the east coast, staffed by a host, a chef and housekeepers who work around your day. With no other guests, meals, boat trips and spa treatments happen exactly when and where you choose, and the tide becomes a daily spectacle rather than a constraint.

  • Exclusive use of the villa and grounds
  • Host, private chef and housekeeping
  • Large pool and beach frontage
  • Private boat trips and excursions arranged

Ideal for: Honeymooners, families and small groups who want absolute privacy and a staff devoted to them

Luxury lodge deck with loungers and umbrellas at golden hourPremium

South-west · Fumba & Menai Bay

Menai Bay Mangrove Eco-Lodge

Lodge

On the quiet Fumba side of the island, about 30 minutes from the airport, small eco-minded lodges sit among mangroves and coral rag on the edge of the Menai Bay Conservation Area. The water faces west and is sheltered, sandbank and island trips leave from nearby beaches, and the pace is about as far from the resort strips as Zanzibar gets.

  • Simple, well-designed rooms or bungalows
  • Dhow trips to Menai Bay’s sandbanks and islets
  • Mangrove kayaking at high tide
  • Sunset views over the bay

Ideal for: Nature-minded travelers who want mangroves, sandbanks and quiet close to the airport

Aerial view of a turquoise reef and white-sand island in the Indian OceanUltra-Luxury

Mnemba Island · off the north-east coast

Mnemba Island Barefoot Retreat

Private island

Mnemba is only about 1.5 km around, and its single lodge spreads a few thatched beach bandas beneath casuarina trees, so you share the island with a small number of other guests and no day visitors at all. You snorkel and dive from the beach within the surrounding conservation area’s rules, and green turtles haul out to nest on the sand in season.

  • A small number of beach bandas steps from the sea
  • Snorkeling and diving within the Marine Special Area rules
  • Meals and most island activities typically included
  • About 20 minutes by boat from the north-east coast

Ideal for: Honeymooners and divers who want a true private island with the reef on the doorstep

Luxury lodge deck with loungers and umbrellas at golden hourPremium

Pemba · north-west coast

Pemba Channel Dive Lodge

Lodge · Some Pemba lodges close around April–May

Built for people who come to Pemba to dive, lodges in this style sit on the north-west coast with an on-site dive center and boats heading out to the Pemba Channel’s walls and drifts. Rooms are simple and comfortable, the beach is very tidal, and evenings revolve around the day’s dives and an unhurried dinner.

  • Dive center with boats to the Pemba Channel
  • Simple bungalows or bandas near the shore
  • Trips to Misali Island and Ngezi Forest
  • Full board is typical

Ideal for: Experienced divers and keen snorkelers who value the reef over polish

Luxury lodge deck with loungers and umbrellas at golden hourLuxury

Pemba · west-coast lagoon, boat access

Pemba Lagoon Luxury Lodge

Lodge · Some Pemba lodges close around April–May

Reached by boat across a mangrove-fringed lagoon on Pemba’s west coast, lodges in this style are among the most secluded places to stay anywhere in the archipelago, with spacious villas, a spa and staff who plan each day around the tide. Misali’s reefs are close by, and after dark the only sound is the wind in the palms.

  • Spacious villas or bandas facing the lagoon
  • Boat transfers and excursions timed to the tide
  • Spa and fine dining
  • Diving and snorkeling at Misali and in the Pemba Channel

Ideal for: Honeymooners and repeat visitors who want seclusion, water and quiet luxury

Luxury lodge deck with loungers and umbrellas at golden hourComfort

Mafia · Utende, inside the marine park

Utende Marine Park Guesthouse

Lodge · Many Mafia lodges close for part of April–June

Small, friendly and unpretentious, guesthouses in this style sit at Utende inside Mafia Island Marine Park, a short walk from Chole Bay. Rooms are simple, the cooking is local, and whale-shark trips, dives and dhow days are arranged with small operators nearby.

  • Simple rooms or bungalows with fans or air conditioning
  • Walking distance to Chole Bay
  • Whale-shark and dive trips arranged locally
  • Home-style Swahili cooking

Ideal for: Divers and independent-minded travelers who want Mafia’s marine life at a modest price level

Luxury lodge deck with loungers and umbrellas at golden hourPremium

Mafia · Chole Bay

Chole Bay Beach Lodge

Lodge · Many Mafia lodges close for part of April–June

Thatched bungalows open onto the sheltered beach of Chole Bay, with a dive center, dhows at anchor and a view across the water to the ruins on Chole Island. The bay is ideal for snorkeling and learning to dive, and in season the whale-shark boats at Kilindoni are a short drive across the island.

  • Beachfront bungalows with sea views
  • Dive center and dhow trips from the beach
  • Excursions to Chole Island and the sandbanks
  • Full board is typical

Ideal for: Divers, snorkelers and couples who want the heart of the marine park on their doorstep

Luxury lodge deck with loungers and umbrellas at golden hourLuxury

Mafia archipelago · secluded island lodge

Secluded Mafia Archipelago Island Lodge

Lodge · Typically open roughly July–March

On a small island in the Mafia archipelago, a handful of villas share a beach, a reef and a team who can take you out to the whale sharks, to a sandbank or simply to dinner under the stars. It is about as far from the crowds as the Tanzanian coast gets, with very few guests and no passing traffic.

  • Very few villas, each close to the water
  • Private boat trips to the whale sharks and reefs
  • Diving, snorkeling and sandbank picnics
  • Boat transfer from Mafia

Ideal for: Honeymooners and divers who want seclusion and Mafia’s marine life in a single setting

Where you’ll stay

How We Choose Your Camps

  1. We shortlist camps for location first — where the wildlife and experiences will be on your dates.

  2. Then we match the comfort level, room types and atmosphere to your party.

  3. Every property we recommend comes from our vetted partner network.

  4. Your proposal names each camp, with photos, before you confirm anything.

Continue exploring

Turquoise water off Nungwi beach with a boat offshore

Tell Us When You’d Like to Be on the Island

Share your dates, who is traveling and what you want from Zanzibar — beaches, reefs, Stone Town or a safari first. We’ll suggest the right coast and design a private trip around you, with nothing booked until you approve it.

Plan My Zanzibar Trip