The Residence Zanzibar

We just spent an amazing week at The Residence in Zanzibar and can't recommend it enough The staff were incredibly friendly and welcoming, but a few individuals really stood out for their exceptional service. A special shoutout to the golf car driver (sorry we didn't catch your name!), Timotheo, and Bundala at the bar - you all made our trip truly unforgettable 🌴 Your energy, kindness, and dedication to making our stay perfect were truly appreciated. The food was also top-notch, and we were impressed by the staff's ability to accommodate our demands. Any issues we had were quickly resolved, and the entire team's warm hospitality made us feel right at home. Thanks to the team at The Residence for an amazing week - we can't wait to come back 😊

Not even sure where to begin. To start - if you want a beach hotel do NOT stay on the western side of the island. While the tidal swings are pronounced on both sides, the beaches are inferior on this side of the island. This review isn't for complaining, but rather hoping that it educates other people to not have the same experience we had. Now to the "resort" itself. Food - very poor quality. out of 8 of us, 7 people had sever gastro issues over the 5 days we were there. If you love buffets for virtually every meal, with mediocre food, then this food is for you. The one a la carte restaurant was nothing special and options very very limited. I guess the good news is that everyone on the trip lost weight. Rooms - they are old and tired. Nothing special about them what so ever. Think Atlantis in the Bahamas (not the Cove of the Reef). When we checked in - no wifi in our room - they had to come twice to install new routers over 2 days. Then the TV wasn't connected to the router so again another stop by the technicians the following day. The outlets to charge your phone on each dresser in the master bedroom had to be swapped out as the outlets were dead prior to this and wouldn't work. AC issues - on our 2nd day someone pointed out the giant puddle forming in the 2nd bedroom. The AC unit started leaking down the wall and led to the clothes in one being drenched with water. Again, another technician was called to the room to fix the AC unit which had a loose pipe connection. What they told us would take 30 minutes took 2 hours, so when they were leaving the room at 7pm the doors to the room were all closed up to keep the mosquitos out. However, upon entering the room we immediately smelled that they used pipe sealant that the bottle said "toxic only use in well ventilated areas". Restaurant/Bar Areas - service was incredibly slow. But the primary issue faced was when one of the people in our party (17 year old boy) walked into the restroom and saw a similarly aged boy throwing up all over the bathroom. Then, upon opening the door to the bathroom stall, there was an older man, with his pants and underwear on the floor next to him, lying on the floor with just a shirt on. So to this, management at the hotel told us that it was likely a local that came into the hotel, and that it is a custom for some cultures to "wash their private parts". The young boy that was throwing up in the restroom, he ended up lying down in the bar and continued to vomit in plain sight of other guests. We were told "his mother didn't want to leave the party and niether did their other son", as such, the bartender was there to look out for him. Interesting on many fronts. If you do have to spend time here, try going to The Rock restaurant. It's 45 minutes away by car, but that was the best meal we had while we were there. It will also give you a sense of how much nicer the beach is on the other side. We also did a Blue Safari boat trip. Snorkeling was pretty good, and the BBQ lunch they prepped for us on the beach was the 2nd best meal we had.

We had a lovely time at The Residence during the New Year period. Super comfortable and spacious beachfront lodging for three persons, in addition to garden lodging for another two (once again spacious and comfortable), in each case very well maintained and with a generously sized private pool. We enjoyed the complimentary water and espresso machine inside each room. The hotel and its precincts are beautifully maintained by smiling and dedicated staff (chapeau to Ahmad in particular, whose courtesy was greatly appreciated). We really enjoyed the food at breakfast and dinner (we were booked on a half board basis) and the very well organized New Year's Eve dinner and party. The beach is tidal, so sea swimming should not the reason for being there and is only somewhat possible for a few hours in the afternoon. This fact of nature is amply compensated by an overall setting and service package that is nothing short of excellent.

The best customer service ever especially from a lady called philomena and the bar guy very attentive to details.. Great food and the ideal place to unwind all the township chaos, a lot of activities included during my stay, I will definitely comeback and stay for little bit longer.

Staff were really nice and helpful. One of the staff Calvin really made sure I had the best honeymoon as he had planned my activities and always checked up on me to make sure everything is okay. Highly recommend this for couples and families as it is nice for children also as there are many things you could do while you stay!