The Residence Zanzibar

My wife and I stayed at The Residence for our honeymoon, expecting a true 5-star experience. Unfortunately, it turned out to be the worst part of our holiday. For £750 per night, what we experienced was nowhere near acceptable for a resort of this supposed standard. The villa was poorly maintained. The bath was filthy to the point we could not use it, and the shower was covered in mould. Although the bath was eventually cleaned after I complained, the shower never was. Shower pressure was inconsistent, and there were several power cuts during our stay. The bed was uncomfortable and not of 5-star quality. The water bottles provided were not sealed and appeared to be recycled. When I questioned staff, they avoided answering and pretended not to understand me. I requested to see a manager about these issues, but despite being told he would meet me, he never arrived. Reception staff were generally rude and unwelcoming. We were offered a “romantic meal on the beach,” which turned into a disaster. We were left unserved for 30 minutes, forcing me to open our own Prosecco. The lobster starter was poorly prepared with pieces of shell left inside. The steak had hair trimmings in it. When I raised this with the manager, he dismissively claimed the hair was “too long to be from staff” and accused us of bringing it ourselves, ignoring the clear shorter hairs in the dish. His attitude was rude and unacceptable. To make matters worse, a movie was being played on a screen right next to our table with a crying baby in the background – hardly the romantic setting promised. The buffet was very average, with limited variety and poor quality compared to the price point. My wife and I even suffered mild food poisoning. Despite being “all-inclusive,” premium items such as salmon or prawns came at an additional cost. Staff were constantly pushing for tips. At the end of every buffet meal, a $0 bill was presented which was clearly designed as a prompt for gratuity. On one occasion, a barman actually chased us down during a private walk to demand a tip for a drink he had served hours earlier. This completely ruined what should have been a special moment. There is no Wi-Fi available in the lobby, which is unacceptable for a hotel claiming 5-star standards. For a ‘5 star’ hotel every level. Poor cleanliness, rude management, mediocre food, relentless tipping culture, and a general lack of care made this an extremely disappointing experience. At £750 per night, the value for money is appalling. I would not recommend The Residence to anyone.

In one word: fan-tas-tic! We spent an entire week enjoying the luxury, perfect service, and stunning surroundings that The Residence has to offer. Every morning, we woke up to the sound and view of the ocean. The oceanfront pool villa was fully equipped, spacious, and spotlessly clean. The service, friendliness, and helpfulness of all the staff were truly remarkable. The resort’s facilities—such as the gym, tennis court, and spa—were excellent. We would especially like to thank Runi and Farida for making our honeymoon that extra bit special with their kindness and outstanding service. We're already looking forward to our next visit to The Residence.

I truly recommend Lukman as yoga teacher! His classes were really good and deep, his knowledge and guidance allow visitors to conduct a regular and precious practice of yoga.

Everything has been amazing. Food was really great and also the spa service. Shout out to Lukeman’s yoga and pilates classes. Really appreciated the service and the kindness during the workouts!

This was most excellent stay. The residence is fantastic and the experience was heavenly. This was made even more special by Restaurant Manager Rakesh Dherel and Chef Satish. Rakesh was outstanding always taking care of us and our needs. Rakesh and Satish made sure that our experience with food and overall stay was excellent. Rakesh is an amazing person and gave us fantastic wine recommendation especially since he is also a wine connoisseur. Thanks to Rakesh and Satish our stay has been most memorable.