Essque Zalu Zanzibar

8/10

Excellent

18 Jan 2026

Kavitha

Amenities, friendly staff and the spacious rooms

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

14 Jan 2026

Eduardo

Great

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 Jan 2026

Anders

Very satisfied with the hotel and the service. A lovely pool area with a great pool bar. Our stay at the hotel was perfect for us.

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

16 Nov 2025

Alma

Service was slow, except at their main restaurant. Also, I really missed bacon and pork choices at breakfast. This resort caters to an international clientele. I feel they should have been made available.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

31 Oct 2025

Philip

Amazing and friendly staff

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

29 Oct 2025

Susanne

The location and the staff. The pool area was amazing

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

17 Oct 2025

Mareike

Had a absolutely beautiful stay. The rooms are beautiful and the staff was amazing. Lots of vegan and vegetarian options at the buffet.

4/10

Poor

19 Aug 2025

Christian

The hotel is a bit dated. The food is mediocre. If you want a beach to swim in they do not have one. You will need to be transported to another beach where you will have to pay for seats. For the price you are better off staying in a hotel with a beach you can swim in. There are much better options in more convenient areas. This hotel is out of the way and not close to anything. Everything is at least an hour away or more. I would not stay at the hotel.

Leisure

4/10

Poor

17 Aug 2025

chaitally

This is not a family friendly property. The playarea looks like it was never updated. The activities listed never happened. Hilariously, there was a total of 1 ONE highchair in the entire resort. While some of the staff did their best to accommodate out requests, most of them either did not know their tasks and the rest forgot their tasks.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

19 Jun 2025

Daryll

The hotel was beautiful, the food was great, and the staff was wonderful. Asante Sana

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

11 Jun 2025

Marwa

Very nice and peaceful resort. The jetty restaurant had nice food and hotel staff a very nice and accommodating. Moureen from reception is amazing. We hope to visit again soon

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

18 Feb 2025

Sinqobile

The place was beautiful, the staff was amazing and the food was good however, we were given a room that had no working phone even though we booked months in advance. The food tasted great but sometimes the dinner was cold! The noise from the renovations was distracting and the closed off parts of the resort were an inconvenience as we were not able to fully enjoy the property.
The staff however was superb!

Leisure Family

4/10

Poor

18 Jan 2025

Laneasha

The staff are unaccommodating. The internet is poor in the rooms and limited in the common areas around the property so if you need to access the internet for an extended period forget about it. We were told daily that someone would come fix the internet. I asked for space that I could do some business on my computer, just quiet and good internet access, simple answer was “we don’t have that” as I walked by an empty conference room. The air conditioner in the room might as well been non-existent as the fan is the only breeze and air circulation in the room. And the ceiling fan was missing in the bedroom. My friend’s door lock was not working in the evening and the solution for the problem was “you can’t leave your room” until staff is able to fix it the next day.
The hotel itself is out of the way from major attractions so be prepared to spend for taxi services. I would not use the hotel transportation as it was more than half the price than a local car service. For example, the Rock restaurant will be $200 plus a waiting fee. I found the Paje area is suited better for travelers.
The grounds and entertainment lackluster. The food is fair but lacked options but get there early as birds and flies swarm the dining area but no one seems to acknowledge.

Business_and_leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

19 Nov 2024

Verified traveler

Was exceptional stay. Just be careful though if you have halfboard, drinks are not included. (Water and fizzy drinks). We were charged $31 additional.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

04 Nov 2024

Melanie

Wonderful hotel. Would certainly stay again.

10/10

Exceptional

06 Sep 2024

Hayriye Gul

Amazing hotel with amazing crew. Shout out Souleman👍

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

01 Sep 2024

Abigail

The staff was wonderful! They were very accommodating and were constantly checking in to make sure that I was having a good time. The manager (owner?) remembered me by name from day one and took the extra step of sending me a birthday cake during my dinner, both of which were a really nice touch. The room was stunning and so spacious! And the pool was wonderful. It was really nice to be able to walk down to the beach at low tide and go out into the ocean. Highly recommend this property! The staff alone is reason enough to go back.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

25 Aug 2024

Rimmi

Here's a review based on your inputs:

---

**A Memorable Stay at Essque Zalu Zanzibar**

My recent stay at Essque Zalu Zanzibar was nothing short of exceptional. The resort is located in a stunning, picturesque setting with breathtaking views that make every moment feel like a postcard. The beautiful location, combined with the tranquil atmosphere, provides the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life.

The food at the resort was delightful, offering a variety of dishes that cater to all tastes. Each meal was a culinary experience, with fresh ingredients and flavors that truly captured the essence of Zanzibar.

What made the stay even more special was the impeccable service provided by the staff. Mr. Aditya, in particular, was always reachable and ensured that every detail of our stay was taken care of. His attentiveness and commitment to guest satisfaction made us feel truly valued.

Overall, Essque Zalu Zanzibar is a gem that I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a luxurious and relaxing getaway. I can’t wait to return!

---

This review highlights the key aspects you mentioned while adding a personal touch.

10/10

Exceptional

25 Aug 2024

robert

I wouldn’t stay anywhere else in Zanzibar. The staff were amazing, catering to every need we had and the food was top notch. In particular, the waitstaff, the head of dining and the chef were amazing. Beautiful pool. Everything you’d want on a family vacation

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

15 Aug 2024

Verified traveler

Beautiful intimate hotel.

Lovely hotel. Friendly and helpful staff and a great General Manager Mr Aditya. Celebrated a birthday was very thoughtful and kind to provide a delicious cake with a chorus. Decorated our bed with flowers and birthday message. The pool and service is excellent. Can only swim when low tide but a shuttle is offered for a fee of $10 that can be used at Neigbour resort.
The water in my bathroom was lukewarm only. Highly recommend and would return.

8/10

Excellent

07 Aug 2024

Victoria

The property is gorgeous and the staff are super friendly. The food could have been a bit better and the beds were really hard. I would definitely stay here again.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

05 Aug 2024

Ravi

Wonderful experience and great staff with wonderful service. Rooms are very clean and dining options are great

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

26 Jul 2024

Iddriss

Wow, words cannot express the service and attention to detail by the staff. Everything was immaculate and we did not have to worry about anything. Enjoyed our stay thoroughly and will definitily return.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

13 Jun 2024

Leena

The Perfect Stay

I will be recommending this hotel to friends and family visiting Zanzibar as I am confident they will love it. Every part of the experience was perfect and executed to a very high standard. The service was incredible and made a lasting impression. The rooms were made up beautifully and the food was delicious. The team at this hotel were the best I have experienced. If you’re looking for opulence and a lovely stay, this is the place to book.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

23 Feb 2024

michelle ann

Staff were excellent, property was incredible, food was really good. Short distance from Nungwi beach. Highly recommend this place, view is fabulous. The shop onsite is very expensive with limited choice but overall 5*.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

25 Jan 2024

Susan

Excellent resort

Great hotel. Front desk, Activities group, bartenders, cleaning and restaurant were all excellent.
Only on complaint was the dinner at the pier restaurant was terrible. Appetizers were great but King fish main course was filled with bones and my daughter’s shrimp linguine was fishy and suspect and took a really long time to come out. Bar on Pier was excellent. Funny that this one area of this great hotel was lower standards!

In the end I wound come back but I wouldn’t eat at the Pier restaurant until I saw positive reviews

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

07 Jan 2024

Hans

My only issue was that we were not told that we needed to pay for seafood despite that we had half board. I was surprised on check out that l was billed.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

20 Dec 2023

Aaron

Amazing stay

Lovely hotel, huge room very comfortable, amazing swimming pool, delicious food. It was quiet at the hotel, we used the spa twice which was amazing, and the service was great - everyone amazing at their jobs!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

28 Jun 2023

John

Professional, attentive and responsive staff.

Leisure Family

6/10

Pleasant

14 Oct 2022

Kazeem

Stay was okay. But price was too high for service received. Dinner options were limited and buffet dinner only included water. Drinks were extra charge. Price should’ve been about $200/night rather than $400/night.

Leisure Partner

2/10

Poor

21 Sep 2022

Vishal

Please remove this from Zanzibar .

It’s a pathetic hotel . The service level is bad , there were no shampoos inside , dental kit was available next day .
Approach to the hotel is worst , the roads are bad . You need 15 mins to travel 2 km.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

31 Jul 2022

alec

Superb hotel with a relax feeling. Food is simple but outstanding, every meal is different. Staff is super nice and friendly. It is romantic but also family friendly.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

20 Oct 2021

saad

The staff are very accommodating and we had a great time staying at the resort! Food was excellent too and the location was perfect! Overall we had a great time and will come back again thanks!

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 Sep 2021

Verified traveler

Parfait

Super hôtel, tout était parfait de l’accueil chaleureux à l’au revoir !
Un personnel au petit soin, les chambres sont spacieuses et propres, les différentes restaurants très bons, il y a du choix au pdj.
La piscine est super.
Nous recommanderons l’hôtel autour de nous et reviendrons !!

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

05 Apr 2021

Verified traveler

Good choice very limited and average. Many buffet dishes were repeated for past 3 days during our stay

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

01 Apr 2021

Verified traveler

Such a beautiful hotel! The staff for extremely kind and helpful. Anything you needed they would help you get it or figure it out. The rooms were clean and the views of the garden or the seaside were incredible. I would highly recommend staying at this resort. You won’t be disappointed! Also it’s walking distance to some great activities like the aquarium or the zoo.

6/10

Pleasant

18 Mar 2021

Kim

Solo

To start the hotel is 1.5 hrs drive away from the airport and excursions. The staff was very friendly and accommodating. And the room and views of the ocean was great.. However there is no place to sit on the beach , the food is mediocre, the drinks are expensive , small and watered down. There was one culture night with local dishes and music which was very nice . I did the Masai Ritual with spa treatment , which would have been a greater experience if it was explained to me the difference between having it in “the village ” (which I saw was on the resort, beautiful and private , when I retuned from the poolside to change at the end of my services ) and poolside. I had high expectations due to the cost. And wasn’t able to end my trip on a high note and was disappointed.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

21 Feb 2021

Amanda

Amazing Views

From check in to passing by interactions, the staff was friendly and accommodating. The amenities were very clean and enjoyable. The views spectacular. The food was decent and prices a bit high for drinks. Overall, nice upscale stay and would recommend to others.

Friends_and_family Friends

8/10

Excellent

21 Feb 2021

Epp

Kena hotell.

Kena hotell,ilus vaade merele, armsad bangalod.Ujumine meres spets silla pealt või kaldalt pikalt kõndides.. Kindlasti on vajalikud merekingad. Ainuke lamamistoolidel päevituskoht oli basseini ümber, aga kuna seal olid põhiliselt turistid Venemaalt, oli seal liiga lärmakas.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

04 Sep 2020

Ghislaine Djapouop

Very nice hotel!

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

12 Feb 2020

FernandoPuertas

Amazing and unforgettable experience!!!!! Hope to be back!

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

01 Dec 2019

Verified traveler

This hotel certainly lived up to the expectations. We enjoyed our stay in Essque, the staff were very friendly and helpful. We enjoyed every moment spent in Zalu.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

24 Sep 2019

Elsa

Property was stunning. Service was excellent, Not much we didn't like but area of improvements would be (i) breakfast buffet - food selection was ok, not much variation day to day and (2) wifi did not work well in some areas on the property. But overall fantastic place that we would definitely recommend and return to.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

27 Aug 2019

Verified traveler

The hotel was lovely overall and we had a nice time. The pool area is beautiful and gardens beats and tidy. The rooms were spacious and well equipped. Our only criticism would be the lack of variety of food across the two restaurants. When you only have the option of eating there every night, limited number of main meals is not enough. But the buffet night by the pool was a pleasant surprise and very welcomed with lots of variety.

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

05 Aug 2019

Verified traveler

It doesnt have a beach front. Please dont describe it as 'Nestled on the Nungwi beach...'. It has a rocky seashore as front. It is also a fake property with basics missing. Highly overpriced for its value.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

20 Mar 2019

Jennifer

Amazing Property with Wonderful Staff

Essque Zalu is truly a breathtaking place. The resort is stunning -- from the architecture in the front entrance to the landscaping to the picturesque villas to the saltwater pool. The resort is tucked away on the northside of the island, so expect an hour plus drive from the airport or Stone Town but once you're there you'll be so happy. We spent our days at the pool with walks on the beach and also had the hotel arrange a snorkeling excursion for us as well. The staff is amazingly friendly and greeted us every morning at the buffet breakfast, throughout the day, and at dinner as well. We also took advantage of dinner at the Moshe Spice Studio which was phenomenal and I highly recommend. I can't say enough good things about Essque and hope I get the chance to visit again one day! Asante Sana!

Friends

8/10

Excellent

04 Jan 2018

Hassan

Good hotel, nice architecture

Good hotel. Our family enjoyed the time spent there, staff were friendly especially at the kids club.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

04 Jan 2018

Walter

Fabulous property, great management

The hotel architecture and grounds are impressive. The hotel manager, Duarte Correia went out of his way to make our stay phenomenal. The food was the best we had during our time in Tanzania. Highly recommended.

10/10

Exceptional

18 Sep 2017

ted

Beautiful well appointed\nGreat food

Beautiful gracious 2 pools but can not swim in ocean. Water cloudy and bottom completely covered with sea urchins

If you don't want to swim in ocean this is a great place. 5 stars

10/10

Exceptional

28 Jan 2017

varun

great location

well hosted by the owners. wonderful views and good food.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

03 Dec 2016

Verified traveler

Great hotel with super friendly staff.

I had an A++ experience, the hotel is way better than the pics, pool is great, spa is good, staff are super friendly and they are on top of everything. They are very detailed oriented, the food was awesome and I strongly recommend it.
If I have to write anything negative I will say it's a little far from the airport. It takes about an hour and a half but it's not a big deal if you're staying more than a few days.

10/10

Exceptional

20 Jun 2016

Shamir

Zalu is one of the most prime hotels in znz

Stayed at Zalu many times and it never fails to exceed expectations. Highly recommended it, you can't go wrong!

10/10

Exceptional

11 Mar 2015

Davin

The best place to stay in Zanzibar

Absolutely great, excellent rooms and room service, excellent meals and bars, the pool is the best and the staff are absolutely the best, i will be returning for sure

10/10

Exceptional

01 Sep 2014

Maya

Wonderful hotel

My boyfriend and I stayed there for 6 days. We had great time, the place is beautiful, the service was excellent and we had the time of our lives.We recomend Essqe Zalu and we hope to stay there in the future.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

30 Oct 2013

Jack Ancrum

Dream Holiday

We stayed at the the Zalu for a week in October. We both had the most amazing holiday, the service at the hotel was lovely and had a really personal touch as is to be expected from a 5 star hotel. The staff were attentive and helpful in organising day trips. The beach and pool area were simply out of this world and the food in the restaurants was sublime. Whilst the portions initially seemed small after 3 or 4 courses we were both extremely satisfied as the food was just so good. The suite was beautiful and well furnished. I did quite a bit of diving though East Africa diving (organised by the hotel which was excellent) and my girlfriend enjoyed the Spa which I am told was incredible. If you want to stay at the best hotel in Zanzibar without the celebrity prices of \"The Residence\" then look no further.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

27 Oct 2013

Verified traveler

A truly amazing hotel

I loved it for its beauty, service and relaxation. If you don't like this place, it's your fault, not theirs.

8/10

Excellent

20 Oct 2013

Holly

Good with Hidden costs

The hotel is beautiful but very crowded, the swimming pool area is not big enough to cater for a full hotel volume. On our departure on settling the bill, there were extra charges not specified on booking. Staff communication a bit slow and they seem confused most of the time, more staff training is recommended. The food menu is good but is very limited and repetitive, a huge improvement needed. The kitchen is understaffed and waiters forget orders sometimes. Overall; beautiful hotel but with more improvement on staff training and innovation in the kitchen. Not recommended for those who want absolute privacy unless you book a villa.

8/10

Excellent

17 Oct 2013

Marg.

Beautiful setting and Buildings etc.

Loved it. Though we did had some niggling things. Wi-fi hardly ever worked and business center did not exist. Understand that it might be the location/provided. Brochure advertised a gym, but there was none. While both these things are minor, my real bug bear was the lack of tea/coffee facilities in the room. Sure I could have paid for room service, but I often cannot sleep and make myself a herbal tea in the middle of the night. Not a time I would try to get hold of room service. It is a small expense. Most of the time guest would have their coffee/tea in the bar or the restaurant, but I really missed not having any opportunity to make a drink in the room

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

09 Oct 2013

Ronnie Glass

Fabulous views

Self contained high quality resort hotel on the northern tip of Zanzibar. Most guests were on half board; this was no hardship as the breakfasts had everything on offer except cereals and the 4 course table d'hôte dinner menus were excellent. Staff were exceedingly helpful and friendly. Tipping was slightly unusual; 2 envelopes are presented along with the bill at the end of the stay; guests are expected to put a cash tip in each, one is for the front of house staff, the other for the background staff.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

20 Sep 2013

Husband

Luxury but over attentive service

We stayed 5 nights for our honeymoon in Essque. The hotel is marvellous; The pool (salt water pool) is great, with ocean view; The deck that leads into the ocean is a great way to explore the low tide waters; The meals are tasty and plentiful. The only thing to dampen our stay was the over-attentiveness of the staff members - which we felt was a fake curtesy that was meant to squeeze bigger tips from us.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

20 Sep 2013

Verified traveler

Great View but lacks service

Great view and a great setting but the service was less than perfect. Example, the concierge helped us with our flights but charged us $1 an a minute to dial a local call. The bill was incorrect and when we discovered the mistake, they tried to blame us for it \"you should have told the server that your meal was included\". Food was mediocre at best. Internet was slower than dial up. The hotel manager was kind and a very interesting fellow but he needs to do a better job of training his staff and change some of the policies.

All in all, we will not be staying at the Zalu anytime soon.

10/10

Exceptional

19 Jul 2013

Ny-er

Lovely stay!

We had a fantastic vacation at Zalu. Thanks very much! We would love to come back soon.

8/10

Excellent

10 Jul 2013

Trevor

Stunning hotel, poor wifi and slow service

Absolutely stunning location and amazing pier/jetty. Food was fantastic, best we had on our two week honeymoon in Tanzania. Pool was great, everyone was friendly but very slow (we are from NYC so everything seemed very slow!). Rooms were very nice with strong A/C, nice TV and sitting room and comfortable beds.

The staff was very nice but took a long-time for everything. We would not see a pool waiter/waitress for a good hour+ sometimes. I also thought there were a couple of quirks that should not exist at a 5 star establishment: a) 3 to 4% fee for CC charges for your final bill, b) a 10% charge to get cash that is needed to tip staff.

Value - Relative to the other high-end establishments on the island, this property seems like good value as we got a special that resulted in approx $450/nt. We heard that other honeymooners were given special private meals and free full board (we had half board) but we were not.

All in all, a great place to stay but don't expect the same level of services as 5 star hotels or safari lodges.

8/10

Excellent

16 Apr 2013

Mustak

Overpriced but Nice

We all had a wonderful time at this hotel, service however was extremely slow. Room Service 2 Hours, drinks at the Pool 30 Minutes and dinner would take over 2 Hours. This is not a hotel for you if you like swimming in the sea, to many urchins. I would not book this hotel again, and would go back to what was the old Kempinski Hotel which was wonderful in all aspects, especially service which is what really makes a hotel.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

02 Apr 2013

James

Wind down after safari

This is an incredible hotel and I can't understand low ratings for it. We stayed at the Royal Zanzibar for 3 nights prior to our stay as Essque Zalu and when we arrived were amazed at the superiority of Essque.

The rooms were spacious and very well equipped, the food was great and the service was incredible. All employees were thoughtful and helpful.

We really enjoyed our stay and I would recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a beautiful place to relax and unwind.

8/10

Excellent

09 Feb 2013

Mike

Great resort but difficult to get to and very quie

The resort is amazing however getting to Zanzibar from the UK is a bit of a trek. Also the resort was very quiet at the time we went with the exception of a Nokia corporate event for 3 days. All in all it was a great holiday but not perfect.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

15 Jan 2013

Lilia

Luxury facilities with ordinary service

Quality of service does not correspond to this luxury hotel. Waiters are very slow with taking orders and bringing food. Location of the hotel is also not good (no sandy beach), however, we enjoyed swimming in an infinity pool.

Partner

4/10

Poor

06 Feb 2026

Hedda Vinje

.

8/10

Excellent

14 Jan 2026

Kim

Fint rum

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

21 Jul 2025

Yannick

Amazing hotel

Excellent stay in Essque Zalu Hotel with our family.
The view, the food and the peaceful atmosphere was just amazing.
It was beyond our expectations for our first trip to Zanzibar
Thanks a lot Amina for taking good care of us during our amazing stay at Essque

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

20 Jan 2025

abdelaziz

nous avons passé un agréable moment dans ce bel hotel .
le personnel est adorable .
les jumeaux se sont super bien amuser.
je recommande fortement

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

10 Jan 2025

Jonas

Great place with a luxury feeling

Great place! Very nice Villa and pool area. BBQ buffé and Entertainment team every night

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

09 Jan 2025

Per

Stor resort med blandad stil

Denna resort på Zanzibars nordligaste udde har ett fantastiskt läge ! Bodde i villa med havsutsikt vilket var enastående! Stor villa med olika rum och vackra golv ! Inget att anmärka på där !
Resorten i övrigt gammaldags och stora ytor ! Mycket slitet och stora behov av renovering och modernisering! Matsalen både ute o inne var tråkig och med långsam service,oengagerade människor i personalen. Frukosten medioker . Middag mkt varierad kvalitet och med ständig underhållning med hög volym,inte ok när man äter ! Deras fine dining på en pir var ett skämt i alla avseenden,maten,drycken,servicen. Nej detta ställe lever ej upp till sina 5 stjärnor,långt ifrån!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

05 Nov 2024

Verified traveler

전반적으로 너무 좋았습니다. 숙소는 너무 좋은데 주변엔 즐길만한게 없어요. 돌핀투어하고 숙소에서만 즐겨보세요. 밥은 매우 쏘쏘한 편입니다.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

25 Jan 2024

Ossi

4 yön pariskuntamatka

Upea paikka! Yövyimme sea view villassa, jossa oli puitteet kohdallaan. Palvelu erinomaista, joskin osa tarjoilijoista ei osannut kovin hyvin englantia. Ruoka melko yksipuolista ja laiturilla oleva ravintola myös hyvin vaihteleva laadultaan. Allasalue oli kiva ja aktiviteetteja monipuolisesti tarjolla. Lähellä oleva Nungwi beach suht rauhallinen esim. Kendwaan verrattuna. Paikka sopii hyvin rauhallisempaan oleiluun.

Partner