Mafia Island Bungalows

The bungalows are very cozy, super clean and the staff is extremely friendly 👌👍 The owner took us on a day trip with snorkeling and diving and had a lot of tips for us. He joined us for lunch and dinner and had an answer to all of our questions regarding whale sharks, diving, beaches etc. 100% recommendation !

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Lovely staff, chef was very good (we had breakfast, lunch, and dinner), bicycles provided. Our host (Hassan) also organised our whale shark swim with his colleague Abou and even our pick up and drop off. Overall would highly recommend. It is on the Utende side of the island, meaning it’s closer to the Marine Park, restaurants, and dive spots (about a 10 minute bike ride or a 5 minute TukTuk ride).

We went in the summer (Jan) and were fine with no aircon at 31C, but if it were any warmer than that would want a place with aircon if you’re from a cold weather country, such as ourselves.

Lovely and private location with nice gardens (be aware its in the marine park and those fees are separate), bikes to get around. Excellent host - so attentive and cared for us

I usually like an extra shelf/hook in the bathroom to spread out a little and hang some clothes

excellent accommodation in utende village. the staff is super friendly, attentive and helpful. the rooms are beautifully done, breakfast is fresh, delicious and more than enough. the dinner for 12$ is reasonably priced, you get a starter, a main and drinks and it‘s delicious. keep in mind that you‘re staying in the village and not on the beach. they lend you bicycles for the 5 minute ride and the drive is really nice. if i ever return to mafia i‘d stay there again. asante tena:)

The service and staff were wonderful, very attentive and helpful. Free bikes so we could go into Utende which is 10 minutes away. Very nice gardens and grounds. Comfortable and nicely decorated rooms. Great food and juices. Only 2 rooms so feels boutique.

You have to pay marine park fees every night you stay here. For us it was ok as we were diving anyway but may not be for everyone.

Excellent friendly staff with Hassan the manager being excellent. Great food at affordable prices, especially dinner. The seafood and soups are excellent with generous portions. They lend you bikes to get to and from the beach and dive shops. No air-conditioning in the room but with the fan it was fine as the stone used kept it cool. The showers have working hot water and the room was bigger then expected. They also do laundry where you just tip what's fair depending how much you wash.

Its a 10-15 minute bike ride to the beach where all the tours and activities start. About a third of the ride is on sandy trails so you need to be a confident bike rider. It's also easy to get lost if you are bad at directions like us and the place is not on google maps yet. Even just placing 1-2 signs or painted posts to follow could make a huge difference. Also just know at utende you need to pay the marine park fee daily if you want to go to the beach.

We just finished our 3 day stay in Mafia and at Mafia Island Bungalows : it was a lovely stay, all-round : beautiful space for the house, comfortable terrace, perfect bedroom (Upendo - very nicely decorated with local flair, loved it), great bathroom… everything fine! The place is overall very quiet as it sits a little away from the road at the entrance of the Marine Park. We did not meet the owners, who where on a trip off the island : however, they took the time to check-in with us every single day, and it was much appreciated. We also would like to adress a great shout out to the staff : Hassan was very available, without being « too present » / just the right balance; and there is an amazing Chef on premises: we loved the breakfasts and even more the diners! The homemade bread and Chapatis, the soups, the mains and the deserts… everything was delicious ! Well done, we whole-heartedly recommend staying with you when visiting Mafia and hope to come again one day ☺️

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The staff was amazing, very hospitable and took care of everything. Breakfast and dinner was great, they have a really great chef and attentive personnel. They also rented us bikes for free, such that we could drive to the dive shop (~10 minutes by bike). Great and inexpensive stay!