The Residence Zanzibar

Tanzania , Zanzibar
Zanzibar, mchamgamle, kizimkazi, po box 2404
Show on Google | Map

75 reviews shown

8/10

Excellent

01 Mar 2026

robert

Very nice villas. Friendly staff. Facilities Nice and Calm atmosphere. Low tides dominated the day time but we know this before coming. Two of us Got sick from ice cream with travellers diarréa as a consequece, staff shoul have better hygiene routines.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

16 Feb 2026

Julie

The room was stunning and spotlessly clean. We chose a Garden room as we love wildlife and we were not disappointed. We saw dik diks, elephant shews, monkeys, lots of sunbirds, African Golden-Weavers, Helmeted Guineafowl and loads of other birds around the hotel grounds.
They offer Yoga classes every day and Pilates twice a week. I attended one of these most days and would highly recommend. The teacher gave clean instructions and was very encouraging when I lost my balance trying a new pose. The Pilates was particularly good, I hadn't done Pilates before and it was more of a workout than the yoga.
For dinner you have a choice of buffet at the main restaurant or Al la carte at the The Pavilion. The Pavilion menu only had a few options per menu but they have 3 menus and change every other day. The buffet food was nice with lots of options and there is live entertainment every night. The Pavilion is a quieter more romantic option but you have to book in advance.
All the staff were really friendly and helpful.
The only reason I didn't give 5 stars was the fact a very large family were there for our last few days and took over a lot of the resort. The main pool lost its previous tranquillity as the all the children played there and the music from the private event in Pavilion restaurant was very loud in our Villa.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

06 Nov 2025

Varinder

Our best experience ever, my wife and I had our honeymoon for a full week here before heading to greece. The safari, the sand dune, snorkling and star fish diving was the best experience by this resort. I highly reccomend 10/10. You wont refret it at all

Partner

8/10

Excellent

05 Nov 2025

Marlene

Pool im Front of Villa

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

27 Oct 2025

Michael

Room was immaculate with private pool and ocean front.

Partner

2/10

Poor

02 Sep 2025

Alison

Be cautious and cynical

Some wonderful hospitality staff and spacious rooms. However lots of issues:

Cockroach in room

Room wasn’t serviced every day

Poor a la carte experience with long delays and very limited menu inc a lack of vegetarian options

A real lack of integrity with some of the front of house staff. One of who said that the hotel was fully booked so couldn’t provide a complimentary upgrade (there were rooms available on their website that night) - my status indicated that I should be offered an upgrade at VIP properties. They then vociferously claimed that they had never agreed to that with hotel.com
They did however offer 20% off food and drink. On check out this was not honoured and i was told that this would never have been offered.

Exorbitant prices on some of the food and drink… $33 for a double gin and tonic and €10 for a bowl of chips that had come from a freezer bag.

Be cautious booking this hotel… some strengths but the mis truths left a very sour taste in my mouth upon leaving. At over £500 per room per night this shouldn’t be the case

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

08 Aug 2025

Verified traveler

Not Solo Traveler Friendly

For a solo traveler I wouldn’t recommend this place. The staff were not very accommodating & not friendly. They wanted to charge me double for any excursions because I was a solo traveler. Which was very odd & no one could explain why. I ended up leaving after one night after feeling dismissed by the staff. The property is beautiful although no one was on the beach not sure why.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

04 Jul 2025

Mitul

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.

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

20 Apr 2025

Shabbir

Our stay at your incredible resort was nothing short of exceptional. From the moment we arrived, we were welcomed not as guests, but as family—and that warmth remained with us throughout our stay. The facilities were outstanding, but what truly made our experience unforgettable was the team behind it all.

We extend our deepest gratitude to Ahmed, the Front Office Manager, along with Benjamin, Edson, Rakesh, and every single member of your amazing team. Your kindness, professionalism, and genuine care went far beyond our expectations. You made us feel at home in every way.

This resort has now become our home in Zanzibar, and we look forward to returning again and again. Asante sana and may God bless you all abundantly. Amen. Until we meet again—see you soon!

Leisure Family

6/10

Pleasant

27 Feb 2025

Mujtaba

Overall, my wife and I had a nice stay for our honeymoon. However, there were several issues, especially given the $600 per night cost.

Pros
(1) Hotel is scenic: beach, villas and pools are nice

(2) Service is good; staff is very polite

(3) Food is good with a variety of options

Cons

(1) Logistics are poorly handled

Issue A:

We had two separate bookings. At check-in, staff said we would have to move villas between them because they would be giving us a bigger villa. They said they would call us around noon on move day.
At noon, no one called. I called around 12:30, and was told someone would call me back. No one did. I called again around 12:50, and again was told someone would call me back. Someone called and said we would no longer need to move rooms..

Issue B:
Day before leaving, we scheduled a car to take us at 10am to Stone Town, and from Stone Town to the airport. Staff said someone would come to our villa at 9:45am to collect bags.
Staff completely forgot. Nobody came to get our bags until we called. And when we got to the lobby to check out and take our car, they informed us they forgot to book a car. They weren't able to get a replacement until 10:46am. Hilariously, the outside cab they arranged was $40, whereas originally they were charging us $95 for their own service. And the cab that came to take us didn't have much gas so wasn't able to turn on AC until we filled up.

(2) WiFi was very spotty there was a power outage

(3) Rooms are finicky / noisy

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

25 Feb 2025

Tahmina

Beautiful resort, great for relaxing. Ideal for honeymoons and celebrating anniversaries. Loved the facilities and staff.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

27 Jan 2025

Halit

Great place.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

09 Jan 2025

Gloria

Top notch customer service!!
Well kept property. We enjoyed our honeymoon here!

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

02 Jan 2025

Stuart

Our room was perfect, we had booked Luxury Garden Suite, which exceeded our expectations, we particularly like the privacy it afforded and actually were pleased to have not booked a Beach Villa.

The main swimming pool does need a face lift, there are numerous tiles missing and also the entry to the pool is rather unsafe it would be much better to just have a step rather than the slanted tiles

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

23 Dec 2024

Courtney

4 star experience for 5 star price

Beautiful grounds, especially oceanfront villas with pools. Large villa that's nicely furnished, however not really at the 5 star level with mould growing on lampshades etc. The ocean is beautiful but be aware there is a lot of seaweed on beach which is not pleasant for swimming. Food at buffet is just ok. Mixed service with front desk staff (servers and cleaners very friendly and helpful), big difference from welcome at check in to rushed check out. There are 1-2 golf carts that can transport you around property but may have a long wait or they may forget to pick you up (though they did arrive early when it was time to check out...). Overall slightly disappointed with experience compared to price.

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

21 Dec 2024

Verified traveler

A charming property

We had an unforgettable stay at The Residence and can’t wait to return—especially our three kids, who are already asking when we’ll be back!

The hotel’s beautiful gardens were a highlight; we enjoyed walking through them every day instead of using golf carts. The staff were always friendly and eager to help, making us feel right at home.

The two restaurants offered excellent food with daily themed menus and live performances, ensuring a fresh and enjoyable dining experience. The complimentary watersport activities were fantastic, with the boat house crew leading fun and informative sessions.

Our beach-facing luxury villa was spacious, well-decorated, and offered great privacy, especially with its private pool although the kids also enjoyed swimming and playing with other kids in the main overflow pool. The monkeys occasionally made an appearance around the villa but kept their distance, adding a fun touch. The beach, while a bit seaweedy at low tide, was perfect after 1 pm.

The tour guides were professional and made exploring the area a breeze. Overall, we had a fantastic time and look forward to returning soon!

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

05 Dec 2024

Anne

One week stay

Fabulous stay. Beautiful, relaxing and quiet resort. Particularily enjoyed the kindness of all staff. Will probably be back.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

04 Dec 2024

Anne

Perfect stay

Amazing stay in the Residence!
Employees are very kind, the rooms are very luxurious, ans the a perfect service!
I travel a lot and it is one of my favorite hôtel
I will come back very soon for sure 😃

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

16 Oct 2024

Ubaid

Beautiful property, with a nice layout. The staff was very friendly and helpful, the only issue we faced was complete power failure on the first day and Internet going off and on.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

19 Sep 2024

Gerald

A great location for a quiet get away. The spa treatments and wellness was fabulous. The dining options were always good and of high quality. Staff are friendly and helpful. Recommend the all-inclusive package as options are plentiful and much better than most resorts in Zanzibar.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

18 Jul 2024

Jorge

Beautiful place. Great staff. Delicious food

Leisure Self

2/10

Poor

03 Jul 2024

Mazen

Awful stay

The stay was not fit for a couple on our honeymoon. The only mode of reasonable transportation was through a gulf cart which took at least 20 minutes to arrive once we asked for it. The hotel is huge with only 1 cart available for all guests. The service was extremely slow and the food average at best. The monkeys at the room were very disturbing, we could not use the outdoor pool, as several monkeys were aggressively trying to break into the room. We were also woken up at 6 am with monkeys jumping and banging on the roof. We originally booked for 3 nights, but decided to leave after 1 night, and the management did not offer any useful help.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

20 Jun 2024

Kerry Lee

Highly recommend

Fabulous trip! The residence is gorgeous. The food was delicious and the service was great, everyone is super friendly and welcoming. We found the hotel day trips on the pricey side. There are other local options so all good.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

03 May 2024

TASNEEM

A truly magical holiday with great attentive staff, Nitin and his team really looked after us. The resort is set in a very natural surrounding and there is lots of opportunity to catch the wildlife in action (including cheeky monkeys!). Pool was great for long swims, fitness centre was very well equipped. The food was immaculate! Both the lunch and dinner menu amazed us every time we dined. Evening entertainment was very entertaining! I recommend you go for all inclusive, full board or at a minimal half board.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

16 Feb 2024

Marek

Amazing! Travel also to Tanzania to visit safari.

I stayed 9 nights (Feb 24) in Residence Zanzibar together with my 3 daughters (13, 17, 20y.) to have \"onetime\" holiday that included also safari in Tanzania. Hotel is situated approx. 90min far from an airport, surrounded by a tropical garden. Hotel offers only villas with private pools. We stayed at Frangipani villa, which easily accomodates 4 almost adult persons. Villa is very large (3 rooms, 2 bathrooms) pleasant, private pool very spacious. One may say, that a furniture is a little bit outdated, but we are in Africa and even though I am quite demanding - it was not a problem. In the middle of the resort, there is \"master pool\", there are also equipped gym, tennis court and other sport facilities. Food is absolutely excellent. During dinners they served local foods, seafood, grill, pasta - the offer is very varied and very tasty. Hide and low tide can be uncomfortable for someone, because it is almost impossible to swim directly at the beach, but it can be easily solved by various activities like snorkelling with dolphins, starfish, sandbank etc. They will take to by boat 10min from the hotel to the ocean and you can swim as much as you can. Definitely visit Stone town! Unbelievable city including arabic, afric, european elements. Prison island is not so interesting. And finally - if you have a time and energy, go to Tanzania to visit national parks. Even only for 2 days as we did it. The country is safe, people very nice and heplful and you may have unforgettable holiday

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

10 Jan 2024

Seham

Some positives:
Was clean and the rooms were amazing. The rooms are very big, and you have your own private pool (well our room had this not sure if all rooms do) and we even got to see monkey's whilst we were there which was awesome.

Food at the buffet was okay - wasn't amazing, but wasn't horrible either. It was decent. Staff were really lovely too, however they are not as friendly as staff at a different hotel we stayed at in Zanzibar.

Some negatives:

I booked a couples massage at the spa. The spa was very visually pretty and staff were friendly and were able to accommodate to quite last minute bookings. However the massage services was poor. There was no relaxing music playing, the therapists were whispering between themselves during the massage. At one point the massage just paused although the therapist was there sitting next to me. I'm not sure if she fell asleep or what had happened. It was worth twenty dollars but I paid one hundred and fourty dollars per person, and so I was quite disappointed with the massage. The actual massage itself was poor, no techniques were used and I think staff here need training.

Also, my sister found a snake in her shower. There are two showers, one inside and one that is outside but still apart of your room. The snake she saw was in the outside one. She raised this with the reception and it took 1 hour for anyone to come, at that point she had no idea where it went. Staff said snakes are rare and so we were even more worried.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

12 Dec 2023

Nazma

The staff were amazing. It felt like a family environment. I was quite emotional after I left. The managers and staff did everything possible to make my stay perfect. Benjamin, kitchen staff and housekeeping and all cleaners helped me out a-lot during my stay. This was a dreamy luxurious stay. I was even given complimentary treats on my arrival. I booked the Ocean view prestige Villa and it was a great decision. You have bikes at the villa which you can use to explore around the resort and gardens. The spa is extremely amazing. I loved my therapist Anna she was brilliant. Highly reccomend.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

20 Nov 2023

Elena

Perfect quality time in perfect place

Perfect Residence. Luxury amenities. Pool area, dinning villas stunning. Staff , every person very pleasant, smiling and ready to help, please you in any possible way. Food is good. Entertainment at dinner time with african bands, dancing. Nice music.extremly clean pool, bathrooms, all common area..Me and my housban enjoyed our stay. Thank you Residence.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

13 Nov 2023

Asma

The room was large and beautiful sea view and outdoor private pool. Please note not fully private pool. The bathroom was nice but lots of bugs. When I mentioned it to the hotel they came to spray with bug spray (including indoor with kids). Highly venomous snake in outdoor shower - could very easily come in as there was a glass sliding door between indoor and outdoor shower which has a large gap. Took security 1 hour to come to remove snake, it disappeared by the time they arrived. Stayed elsewhere in zanzibar and did not have as many bugs inside. Food not great. Very basic.

Was ok but I wouldn’t stay here again. Lovely experience with monkeys though and enjoyed the pool. The beach isn’t proper sand so uncomfortable to walk on and water not clear because of this. Staff were nice.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

08 Oct 2023

Estella

Really nice hotel, stayed in a one bedroom villa and it was beautiful and clean, food choices were good also but could have more options. Pavilion restaurant was really nice. The place is really big and because they are all villas it sometimes feel like there’s not many people around, when in fact they are sold out.

Would stay here again only downside is the location, the road conditions are not the best on some areas, and nothing around the resort so you are forced to only eat and stay on the villa. However it’s not too far from some of the activities.

Leisure Partner

4/10

Poor

03 Oct 2023

Sachin

5 star resort, 2 star sevrice

The food is below average, also the free water activities that the hotel provides were unavailable when we stayed there for 4 days. Similarly, the steam room was out of order. We had a half board stay and they would charge for water during dinner (but not for breakfast). Most of the vegetables were from the can although fresh vegetables are available in the market. For a five star hotel I would expect more.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

02 Jul 2023

boris

Family holidays

Amazing localization and very well maintained gardens. Staff is very nice and always helpful.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

06 Jun 2023

Akilah

The property was amazing but the highlight was Ms Joyce. She is incredible. My son was sick upon arrival and everyday she checked on him, brought him food to the room and made the stay so pleasant.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

08 May 2023

KHILNA JAYESH

It was amazing! Loved everything about the property .. special thanks to Helen at the dinning hall for being very efficient as well as all her colleagues who were always smiling and extremely helpful. And to all the happy chefs who would come to check if all was okay.. not to forget the happy gentleman at the pool who would help us with our towels/fruits etc.
loved it!

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

02 May 2023

Witness

Definitely had an amazing time at The Residence Zanzibar. Everything was perfect, thanks so much for the hospitality.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

10 Apr 2023

Kunaal

Amazing hotel, bit far from the airport but definitely worth the trip. Amazing food, a very polite and pleasant group of staff, very helpful, attentive to details, large clean rooms, very well kept and maintained hotel and facilities and amazing activities, great snorkelling site nearby.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

16 Nov 2022

Sara

Cant wait to be back

Amazing as it is my 4th time to stay in the residence, its so comfortable feela like home, the food options one of the best on the island.

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

09 Nov 2022

Husain

Perfect hotel, with plenty to do and a very large space to explore.
Staff were amazing and very friendly, in particular Nuhu was always on hand to assist with any requests, including catering complimentary room service whilst my wife was ill on the first night. This was an amazing unexpected gesture.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

19 Oct 2022

Courtney

We really loved our stay at the Residence Zanzibar. The staff was excellent and so kind and always happy. Overall the resort’s grounds are really beautiful. The facilities were great. We always felt safe with friendly staff on grounds whenever needed, but also had lots of peace and quiet to enjoy our stay. Our luxury garden pool villa was huge. We loved the private pool and the massive bathroom - amazing tub and both an indoor and outdoor shower. Another big highlight for us was the spa. We tried a variety of treatments and all of them were excellent. Felt completely relaxed and at peace. The dining options were also good, with a breakfast buffet that has a huge variety of foods as well as live omelette and waffle/pancake stations. Some nights we enjoyed the buffet dinner and others we enjoyed the quieter, more intimate set menu of the pavilion dining area. Every night at dinner a different act provided entertainment and we were really impressed by the quality. Would highly recommend The Residence for any stay in Zanzibar.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

19 Sep 2022

ABDUL

Excellent Villas, service and food

Leisure Partner

2/10

Poor

04 Aug 2022

douglas

This could be a great five star property, but as it is, it misses completely. The pool is great, the rooms are nice. Half the staff try very hard. The problem is it is misses on almost all fronts.. the food is often themed like a cruise ship, there are ants all over the utensils... it is the kind of place honeymooners enjoy but experienced travelers will be very, very very, disappointed.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

31 Jul 2022

Ralph

We’ve been blessed to be able to stay at a lot of top hotels around the world but this was one of the best! An absolutely stellar hotel. From the architecture to the interior design, to the attention to detail to ensure you are as comfortable as possible (for example they even fumigate the property so that you don’t get mosquito bites!). The garden view room was beautiful, private, peaceful and gorgeous. The facilities are great - the suites come with a gorgeous bathroom designed to perfection, with a stand-alone bath tub with bath salts, a beautiful marble large shower, an outdoor “cold water” shower if you’re feeling adventurous, beautiful lighting, beautiful scents. There is a spacious living room with multiple seating. The bedroom is gorgeous, you wake up looking into the private pool terrace. The buffet was great - lots of options and I’m pleased that they also include local food in the African Buffet which was one of the nights on rotation (a lot of other top hotels abandon local food which is a shame). Great gym with well maintained equipment. Lovely spa, beautiful massages. There’s also a sauna and steam room. Golf buggies plus complementary bicycles are the modes of transport if you don’t want to walk around the resort. The team have thought of everything! Huge thanks to Masemo, Benjamin, Nuhu, Nubia and the entire team for making our stay incredible and allowing us to celebrate our wedding anniversary in style! Couldn’t recommend enough - peaceful luxury!

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

05 Mar 2022

Carine

PARADISE ON EARTH ! One of my best vacation to date. The staff at the residence was very friendly and professional. It all started with Abdul who picked me up from the airport and gave me a nice guided ride to the property. He is so friendly and knowledgeable. I stayed in the unit 309. Everything was impeccable! From the fresh flowers on the bed, cleanliness, and beautiful and subtle decor. At the restaurant, Josephine always greeted me with a smile. She is so much fun and was very attentive to all my needs and allergies!! The food was immaculate! Chef Sumesh was splendid! I cannot forgot about Benjamin at the reception. My Go to guy. No issues seemed too small or too big for him! The whole staff was nice and professional but those particular ones went the extra mile to make my vacation amazing !!!
The residence is intimate yet entertaining. The right balance of quietness and fun. I will most definitely be back.

Leisure

10/10

Exceptional

10 Jan 2022

Osaretin

In my many years of traveling, The Residence Zanzibar has been one of the best hotels I have ever stayed in. Now the route to get there was very daunting and long, however, you are immediately gratified by the open, serene, and tranquil entrance as you move past the gates. I never put much thought into my arrival but the attendants here help set the tone for such a beautiful stay. The property was lush with natural wildlife, beautiful flowers everywhere and a wonderful natural aroma that helps ease you into what is about to be a wonderful getaway. This review comes extremely late so I have forgotten many of the staff names but EVERY SINGLE ONE of the people I encountered were extremely helpful, polite and welcoming. I was able to book all my excursions with the front desk staff.
Breakfast was wonderful with a variety of food options, fresh fruits and pressed juice, and my favorite, the omelette station. And though breakfast was great, dinner was AMAZING. Every night brought a different cultural cuisine that was expansive and delicious. You left dinner feeling satiated and yet excited for what tomorrow would bring. I highly recommend upgrading to the all-inclusive or at least breakfast and dinner options. The villas were well kept and the layout so beautiful that I don't believe the pictures do it justice. The spa was also good and the gym was updated. I recommend that if you plan any excursions, ensure you leave time to enjoy the Residence, it is worth it.

Leisure Friends

8/10

Excellent

01 Jan 2022

Anthony

We stayed in a beachfront apartment which was beautiful, the private pool was amazing and fully lived up to the expectation set by the website photo's. I really enjoyed by 5 days here. I would have enjoyed it more if a) there was an a la carte dining option (everything was a buffet), and b) the sea was more appealing for swimming and snorkeling (the last point is not the hotels fault, just an observation).

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

23 Aug 2021

Amit

Best place to stay at Zanzibar

Had an amazing family holiday ...beautiful property....very classy....with an amazing beach . The service was excellent ....specially the F&B area managed by Pritam....who took care of our dietary needs of pure veg good ...and chef Somesh really made it very special for us by making most amqzing veg dishes eveey day...and the best part was the special ice cream cake made for my daughters birthday. Really made us feel special.
The rooms / villas were very nice and spacious.
The dinner was different theme every night....with live music / band

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

14 Oct 2020

Verified traveler

Amazing

We had an amazing time very relaxing ! Gorgeous property

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

13 Oct 2020

Verified traveler

Paradise

Amazing stay!! Staff was great

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

08 Mar 2020

ESchmidt

WOW words cannot describe how beautiful this resort is. We booked 4 nights here for our honeymoon and wish we had stayed longer!! We could not find a single thing to complain about here - it was clean, the food was phenomenal, the staff was friendly and helpful and everything from the rooms to the main pool to the restaurant views of the beach were stunning. You will not regret staying here!!

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

22 Feb 2020

Verified traveler

A great resort in which we enjoyed a very enjoyable week. Friendly staff, great food and a spacious well cleaned.

10/10

Exceptional

22 Feb 2020

Owain

Perfect place to stay

Superb! Highly recommended - from the villa, to the food, to incredible staff. Would go back tomorrow if we could.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

17 Feb 2020

MelHayward

Service and staff were impeccable throughout our stay.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

11 Feb 2020

Jack

Will try again.

We enjoyed our vacation very much overall - there were some areas of improvement in terms of service at meal times where one felt a little \"processed\" as if you were in a holiday camp rather than a prestige private resort. The food offering was adequate. Housekeeping was excellent for the first two days and then dwindled in efficiency - The property was very busy and one felt that it was understaffed versus the guest occupancy and therefore service levels were unimpressive. We had a misunderstanding in terms of a \"complimentary\" spa treatment which actually turned out to be merely a discounted treatment, but the management of the hotel dealt with the matter graciously - my feeling is that any complimentary offerings should be made crystal clear as to what that really is....
The property, in the main, is well looked after and extremely well laid out and the beach is kept constantly clean which is refreshing, the pool area is very attractive and relaxing but again the service levels need to be raised in this area because you are constantly looking for a waiter for drinks or a snack.
The resort front gate access control personnel need to be far better briefed on arrivals for the day because you are kept embarrassingly waiting for a long time whilst you are checked out and you feel as if you are almost intruding..... At the $ rates charged I was underwhelmed - Not a good welcoming feeling at all.
However after all said and done we will return.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

16 Jan 2020

Verified traveler

Staff is very kind and service oriented! I enjoyed the bikes at disposal :-) Food is excellent!
There is entertainment every evening.... is this necessary? We choose this place hoping to be in the middle of nature! First evening the music was so loud that we couldn’t hear each other’s speaking. Luckily the other evenings it was calmer and the African music very nice ... yet I would have appreciated just the sound of the wind in the palm trees !

Leisure

4/10

Poor

11 Jan 2020

Verified traveler

Villas were clean and spacious. But no make up removal pads etc and cheap toiletries

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

30 Oct 2019

Verified traveler

A lovely stay among lovely staff

Although our feelings were mixed in the beginning of whether it would be worth the money, in the end we agreed that it was. The staff is very nice, the views are amazing and villa 103 if you don’t necessary care for much privacy has lovely not obstructed views to the ocean as it is set directly in front of the beach. In the evenings at dinner there is always an entertainment show. The guys at the pool, Misambo and Mc Donald are very helpful as well as reception staff Benjamin. Mr Martin, a restaurant manager is always everywhere asking if there is something to make your stay better. They have bicycles provided for every villa moove around the resort and also daily free yoga classes with a nice instructor. What we would have liked more is seafood dishes as they have plenty of it. The staff is very vivid, helpfull and full of life and deserve their tips.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

14 Sep 2019

Verified traveler

The villa was beautiful and the service was exceptional. The buffets were good but the set menu for dinner was not as good.

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

08 Sep 2019

Verified traveler

Incredible location, friendly staff and marvelous views.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

07 Sep 2019

Verified traveler

Loved the individual units and the private pools in each unit

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

29 Jul 2019

Verified traveler

I love the residence and definitely coming back again .. my second time and always excited to be back

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

18 Jun 2019

Verified traveler

Beautiful Residence

Excellent service, beautiful hotel, good food, had a great time.
One shortcoming was evening entertainment. Not much to do after dinner.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

16 Jun 2019

Verified traveler

Individual plunge pool
Personalised service
Hospitality
Cleanliness
Friendliness

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

08 Jun 2019

Jonathan

Should be high on your list if visiting Zanzibar

Spent a week here. It’s a beautiful property but very isolated from other things. If you are looking for a fantastic destination to relax then it is a good choice. If you want action. Maybe not so. I would recommend a stay of 5-7 days. No more.
The place itself is in a large and beautifully maintained piece of SW Zanzibar. It’s an hour from the airport. Book transfer on line as much cheaper 5han via hotel and works very well.
Accommodation is all 8n pool villas. We ha£ garden villa and 7aed the pool once. Ocean villas may have better views but not sure 5he6 are worth the 3xtra money. The villas are very spacious and furnished simply but 8n keeping with the setting. Bathroom is good. Shower is wonderful.
Setting is fantastic. A really unspoilt place in a world where I am finding it hard to say that.
Staff are wonderful. Really cannot do enough for you an£ very friendly and welcoming
Pool - excellent. Beautifully maintained and never a problem to find beds.
Food - probably the weak point. Not bad but I think could be better

I th8nk yo7 would be hard pushed to find anywhere better 9n this island

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

25 May 2019

Verified traveler

The staff was amazing! They catered to our every need.

Leisure

10/10

Exceptional

04 May 2019

Verified traveler

Breathtaking

It is beautiful and I hope to stay in all the residence hotels all over the world

10/10

Exceptional

31 Jan 2019

Verified traveler

Great hotel, lovely staff and facilities. Can’t flaw anything except that I wish we’d been able to stay longer!!

10/10

Exceptional

11 Dec 2018

Abraam

5 night post safari vacation

We stayed in the ocean view villa and the room was amazing. The staff are also very kind and look to make your stay as pleasant as possible. I would highly recommend The Residence for holiday in Zanzibar.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

26 Oct 2018

Verified traveler

The road to the hotel is terrible
A lot of the stuff is very friendly is this since like a profession

10/10

Exceptional

17 Oct 2018

Blake&Sonia

Amazing hotel! The staff were super friendly and helpful! The rooms were so spacious and clean-they were beautifully kept..we couldn't be happier. The infinity pool was great and the area had a gorgeous view of the sunset every evening. The food was also excellent. Thank you for making our stay so enjoyable!

10/10

Exceptional

09 Oct 2018

Verified traveler

Great break

Expensive but worth the money. Lovely rooms and staff. Breakfast, lunch and dinner options were fantastic. Dinner on the beach was a lovely treat.

4/10

Poor

09 Jul 2018

Courtney

Beautiful property. However, the hotel is very unfriendly to locals. I have friends in Zanzibar whom I was visiting and wanted to invite to dinner at the Residence. The staff made my friends stay at the gate when we entered, then when they retrieved them were reluctant to let them stay - stating first I had to pay $50 per person (which I was fine with) for them to eat. The hotel ultimately did not let them stay and have dinner with us, instead calling security on all of us when we questioned their policy on locals. For $700+ dollars per night, I expect to eat with whom I choose, not with whom a hotel thinks I should eat. Shame on the Residence for being so absurdly elitist.

6/10

Pleasant

09 Jun 2018

Verified traveler

Not worth the price

Hotel property is fine and you can go around on bikes. The beach is not very nice and it is impossible to go in the ocean as it is not very clean. Food needs a complete upgrade, it was very disappointing. Also an unpacking service would be nice. We booked a \"luxury\" car for airport transfers which was a very tired and old Mercedes. Overall, not worth the price.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

09 Mar 2018

Mary-Lou

Lots of Ants

The property itself was quite nice except there were too many bugs. At night we got bitten lots. That is enough for neither of us to want to go back.

Family

6/10

Pleasant

30 Nov 2017

Louise

Nice hotel - very overpriced

Nice hotel, great view, but very expensive for what it is. Wouldn’t go back and wouldn’t recommend.

We were half board for 4 nights following our safari.
Food: only 1 night where we had ‘local’ food. A lot of it seemed to be imported and more akin to typical Italian/English/French styles. 2 nights were buffet and 2 nights were set menus (with very little choice).
Drinks: beer was $7 for a Kilimanjaro beer. Elsewhere we paid between $2-4. Again, massive mark-up. The cheapest bottle of wine was $33 and a 2017 vintage. Large bottle of water was $5, but you do get water in the room. Glad we didn’t go all inclusive as even with the prices for drinks it would have been hard to drink the difference in price between half board and all inclusive
Activities: absolute rip off in the hotel dolphin trip $180 for 2 people booked through the hotel. For exactly the same experience, same boat, same driver etc, a local guy took us out for $50 for 2ppl. We could have negotiated him down, as that was his ‘top top’ price. (Ask security guards or cycle into Kizimkazi and get a local to do it). We went on a Dhow sunset cruise which was $160 for a glass of wine and an hour on the water.. the wine provided had a sticker from a shop on saying 10600 shillings, aka $5... which puts it into perspective!
Beach: beach and sea are not great compared to others in Tanzania, but it’s only an hour to go to the dolphins, so great for that. Tide is out between 10am and 3pm too.

10/10

Exceptional

25 Oct 2017

Richard

Beautiful private villas!

Amazing staff! Prettier beach than many on the island and few locals on the beach hassling you.

Partner