Best Resorts in Unguja

"My husband and I split our time in Zanzibar between two places. Our first stay was a the KonoKono resort and in the over water villas. It was absolutely fabulous and honestly the nicest hotel room/villa we have ever experienced. We felt totally spoilt by the hotel and well looked after for our stay. The food was delicious! I have a severe allergy to garlic and gluten and they catered to my needs so I didn’t feel like I was missing out. The room was stunning with a gorgeous view from the balcony. The cleanliness was impeccable. The bed was huge and so comfortable too and we slept very well during our stay. The floating breakfast was so decadent and really fun. We also loved the Tanzanian food night - fish masala curry was to die for! The resort is also extremely close to The Rock Restaurant which is an incredible experience. Charles was absolutely fantastic. He is a real credit to the team at the hotel. Jackson and Rosemary took great care of us during our stay too. Thank you so much! Points to consider… The road on the way up to the hotel was extremely bumpy but it would not deter us from returning. It’s just not ideal if you are planning to do lots of trips in and out. Personally, if you are staying in the water villas I think I better system should be in place for transporting bags (like a buggy or something similar) the walk was lovely but quite long if you are carrying things. "

"The property is about 1hr 30mins from Zanzibar town, however is spacious and great place to relax. They have a private beach and the water is turquoise and white sand. Staff are multilingual and very professional and friendly. Alex, Abdul, Nasri and the whole team made our stay worthwhile and the all inclusive choice make the difference. Thank you and i cant wait to be back "

"We had an exceptional stay at Ycona Luxury Resort—truly one of the best resorts I’ve ever visited. The villa was beautifully designed, combining luxury with lush greenery and a variety of trees that created a peaceful and refreshing atmosphere. As a wildlife enthusiast and photographer, I was thrilled to spot incredible species right from the resort grounds, including a Zanzibar Red Colobus monkey, a Red Squirrel, and the stunning Woodland Kingfisher. Everything about the stay felt curated and serene—from the elegant layout of the resort to the natural surroundings. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a luxurious yet nature-filled retreat in Zanzibar."

"Secluded and beautifully designed property on a waterfront with nice amenities that include a gym, spa, boutique/gift shop, a restaurant and excursion services. "

"This property was amazing, and so was the staff. We stayed for 6 days and everyday the staff greeted us and were super nice. The rooftop restaurant was delicious ! Everything we ate was amazing. We felt super safe even though outside of the hotel the area isn’t the best , but we still felt safe enough to explore. The beds were comfortable, and internet was good. We did experience 2 short power outages. Other than that, I would definitely come back here. "

"The hotel was wonderful. A safe place with delicious food and the people are so lovely. Clean and got everything you need. My only thing would be to make sure there is an all inclusive coconut rum. "

"Had the most wonderful time at Melia Zanzibar, full of the kindest people who made our trip spectacular. The food menu at the beach club is great, as the jetty restaurant. Breakfast is delicious too! "

"It was right on the beach! Great staff! Rooms are great but #9 was right by kitchen, so avoid that room."

"This is an amazing property to stay in Zanzibar. We were upgraded to the frangipani villa which was spacious and well appointed. The private pool was great. The main swimming pool is huge and doesn’t get too crowded. The food options at the main dining room were good with a lot of vegetarian options for breakfast and dinner. Beverage options are nice and reasonably priced. The complimentary fruits at mid morning and ice cream at mid afternoon around the pool area are a great touch. The staff is polite and extremely helpful. We had to see the onsite doctor as one of us wasn’t feeling too well one day. The staff promptly arranged for the doctor to arrive who was extremely helpful and thoughtful in his advice which we highly appreciated. The doctor didn’t charge us for his visit and medication even when we asked if he was sure. As has been discussed previously in other reviews, most beaches in Zanzibar have big tidal ranges and at low tide, the sea retreats by a lot. We didn’t swim on the beach for that reason and there’s also a lot of sea weed that the staff tries to clean every day. Nevertheless, the main and private swimming pools more than made up for it. There are a lot of monkeys around the resort and the staff warn you at the outset to keep the doors closed. It is advice that must be heeded to. The resort is family friendly. That’s great if you have kids of your own but if you don’t, it can feel a bit like school nursery during breakfast / dinner time. "