Beach Hotels in Zanzibar North Region, Tanzania

In short: a great hotel in Nungwi, close to the ocean and all the essentials. Please read to the end – you might find this helpful, and we're happy to hear it! This was our last (3rd) hotel in Zanzibar, our main goal being a relaxing oceanside getaway. We were happy with our choice. LOCATION. The hotel isn't on the beachfront, but it's about a 5-minute walk to the ocean. Everything you need is nearby – restaurants where you can eat well and watch shows, several different beaches, a souvenir market, and even a liquor store. There's a school and a stadium near the hotel – it's quite interesting to watch the locals. HOTEL. There are two hotels, all owned by the same owner, and you can use the facilities at both. The grounds are small, but cozy, well-maintained, and have everything you need – swimming pools, bars, and restaurants. ROOMS. We chose this hotel largely because of the large family room, which comfortably accommodates four people. Our choice was justified – a two-room suite with a huge loggia offering a beautiful view of the illuminated pools and streets in the evening. Cons: the room is a bit tired and in need of renovation. Auditory-sensitive people may be challenged by the nighttime sounds: roosters crowing, muezzins singing, crows cawing. But this is definitely not a complaint about the hotel. The room is on the 3rd floor, there is no elevator. The room has a ton of lighting and separate lighting zones – it's comfortable and beautiful. STAFF. Above all praise. Everyone is very friendly and helpful with any questions. We even spoke with the hotel owner – a very pleasant man, he helped us resolve a slight delay at check-in and then helped with various other questions. BREAKFAST. Almost perfect by local standards – everything you need is there: made-to-order eggs, sausages/bacon, fresh vegetables, salads, cereal, juices, many types of bread and pastries, fruit, and desserts. The only thing missing is a coffee machine – instant coffee only, but that's the case almost everywhere in Zanzibar. OCEAN. Several beaches nearby, crystal-clear water, no low tides on the western side to interfere with swimming. But there are stunning sunsets – don't miss them! PARKING. We arrived in a rental car and left it in the internal, guarded parking lot until morning. And then there are the CONS. We essentially had only one – despite pre-paying for our family room, they didn't give us our room right away – for some reason, their booking system showed our reservation as two double rooms. It took about an hour to resolve, but then the owner intervened and resolved the issue. Overall, we were satisfied with the room. VERDICT. We recommend the hotel; it's a good choice for the price/quality ratio.

I really enjoyed my stay at Kendwa Rocks Hotel. The beach, the view, and the sunset were absolutely beautiful. My room was clean and comfortable, and the staff were very friendly. It’s the perfect place to relax and have a good time. If I come back to Zanzibar, I’d definitely stay here again.”

Nice hotel, but receptionists refuse my request to check in early and i was seriously sick that day they keep me in lobby almost 3hrs no one care  My friend was reminded them about my condition but no any action from front desk

Have a good time at Smile Beach Resort. The staff is very friendly and helpful. The room was clean and tidy. In the evening someone came to close the mosquito net and sprayed the mosquito spray. Breakfast and lunch are good, and we don’t use dinner because there are many restaurants nearby. I would like to mention the swimming pool and the seats on the beach, which are areas for improvement. They are very old and hard. The bed in the room is also very hard.

ok with this budget

За свои деньги - хороший отель. Видно, что он не новый, подмазанный-подкрашенный, но в целом его чистота и шикарное местоположение перекрывают недостатки. Персонал вежливый, готовый помочь. Единственное, очень громкие и неуклюжие девочки, которые убирают номера. Слышимость хорошая, а они в 7 утра начинают громко смеяться, болтать и двигать мебель, когда в соседнем номере уехали гости. Жаловалась на них. Завтрак неплохой. Супер разнообразия нет, но всё свежее вкусное, для европейцев. Пляж и океан выше всяких похвал. Ради них и стоит ехать. Отливы есть, но совсем небольшие, 3 метра уходит вода, они никак не мешают купаться весь день. Глубина уходит вниз не резко, но там не лягушатник, чуть отплыл и уже дна не чувствуешь. Да, есть приставучие бич бои, но их просто надо игнорить. В мой отдых вообще каждый день приезжала полиция и гоняла их. Много водных развлечений на пляже. Пляж чистый, водорослей или нет совсем или чуть-чуть. Из минусов - лежаки. Они старые деревянные и видно что самодельные. У части лежаков нет возможности поднять/опустить спинку. Матрасы на лежаки выдают отдельно. Лежаки двигать нельзя. Если вы хотите полежать на солнце (а лежаки стоят под навесами из пальмовых листьев), то просто надо брать с лежака матрас и идти лежать на нем на песке. Номера неплохие. У меня был стандартный. Есть утюг с гладильной доской, сейф, фен, чайник с чашками, 2 бутылки воды 0.5 л каждый день, шампунь и гель для душа. Кондей работал исправно, вода горячая из водонагревателя (но у них везде так), напор хороший. Ресторан в отеле работает весь день. Меню не сильно богатое, но готовят вкусно, порции большие. Меню бара разнообразное. Цены средние. Бургер с картошкой фри 10-15 долл. Паста 10-15 долл. Мясо 15-25 долл. Салаты 10-15 долл. За пределами отеля в ресторанах цены примерно такие же. По средам у них вечер барбекю на пляже. По воскресениям караоке. Какой-то явной анимации нет, как в Турецких отелях. Но на Занзибаре надо наслаждаться пляжем и океаном. Кароче, я довольна и приехала бы ещё.

This hotel is something special. A unique personal feel, with lots of little hang out areas, a lovely pool and comfortable sun loungers. The staff were very welcoming and sorted everything out for me, from airport transfers to a snorkeling trip. As a solo female traveler I felt very safe and cared for. Highly recommend.