The Residence Zanzibar

The location is amazing and the staff even more so. Was surprised to see they also had a kids club that had activities for children during the day. The food was great specially the outdoor eating experience at the Pavilion. The provided bikes were also a conviniet way of getting around but above all the rooms were perfect with a private pool included

Beautiful complimentary daily yoga sessions with Lookman in the outdoor yoga studio or out on the pier with the wind and sea breeze adding to the experience. A nice mix of workout and stretches and the instructor was very considerate and skilled.

I had a wonderful stay at The Residence Zanzibar, and one of the highlights was meeting Edson, the club car driver. He’s incredibly cheerful and has such a warm and welcoming personality. Every ride with him felt like a little celebration—especially when he sang! His voice is amazing, and his positive energy is truly contagious. It’s rare to meet someone who can brighten your day so effortlessly. Thank you, Edson, for making our trip even more memorable!

What a fantastic stay we had at The Residence, Zanzibar. The location, property and staff were all outstanding. Particular thanks go to Amahan, Juma S and Hellen, who looked after us brilliantly and made our daughter feel special, but all of the team went out of their way to look after us. We were all-inclusive, which was a great option for us as a family. We ate breakfast and dinner buffet-style, both of which had great choices. We found a good breakfast set us up for the day but did have a light lunch a couple of times, which was a la carte and delicious with good options from sandwiches and salads to full main meals. We all enjoyed the complimentary fruit kebabs and ice cream which were served poolside during the day! Our villa was spacious, well laid-out, spotlessly clean and had an amazing outdoor pool complete with monkeys (!) and a stunning bathroom. We made use of the spa, and had a lovely couples massage. The main pool was a really good size and fairly quiet on most days with great views onto the beach. Bikes are provided to help you get around the grounds, which were perfect for us as we were a little way from the main building, and we discovered the Earth Garden, chickens and goats which were a lovely surprise. The beach is very flat, so the tide goes out a long way and swimming is only really possible at high tide. There are sea urchins and the sand beyond the shoreline is quite clay-like so wetsuit shoes are recommended (and available if you don't take them). Depending where you are travelling from you will need a tourist visa, and everyone has to have Tanzanian travel insurance (both available online before travel). There is also a nightly tourist tax to pay. We took and used USD, mainly for tipping. We would definitely recommend a stay here, and although my normal policy is never to go back to the same place twice, I would return in a heartbeat! :)

Cockroaches and I should finish my review. There is no excuse , the hotel is outside of the city, so there is only this hotel case, how thay care about cleanliness. The room - 3 or 4 stars, the beach and swimming pool - 5 stars, the reasturants - 4 stars but choise is rather poor. Dinner is far away from exoectations. Generally MANAGER should be chainged:)