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Zanzibar House

3.5 star property
Bed & breakfast on the beach, with outdoor pool

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Photo gallery for Zanzibar House

View from room
Private beach, white sand, sun-loungers, beach umbrellas
View from property
Private beach, white sand, sun-loungers, beach umbrellas
View from property

Reviews

9.0 out of 10
Wonderful

Popular amenities

  • Hot tub
  • Bar
  • On private beach
  • Spa
  • Pool
  • Room service

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 3 of 3 rooms

View all photos for Economy Room, 1 Queen Bed, Garden View

Minibar, in-room safe, individually furnished, desk

Economy Room, 1 Queen Bed, Garden View

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(1 review)

Highlights

Furnished balcony
Individually furnished
Air conditioning
TV
Ceiling fan
Separate bedroom
Private bathroom
Hairdryer
  • 16 sq m
  • Sleeps 1
  • 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for Triple Room, Garden View

Minibar, in-room safe, individually furnished, desk

Triple Room, Garden View

Highlights

Furnished balcony
Individually furnished
Air conditioning
Free cots/infant beds
TV
Ceiling fan
Separate bedroom
Bathrobes
  • 32 sq m
  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 King Bed and 1 Single Bunk Bed

View all photos for Double Room, Ocean View

Minibar, in-room safe, individually furnished, desk

Double Room, Ocean View

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(1 review)

Highlights

Furnished balcony
Individually furnished
Air conditioning
Free cots/infant beds
TV
Ceiling fan
Separate bedroom
Private bathroom
  • 25 sq m
  • Ocean view
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 King Bed

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About the area

Map
Matemwe, Matemwe

What's nearby

  • Muyuni Beach - 5 min walk - 0.5 km
  • Pwani Mchangani Beach - 6 min drive - 3.4 km
  • Mapenzi Beach - 7 min drive - 4.1 km
  • Kigomani Beach - 9 min drive - 6.7 km
  • Kiwengwa Beach - 12 min drive - 7.1 km

Getting around

  • Zanzibar (ZNZ-Zanzibar Intl.) - 76 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Spice Restaurant - ‬11 min drive
  • ‪Restaurant - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪Andiamo - ‬8 min drive
  • ‪Snack Restaurant Ngalawa - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪The Green & Grill - ‬8 min drive

About this property

Zanzibar House

Bed & breakfast by the ocean
You can look forward to a poolside bar, a terrace and a coffee shop/cafe at Zanzibar House. This bed & breakfast is a great place to bask in the sun with a private beach, beachfront dining and beach massages. For some rest and relaxation, visit the sauna or hot tub, and indulge in a body scrub, aromatherapy or a manicure/pedicure. The on-site restaurant offers breakfast, lunch and dinner. Enjoy on-site activities, such as fishing, snorkelling and scuba diving. In addition to a garden and an arcade/games room, guests can connect to free in-room WiFi.
You'll also find perks such as:
  • An outdoor pool with sunloungers
  • Free self-parking
  • Bike hire, a round-trip airport shuttle (surcharge) and a front desk safe
  • Concierge services, beach towels and beach umbrellas
Room features
All rooms are individually furnished, and offer comforts such as furnished balconies and air conditioning, as well as thoughtful touches such as free WiFi and safes.
Extra amenities include:
  • Bathrooms with showers and free toiletries
  • TVs with satellite channels
  • Wardrobes/cupboards, electric kettles and ceiling fans

Languages

English, French, Italian, Swahili

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Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • 24-hour return airport shuttle (surcharge)
  • Cruise terminal shuttle (surcharge)
  • Free self parking on site

Food and drink

  • A bar/lounge
  • A coffee shop/cafe
  • A poolside bar
  • A restaurant
  • Coffee and tea in common areas
  • Snack bar/deli

Things to do

  • Arcade/game room
  • Bicycle rentals
  • Billiards/pool table
  • Fishing
  • Hot tub
  • Library
  • Outdoor pool
  • Sauna
  • Scuba diving
  • Snorkelling

Family friendly

  • Arcade/game room
  • Laundry facilities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Snack bar/deli

Conveniences

  • Laundry facilities
  • Luggage storage
  • Safe at front desk

Guest services

  • Concierge services
  • Housekeeping (daily)
  • Multilingual staff
  • Tour and ticket assistance

Business services

  • Business centre
  • Meeting rooms

Outdoors

  • Barbecue grill
  • Beach loungers
  • Beach towels
  • Beach umbrellas
  • Garden
  • On a private beach
  • Pool loungers
  • Terrace

Spa

  • Aromatherapy
  • Body scrubs
  • Manicures/pedicures

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • Upper floors accessible by stairs only

More

  • 1 building
  • 2 floors
  • Built in 2012
  • Mosquito nets
  • Smoke-free property
  • Traditional architecture

Room amenities

Bathroom

  • Dressing gowns
  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer
  • Private bathroom
  • Shower
  • Slippers
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • TV with satellite channels

Food and drink

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Electric kettle
  • Limited room service
  • Minibar

More

  • Air conditioning
  • Ceiling fan
  • Desk
  • Individual furnishings
  • Safe

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; check-in end time: 10:00 PM
Minimum check-in age - 18

Check-out

Check-out before 11 AM

Special check-in instructions

This property offers transfers from the cruise terminal, ferry terminal and airport (surcharges may apply); to arrange pick-up, guests must contact the property 48 hours prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation
There is no front desk at this property
The host will greet guests on arrival
This property doesn't offer after-hours check-in
For any questions, please contact the property using the information on the booking confirmation

Renovations and closures

The property is closed between 20 April and 30 June.

Access methods

Host will greet you

Pets

No pets or service animals allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are available for USD 70.0 per night.

Payment types at the property

Important information

Optional extras

  • Airport shuttle fee: USD 90 per vehicle (return)
  • Rollaway bed fee: USD 70.0 per night

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Guests must contact this property in advance to reserve rollaway/extra beds
This property accepts credit cards; cash is not accepted
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios and terraces, which may not be suitable for children; if you have any concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm that they can accommodate you in a suitable room

We should mention

This property does not have any lifts
Reservations are required for massage services and spa treatments; reservations can be made by contacting the property prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation
No pets and no service animals are allowed at this property

Property is also known as

Zanzibar House
Zanzibar House B&B
Zanzibar House Matemwe
Zanzibar House B&B Matemwe
Zanzibar House Matemwe
Zanzibar House Bed & breakfast
Zanzibar House Bed & breakfast Matemwe

Frequently asked questions

Does Zanzibar House have a pool?

Yes, this property has an outdoor pool.

Is Zanzibar House pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at Zanzibar House?

Self-parking is free at this property.

What time is check-in at Zanzibar House?

Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; check-in end time: 10:00 PM. After-hours check-in is not available.

What time is check-out at Zanzibar House?

Checkout is at 11 AM.

Does Zanzibar House provide a shuttle to the airport?

Yes, there's an airport shuttle. A fee of USD 90 per vehicle applies.

Where is Zanzibar House located?

Nestled on the beach, this Matemwe bed & breakfast is within 3 mi (5 km) of Muyuni Beach, Pwani Mchangani Beach and Mapenzi Beach. Kiwengwa Beach and Kigomani Beach are also within 6 miles (10 km).

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Zanzibar House Reviews

Reviews

9.0

Wonderful

Rating 10 - Excellent. 42 out of 66 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 18 out of 66 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 4 out of 66 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 66 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 66 reviews

9.2/10

Cleanliness

9.2/10

Staff & service

7.0/10

Amenities

9.4/10

Property conditions & facilities

10/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

aileen

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I am a solo female traveller. Zanzibar House is an excellent property in so many ways. The staff are friendly and helpful. The grounds are a delight to be in, with lots of comfortable places to sit and read or contemplate the beauty of the area. I did not use the pool and I am sure it would be lovely. At night time I had an evening meal which was tasty and they accommodated my dietary requirements very well. I am gluten intolerant. I recommend this hotel if you like quiet and beauty filled places
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Helen

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Rolland

Stayed 5 nights in Jan 2023

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Unfortunately our experience was not as nice as we had hoped. As two women in their 20s and 30s we felt that we were at times treated as children. We were informed by a male staff member that we were “not allowed” to eat breakfast at the table overlooking the ocean, even though the owner specifically informed us of this option the day prior (likely because he did not want to walk the extra distance.) Our ‘Garden View’ room was a view of the parked vehicles in front of the hotel. The room also lacked any storage space or shelves for suitcases and belongings, leaving our 4 bags blocking the door due to lack of any space. Breakfast had no fresh coffee, only instant, and ended abruptly—when I returned on the hour to refill my tea, I was told breakfast ended and the female staff would not bring back the tea kettle for hot water. I informed the owner I was gluten free on arrival, but no arrangements were made. This meant my breakfast options were limited to a fruit cup and eggs. Sauna/hammam must be requested in advance, as we were told it was “off”. The staff did not offer to turn on when we asked about it. In conclusion, beautiful hotel but not a beautiful experience.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2021

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Staff & service

Smukt sted - mindre behagelig stemning

Lille hotel, der ligger utrolig smukt ned til vidunderlig strand. Dejlig udsigt fra balkon med udsigt over havet. Hotelophold indbefatter halvpension med fire retter mad, som er dejlig, men det bliver hurtigt alt for voldsomt. Man savner selv at kunne vælge a la carte. Personalet er venligt. Men værtsparret har desværre en ret utiltalende måde at behandle ansatte på, og der bliver ind imellem talt grimt og råbt højt af personalet, hvilket trækker gevaldigt ned på stemningen.
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2020

2/10 Terrible

MA

Disliked: Staff & service, amenities
This is the worst hotel experience we have had after travelling for many years across many continents. The management is poor. The owner could often be overheard berating and yelling at his staff in front of hotel guests. When issues such as a broken pool filter, slow wifi, or power outages came up, his response was to shrug and say, “This is Africa, what can you expect?” The menu at the hotel restaurant is a set menu consisting of seafood and meat dishes. As vegetarians, we found it difficult to eat here and ended up going to a hotel down the beach (Mandhari Villa - highly recommend) for dinners. We booked a “garden view” room and it was up a set up steep stairs on top of the guard house at the entrance to the hotel, completely separated from the main hotel building. Our privacy was not maintained and we had a knock on our door from housekeeping at 9pm despite not calling them for anything. There are multiple cats on the property that seem to be pets of the owners, and they wander through the lobby/restaurant/pool area at all times. The towels were not changed daily despite us having to pay an extra surcharge for a second person. This led us to wonder what the extra charge was going towards. The restaurant and pool staff however are very nice and attentive. They are working under poor management conditions and still keep a smile on their faces. All in all we would absolutely never recommend this hotel to any family or friends.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2020

8/10 Good

Zain

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2019

10/10 Excellent

Ahmed

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Hidden gem on lovely Matemwe beach

A piece of paradise!! Everything was great, from the food to the service to the facilities to the beach. We loved it and will definitely go back!
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful place; nice and helpful owners, tasty food. The beach is peaceful...but fyi, has serious tides and seaweed. But there are a few lovely spots to float around at. It is an easy day trip to other more swim-happy beaches and about an hour to Stonetown. This is a place to go an relax. But options through hotel or beach dudes are plentiful if you want activities.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2018

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Stayed 15 nights in Nov 2018

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Paradise

Beautiful hotel with 7 rooms right at the beach. Very calm area and not many tourists at the beach (gets cleaned everyday). Food is delicious, for $15 you get a 4 course dinner menu. At the bar you get good shisha too. The staff is nice and very helpful. Massage was great. Wifi was availabe everywhere (room, restaurant, beach). You can pay in Eur, Usd, Tsh, credit card.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2018

10/10 Excellent

akira, Japan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

ザンジバル島を満喫できるホテル

ザンジバル島にのんびり滞在し、休日をゆったり過ごしたいなら絶対に満足すること間違いなし。ディナーのメインは、その日にとれた魚。シンプルな焼き魚がとても美味しかった!オーナーの優しさが伝わってくるホテルでした。
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2018

10/10 Excellent

Caitlin

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Our host Maximo was great! Food was spectacular. Service was decent.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2018

8/10 Good

Becca

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful, well-decorated property. Relaxing atmosphere with plenty of lounge chairs, daybeds and tables on a beautiful beach. The four-course dinners were leisurely and tasty. The staff was very welcoming.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2017

8/10 Good

Kira

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Lovely

My stay was pleasant from arrival till departure. Everyone was nice and accommodating. Thank you and Happy Holidays. To anyone out there looking for “a feel at home” this is the place to stay.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2017

10/10 Excellent

Loren

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

The best hotel we stayed in in Zanzibar

We stayed in 5 hotels while making our way around Zanzibar and really enjoyed 4 of them. Of the 4, this one really was the best, a cut above in every respect -- fantastic atmosphere, gorgeous property, great management and staff. As you drive down the horrible dirt road that leads from the highway to the property, you'll think you must have made a wrong turn. But you haven't -- keep going.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2017

10/10 Excellent

Kelly

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

My "Zanzibar House" in Matemwe

The whole place is amazing. Unlike the 50+room hotels this is a smaller establishment which adds to the peaceful beach front atmosphere. It's in a great location to go south for a day trip to the spice farms, caves, or fishing communities. Or go North to Membe Island for diving/ snorkling or Nungwi for a big party. Extremely warm artistic decor and the food was fantastic.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2017

10/10 Excellent

The Travel Guru, Los Angeles

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

A Hidden Gem

Zanzibar House is an exceptional place and a beautiful experience. Georgia treated me like family from the moment I arrived. The location is inspirational, meditative and a place to disconnect from the stresses of the world. Thank you.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2017

10/10 Excellent

agata

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Stay in Zanzibar house

We had lovely time in Zanzibar House. The place is clean and nicely decorated. Owners are amazing. Everyday we were spoilt by great Italian food. Staff are friendly and helpful.We had very memorable experience. Highly recommended!

10/10 Excellent

Karsten

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

10/10 Excellent

david, lyon

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Hotel familiale exceptionnel

Hotel familiale avec une vue magnifique. Propriétaire italien très sympa. Une enorme plus value apporté par le restaurant avec un menu du soir raffiné.

8/10 Good

AN, 日本

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

目の前にビーチのあるホテル

ホテルの部屋から海が見え、朝日を見ることができます。 夕食はとても美味しくて満足しました。 空港送迎を頼んでいたのですが飛行機が遅れたにも関わらず長い間待っていただいたようです。 周りに何もなく、人も少ないのでのんびり過ごすことができました。

8/10 Good

Frances

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Beautiful location

Zanzibar House was super charming and quiet, great secluded place to relax. The rooms have fantastic balconies with hanging chairs and a view of the sea. Beautiful beach right outside and really nice pool/garden area. $15usd gets u a 4 course dinner- mine was baked prawns, crab linguini, grilled lobster and mille feuille- can't beat that! Great breakfast too- try the homemade papaya cinnamon passion fruit jam and banana yogurt. Would definitely stay here again!

10/10 Excellent

Ann Bryde, Copenhagen

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Our new family in Zanzibar.

This little gem is the perfect place to relax and just let this lovely Italian family spoil you. We stayed for a whole weekend, and enjoyed every single minute of it. From the lovely breakfast in the morning to the fantastic 4 course diner in the evening, everything was just perfect, and prepared with great love and thoughtfullness. From our arrivel till we left, we felt like a part of this lovely family, being invited in to their home. We WILL be back!!!!!!

10/10 Excellent

Eartha Guerra, Abu Dhabi, UAE (Atlanta Native)

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

ZANZIBAR HOUSE WONDERMENT!

I have been to many countries, and the stay here was my son's favorite vacation! We had a room with ocean veiw, worth every penny! the beauty of the island greeted us every morning. The owners were exceptionally accommodating. They made sure the kids were happyily fed each night and made alternate meals to their liking Every morning we had a wonderful breakfast which is a set menu that included pancakes, crepes, and homemade doughnuts!!! Each evening was a culinary exploration of 4 course Italian meals of local fish and seafood, fresh beef, homemade breads, homemade pastas and local vegetables. You could also order something more to your liking and they will acoomodate you to their best. ( The Half board option is more than worth the deal especially since the hotel is not close to any restaurants. Guests from other hotels along the beach would regular Zanzibar House for lunch and Massages!) The staff are very friendly. The massages are AWESOME with the beach right in front of you! The ocean there is beautiful and is worth a swim. There is a turn down service everynight which includes fresh towels if you need them, bottled water, and spraying and arranging of your mosquito net for your health and safety. (The spray is very mild and did not trigger my allergies). We had a VERY early flight on our departure and they made sure we had some homemade doughnuts for the boys! My son and I were very reluctant to leave. THANK YOU ZANZIBAR HOUSE. WE WILL BE BACK!