The Residence Zanzibar

We came to the residence Zanzibar for our honeymoon and it was absolutely wonderful. The venue is amazing, deep in jungle, with a beautiful Indian ocean beach and tasteful luxurious decor throughout. The food was amazing, with a wide selection every day, and lots of nice places to eat and have drinks. Our villa was gorgeous and the private pool and area of beach really made our honeymoon. Everyone working there was amazing, but in particular Mohammed, Ahmed and Nerry at the front desk, Josephine was delightful at lunch every day and Clement made our romantic beach dinner extra special. We always loved the amazing desserts Abdullah made - and talked us through, and Hemedi and Rehema did any amazing turn down with swans and flowers! The Residence Zanzibar is absolutely brilliant and made our honeymoon a dream.

Hotel and the stay was totally amazing, the main pool is absolutely amazing and temperature was 10/10, the option to book the a la carte menu was great and the attention to detail when you go to the a la carte restaurant is great, also the housekeeping staff work so hard, they come in morning to tidy and evening to get your bed ready for the evening, we have special members of staff to mention, ADAM, RUNI, PHILIPO, DOMINA, JUSTYNA, EDSON, all 6 members of staff were so attentive and made all of our trip so special and at times very moving, we really enjoying staying here and meeting these people, Thank you, ps the monkeys are amazing 🤩

I had hoped that this hotel would live up to my expectations having previously visited the Residence in the Maldives. This place didn’t disappoint, arriving early in the morning Edson greeted us with such a welcome and we knew we would love it. He took us to the Spa pool till our room was ready. The villa was very similar to the Maldives property and the view from our beachfront villa was so gorgeous, we could hardly bear to pull ourselves away and regularly ordered room service for lunch! We just got into relaxation mode so quickly and became so chilled after both having busy lives at home. The bed was so comfy and such luxurious linens. Plenty of space with a wardrobe for each of us! We had four sunbeds outside two beachside, two poolside a day bed and hammock just for us! Totally spoilt! We had regular visits from monkeys and they are very crafty at getting in if you don’t shut the door, they amused us daily! The whole property was stunning and we loved exploring on our bikes, all the gardens are beautiful. The main infinity pool was also stunning with comfy beds and service poolside. Our favourite part of the day was sunset, everyday there was an incredible sunset. The hotel set chairs on the beach and lit a fire around 5.30pm often there was music or a band it was just amazing. You could also get drinks on the jetty but there weren’t many chairs but still so beautiful. Food was really good, we were a bit worried about the food as it was mostly buffet but the food was so good with a theme and the Swahili night was our favourite. One night there was a beach party and all the tables set up on the beach with a BBQ and entertainers (how anyone can walk on stilts on the sand I do not know!) Another night there was a movie on the beach. It’s not a party place and most people seemed to be in bed by 10 but it just felt good. There is another restaurant which is free to book called the Pavillion. It’s set in a garden with lots of lights and is so pretty, the menu was o fairly basic but it seemed special in the setting. We could hear bush babies but never got to see one! We had two fabulous massages at the Spa again helping us really get into relaxation mode. We did do a trip to Stone town from the hotel, trips are expensive. We wanted to visit beaches and the Rock restaurant and the price for a taxi was so extortionate. We booked trips for the rest of our holiday with Zanzibar paradise tours who were brilliant. A big thanks to Edson, Josephine and Adam at breakfast and Paul the trainer at the Pavillon who we loved. Also a big thank you to Mr Syad one the managers helping me to book this hotel and being very supportive after having some issues with the company I originally booked with. This hotel is a fairly remote and is an older property and some things could do with a little lick of paint or updating but don’t let this put you off. The sea is very tidal and goes out a long way, it’s pretty you can swim when the tide is in but it’s not an amazing beach so bear this in mind. Mtende beach is amazing and only about 20 mins away. All in all we moved to another hotel for our second week and missed this place so much even though our second hotel was modern and lovely it didn’t have the same charm as the Residence. We met a previous employee at our second hotel called Noel who had worked the Residence so he made us feel at home! I can’t stop looking at my photos and wishing I was back there by our own pool. So glad we chose this hotel and I really hope we can return. Thank you to everyone who made our trip so special and thank you for the most wonderful farewell from Edson and the staff very special!

Our stay at The Residence Hotel was a true paradise. From the moment we arrived, we were surrounded by natural beauty and warm hospitality. Beachfront Villa Bliss We stayed in a stunning beachfront villa with a private pool, waking up to the sound of waves and breathtaking ocean views. Culinary Delights The food was exceptional, showcasing local flavors. The Earth Garden tour was a highlight, allowing us to see the farm-to-table process and making each meal special. Unique Exploration by Bike Exploring the resort by bike added adventure, letting us discover hidden paths and beautiful spots. Wellness and Relaxation The wellness offerings, including yoga and a fantastic spa, helped us unwind completely. Special thanks to Florah & Mr Aftab for making our stay extra special. We left with cherished memories and can’t wait to return!

Everything has been good , from the staff wishing to help you , to the different restaurants. The very best has been yoga classes ( free and daily) with a young instructor that inspired me very much to practice almost every day. I already booked an ocean villa( top!!! on the beach) for next January 25 mainly because of the splendid yoga which reconforted me higly. So the value of the stay has been deeply exploited, thanks Yoga teacher, bravo!!!!