Essque Zalu Zanzibar

Wonderful Stay with Exceptional Staff at zalu Hotel (Zanzibar) We really enjoyed our stay at Zalu Hotel in Zanzibar. The absolute highlight was the staff — incredibly kind, attentive, and welcoming. They remembered our names and even our preferred seating areas, which made the experience feel very personal. Breakfasts were buffet-style and included, with lots of variety. There were chefs making eggs, crepes, and pancakes to order, along with cereals, breads, and other options. Dinner was also buffet-style, with a different theme each night (Swahili night, pasta bar, and other rotating menus). We found dinner to be a bit hit or miss depending on personal taste, but overall the quality was good. Nightly entertainment was another highlight — lively, fun, and something we really enjoyed, especially having great seats to watch the performances. In terms of value, pricing felt more in line with U.S. standards than budget travel (buffet dinners were around $40 USD per person plus tip), which seems fairly standard for Zanzibar overall. That said, the service, atmosphere, and experience made it a great stay, and we would definitely recommend it. Huge shoutout to all of the people who made this trip extra special! Moreen at the front desk, Juma with concierge service, and all of the wait staff - Mahmoud, Joffrey, Islam, Flora and the others!

The massage was wonderful. Very relaxing, refreshing and left me at ease. “Happy” the massage therapist truly lived up to her name.

Everything was perfect ! Beautiful

Very nice and cozy resort with all the ameneties and infrastructure.The staff is very welcoming Breathtaking view from the pool

We had a lovely few days at Essque Zalu. As some of the comments say the property isn’t as polished as it could be but the staff make up for it. Always happy and interested - they will do all they can for you. We stayed in an ocean suite and it was lovely to hear the waves at night and sit on the deck. Elal in the bar and Mahmood in the restaurant stood out for us. We stayed on a half board basis and both breakfast and lunch had plenty of options and each night the food was different. We also had lunch at the pool on one day and that was a huge portion size. The location is gorgeous but remember beach shoes as there are lots of sea urchins. It is a short walk to some lovely bars and white sandy beach.