Everything about Essque Zalu was top notch. From the rooms, to the ambience and to the staff who were so welcoming and ready to assist. Big thank you especially to Mr aditya, Rehema and Omar for making our stay very memorable. It was my first time in Zanzibar and i honestly could not have gone to a better place, it really did feel a home away from home. Will definitely go back there with family next time.

Travelled with my daughters during the first week of April (which was the low season). Had a lovely experience from the booking process to the day we left. The majority of the staff were warm and very welcoming. It being my daughter's birthday, we got a surprise upgrade to the all-inclusive package, which I really appreciated and found thoughtful. The garden room where we stayed was spacious and could comfortably fit a family of four. Rooms were clean, bathroom as well. Shower had nice water pressure. Food was mostly good except for breakfast on the last day. I would like to appreciate the chefs for accomodating our picky eating habits and the wait staff for going out their way with our requests. Despite the gloomy weather we were able to keep ourselves occupied with games and they also have a kids club. Grounds were well maintained and the reception area is breath taking! A special thanks to Aditya the GM, Omar at front office, Rehema at reservations and Lucy wa Frank for always making sure we were well attended to. We will definitely be back. I cannot recommend them enough!

The hotel is beautiful looking and they have amazing and attentive staff who are very welcoming from the very beginning when you enter the building the front of house staff Cecilia and Juma are welcoming and very informative. All the restaurant and waiting staff go above and beyond especially the lady called Gift and it's unfortunate I couldn't remember the others as they weren't wearing name tags although the same staff catered to us daily. Also, our room was kept very clean and I must give it up to the housekeeping staff who do an exceptional job. Having mentioned the above there are some areas of improvement for the management team overall, if they are to retain a good standard in this competitive industry. 1) It seems majority of the hotels cliental are Chinese.On our first night I witnessed a guest speak extremely poorly to a waiter I couldn't help but intervene and let them know that's not acceptable behaviour. The same individual proceeded to harass a further three employees speaking to them in a degrading manner and spit in public places where other guests are sat. The solution from managers in dealing with this vile behaviour was to constantly provides new waiting staff to this individual ( in total harassing 4 employees in less than 20 mins). I told managers this is not acceptable anywhere in the world you should protect and value your staff. It was as simple as letting this individual know if you continue to speak to our staff that way we will not serve you, instead their solution was to reward the clients bad behaviour and keep calling different staff to be abused. This happened on two other occasions where the hotel allows staff to be spoken to anyhow. (Clearly employee rights are nonexistent here). 2)The quality of the food needs to improve drastically. Having eaten at other restaurants within the area they offered fresh and good quality food at reasonable prices. This hotel a margarita pizza is $18, a bottle of water $6 not many seafood options on their menu and the few they have is ridiculously priced. They offer a beach shuttle daily and I preferred the tasty food that was being offered there over the hotel food.Zalu needs to take a leaf from their page a bottle of water is $2, margarita pizza $10, loads of seafood options all reasonably priced and was of a great standard. Not to mention their cocktails were beautiful at Zalu cocktails were just pure sugar horrible. 3) this hotel is in a beautiful setting views are majestic and tranquil however, it could do with more love and care maintaining the pool, update furniture wear and tear, gardens etc. Overall was a beautiful stay as the staff made it memorable. Thank you to them for being gracious and great hosts.

I planned a 3 day Easter wedding weekend for my couple at Essque and ooh my This hotel exceeded my expectations & I’m so grateful to the entire team for being so flexible & dedicated to bring my vision to life , the personalized all inclusive Menu from start to finish blew me away , the ambiance perfect for a destination wedding, couple , friends or family get work . Thank you for giving us a weekend to forever Remember. We shall definitely be back soon. If you’re planning a wedding in Zanzibar I highly recommend this place . You won’t regret it . Definitely home away from home. Definitely a place to Visit. Forever grateful, Esther .

I would like to keep this short and sweet but I don’t know how I possibly can. So if you care to read please do at your own interest. Firstly I believe that everything happens for a reason. I booked this solo trip 8 months prior and originally booked a different hotel. I then cancelled and changed to Essque Zalue. Only and I stress only!! Because of the reviews and social media posts from previous guests. 1 month before arriving at Essque, I spent almost every night looking at new reviews on here and skimming through social media as I can worry myself when it comes to travelling abroad, yet alone solo travelling. I unfortunately lost my Mother last year and as a result my world had and is still turned upside down! Anyone who has lost their mum would feel my pain and grief. I felt like I was losing my mind with juggling everyday life and being a Mother myself! So I decided to book my first solo trip to take a break to help me somewhat find myself again. I chose Zanzibar because of my love for Africa. Plus it was my Birthday whilst I was out here. Essque Zalu…. If I could describe you in two words, it would be “God Sent” and I honestly mean that from my heart. Attention to detail is your biggest attribute! There was not one staff member here that didn’t know my name by the end of day 1. I had sent an email prior to my arrival, outlining my reasons for visiting and I was pleasantly surprised to learn that it was shared and valued amongst all staff here. That alone is a 10/10 as I was treated with such care and respect. Every encounter with each staff member was genuine and polite. Rooms: The rooms are very well kept, clean, spacious and beautifully laid out. I was upgraded to the water front, house keeping are amazing at what they do! Daily they kept my room looking like it was brand new. I always, always struggle with simple things like working the air conditioning, but not at Essque! It’s almost like they knew everything I needed and would potentially struggle with. Staff: Went above and beyond with customer service and hospitality! Baring in mind I booked Half Board, there were times I had to think to myself. As I can only imagine what full board or all inclusive would be like, if this was the treatment I got! From complimentary drinks, to trialling multiple dishes outside of my Half Board! I was always satisfied and full. Whether it was the chef, to the cleaner or even the general staff. They all knew how to serve by multitasking to my needs and requests. Even doing things outside of their job description. So again 10/10! Hotel Grounds: Beautiful Beautiful! From my social media posts alone. I have had friends enquiring about Essque Zalu. The previous reviews about how stunning it is was not a lie! So if you’re booking here il leave it to you to see just what I meant by BEAUTIFUL. Well kept and yet again, attention to detail is clearly important to you. General Manager: I was eager to meet Mr Aditya as I’ve seen his name in so many reviews. WOW!! I now know why your name rolls off the tongues of so many pass vacationers! You have truly made this trip so hard for me to leave and return back home to my normal life. You’re an absolute Star! There was nothing too big or too small. Had everything covered. From the lovely Birthday Gift, to everything I’ve written above. I know it all was down to you and I really hope that next year when I return with my daughters that you’re still here. Paying hard earned money to stay at a hotel is always a gamble. It paid off and at times I felt like I should be paying more as the hospitality was incredible. you made me feel wanted! I haven’t been to many hotels that have made me feel this way. I felt wanted at all times, you know what it means to put your staff and customers first. Applaud you for that. Lastly the food: at this point, I’m done with typing! The food is incredible. I’m a foodie, picky and know how to cook, so the fact that I ate and left no crumbs! I will leave it at that. Special thanks to Gift! You’re going to be living in my head rent free because of your kindness to me. Until next time Essque Zalue