Five Unmissable Luxury Hotels on Zanzibar

Zanzibar: The Perfect Luxury Escape

With its white sand beaches, crystal clear turquoise waters, and spice perfumed beach resorts, Zanzibar has become synonymous with the idea of a once-in-a-lifetime romantic beach escape.

Accommodation on the Tanzanian island runs the gamut from backpacker hostels to budget-friendly B&Bs to five-star Luxury Hotels on Zanzibar resorts.

While there are options for all walks of life, today we're highlighting five of the most luxurious properties the Tanzanian beach escape has to offer.

Tulia Zanzibar, Pongwe

The very definition of a tropical island retreat, green and verdant Tulia is the perfect escape for those wanting privacy while they explore the white sand beach of Pongwe.

Guests at this all-inclusive resort can expect to get away from the hustle and bustle in their own luxury villa, complete with a Jacuzzi from which to soak it all in and a hammock to relax in after a day spent exploring.

While many resorts on Zanzibar offer all-inclusive options, Tulia Zanzibar's differs in that its alcohol selection is not limited to local beers and wines. Guests can indulge in a wide variety of drinks and dishes - ensuring you're spoiled for choice whether you stay for one night or one week.

For families, Tulia is a special option. The resort is the only one on Zanzibar with water slides, and its beachside location means you'll have access to all of the water sports that you'd expect to find on an island paradise.

Despite all of these amazing details, our team's favourite element of their time visiting Tulia? The wonderfully warm and welcoming staff!

Tulia prides itself on a high level of personal care, and guests are made to feel like honoured friends rather than being 'just another guest'. It's a welcome addition to the already stellar accommodations.

Park Hyatt Zanzibar, Stone Town

Located at the heart of historic Stone Town, the Park Hyatt Zanzibar blends Zanzibar's unique fusion of cultures with modern luxury.

The perfect base from which to launch your exploration of the city's labyrinthine alleys and bustling marketplaces, the Park Hyatt is also a beachfront property - the perfect middle ground between the city's two biggest attractions.

While designed in a distinctly Zanzibari style that keeps you firmly rooted in the culture you're exploring, rooms boast all of the modern conveniences such as air conditioning, TVs, and bath tubs. The hotel itself has a beauty and massage centre, fully equipped gym, on site shopping, and more.

For those wanting to experience Stone Town without surrendering luxury, the Park Hyatt is the perfect choice.

Star of the East, Nungwi

For many visitors to Zanzibar, the iconic beaches of Nungwi are the first thing that comes to mind.

The very picture of island paradise, Nungwi's long stretches of pristine white sand dissolve deliciously into the turquoise waters that seem to stay warm year round.

While many luxury properties adorn this band of sand like jewels, the Star of the East shines brightest.

Attached to the famous (and luxurious in its own right) Diamonds La Gemma Hotel, the Star of the East is the property's exclusive luxury retreat.

Guests enjoy 24/7 butler service in their private villas, each of which comes with sunny terraces and private pools.

An island of calm in the hustle and bustle of the popular Nungwi region, the Star of the East offers privacy with access to the very best that the island has to offer. Guests are free to use the facilities of the nearby Diamonds La Gemma Hotel and then retreat back to the Star of the East.

A real highlight of the resort is its open air gym and spa. What better way to work on your fitness than out under the dazzling blue skies with the ocean breeze to cool you off?

White Sand Luxury Villas, Paje

Southeastern Zanzibar isn't quite as popular as the often crowded beaches of the northeast, but Paje Beach draws a lot of its charm from this very fact.

If your dreams of Zanzibar paint a picture of an isolated beach, starry nights, and the gentle rattle & rustle of palms rather than loud music and laughing children, White Sand Luxury Villas on Paje Beach might be what you're looking for.

Rather than being just another beach side resort, White Sand seamlessly blends the luxury experience in with the idea of being on the beach. Each of the resort's sunny and breezy private villas has an outdoor shower and bath tub, perfect for washing away the salt and sand beneath starry skies.

Far away from the touristic Nungwe and Pongwe regions of the island, White Sand compensates for its isolation by giving its guests access to bicycles for exploring the nearby beaches.

There is also an extensive spa and beauty facility at the resort - including sauna, Turkish baths, massage, beauty services, yoga sessions, and a fully equipped gym.

For those looking to let their hair down, the resort boasts all of the usual water sports as well as three bars: a cruisy beach bar, a classy lounge, and a rooftop bar perfect for sundowners.

&Beyond Mnemba Island, Mnemba

The &Beyond name has become synonymous with luxury, and it's unsurprising that the luxury label has put together something truly remarkable for their Zanzibar property.

Designed for those wanting a true castaway experience, &Beyond's Mnemba Island property holds just twenty guests and markets itself as the perfect place for those wanting the experience of holidaying on their own private island.

It's barefoot luxury: the simple pleasure of feeling the sand between your toes combined with the decadence of private beachside bandas, candlelit walkways, and personalised service the likes of which you won't find elsewhere.

The island's private house reef and on-site PADI Dive Centre make it a perfect escape for snorkelling and scuba diving enthusiasts, while romantics have the option of private beach dinners, romantic walks, and much more.

It's a Maldives experience with a distinctly Zanzibari twist.

How to Spend a Day in Kigali

Gorillas, Golden Monkeys and the Big Five

If you are planning for your African trip, there is no better option than cross-country itinerary. Our clients Eric and Michael chose to combine Big Five and Gorillas Trekking in Rwanda with the classic safari in Tanzania. Eric kindly shared with us his amazing photo works and we are truly admiring his talent. 

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Things to do at Lake Naivasha

Big Five and The Hadzabe tribe

Our clients Riho, Monika, Raivo, and Karin left snowy Estonia to start a new African adventure. Though they are experienced travelers, they seemed very excited when we met them at the airport in Arusha. Our driver Musa sent us some pictures from their Big Five Hadzabe Tribe Safari and they are really impressive!

One of the most unique things about Tanzania is the world-famous Wildebeest Migration which takes place throughout almost the entire year. Our travelers were lucky to come at the time of the calving season and see lots of wildebeest moving in the Seronera region of the Serengeti. This is the time when predators are chasing them and their newborn kids.

Aside from the migration, our Estonian tourists also spotted the Big Five including small elephants and big prides of lions. They even saw a rhino in Ngorongoro in the company of some hulking buffaloes.

After experiencing Tanzania’s wildlife, Riho and his companions woke up early in the morning to experience hunting with the Big Five Hadzabe Tribe Safari which lives close to Lake Eyasi. Meeting this tribe is another unique experience as they have been leaving out of the civilized world for hundreds of years.

At the end of the trip, our clients met the Datoga people – a tribe of farmers and craftsmen. They are neighbors with the Hadzabe and even sell them some metal tools like knives and arrowheads.

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The Calving Season Safari

Our clients Bradley, Risa, Alejandro, and Giovanna decided to go for a safari during the calving season. They had a six day safari with a night in Arusha in order to explore Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti, and Lake Manyara National Park. In their itinerary, our travelers combined lodges with luxury tented camps. It is the best way to be close to wild nature, but still enjoy a comfortable stay.

This unforgettable journey was a perfect example of a Calving Season Safari.

But of course, the main point of the trip was to see the most famous African animals, and they were lucky enough to spot all of the Big Five, including a rhino in Ngorongoro Crater.

They also saw four Cheetahs, as well as a lot of Zebras, Giraffes, Wildebeests and Antelopes during their  Safari. Our guide Musa shared some pictures from their trip!

Tanzania is one of the best destinations for a safari and every trip of our customers prove it!

"Mother Bear" Visited Tanzanian Orphanage

The Shadows of Africa Team has a fantastic source of inspiration: our customers. Not only adventurers, but people with open hearts and great ways of thinking.

Patty and Kathleen from the USA brought one extra bag for their safari. We were surprised to find out it was full of hand-made bears. Kathleen has been a part of the community, “Mother Bear” for fourteen years and they have sent thousands of bears to different African countries.

Now her dream came true – she finally had an opportunity to give these bears to kids in person!Lesia and Julia from our team joined the ladies for the orphanage visit. They headed to Africa Amini Life, which is famous not only because of its unique lodge but because of its successful social projects such as the local hospital, school, and orphanage support.

One of the founders of Africa Amini, Austrian doctor Kornelia Wallner, met guests in the hospital and escorted them to the orphanage. She shared a story about a newborn child they’d just saved from death. Unfortunately, the mother died giving birth, but the baby was strong enough to survive. That’s why they gave her the name, Leon, which sounds close to “lion”.

It seems like these bears really have lots of a mother’s warmth that kids from the orphanage are looking for. All of them were more than excited to get their presents and started playing immediately, trying to guess their new friends’ names. Kathleen and Peggy taught the kids to sing a “Teddy Bear Song” and the kids all banded together to teach the ladies how to sing a popular local song, “Jambo”.

We are proud of our travelers who can bring additional meaning to their African journey. It’s not that hard to do something great and important in your life, you just need to be brave enough to start!

Charming Pongwe Beach Hotel

Sometimes you understand that you like a hotel by the style of its rooms, the nice location,or the quality of its service,but sometimes you just come to a hotel and get the feeling you don’t want to leave. This happened to Lesia and Julia at the Pongwe Beach Hotel in Zanzibar.

Located in the one of the most picturesque parts of the island paradise, the resort can boast its own quiet beach, eco-friendly villas, and amazing food. You will have a break from the real world in your room with no TV or Internet, so you will forget all troubles and just enjoy. However, you can still use Wi Fi in the public areas of the hotel. Don’t worry!

Lesia and Julia experienced a lunch in Pongwe and it was delicious. They were treated with tomato soup, fresh Dorado with some vegetables, and ice-cream for  dessert.

Later, when the tide was high enough, the girls decided to check out the beach. The water was so clear that you could imagine yourself being in a beautiful lagoon. That was one of their favorite beach experiences in Zanzibar.

While you sunbathe or frolic on the shore, the staff from the hotel is treating you with fresh fruits. When the tide is low, you can still swim in the hotel’s pool and enjoy the view.

The Pongwe Beach Hotel is perfect for those who want real relaxation far from hustle and bustle.

Kichanga Lodge - Romantic Zanzibari Escape

A romantic Zanzibari escape, picturesque beach, tasty food, stylish bungalows – all is waiting for you in Kichanga Lodge. Kichanga is a little bit wild but it has such  good style and taste.

Once you enter the lodge – you’re greeted by an atmosphere of complete relaxation. We are sure that the first secret to its amazing atmosphere is hidden in the staff working in Kichanga. We were treated to amazing hospitality while  staying with Kichanga and felt absolutely  at home. The people are so warm hearted and sincerely happy to welcome you and do everything possible to make you feel special and comfortable. They have a personal touch with every each client.

We had a chance to meet the owner of the lodge personally. Nigel Firman is a British- Italian guy who has spent 12 years of his life on Zanzibar. He came to South- Eastern part of the island to open Kichanga while it was completely wild land without roads, fresh water,or electricity. Years of experience have made this place like a slice of paradise.

Another very important thing to note is that Nigel and the management of Kichanga have a charity project for the local community. The idea of the project is to help local people to learn how to swim. It’s not all about business at Kichanga, it’s also about taking  good care of people.

The property’s 23 bungalows & villas are perfect for those who love nature and appreciate privacy. Kichanga Lodge enjoys a prime location surrounded by tropical gardens, a picturesque white beach, and the crystal clear Indian Ocean.

Guests will find the bungalows to be very spacious and comfortable, with a private hammock on the veranda where you can stay and admire the sunset over the ocean. Inside of  each bungalow there is  natural air conditioning – the absence of windows allows the ocean’s breath to refresh the air and cool you off.

Additionally,every room has nice beach amenities such as a beach bag and towels. Kichanga is a great place to clear your mind and to forget about the whole world.