Chumbe Island Vacations from $1,604

I had a wonderful stay at Ycona Resort. From the moment we arrived, the staff attended to our every need and made us feel truly cared for. The manager, Claudia, along with Omar, were especially outstanding—both were incredibly helpful in facilitating all of our plans and were always flexible and accommodating. They even helped arrange romantic activities on-site, which made our stay extra special. The villas were spotless and cleaned daily, which added greatly to our comfort. This ended up being one of my favorite places I’ve ever stayed, and I would absolutely recommend it to anyone visiting Zanzibar. Anything that wasn’t readily available at the resort was seamlessly arranged by bringing someone in from town, making it feel like there was almost no need to leave the property at all. An unforgettable experience from start to finish.

Booked the place for a honeymoon, spent quite a considerable amount of money. The lagoon room we booked was absolutely amazing, loved this experience very much, scenery was immaculate. Was let down by the overall quality of everything else unfortunately. Just as a comparison to other all inclusive’s in Zanzibar which offered much more for a fraction of the price. Overall quality of the product to its value was poor all things considered. Would unlikely stay again. Some nice touches for sure like being greeted at the port. Staff are friendly and kind and try to accommodate but service feels like it’s new and a work in progress rather than a finished article. Menu for food isn’t very deep, quality was good on the whole but variety and quantity of the food and drinks was lacking. Simple requests like water bottles on our exit or fresh juices at breakfast not available some days, pastries running out. Some days the menu was restrictive and one day felt like we were given yesterday’s left overs. Gym, sport activities, bikes are included which was nice. Atmosphere and entertainment at meal times were a nice touch. Attempts were made to accommodate us and make the experience nice was appreciated such as the honeymoon welcome. Overall it’s feels marketed and priced as super luxury but on ground doesn’t meet those same standards, somehow feels as though you have to pay even more to get things that would otherwise be included in other places despite the higher cost.

We had a lovely and memorable stay at Upendo Beach Boutique Hotel. The location is simply beautiful, with breathtaking views and a peaceful ambiance. The staff were exceptional—especially Theo, who was incredibly helpful and welcoming throughout our stay. Although I made an error in my booking by reserving the two-bedroom villa for only two adults, the hotel management showed great understanding. They kindly offered a generous solution by asking us to cover only 50% of the additional amount, which we truly appreciated. The villa itself was spacious, clean, and beautifully designed. The entire property is well-maintained and provides a wonderful boutique experience. One recommendation: it would be great if a pool heater could be added, as the water can be quite chilly in July. Overall, we enjoyed our time very much and thank the team for their hospitality!

Beautiful property with the best staff on the planet. Service was truly exceptional.