Sea View Lodge Boutique Hotel

Tanzania , Zanzibar
ZANZIBAR, JAMBIANI
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50 reviews shown

6/10

Pleasant

27 Jun 2026

Heather

The staff were exceptionally helpful but I feel the hotel has seen better days and is a bit run down.

The bungalow safe doesn't work at all (could store things in the main safe but made it very inconvenient) and there was limited water in the bunglaow for flushing toilet or showering. Also barely any hot water.

The view was exceptional but the deck chairs could be wiped down as they were filthy which seems to be the general standard across the hotel.

The staff were friendly , did the best to sort the issues with the safe and water and I would recommend a massage at the on site spa as it was fantastic! Food was mediocre than what I've had in other places so recommend to eat elsewhere.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

29 May 2026

Kurt

The staff was incredibly helpful. They went way above and beyond the expected to provide us a great experience. It was recently renovated, and the amenities are very good. The restaurant is also well managed and the food is prepared well.

Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

26 Jan 2026

Paul

Staff were courteous and friendly. Breakfast was a little sparse but the location and outdoor facilities were great. I stayed in a room facing the ocean. Fantastic. Much better than a pool room.
Should note that this hotel will not refund cancellations even though their policy says so. Beware.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

25 Sep 2025

wears

Nice place just to chill

All the staff have been brilliant going on beond there means .
Food spot on

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

31 May 2025

Cerys

Our stay at Seaview was beautiful, the staff were amazing, the food was lovely, can’t understand why there are some bad reviews as we thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The scenery was stunning having breakfast and looking out to sea, the dinners were very reasonable, cheap and lovely, me and my girlfriend Enjoyed ourselves very much and I hope to return at some point, thanks again to all the staff that took care of us, (we loved the cats) the hotel was very authentic in it’s architecture and being situated in the village meant we got to explore the local lifestyle/shops and overall ambience. Perfect if you’re looking for a relaxed vibe, it felt personal, like the staff understood us and our preferences

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

14 Aug 2024

Ryan

Really helpful and friendly staff. Perfect location on Jamibiani beach and under 5 mins walking from bars and restaurants along the coast.

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

04 Jul 2024

Caroline

This property was PARADISE! We had the best 4 days staying here, it was hard to leave. The staff were fantastic and accomodating to our needs. This is a smaller hotel so we enjoyed the peace of admiring the beach right on our doorstep. The food at the restaurant was very good quality, we visited other hotels along the beach but still felt our hotel provided just as good of a job. I noticed many people said the breakfast was boring, we bought massive avocados just along the road from the hotel and enjoyed this with our bteakfast. I really couldn’t fault our experience

8/10

Excellent

26 Jul 2023

Chris

Great family bungalow in a good location

We had a lovely family bungalow for our 3 night stay and this hotel is in a good location. Donna the masseuse was excellent, and the staff were all very welcoming. The only downside was the restaurant had limited vegetarian options for our daughter and the lighting in the evening didn't make it feel cosy so we ate elsewhere.
The Kuza cave is only around 20 minutes walk away and well worth a visit.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

07 Aug 2022

Daniel

Right on a gorgeous beach

Nice clean room. Beach side rooms are a bit small but as there is no reason to stay in the room with the beach a few steps away, it was no issue. Staff was friendly and efficient.

Self

2/10

Poor

11 Oct 2021

Braxton

The view from the bungalow is nice. The staff are incredibly friendly. The director is horrible, but the regular staff do what they can to make up for it. The food menu is not updated and the restaraunt is out of many items. The bar is not well stocked and when a item is empty it is not replenished because the director is horrible. I still don't know what he is paid to do other than hurt the hotel. I went to a hostel down the beach that was far superior in amenities, food, drink choices and over all feel. Then went to another hostel that was the same and half the price. I can get a single room at a hostel and have a FAR superior experience than at this hotel. Not worth the money with so many amazing places to stay nearby.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

21 May 2021

Verified traveler

Amazing hotel on the breach.

Everything was amazing, the staff was very accommodating and friendly.
The location of the hotel is on the beach, very relaxing.

Breakfast could be a little more varied and they could change the menu during the week.

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

01 Feb 2021

Linda

Friendly, beautiful resort

Had a great stay at this small boutique stycke resort.
Super friendly staff that went the extra mile to help with anything we needed.
Great location and beautiful ocean view.

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

21 Feb 2020

Verified traveler

Great property. Food was good especially the Tuna Patty and lobster. Sea View was amazing - air worked and door locks, had safe. Nice area . Highly recommend

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

12 Aug 2019

Allan

Nice for a few days

Spent a few days here with my family. It's a nice lodge with a small pool. Most of the rooms are around the small pool with only a couple facing the sea. It has it's own restaurant that serves good simple food. The staff are friendly and and helpful. It's small and as such feels more intimate than some of the larger places along the beach. The rooms are quite basic, but have what you need. In general, a nice place to stay.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

07 Jun 2019

Mohammed

Recommend :)

It was nice stay , hope to visit it again

Friends

8/10

Excellent

16 Jul 2018

Verified traveler

On the beach, great views.

Can't complain- we didn't have a room facing the beach but you didn't need one, it was literally only metres away from the beach when we left our room. The breakfast is actually more than it looks! They have an omelette station, fruit, yoghurt, different teas, coffee, hot chocolate, toast butter, cakes and croissant. The beds are really big and comfortable! The hot water doesn't seem to work at night? But that's fine, we showered in the morning/during the day. The food in the restaurant is nice too and is prepared quite quickly! Also the rooms are very clean, they clean it every day. The Italian owner is very nice. I would visit again. :)

8/10

Excellent

11 Apr 2018

Janet

Friendly hotel

Staff very friendly and helpful. Room very clean and comfortable. Peaceful and relaxing atmosphere. Food good, service great. Pool clean and warm. Plenty of toiletries and lovely clean towels. Water could have been hotter in the shower. I would definitely stay there again.

4/10

Poor

25 Feb 2018

Ben

Massively overpriced

This is a 50 dollar a night hotel that charges 105 dollars. We were put in a tiny horrible room that had dangerous stairs. Hotel staff are great and did move us as they moved everyone else who was put in that too
. They are working in a hotel with terrible facilities that is way over priced. DO NOT LET THEM PUT YOU IN ROOM 7.

6/10

Pleasant

07 Feb 2018

Verified traveler

Cute location, but needs plumbing repairs

First impression place is cute, little individual huts on the beach, some facing the pool. Unfortunately, the infrastructure is in dire need of repairs. Our room, had only boiling hot water, no cold water for the shower, they couldn’t repair it; therefore to accommodate the problem they shut the hot water breaker to provide us with water, but by doing so we now had cold showers and this also stopped the water line to the toilet. I had to fill the toilet tank manually every time I flushed. The wifi didn’t work at our hut, it was also very spotty around the front desk. Having said all this, the staff were friendly and nice, it had a beach front restaurant and offered a free breakfast.
We found out that the property is under new management, maybe in the future these problems will be fixed.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

21 Jan 2018

Jen

Nice hotel on the beach

We chose this hotel to be on the beach and enjoy a pool. The rooms were large as were the bathrooms. Pool was wonderful and right outside the room. The is sand from the lobby to the ocean so the foot washing bowls were great outside the room. The staff was great in sweeping the room out to maintain clean floors throughout the day. We had requested airport transport, but no one was at the airport when our flight landed and we ended up taking a taxi. The food at the on-site restaurant tastes nice, but the waits are excessive. We ended up going off-site for lunch and dinner often so that we weren't waiting more then an hour. Overall stay was great and relaxing.

8/10

Excellent

03 Jan 2018

gil

nice hotel

nice hotel on the beach we like very much, nice pool

6/10

Pleasant

21 Nov 2017

Loren

They need to catch up on essential maintenance

The owners have let the maintenance go for too long. It's little things that wouldn't cost much to fix, but they can cause big problems. In particular there were many little holes in the mosquito net over the bed and my wife and I both got bitten (luckily we were taking anti-malarials). And when we unplugged the bedside lamps to plug in our phones, the lamps' plugs fell apart, exposing our hands to the electrical wiring. Also, Farouk (the owner) is charming and chatty with his guests but the way he treats his staff is not the best, and won't get the best out of them though they are all trying hard.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

19 Oct 2017

Beautiful location, excellent staff, amazing food

It was difficult to get there. We took a hired car from stone town and it took an hour but it was well worth it. I wished I could have stayed longer. The place was so relaxing with sunloungers right at the door of our villa, perfect place to watch the sunrise and laze around, watching the ocean and the locals fishing and harvesting seaweed. We had every meal in the restaurant and the food was amazing, especially the slipper lobster in coconut curry. Pool was clean and beautiful. Staff was polite and attentive, always looking out for you, couldn't fault them.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

10 Aug 2017

Chris

Best location on Zanzibar for quite relaxing

Hotel is located on a lovely beach, right on the beach on the quite side of the island. Hotel faculties are excellent with great food and drinks at very reasonable prices, a lovely pool, good wifi and staff did everything possible to make our stay comfortable and enjoyable.
If I had to pick anything, the beach front rooms are small and a little awkward but I'd stay in the same room again to get that location. We also found there was no need to spend any time in the room unless sleeping because outside was so lovely.

8/10

Excellent

17 Nov 2016

Verified traveler

Lodge is very nice, staff is good, food is nice even though the portions are small.

10/10

Exceptional

23 Oct 2016

Nicolas

Lovely place to stay in jambiani. Very relaxing and attentive staff that made the trip perfect.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

19 Sep 2016

Euth-in-Asia

Idylic aesthetic, boutique

Of all the places we saw on Jambian beach, this was the most aesthetic. The reception area, the arrangement of the 'villas' the restaurant on the beach edge and especially the flawless pool were exquisite. The service was unmatchable. We had a week in paradise.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

24 Jun 2016

Maureen

the most caring staff I have ever had the pleasure

Upon first arriving in the area that sea view is located I was extremely nervous...I have never been to Zanzibar. The manager and staff quickly put me at ease and guided us through the area and always provided us with transportation and tours..pampered us from beginning to end and always made sure we were happy. He will actually make an effort each day to ensure your happiness...never seen anything like this...beautiful!

10/10

Exceptional

31 May 2016

Fabio

AWESOME Staying, great staff and great service

Sea view is perfect for relaxing and spending quality time at the beach.The staff is available, multi-lingual, and professional. Rooms are spacious and clean. The food, while more expensive than average, is the best you will have in Jambiani. I totally recommend.

10/10

Exceptional

03 Oct 2015

Deborah

VERY WELL MAINTAINED, WONDERFUL EMPLOYEES, SAFE

We stayed 9 nights at Sea View, we arrived late and were welcomed by Farouk the owner, all of the employes are so polite and always smiling, just wanted to make your stay incredible....
The set up is wonderful, clean & beautiful pool, trees all surrounded by white sand and the location of our sea view room was exceptionnal, all day long you can listen to the sound of the sea and feel a very nice breeze, you do not need sandals at Sea View Hotel, since it is soft sand everywhere

The owner Farouk always comes around to the dining room and visit every table to make sure that we have everything we need and are satisfied

10/10

Exceptional

25 Sep 2015

Verified traveler

Excellent hotel, right next to a fabulous beach.

Really good experience, friendly helpful staff in beautiful location. Would absolutely recommend.

10/10

Exceptional

21 Aug 2015

Matt

Excellent hotel, stunning location, great staff!

I have just returned from a seven day holiday in Zanzibar and can positively say that Sea View Lodge Boutique Hotel was excellent.
Upon arrival we were instantly made to feel welcome by all staff. As this is quite a small boutique hotel, the manager was very interactive with guests and was very informative about things to do in the area and accommodated/organised any day trips etc that we were interested in doing.
We had a lovely sea view room which was ample in size, had a good sized bathroom and was maintained/clean throughout the entire of our stay. The A/C was in good working order and the room also came equipped with mosquito nets around the bed, which we found to be essential in this part of the world.
In comparison to many other restaurants in the area, Sea View Lodge offers an excellent variety and standard of fresh food - ranging from locally caught seafood to an Indian inspired menu.

8/10

Excellent

15 Aug 2015

Verified traveler

Nice hotel, especially the pool. A bit pricy.

Nice experience in this hotel located in quiet but pleasant beach of Jambiani. Pool is great to enjoy. Staff is nice but could be warmer. Decent rooms. Nice restaurant with a view on the beach. Overall package a bit pricy though.

10/10

Exceptional

21 Jul 2015

Stephen

Worth a Stay

Everything was fantastic about this hotel. Friendly staff, clean and bright rooms. Beautiful location. Good food. Clean pool. Only minor bad thing was unreliable wifi. But it's very remote, so any wifi at all is great.

8/10

Excellent

20 Feb 2015

Verified traveler

Very quiet could use some blackout curtains for the windows and stronger wi-fi

10/10

Exceptional

27 Jan 2015

sarah

Lovely retreat on the beach

The owner & staff made us feel very welcome. Our cottage was simple but comfortable & had all we needed. The setting was perfect, right on the beach. The pool was lovely - clean & a good size. Breakfast was lovely and generous- fresh fruit, mango juice, homemade bread, pancakes and eggs anyway. We had one perfect evening eating in the hotel. The restaurant was buzzy, the chef cooked an excellent Indian buffet - his forte. As I'm a veggie he made generous portions of perfect saag, vegetable curry, aromatic cabbage, coconut sauce, basmati rice &'chapatis for me. Everyone else was very happy with the meat & fish options. The other time we ate in the hotel we had pizza & this was an unfair test. There simply aren't the ingredients for european food. Similarly we had bruschetta & pasta twice at the restaurant next door. Both times edible but rather bland & the choice of vegetables very limited as its seasonal. I would definitely recommend the sea view but eat the local menu don't bother with european.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

02 Nov 2014

Philip

Great place for a getaway to Zanzibar

The staff was very friendly, and the hotel itself was very comfortable. It was a fantastic beach vacation overall. The only bad thing I can say is to avoid the beautician. Her manicure was terrible, and the black henna is full of chemicals that irritate the skin. Otherwise this hotel was amazing, and I would definitely go back!

Family

8/10

Excellent

09 Oct 2014

Amber

Nice hotel, extremely close to beach

Rooms were very spacious; we had two king size beds as well as separate bathrooms. The room was very clean. The food was amazing and there was a variety to choose from. Wifi was available, but only in the reception area. The pool was very clean each day and the staff worked very hard to make sure guests felt comfortable. They wew extremely nice and welcoming.

10/10

Exceptional

19 Jun 2014

C & J

Short break in paradise

My friend and I had the most amazing time in Zanzibar staying at Sea View. Unfortunately it was rainy season so had limited time to spend sunbathing. However, the staff were very helpful and arranged for us to do tours into town and the spice farm. Had an excellent massage by the resident therapist. Food at the restaurant was very good and fresh, as was breakfast. The staff made the experience for us, they looked after us and took us out to the local parties and we had so much fun. Definitely recommended for everyone- families, couples and young travellers like us. Thank you everyone at Sea View!

10/10

Exceptional

01 Mar 2014

eileen

Lovely quiet hotel on the beach in Jambiana.

We really enjoyed our two night stay at the Sea View. The staff were very friendly and helpful. The only complaint we had was that when we ordered lunch on the first day of our arrival, we waited almost an hour for the food to be prepared and we were the only people in the restaurant. Consequently we never ate in the restaurant again apart from the complimentary breakfast. Instead we ate next door at "Sele Pepe" which was very good.

10/10

Exceptional

08 Feb 2014

Dan

Great family holiday

We had a fantastic holiday at the Sea View. The staff were really friendly and helpful and the children had a great time. The family bungalow was really spacious with 2 double beds and the setting is hugely picturesque with a great pool and a stunning white sandy beach. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and I would recommend it to any one.

10/10

Exceptional

21 May 2024

Nora Amatilla

War alles super

Leisure Family

4/10

Poor

27 Feb 2024

Verified traveler

Mora a two star hotel

More like a 2 star hotel. Friendliness is good, but it’s not clean and things then to not work.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

15 Feb 2024

Verified traveler

Excellent service, great staff

Self

10/10

Exceptional

20 Dec 2023

Dina Abselam

Alojamiento muy familiar, tranquilo y seguro, el trato del personal inigualable. Muy agradables, se adaptan a tus necesidades en todo momento y te proporcionan ayuda en todo lo que necesites. Repetiría sin lugar a dudas.

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

26 Feb 2023

Mark

Piece of Paradise

Very friendly and helpful staff. Great location. Good restaurant.

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

12 Sep 2022

Sylvain

Passable

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

22 Jun 2022

Cassio

Ótima!

Ótimo pé na areia, ótima localização e funcionários muito bons.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

13 Oct 2021

ignacio

El hotel estaba muy limpio y perfectamente situado junto a la playa.

8/10

Excellent

20 Sep 2021

Noah

For the price quite nice but bit run down

Rooms:
+ Every evening somebody came to spray anti-insect spray in our room
+ Shower was warm 6/7 nights
+mosquito nets on every window so you could leave them open
- The rooms are very small (had numbers 8 and 9, 10 is probably the same- ocean view).
- The bed had termites, which you could hear at night eating the wood.
- There were stains on the bed sheet and the towels
- Bed was very Hard, seemed quite old
- Safe didnt open one time. We asked for help and somebody came with different keys but none fitted. After 10 Minutes it opened again but would not trust this safe (A thief could just carry it away)
- no curtain in front of bathroom window and staff was hanging out there. Felt quite odd getting out of the shower at night when lights were on inside

Restaurant:
+ Dinner and Lunch were very good
+ Breakfast: you could ask for specific types of eggs that were quite nice and on point
+ Drinks in general were quite nice
- Breakfast rest was not the best...
- Chapati was gone after 09:15 and the chef didn't make any after (even if breakfast was until 10:00)
- The cook made chapati for every dish but requesting simply chapati and a banana (which is basic af) was “impossible”
- For breakfast you get five options: Cereals, Toast, Chapati, little bit of fruit and egg. Things to put on the toast: fruit egg or jam

Partner