Royal Zanzibar Beach Resort

Location: North Coast Nungwi, Nungwi, tz

Star Rating: 5 Stars

Property Type: Resorts

About this Property

Important Information

Policies

Check-in: 02:00 PM - 12:00 AM

Check-out: 11:00 AM

Amenities & Facilities

• Health or beauty spa nearby
• Offsite parking discounted rates available
• Guest education on local ecosystems and culture
• Clubhouse
• Fitness facilities (surcharge)
• Parking
• Non-smoking rooms
• Air conditioning
• Swimming pool
• Restaurant
• Terrace
• Family rooms
• BBQ facilities
• Luggage storage
• Fax/photocopying
• Tour desk
• Facilities for disabled guests
• Ironing service
• Car hire
• Massage services
• Table tennis
• Currency exchange
• Darts
• Shared lounge/TV area
• Board games/puzzles
• Shuttle service (additional charge)
• Wheelchair accessible
• Evening entertainment
• Infinity pool
• Entertainment staff
• Outdoor furniture
• Fruits
• Shallow end
• Staff adhere to local safety protocols
• Guest rooms disinfected between stays
• Cleaning standards that are effective against Coronavirus
• Physical distancing rules followed
• Hand sanitizer in guest room and key areas
• Cashless payment available
• Fire extinguishers
• First aid kit available
• Sanitized tableware & silverware
• Smoke alarms
• Physical distancing in dining areas
• Key access
• Screens / Barriers between staff and guests for safety
• 24-hour security
• Broadcast Live sport events
• Aerobics
• Television in common areas
• Front desk (limited hours)
• Billiards or pool table
• Free wired internet
• Snack bar/deli
• Scuba diving on site
• Snorkeling on site
• Self parking (surcharge)
• Beach umbrellas
• Free pool cabanas
• Pool sun loungers
• Offsite parking discounted rates available
• Beach yoga on site
• Fitness facilities (surcharge)
• Internet access
• Games
• Housekeeping on request
• Concerts/live shows
• Clubhouse
• Wine release events
• Exercise/lap pool
• Japanese garden
• Fishing nearby
• Health or beauty spa nearby
• Swimming nearby
• Water sports equipment
• Beach club nearby (surcharge)
• Hosted evening meal (reserve)
• Beach toys
• Guest education on local ecosystems and culture
• Vegetarian menu options available
• Paddle boating nearby
• Accessible shuttle
• No accessible shuttle
• Accessible train station shuttle
• No accessible train station shuttle

Rooms Available

• Ocean Suite

  This suite features a balcony and air conditioning.

  Max Occupancy: 3 (3 Adults)

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Minibar
  • Shower
  • Safety deposit box
  • TV
  • Telephone
  • Air conditioning
  • Hair dryer
  • Bathrobe
  • Refrigerator
  • Desk
  • Seating Area
  • Toilet
  • Private bathroom
  • Slippers
  • Satellite channels
  • Tile/marble floor
  • Electric kettle
  • Wardrobe or closet
  • Bidet
  • Linen
  • Upper floors accessible by stairs only
  • Clothes rack
  • Toilet paper
  • Pool towels
  • Bottle of water
  • Trash cans
  • Cots
  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Body soap
  • Shower cap
  • Socket near the bed
  • Adapter
  • Feather pillow
  • Smoke alarm
  • Key access

• Superior Twin Room

  The pool with a view is a top feature of this twin room. The spacious twin room features air conditioning, a tea and coffee maker, a balcony with garden views as well as a private bathroom boasting a bath. The unit has 2 beds.

  Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Shower
  • Safety deposit box
  • TV
  • Telephone
  • Air conditioning
  • Hair dryer
  • Refrigerator
  • Desk
  • Toilet
  • Private bathroom
  • Satellite channels
  • Tile/marble floor
  • Electric kettle
  • Wardrobe or closet
  • Bidet
  • Linen
  • Entire unit located on ground floor
  • Clothes rack
  • Toilet paper
  • Pool towels
  • Bottle of water
  • Trash cans
  • Cots
  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Body soap
  • Shower cap
  • Socket near the bed
  • Adapter
  • Feather pillow
  • Smoke alarm
  • Key access

• Royal Penthouse

  1 King Bed

  3229-sq-foot individually furnished room, furnished balcony with ocean views

  
  

  Layout - Bedroom, 2 living rooms, and dining area

  Relax - Private plunge pool and outdoor private hot tub

  Internet - Free WiFi

  Entertainment - 58-inch LCD TV with premium channels

  Food & Drink - Kitchenette with microwave, cookware/dishware, coffee/tea maker, and electric kettle

  Sleep - Blackout drapes/curtains, turndown service, and bed sheets

  Bathroom - 2 bathrooms, bathrobes, and a separate bathtub and shower with a hydromassage showerhead

  Practical - Laptop-compatible safe, desk, and phone

  Comfort - Air conditioning and daily housekeeping

  Non-Smoking

  Room is accessed via exterior corridors

  Connecting/adjoining rooms can be requested, subject to availability

  Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • TV
  • Telephone
  • Air conditioning
  • Hair dryer
  • Kitchenette
  • Bathrobe
  • Desk
  • Microwave
  • Private bathroom
  • Interconnected room(s) available
  • Electric kettle
  • Wardrobe or closet
  • Toaster
  • Bidet
  • Toilet paper
  • Bottle of water
  • Shampoo
  • Daily housekeeping
  • Separate sitting area
  • Turndown service
  • Access via exterior corridors
  • Blackout drapes/curtains
  • Separate bathtub and shower
  • Separate dining area
  • Free WiFi
  • Private plunge pool
  • Private spa tub
  • Hydromassage showerhead
  • Bedsheets provided
  • Coffee grinder
  • Toaster oven
  • Soap
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste available
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste not available
  • Private spa tub (outdoor)

• Superior Room

  This double room's standout feature is the pool with a view. The spacious double room offers air conditioning, a tea and coffee maker, a balcony with garden views as well as a private bathroom boasting a bath. The unit has 1 bed.

  Max Occupancy: 3 (3 Adults)

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Shower
  • Safety deposit box
  • TV
  • Telephone
  • Air conditioning
  • Hair dryer
  • Refrigerator
  • Desk
  • Toilet
  • Private bathroom
  • Satellite channels
  • Interconnected room(s) available
  • Tile/marble floor
  • Electric kettle
  • Mosquito net
  • Wardrobe or closet
  • Bidet
  • Linen
  • Entire unit located on ground floor
  • Upper floors accessible by stairs only
  • Clothes rack
  • Toilet paper
  • Pool towels
  • Bottle of water
  • Trash cans
  • Cots
  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Body soap
  • Shower cap
  • Socket near the bed
  • Adapter
  • Feather pillow
  • Smoke alarm
  • Key access

• Superior Deluxe Room

  The spacious double room features air conditioning, a tea and coffee maker, a balcony with sea views as well as a private bathroom boasting a bath. The unit has 1 bed.

  Max Occupancy: 3 (3 Adults)

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Shower
  • Safety deposit box
  • TV
  • Telephone
  • Air conditioning
  • Hair dryer
  • Bathrobe
  • Refrigerator
  • Desk
  • Toilet
  • Private bathroom
  • Slippers
  • Satellite channels
  • Tile/marble floor
  • Electric kettle
  • Mosquito net
  • Wardrobe or closet
  • Bidet
  • Linen
  • Upper floors accessible by stairs only
  • Clothes rack
  • Toilet paper
  • Pool towels
  • Bottle of water
  • Trash cans
  • Cots
  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Body soap
  • Shower cap
  • Socket near the bed
  • Adapter
  • Feather pillow
  • Smoke alarm
  • Key access

• Superior Deluxe Twin Room

  This twin room features a balcony and tile/marble floor.

  Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Shower
  • Safety deposit box
  • TV
  • Telephone
  • Air conditioning
  • Hair dryer
  • Bathrobe
  • Refrigerator
  • Desk
  • Toilet
  • Private bathroom
  • Slippers
  • Satellite channels
  • Tile/marble floor
  • Electric kettle
  • Mosquito net
  • Wardrobe or closet
  • Bidet
  • Linen
  • Upper floors accessible by stairs only
  • Clothes rack
  • Toilet paper
  • Pool towels
  • Bottle of water
  • Trash cans
  • Cots
  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Body soap
  • Shower cap
  • Socket near the bed
  • Adapter
  • Feather pillow
  • Smoke alarm
  • Key access

• Presidential Suite

  This spacious suite includes 2 living rooms, 1 separate bedroom and 2 bathrooms with a bath and free toiletries. In the well-fitted kitchen, guests will find a refrigerator, kitchenware, a microwave and a toaster. The air-conditioned suite offers a flat-screen TV with cable channels, a mini-bar, a tea and coffee maker, a seating area as well as sea views. The unit has 2 beds.

  Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Minibar
  • Shower
  • Safety deposit box
  • TV
  • Telephone
  • Air conditioning
  • Hair dryer
  • Kitchenette
  • Bathrobe
  • Refrigerator
  • Desk
  • Seating Area
  • Toilet
  • Microwave
  • Private bathroom
  • Slippers
  • Satellite channels
  • Kitchen
  • Tile/marble floor
  • Dining area
  • Electric kettle
  • Wardrobe or closet
  • Toaster
  • Bidet
  • Additional bathroom
  • Coffee machine
  • Terrace
  • Linen
  • Dining table
  • Outdoor furniture
  • Outdoor dining area
  • Entire unit located on ground floor
  • Upper floors accessible by stairs only
  • Clothes rack
  • Toilet paper
  • Pool towels
  • Bottle of water
  • Fruits
  • Chocolate or cookies
  • Trash cans
  • Wine glasses
  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Body soap
  • Shower cap
  • Socket near the bed
  • Adapter
  • Feather pillow
  • Smoke alarm
  • Key access

Guest Reviews

• Diarra (3/5): -
• Lilian (10/5): Luxurious - Very clean cheers to salim my stay was made easier Also valentine our Kenyan queen I felt home Clean beach best food Spa experience was very warm Thanks Nothing
• V2730OOlh (10/5): Doesn’t get better than this! - Our stay at Royal Zanzibar Beach Resort was nothing short of spectacular. My wife and I travel often, and after experiencing this resort, we can honestly say when we go to Zanzibar we will never stay anywhere else again. This place has completely set the standard for what true luxury hospitality should feel like. ⭐️ Property — 100/100 The grounds are absolutely breathtaking. Every corner of the resort is beautifully maintained, luxurious, and designed to make you feel relaxed from the moment you arrive. The blend of tropical beauty with elegance is simply perfect. ⭐️ Rooms — 100/100 Spacious, spotless, comfortable, and beautifully designed. Waking up to paradise every morning felt unreal. Housekeeping was exceptional and every detail was handled with care. ⭐️ Amenities — 100/100 From the pools to the beach access and every facility in between, everything was top-tier. The resort offers the perfect balance of relaxation, luxury, and activities. ⭐️ Programs & Entertainment — 100/100 The entertainment team brought such amazing energy every single day. Fun, engaging, and professionally organized programs made our stay even more memorable. ⭐️ Food — 100/100 Outstanding variety and quality throughout our stay. Every meal felt like a fine dining experience, and the chefs clearly take pride in delivering excellence. ⭐️ Service & Hospitality — Beyond 100/100 Beautiful buildings and luxury facilities can be found in many places around the world. But genuine, heartfelt service at the highest level is rare. This is where Royal Zanzibar truly separates itself from the rest. The warmth, professionalism, attentiveness, and kindness from the staff exceeded every expectation we had. They didn’t just provide service — they created unforgettable memories and made us feel genuinely valued every single day. A huge and heartfelt thank you to the incredible team members who made our stay so special: Ivone, Salim, Jean, Emmanuel, Waziri, Rahabu, Zainab, John, Robert, Godlove, Rakesh, Chef Bhakti, Suleiman, Zakaria, Dimitri, Said, Chef Haxlay, I am sure there are few more names I am forgetting. And a very special recognition to Chef Hans — he truly set the bar incredibly high for customer service and guest satisfaction. His attention to detail, professionalism, warmth, and passion for delivering an exceptional dining experience were world-class. Chef Hans turned an amazing vacation into an unforgettable experience. Thank you to everyone at Royal Zanzibar for giving my wife and me such a glamorous and memorable stay. We already love Zanzibar and visit often, but from now on, there is only one place we will ever stay — Royal Zanzibar. Highly recommended to anyone looking for luxury, relaxation, and hospitality at its absolute finest.
• vankirap (10/5): Amazing Resort - The resort is amazing! The welcoming was top notch literally beyond our expectations. The staffs are really helpful and very welcoming and professional. The resort is very clean. The food is amazing. Nothing to fault in this hotel. I went with friends for my birthday and we had soo much fun. Will definitely come back. I definitely recommend 10/10👌. Best Resort I have been too soo far.
• Jón Reykjalín (10/5): -
• lubomira564 (10/5): A Perfect Family Vacation - We highly recommend the Royal Zanzibar Beach Resort for families looking for a relaxing and unforgettable vacation. Our family of six had an amazing stay here. The rooms were exceptionally clean, spacious, and very comfortable throughout our stay. We would also like to give special thanks to the housekeeping manager, who was incredibly kind, approachable, and always ready to help with anything we needed. The entire resort atmosphere, friendly staff, beautiful beach, and excellent service exceeded our expectations. We truly felt welcomed and taken care of from the first day until departure. We would gladly return and warmly recommend this resort to anyone visiting Zanzibar.
• paulinebH1834PX (10/5): I love the hotel - I had an amazing stay here. The hotel is perfect, very clean and the staff are extremely polite and helpful. The food is quite good too and we had a variety of menu items. Now the highlight is the view if you want a hotel with a perfevt view. Next to the beach with clean blue water then you are in the right place.
• Keran (10/5): - The pools and surroundings Ivone made our stay easier and more welcoming The beach needs a little touch up and more activities introduced 8
• Natjonat (8/5): Absolutely enjoyed the resort! - Really enjoyed the resort. The grounds were well kept. Employees I interacted with were friendly and helpful. Enjoyed the nightly themes as well. A group of us did the cocktail class with Natin. He was patient, knowledgeable, and enjoyable! I recommend they do some upgrades on the rooms. My room door had a large gap which would allow lizards and bugs in. Also, the walls in my room needed to be replastered. Otherwise, these minor infractions did not spoil my trip.
• 717lenkar (10/5): amaging hotel - very nice hotel all staff spaicly house keeping staff they clean our room on time and very good cleaning arrenging our things very nicly the hotel is clean and well manage
• yvonnea504 (10/5): Amazing hotel - We had the most wonderful time at the royal Zanzibar beach resort it truly was an amazing place and the sarvice was top notch a huge shoutout to the fantastic house keeping team who went above and beyond to make our stay comfortable with there’ spotless and cozy room we felt so well taken care of
• Silindu (9/5): Apart from limited choices on "all inclusive" everything was excellent - Location, friendly people, facilities, evening dances Not sufficient choices of food for all inclusive.
• charryq2022 (10/5): Excellent hotel - Really happy we like the room beautiful beaw house keeping is very good they manage our stay very nicely the hotel is beautiful to stay nice garden pool very nice service in hotel staff
• 784pradeepr (10/5): Brilliant holiday - Excellent services all round Food Courtesy Entertainment Hospitality
• Silvia (10/5): -
• mercyk600 (10/5): The Royal Zanzibar - A very nice all inclusive hotel . 5/5 service. Very friendly staff. Great entertainments .Very spacious rooms. We had an amazing 6 nights after our Serengeti,ngorongoro ,tarangire and lake manyara safari . We always do research before booking anything .we came across Babli Whatsaap number +255 756 983 368 through many reviews ,He was very helpful and professional in organizing all our tours and transfers in Zanzibar and recommended this amazing hotel . Will definitely stay here in December.
• stacy180 (10/5): Caring staff team, go above and beyond to give you a great stay - We stayed at the Royal Zanzibar for one week and had a truly fantastic holiday. From the moment we arrived, everyone was incredibly friendly, warm, and welcoming. A special thank you to Witness, Mohammed (who I believe is a manager), Emmanuel, Edwin (who checked on us every day, which was such a lovely touch), Vivian on reception, and Zainab in the buffet – but honestly, every single member of staff was amazing and couldn’t do enough for you. Our room was lovely with a beautiful view. The main beds were very comfortable, although the kids found their beds a little on the firm side. A big plus – we didn’t see a single mosquito, and the rooms were checked and sprayed each evening, which was very reassuring. The pool area was excellent. We mostly stayed by the infinity pool, but there were plenty of others to choose from. There were always enough loungers and towels available, and when it wasn’t too busy, staff even offered drinks service directly to your sunbed. The beach was absolutely stunning – clean, peaceful, and a joy to walk along. The local beach sellers were friendly and respectful. Yes, they offer trips and souvenirs, but they were never pushy or intrusive. Food overall was very good. The BBQ nights were definitely the highlight – absolutely delicious. The kids loved the candy floss, and the Asian night stood out too, especially the chicken satay. The chefs were always visible and attentive – one even kindly offered to make my child some French fries when she wasn’t keen on the options, which was a lovely touch. The bread selection was particularly good. The only small suggestion would be to have more ketchup readily available – we always found it, but sometimes had to hunt it down! The entertainment was relaxed and authentic, which suited us perfectly. Activities like bowls, volleyball, and painting were enjoyable, and while henna was available, it was black henna rather than natural brown, so we chose not to take part. A really thoughtful moment at the end of our stay – Mohammed gave my children bracelets as a leaving gift, which they absolutely loved. It was such a kind and memorable gesture. Overall, it was a wonderful stay and exactly what we needed. Royal Zanzibar is a beautiful place in an equally beautiful country – we wouldn’t hesitate to return.
• FarAway04510219798 (10/5): Paradise in Zanzibar - We (a family of 6) have been here after our safari in Kenya and Tanzania. Great place to unwind after all the busy but necessary schedules on safari. 5 star treatment. highly recommend!
• graziavison (10/5): best holiday - The hotel is very nice, and cocktails are delicious and the staff is top, the animation too. The beach is so close to the rooms, facilities are very good. Nitin the bar manager is very professional and all staff too. The tour operator Francorosso with the animation was perfect and always friendly
• aleksandrag766 (10/5): Paradise - We loved it so much we stayed there both before and after our safari. A special shout-out to Sifa at reception for her warm welcome and Grace at the bar for her bright energy!
• orianen2026 (10/5): Exceptional service and unforgettable hospitality - We had the most amazing stay and the staff truly made it special. A huge thank you to Nitin, the bar manager, who was incredibly kind, welcoming and attentive throughout our trip. He went above and beyond to make sure we were always looked after and created such a warm, friendly atmosphere every evening. The animation team, Abraham and George, brought such great energy to the hotel. They were engaging, fun and made every activity enjoyable without ever being pushy. They really added to the overall experience. Special thanks as well to Ibrahim and Sitage for their outstanding service. They were always polite, professional and attentive, ensuring everything ran smoothly during our meals. The level of hospitality from the whole team was exceptional. We felt genuinely cared for!
• Victor (10/5): - Beautiful beachfront location with stunning turquoise views. The staff were warm and attentive, the rooms clean and comfortable, and the seafood was fresh and delicious. The personal welcome from the Manager Mohammed was a nice touch. Thank you There was nothing not to like
• Hanara1965 (2/5): You won't enjoy yourself here. Choose another hotel. - We chose this hotel because it was supposed to be one of the best, but the reality is that it did not meet any of our expectations. On the day of arrival, we had three rooms reserved, and they tried to accommodate us in two. One of the rooms had debris in it, it hadn't been cleaned, there were no towels, and the chairs on the terrace didn't have cushions. It's an overcrowded all-inclusive hotel with wristbands (uncomfortable). If you want a parasol on the beach, you have to be there at 8 a.m., otherwise there aren't any left and your only option is to sit in the sun. The beach is full of vendors and is only used for walking, but you are constantly approached by someone. In the afternoon, there is no beach because it is washed away by the tide. On the last day, we managed to get a reservation for dinner at the seaside restaurant, which offers the same menu as for lunch. But the worst came at night, preventing us from sleeping. In Zanzibar, power cuts are common, so hotels run huge electricity generators that make a hellish noise. Two days of this non-stop noise, the first night ending at 1:00 am the next day. When we asked for a room change, no one responded on either day. It really is a place not to return to, and all the responsibility lies with the hotel CEO, who has a team that does not know what to do in these situations. Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
• joanneb176 (8/5): Beautiful but needs TLC - The resort is stunning and staff so very friendly. However the rooms look lovely but have issues. Air conditioner not working, electrical plugs not working all the time, power outages a lot for a minute mostly at 5pm onward. Our bathroom lights were like strobe lights. They couldn’t fix them so they moved us to an oceanfront room which was stunning, but area carpets and couches stained and paint peeling off the walls. The pools look lovely but again tiles need to be repaired. Sada at the front desk was wonderful. She definitely made sure we were happy. The food and beverage manager was new and was amazing, helping his staff and always with a smile. The entertainment and food were top notch. The gardens are beautiful and well kept. All staff always said hello with a lovely smile and often took the time to chat with us. All and all we had a wonderful time.
• Marco (3/5): Soggiorno di basso livello per essere un 5 stelle - La struttura in sé era bella ma la presenza di topi non si può vedere 😳 La spiaggia aveva ombrelloni e lettini mezzi rotti e non sufficienti al pubblico. La presenza di Sebastian che dirigeva la spiaggia, lettini e ombreggi è stata pessima. È arrivato addirittura a vendere postazioni di ombreggi in spiaggia nonostante fossero occupati sin dalle prime ore del mattino, ti allontanavi un’ora e tornavi e non trovano più i propri teli perché lui vendeva le postazioni a chi li chiedeva Per un essere un 5* davvero scadente la gestione. Le ragazze al bar della spiaggia che ti guardavano dalla testa ai piedi con sorrisi finti e sempre scocciate a servirti. Ho viaggiato molto ma questa gestione della struttura è pessima! Infine la presenza insistente in spiaggia di ragazzi finti massi che si appiccicano appena vai in mare è imperdonabile per essere un 5* stelle !
• Exmalinda Darkowaa (10/5): -
• Exmalinda Darkowaa (10/5): I had a great experience. A big thanks to ( Warda ) she is a staff at the resort . She made our stay a memorable one , s - I liked the services they provided and how attentive they were to us . I liked the treatment received by the staff ( Warda ). A big thanks to her There is nothing I dislike about the property
• Curious34045647711 (6/5): Staying at Royal Zanzibar Beach Resort - A very beautiful resort, but definitely in need of some TLC. stayed for 6 days. The food was very good with lots of variety. However the internet is sporadic, the electricity goes out 5-10 times a day, but usually only for 5 minutes or less. The 4 pools need work. If staying in buildings C-E you are right in front of a large diesel generator that runs all night long. The optional Lobster dinner for $58 usd was the worst Lobsterlive ever had, very disappointing. This is a beautiful place that needs a lot of work
• DayTrip17535003799 (10/5): Thank you Royal Zanzibar! - The royal Zanzibar army s the most beautiful hotel, gorgeous beach, excellent service, delicious food and happy and friendly staff! The hotel is immaculate and I’ve eaten some of the best buffets I’ve ever had there! A special thank you to Warda who went out of her way to ensure we had a memorable experience and made my husbands 40th birthday celebrations amazing! Thank you Asante 🫶🏾
• umberto (10/5): Great Resort with amazing service! - The people working in the Resort are super helpful and kind. In particular, my family was supported by Ms. Neema who made us feel at home ! She has been great and allowed all of us to enjoyed the potential of the Resort ! Nothing to report here
• AnnaBellaai (2/5): Extremely disappointed - I am writing this review not to harm the hotel’s reputation or attack anyone. I am writing it for the people who are choosing a place for their long-awaited vacation and should not have to experience what I experienced here. I am a mother. My child is 1 year and 4 months old. I haven’t been on vacation since my fifth month of pregnancy. This trip was not just a getaway — it was something I truly needed. Those who have been on maternity leave will understand. I genuinely dreamed of resting, recharging, and feeling like myself again. What I encountered at this five-star (!) hotel is simply unacceptable. Let’s start with the basics. At breakfast… they ran out of eggs. In a five-star all-inclusive hotel. This is not a small boutique property with ten rooms. Proper planning should prevent something so basic from happening. Our Ocean View room: the faucet was loose, the telephone did not work. Are these small details? No. They are indicators of standards. It shows the room was not properly checked before guests arrived. At the à la carte restaurant, we waited one full hour for lunch. While waiting, I asked about non-alcoholic beer — I was told they had ginger beer. Thirty minutes later, someone came back to say, “Oh no, actually we don’t have anything like that.” This feels like pure disorganization. For three evenings in a row, my friends and my husband were told that white wine had run out. The most basic white wine. In a five-star all-inclusive hotel. This is simply inexcusable. On the beach, most of the sun loungers are old, broken, and barely usable. At the beach snack bar, the food covers meant to protect plates from flies are broken and do not close. This is not just about aesthetics — it is about hygiene. At the pool bar area, stone tiles are detached. Someone can easily get injured. This is a safety issue. And visually, it does not just look “less than five stars” — it looks disrespectful to guests. Check-in was another story. We waited a long time for our room. The receptionist did not bother to explain anything about the hotel — where things are located, how the system works, what is available. Just a formal “here is your room.” Several times, despite the “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door, staff knocked while my husband was sleeping. How is that acceptable? And perhaps the most disappointing part — the atmosphere. Staff who do not greet you. Do not smile. The bartender at the beach working with a stone face, as if he were standing at a factory machine. I have worked in hospitality myself, and I know: this industry is not about “just doing your shift.” It is about creating emotions. Creating memories. For people who may not have traveled in years. You are not selling a room or food. You are selling a feeling. A memory. An experience. Your Instagram looks beautiful. Turquoise water, perfect breakfasts, paradise-like images. Looking at it, one truly believes they are flying to a dream destination. But reality must match what you promise. Filters cannot replace service. I am deeply disappointed. Deeply. It saddens me that my long-awaited vacation after maternity leave turned out this way. I strongly do not recommend this hotel to anyone who understands what real five-star standards mean. Guests who can afford to pay these prices will gladly pay the same elsewhere — and they will tell their friends where it is worth going and where it is not. I am writing this so that future guests know the reality — not just the beautiful online image. Unfortunately, I am extremely disappointed.
• Cruiser801492 (10/5): A Great Winter Escape - A superbly designed and beautifully maintained holiday resort to which I am delighted to return. I visited again in January: the weather was consistently hot, between 28–30°C, though the breeze made it very pleasant. The ocean was beautifully blue and warm — around 26–27°C by my estimate. The beach is sandy, ideal for swimming and enjoying the waves. Do bring water shoes. I swam every day, and conditions are best at high tide. There are at least four swimming pools for adults, including one enormous pool, all kept very warm. The service is impeccable: you call, and someone arrives immediately. The food can be somewhat repetitive, particularly at breakfast. If there is room for improvement, it is here. The themed dinners clearly involve genuine effort, with a wide selection of dishes — perhaps not especially refined, but consistently good nonetheless. Evening entertainment includes live music as well as dance and acrobatic performances. The location is perfect for long walks along the beach. Local beach vendors can be a little persistent, but I never once felt unsafe. There are also two souvenir markets tucked away in nearby side streets, both within easy walking distance. Seven stars for the Wi-Fi: fast, reliable and stable throughout the entire resort. All in all, a fantastic holiday — I am seriously considering returning next year.
• GoPlaces22483221404 (10/5): Wonderful honeymoon! - It was a very, very happy time. I lost track of time after eating and playing. Thank you to the Vo manager for taking care of us.
• aneesaa756 (10/5): 5 star service and stay. Highly recommend - I stayed at the Royal Zanzibar Beach Resort for 7 days and absolutely loved my experience. Everything about this hotel was amazing, especially the service. The staff were incredibly helpful, friendly, and hardworking, and they really made the stay feel special. Special thanks to Vivian at reception who personally took my number and stayed in contact with me for anything I needed and she was very quick to respond and sort anything out, and Philip who made sure we had no issues checking out. Also Welu our housekeeper who was so friendly and did an amazing job. Syed, who personally spoke to us to make sure our stay was perfect. And also the head chef and all the restaurant staff were amazing. George and Francesco (entertainment) aswell who made our stay special. The facilities are excellent, the resort is beautiful, and my room was luxurious and very comfortable. I genuinely have no complaints or faults at all — it was a perfect stay. I would happily return and highly recommend this resort to anyone visiting Zanzibar.
• Meander32857673828 (10/5): Most amazing experience in Nungwi - We had the most amazing stay here. From our very first encounter with Magreth we knew we are in good hands. She was so friendly and welcoming just as everyone else was in the whole resort. Thank you for being the best hosts and giving us a lifetime of memories. We hope to be back again very soon. Can’t recommend Royal Zanzibar enough!
• Ngalula (10/5): -
• 378margretm (10/5): “Luxury, Sea Views, and the Heartfelt Care of Manger Murugan's Team” - Royal Zanzibar is a true luxury escape. The hotel is located right by the White Sand Beach, and the sea view rooms are absolutely stunning. The swimming pool blends seamlessly with the ocean, creating a magical infinity effect where the pool and sea feel like one. Every detail is thoughtfully taken care of, making the stay unforgettable. A special, heartfelt thank you to the manager, Murugan. His dedication, professionalism, and warm hospitality made our stay truly exceptional. He and his team looked after us wonderfully and went above and beyond, ensuring every moment was perfect. Highly recommended for anyone seeking luxury, comfort, and an incredible beachside experience in Zanzibar.
• Coastal49718138748 (10/5): Loved everything. - Absolutely loved this resort. The Best staff, welcoming Masai and people . Nitin the bar manager was my favorite, he made amazing cocktails. Everything was great, staff are too welcoming. Clean environment. Abrah and Francesco were also very kind and made my stay more fun with beach activities.
• Brent (8/5): - Beach, location, bars and staff
• Mihir (3/5): Not worth money spend - The views were amazing location is very good Very overly priced also staff is very arrogant & very expensive compared to Riu which is next to it I had upgraded my room paying 640$ & they told us for late checkout when upgrading room they committed but @ checkout they backoff very bad experience
• Mohibul (5/5): Good aside from a few hiccups - The actual resort it very nice, staff are very friendly and welcoming. Check in was over 3.5 hours late and when we asked for for a bit of a late check out we were told checkout is 10am not 11am (which was on our booking.com booking confirmation) and only allowed us to delay checkout until 11:30 - they did offer to let us have access to the all inclusive for however long we needed until our car arrived as long as we checked out from the room at 11:30. We were also placed in a first floor room when the room below had a lot of construction work going on so very loud noises throughout the day, also during the work there was lots of water outside the room they were working on and no wet floor sign causing us to not notice the water and slip having to catch ourselves on the wall. Room was big however a bit outdated, bathrooms could definitely do with updating and water isn’t the best in the bathrooms. advised not to use tap water for teeth brushing which wasn’t the case for the other places we stayed in at Zanzibar. Aside from this the actual resort the amazing, lots of food options and entertainment, staff are also very very helpful and friendly
• elly140169 (8/5): Peaceful, relaxing, serene - Beautiful resort in a spectacular location. Rooms are massive and kept very clean with an evening turn down service at night by the lovely cleaning staff…. Bar manager Nirtin was fabulous always friendly and asking if he could do anything for us…big shout out to Ivone who looked after us really well….. the pools are glorious and warm lots of activities to do if you want to and some of the best live entertainment I’ve seen anywhere……. The only reason I have given this 4 stars is because of the Masi men on the beach along with beach vendors they hassle you relentlessly …. Apart from that the resort is perfect…. Oh and very good food too c
• Michael (10/5): - Very friendly everyone
• fedene (10/5): Perfect Holiday at the best hotel in Zanzibar.... - We had the most wonderful 2 weeks at this hotel. Our room was spacious and very comfortable. Housekeeping was just perfect and we had everything we needed. A special thank you to Neema, such a lovely lady and excellent at her tasks. Lazaro was amazing, we so enjoyed talking with him at the swim-up pool bar, and his cocktails were delicious. Grace is always so happy. Also, meeting Gloria and the other ladies. A special thanks to Kelvin, who served us at the beach most days. He works so hard and is always willing to get you anything you want. The Spa is great, we had a fabulous massages, nail treatments, and Reflexology was brilliant. The Ladies were amazing! Special thanks to Kadjira, Monica and Asha. Thanks also to Benson and Phillip in reservations, Benson made sure we were very comfortable and welcomed. The Christmas decorations around the hotel were so beautiful and festive. A great deal of effort and thought went into making the Christmas period special. The restaurants always have fabulous food, and the entertainment in the evenings was fun and amazing to watch/listen to. The only gripe I have is seeing the snake entertainment. Many of the guests did not like this, and we all left early. I wish this sort of entertainment would stop. A big thank you to Modrin and the staff at the Cliff restaurant. Modrin was amazing, funny, and kind. Her service is superb. The beach was clean, beautiful and plenty of sunbeds were available during this period of December. Pools were amazing also, so clean and pure joy to swim in them. You could always find a nice place to settle and enjoy the shade or sun. Our trip to Stone Town was made memorable, as we had a super guide Congratulations to Mohammed for having such a great team. He has made this hotel just perfect and welcoming. Our many thanks to Jean, the Director. His kindness and attention are amazing, and we were made to feel very special indeed. He has the magic touch to make this hotel one of the best in Zanzibar. We will definitely be back soon. Very best wishes Sandie & Serge
• Badr (10/5): A relaxing and luxurious stay with excellent service and exceptional hospitality, thanks to Mohamed. - The beautiful beachfront location, the peaceful atmosphere, the clean and comfortable rooms, and above all the excellent service. A special thanks to Mohamed for his warm welcome, personal attention, and outstanding hospitality. He truly made our stay unforgettable. Nothing in particular. Everything was well taken care of and met our expectations.
• karldO2559OY (10/5): Winter sun - Came here with my wife to celebrate her birthday 🎁 and get some winter sun - lovely place and have been well looked after by Nirtin
• Antoine (8/5): Bien à part le chauffeur pour le retour à l’aéroport - La chambre J’ai pris le taxi de l’hôtel pour aller à l’aéroport le dernier jour. J’ai choisi la sécurité en payant le prix fort (95$). Pour info, j’ai payé 32 $ à l’aller via booking ! Le chauffeur était très désagréable, n’a pas voulu mettre la climatisation et n’a vraiment pas été facilitateur. Une catastrophe.
• Khalid (8/5): My stay was enjoyable - The staff were helpful and the daily programs were lovely and enjoyable. The water in the bathroom of the room was little bit salty.
• josearey79 (10/5): Beautiful Upgraded Room and Outstanding Service - We stayed atRoyal Zanzibar Beach Hotel and overall had a very nice experience. We paid for a room upgrade, and it was absolutely worth it — the room was beautiful, spacious, and very comfortable, and it really elevated our stay. The buffet food was okay — edible, but nothing memorable. However, the specialty restaurants were definitely better, with nicer flavors and a more enjoyable dining experience. A very special thank-you to Cinthia, who truly went above and beyond. She helped us with everything — and I really mean everything. Her kindness, attention, and willingness to assist made a big difference and made us feel truly taken care of. Between the upgraded room, the peaceful atmosphere, and the great support from staff like Cinthia, we enjoyed our time and would consider coming back.
• LovelyCX (8/5): Wonderful stay - Just returned from a lovely 2 weeks holiday. Firstly, we are an English couple and just to pre worn others that this hotel mainly had Italian guests, we only met 2 other couples who spoke English during our 2 week break. It did feel quite intimidating at times. December is a great time to go we had pure 32 degree sun for our whole 2 weeks. Food was great, plenty of choice and good range of drinks, the ice coffee was yummy! They have a different theme every night. The staff are wonderful they cannot do enough for you. The air con stopped working in our room and they came right away to change our room and helped us move all our belongings. Every night myself and our partner would head to the bar to have drinks before dinner, the girls would remember our order and I have to give a special mention to my lovely grace. Her beaming smile and her mummy feeling hugs made my holiday, she is a delight- please pass this on to her. She also remembered it was my partners birthday and got the restaurant team to make him a cake and sing him happy birthday, just little things like this, it didn’t go unrecognised with us. The entertainment in the evenings were great, the dancing and music pure lion king nostalgia! The beach is beautiful, the clearest waters I’ve ever seen! The rooms are large and spacious. The housekeeping do an amazing job everyday and keep the water replenished and in the evening they come to make down your bed, close your mosquito net curtain and spray nice smelling repellent spray around the room. Myself and my partner got bitten a few times when we are sat outside in the evenings, so do wear some repellent for the evenings. During the day we would chill around the infinity pool, it’s very quiet!! I put a comment toward one of the animation team that they should have music playing during the day because there is no atmosphere. Other than that the pool areas are well maintained, sun loungers are comfortable, and the bar staff will always ensure your cup is never empty!! We had a wonderful time at this hotel, memories that will last a lifetime. We will be back at some point, but for now there is more of the world to see!! Thankyou ❤️
• sashacA827WA (10/5): Amazing experience in Zanzibar - We spent 7 nights at this resort and our stay can be only described as amazing. Great facilities, including 4 swimming pools and practically a private beach (in comparison of what you see what other Nungwi hotels offer as their beach, when you go for a walk). Rooms are spacious and have everything you might need, including room cleaning twice per day! Two restaurants and three bars on premises offer thematic dinner and drinks every day, the same goes for daytime activities and post-dinner entertainment. Service is amazing as well, all smiles and readiness to help you with anything you might need. Spectacular stay overall.
• K7598DQmarka (10/5): The friendliness of all the staff was amazing everyone one of them remember Ur name and always happy to help - Having traveled to many countries and stayed in many hotels the royal zanzibar beach resort tops them all, the staff are all just amazing, friendly polite especially Emanuel from the beach bar he looked after us for our full holiday the food was excellent the location is excellent and the views are just spectacular, we will definitely be back in the future as it is definitely value for money
• 312hadik (10/5): If it’s within your budget, do it - The resort is truly incredible, amazing facilities, hospitality, and beach. Cleanliness is on point, room service twice a day, staff always smiling and cheerful. You will not be disappointed. Areas for improvement: - food is not great (this is likely due to the all-inclusive nature of the resort but still there is room for improvement) - no seperate water bidet (water sprayer hose) in the toilet. Coming from the gcc we’re used to this. We found it in the mainland so no excuse why the resort shouldn’t have it - fruits and juices and pretty much all cocktails are downright bad - the beach boys are a nightmare (for those who don’t know, these are random tribes people on the beach trying to sell you anything, at times even just asking you to “support them” for their future). This is extremely annoying and even caused us to stay away from the beach
• Netanel (10/5): - הבית מלון הכי טוב בזנזיבר הכל ברמה הכי גבוהה שיש מספר מסעדות ספא מפנק ויוקרתי חוף ים פרטי 3 בריכות מפנקות כל יום מופעים אחרים ושירות ברמה גבוהה ביותר יותר מידי הפסקות חשמל לפעמים 6-7 ביום
• lemomom (10/5): Good Holidays 👍 - Wonderful hotel with super staff very attentive to details especially the bar manager Nitin and crisent on the beach . Very good cocktails 🍸 and also food very delicious 😋.. Only one thing pls a small suggestion is about Music 🎶 we would ti hear more local songs .. The masai also very friendly We will definitely come back
• Rebecca (7/5): -
• Odyssey20323243970 (2/5): No one cares... - Our travel agency booked this hotel for our clients, and everything was fully arranged from our side. Payment and proof of payment were sent to the hotel well in advance. However, when the clients checked in, they were informed that the hotel was fully booked and were relocated to another hotel for the first night. We have sent several emails regarding this matter but have not received any response. Please contact us as soon as possible so we can resolve this issue together.
• M6477NZmohammeda (10/5): Not only have beautiful beaches but it is surrounded by spectacular gardens and beautiful landscapes of delight and tranquility - It is one of the most prestigious hotels in the islands of Zanzibar but is also located in a very unique area and nice beach
• R7521ONpetrab (8/5): Beautiful place to be - I spend 1 week in this resort. You are feeling very welcome and the people who are working there, are all very friendly and helpful. Also a big thank to the barmanager Nitin and his crew, they all make a great job. I also was enjoying the time in the pools, on the beach and in the ocean ( beautiful water) Food was also good. And if you like to do some activities, you can order there. On the beach are some massai, they try to sell some things. You have to say clearly "no" and then maybe they understand that you're not interested. I hope that I can come back one time (And sorry for my english :-) ) Petra
• Edgar (10/5): -
• pavelmL5995LT (10/5): Our first time in Zanzibar unforgettably beautiful . - We stay at the Hotel Royal Zanzibar for the first time. Deluxe room beautiful. Food was excellent. All staff was very friendly. Hotel massage was brilliant. People at the reception was very friendly and helpful, specially miss Naicrida Ibrahim was astonishing. Thanks a lot for amazing Holiday, we will come back.
• DavidS8233 (10/5): Amazing hotel in a superb location - Amazing location, great food and drink. The hotel staff cannot do enough for you. Our favourite evening was the Halloween evening where the team at the hotel put on an amazing evening of food and entertainment looking over the ocean. We had an issue with the aircon in our room which was resolved very quickly and efficiently by a member of staff called Phillip. He was very helpful and went the extra mile for us.
• Joziele (10/5): - All is very good recepcionista and welcoming
• Adi (9/5): - מלון מעולה על החוף, צוות אדיב ואוכל מגוון
• ShangeeM (8/5): Nice hotel - Overall a nice resort! Our travel agent made an error with the booking dates, however management did the best they could for us and looked after us very well. The rooms are a bit dated, but clean. The beach is gorgeous and the swimming pools and grounds are well maintained. Entertainment staff in particular were extremely friendly and looked after my teenage boys well. Thank you for looking after us and giving our family some good memories!
• Passport20547042328 (10/5): The best vacation we have ever had - We just returned from there. It was unforgettable! The whole crew was amazing and kind to us! I also proposed in there and Prakash and his team was better than ever expected. We will definitely come back. We have never experienced something that even close to the luxury we had there. Totally recommended
• Marco (10/5): Bellissima vacanza! - La gentilezza del personale, la ristorazione eccellente, e le camere spaziose e pulite
• Sightseer01065730120 (10/5): Honey moon - Excellent hotel and impeccable cleanliness. I especially thank Warda for her welcome, her attention and her dedication! I advise all travelers to ask her a big congratulations to her!
• kiingv2025 (8/5): Best holiday 🙌🏿 - Great experience very friendly and approachable staff members who will sort out any issues promptly. Maasai tribe are also very friendly and will help you out at the hotel no questions asked as soon as they saw us with luggage they came and carried it for us which was a big shock. The only issue I had is there are blackouts mostly during the evening where the electrics cut out for a brief period of time and the wifi can be hit and miss where once there was no service for approx 12 hours. Other than that the experience was really nice truly enjoyed myself on my honeymoon and would come again we had a beautiful beach dinner & the waiter was top notch kept us laughing and glasses topped up - we also did a cocktail class with the bar manager Nitin who actually got us pretty drunk haha. That was definitely a highlight and would recommend everyone who comes to ask for Nitin for the cocktail class he’s a star. Solid 4/5 for stay and would be 5 if wasn’t for the aforementioned.
• Road15045605143 (8/5): Best holiday so far - I came here for my honeymoon. Initially on arrival the staff were welcoming and the views were beautiful. The Masai tribe are very welcoming and will not let you lift a finger when it comes to your luggage. Throughout the holiday the staff were friendly and easily approachable. We paid extra for the cocktail making class with Nitin the bar manager, we had soo much fun and ended it very tipsy 😅 The pictures and vibes were on point. We also paid extra for a special beach dinner, which was lovely the set up was beautiful and we had our own personal server who tended to us all night. The footage taken by the staff was amazing throughout and we couldnt fault them. The only reason I feel I was unable to give a 5 star was that they had random daily blackouts and the wifi kept giving problems. Other than that it has been our favourite holiday so far and will be difficult to beat.
• D9717AQconnieh (10/5): Amazing honeymoon at the Royal Zanzibar - If you’re thinking of booking this hotel DO IT! We have just got back from spending 2 weeks here for our honeymoon and we had the most amazing time. Such a beautiful hotel and the food is beautiful, so much choice. The staff can’t do enough for you. A highlight for us was the private cocktail making class which was lead by the bar manager Nitin with help from Michael, great guys! Also Robert from the animation team did a great job. We’re not the type of people to visit the same place twice, however, we hope to be back soon ❤️
• 799harrisonk (10/5): Amazing experience - We had the most incredible honeymoon experience, and a huge part of that was thanks to the amazing staff who made us feel so special throughout our stay. Alex, who greeted us on arrival, set the tone for the entire trip. He was welcoming, attentive, and genuinely excited for us as honeymooners. He made sure we were given a beautiful room that felt like a true retreat—spacious, spotless, and with a view that made us gasp. His thoughtful touch and warm hospitality made us feel instantly at ease and truly celebrated. Nitin and Michael at the bar were absolute stars. Every evening they greeted us with genuine warmth and remembered our favourite drinks without even asking. Their energy, professionalism, and great sense of humour created such a fun and relaxed atmosphere—we found ourselves looking forward to seeing them each night. They truly went above and beyond to make us feel welcome and celebrated. Robert in the entertainment room was equally fantastic. His charisma and enthusiasm lit up the room, and he had a real talent for getting everyone involved without ever making it feel forced. Whether it was music, games, or just a great chat, Robert brought the entertainment space to life and made it a highlight of our evenings. We couldn’t have asked for a better team to help make our honeymoon so memorable. Thank you, Alex, Nitin, Michael, and Robert - you made our trip unforgettable!
• amreshsharma (10/5): amazing experience 👏 - we stayed here at the end of our tanzania and kenya safari trip, it was abosultely amazing. This was the best stay of our entire trip, great service and good beds and food with lots of options. Nitin was our favourite at the main bar! would definitely recommend
• Seaside48585222980 (10/5): Royal Zanzibar - Great experience! Everyone was super friendly. Nitin is great and provides personable service! Amazing experience.
• T8580KUashleyk (10/5): Amazing experience - We had an amazing time here the resort is beautiful and the beach beside it was amazing and clean, we all swam in it. Beds and rooms are very spacious and service was amazing! Nitin was our favourite at the Mepanzi bar! Highly recommend!
• Meloncholybabe (4/5): Do you want the truth or something beautiful? - The customer is most certainly not King at this ‘Royal’ beach resort Summary: An island paradise marred by daily and repeated atrocious customer service across all areas. It quickly becomes clear to holiday makers this establishment has systemic issues. The management would appear to favour firefighting small but significant issues instead of taking a holistic approach to hoteliery. The No. 1 priority needs to be customer service training of the serving staff, who in general are woefully inexperienced and make unnecessary errors through misunderstandings as a result of poor communication skills. No clear processes in place covering the basics i.e: • What to do if and when you wish to have your linen replaced • What to do with your used towels if you wish to have them replaced • Location of muster point for emergencies • What to do in the event of seeking medical assistance for minor issues Food & Drink A wide variety of international cuisines (hot and cold) on a daily basis, a good salad selection, fresh breads, soups, stews, rice, pasta, fresh fruits and a selection of deserts etc. Two nights per week is a beach BBQ and Street Food serviced on the grounds, both were v. good. However, you will often be limited to one choice of beer/larger or one choice of white wine because the hotel frequently ran out of line items. Also, ice appeared to be in short supply. Please not that often drinks will arrive at your table after you’ve visited the buffet (morning and evening) but nobody ever returns to your table to ask if you want another drink. Note The AI package extends to local spirits only i.e. gin, vodka etc. Cocktails and other liquors are at an additional charge. The Spices buffet hygiene needs to be examined. A server wiped our table with a filthy dirty rag (stunk to high heaven) smearing bacteria across the table top. Needless to say, we moved tables! I suffered diarrhoea for the entire duration of our 8-night stay. Housekeeping Service Daily inconsistencies with towel replacements. Sometimes hand and body towels were removed although we’d not placed them on the floor/bath/shower. Twice we had to request either hand towels or body towels as didn’t receive the full complement. Returned to our g/floor room nightly to find the net curtains had been left wide open. Why? Who wants to be exposed the hotel grounds when returning from the beach at dusk? Made no sense Bedding/linen did not appear to have been changed and by day 7 we telephoned front desk to request a refresh. Bathroom door left open nightly by turn down service allowing steam to enter the bedroom leading to musty conditions. Bathroom configuration an odd one, no privacy in the shower or W/C as open areas Beach Towels You have to return your used towels to a desk before 7pm to be exchanged for clean ones only to be asked questions on what day you took them out and wasting time in a queue of people and then for staff to find an entry in a book. Who needs this on holiday? Do away with it! Beach service is practically non-existent. You are lucky if you get served once in any full day. We did not partake in the any of the daily activities, diving centre or evening entertainment so I’m unable to comment on those areas. Health & Safety The smoke alarm in our room was dislodged and covered in dust, it never flashed so I highly doubt it contained a battery or had been checked for some months Notwithstanding all of the above, we were informed on arrival at the hotel prior to check in (having travelled halfway across the globe) that owing to ‘technical issues’ in one of their blocks we might be faced with having to move hotels. Can you imagine? Fortunately, this did not transpire for us. When we pressed on the issues they were suffering, they reluctantly cited ‘electrical problems’ and led us to believe they were being worked on, so we waited until check-in time to discover if it had been resolved. However, we now believe this to be an untruth the management use as an excuse at their convenience owing to their overbooking.
• U4389HHlisap (10/5): Massage by beach ladies! - Beautiful resort. Food good not great even at a la carte. Beautiful ocean (recommend they clean the shore so we don’t see the garbage that is deposited there). Staff lovely and grounds beautiful. Rooms were 5 star and clean, very comfy beds. Room fridge not stocked but bars will give u beer and water if you ask. LADIES WHO LOVE MASSAGE: skip expensive indoor resort spa and head to shopping ally JUST north of the resort beach. Ask for big mamas shop and definitely get lovely sweet and strong Sarah to give u a 1 hour massage, fan on, for $20USD. So unexpectedly awesome! Would get one daily by if I wasn’t leaving tomorrow!!!
• Y4217GXkarens (10/5): Clean, bright, friendly hotel - Fantastic hotel, lovely spacious rooms with views of pools and sea, Staff so pleasant and helpful always welcomes you with a smile. Special thanks to Josephine pool bar, Anna from Marpenzi bar, ask for our drinks one day and when ever we went in she got our drinks and didn’t have to ask. Diddas pool attendant: Thomas and Sayale for their help. Food was nice and plenty full so much choice would totally recommend. Evening entertainment every night, lovely Only one point to make, need more sun loungers around the pool, as guests get up early and put towels out so later on in day there are not many left. Gardens are kept immaculate, staff always around sweeping, clean bright hotel, Spa staff were friendly and knowledgeable about their treatments. Will definitely go back.
• Sebestyén (9/5): -
• mollykG8055JT (10/5): Perfection - Me and my partner came to the Royal Zanzibar hotel for 9 nights in Sept-Oct 2025. We have travelled around Zanzibar for 2.5 weeks and stayed in 3 hotels in different areas (which were all lovely) but Royal Zanzibar was by far the best. We are in Zanzibar for our honeymoon, and when we arrived, we were upgraded to a beautiful room with happy honeymoon flowers on the bed. The room is spacious, cleaned daily and someone even comes in to mosquito spray the room at night and put the net around the bed. The room is beautiful, with views of the pools and beach (block D). When we checked in, we were greeted by lovely staff from reception, offered a towel to refresh ourselves and a fresh juice. We were told all about the hotel and shown around. We were offered lunch as we were too early for check in, and the Massai who work as security at the hotel carried our bags to our room. The Massai security have been so friendly during our stay. The grounds of the hotel are beautiful. The gardeners and pool attendants work so hard to make this space so lovely for the guests. They are also so friendly, always saying jambo and asking how we are. The cleaning staff are also amazing, the facilities in the hotel are so clean. Fresh beach towels every day, as well as fresh towels in the hotel rooms and often flowers on the bed. There are lots of activities offered. I really enjoyed the morning stretching, painting class and I have used the hotel gym multiple times and I think it’s great. There are views of the ocean when running on the treadmill, ice cold water in the fridge and towels provided. The evening entertainment has been amazing. There have been DJs, dance groups, karaoke, traditional African night which included a market and African dancers, fire shows. We absolutely loved the Thursday BBQ by the pool. The food was amazing (including the seafood- Cigali). There were locals making flower hats for guests, and a show including a live band, fire shows and a dance group- all were amazing. The hotel brings in many local groups/people and it is so lovely to see the culture of Zanzibar brought to the hotel. The animation team really make this hotel special, always chatting with guests, asking if they’d like to join in activities and they are lots of fun. The food has plenty of variety and is very good. There are live pasta, ramen, pizza and Swahili food stations each day (the freshly cooked naan bread and bbq stations are amazing). As well as a variety of dishes for the themed night. There are beautiful fresh salads, cheese platters, amazing desserts, fresh fruit etc). Most nights are themed e.g. Asian, African, Italian etc. We also loved the street food night and bbq night. The waitressing staff and bar staff are so friendly, as well as the massai in the restaurant and management team. Everyone makes sure you are ok and are friendly. The staff at the beach bar are also lovely and come around to take drink orders when you are on your sunbeds. We loved having a beer and watching the sunset from the beach area. This hotel offers so much. It is a little piece of paradise in Zanzibar and we are so glad we booked here for our honeymoon. We will remember this trip forever. Thank you! X
• Y5175KF_ (10/5): Excellent hotel!!! Great beach!!! And service above and beyond. New and luxurious rooms!!! - We were at the hotel, we really enjoyed the luxurious and spacious rooms. Excellent service and high-quality food. We are kosher and Chef Bakhti prepared food for us especially according to our requests and needs. Excellent service, the entire staff is amazing, the room is cleaned twice a day. And a manager who is attentive and helpful with every request!! Chabad House is opposite the hotel. Great and fun location
• Sabrine (10/5): -
• Wombling_Free_7548 (8/5): Great apart from the food - Lots of positives about this resort - rooms were large and clean; plenty of loungers (and crucially for us, lots of shade); good pools; nice beach where you weren’t hassled; felt very safe; Cliff restaurant has great views; beautiful and immaculate grounds; decent entertainment; super comfy beds; beautiful sunsets; good activities (painting was great, just get there early so you have a turn); peaceful resort without a party atmosphere. Things to be aware of: food was fine but no more than that. All clean and well presented, but lacking in flavour. No snacks available outside designated meal times and an afternoon tea slot. Very limited drinks service at loungers. Loungers not particularly comfy. Snorkelling wasn’t very good in the sea by the hotel and we got stung by jellyfish (didn’t hurt for very long). We enjoyed our stay and were happy with the hotel, just manage your expectations and you will enjoy it.
• 441p_terb (8/5): Nice but improvements need - Nice hotel with big, comfortable rooms. Overall, we felt good, but there are few improvement areas: - not enough sunbeds near to swimming pools. if you arrive late morning, you won't have sunbed. - slow service and sometimes you are forgotten. When I ordered few drinks at the swimming pools, it took about 20 mins to get them - be careful, when you change money. After I checked out, I asked the cashier to change my $20 because I want to give tip to the staff. He told me, he has $10 only and the remaining would be in local currency (shilling). I said OK, because I wanted to give it as tip. I received 8000shilling for my $10 without paper or anything else... ($1 is about 2500shilling)
• miguelverdasca (8/5): A beautiful resort with amazing views - The hotel is truly beautiful, with a stunning mix of green areas, a lovely pool, and the sea right in front. Most of the staff are very polite and, above all, extremely helpful. The sea view rooms are splendid – spacious and impressive. The restaurant food is very good, and breakfast is also nice, although the bread was quite hard and some of the fruit not ripe enough. There are plenty of activities during the day, and the evening entertainment is also very enjoyable. Areas for improvement: definitely the gym. It is open-air, which means dealing with high humidity, and it has very limited equipment. A negative point is the beach experience – it’s impossible to relax without being constantly approached to buy something. This became so unpleasant that I ended up avoiding the beach altogether. Overall, it was still a beautiful place to celebrate my birthday.
• Sbushyyy (10/5): Wonderful Royal Zanzibar beach resort - An absolutely amazing setting, fabulous selection of food and every member of staff we met was charming and always made sure we were enjoying our stay. They could not have been more welcoming and helpful. Looking forward to a return visit.
• Lihle (9/5): Beautiful place, best staff. Would highly recommend. - I absolutely loved my stay at Royal. The facilities are nice and the place is lovely but what made it outstanding was the staff. Everyone was very friendly. But especially Claudia the guest relations manager during our stay. She went out of her to accommodate all of our needs and kept checking up on us if we need anything. The bed wasn’t the most comfortable and would sometimes make a creaking sound if you are someone that toss and turns while sleeping.
• Eduardo (9/5): Uma estadia digna de lua de mel! - O alojamento tem uma excelente localização junto à praia linda e próximo de outras facilidades o que confere flexibilidade aos visitantes para caminhar ao redor e apreciar diversas coisas, para além de infinidade de actividades aquáticas. O Royal organiza jantares temáticos o que torna a experiência incrível. A grande do local oferece comodidade para casais e família. Gostei de ter muitos bares, dentro do hotel. O Gerente do Hotel, Mr. Mohamed, uma pessoa incrível e atenciosa. Parabéns
• Guide21591027759 (10/5): Zanzibar - Beautiful zanzibar we couldn't find any thing negative to day about this hotel the staff are so helpful and friendly very clean the food in both restaurants was excellent the gardens are loving kept ..when we arrive we we're meet by Vivian on reception very helpful also Alex...there is one lady who was very kind to us in the restaurants zainao nothing was to much trouble the staff that look after you on the beach we're great fun had lots of chatts again bar staff great
• 929candicej (6/5): Ok but needs improvement - Just spent 14 days here. There are pros and cons. As with other reviews this isn’t yet a 5* hotel and work is needed. We spoke with the lovely new food and beverage manager who is working hard to improve that area. He was a lovely guy. The hotel is on a really good spot on the beach-tide does come in and out-we checked the tide times to know which day you can walk all the way to Nungwi beach. Rooms are big and overall feel to the hotel is calm and relaxed. Service isn’t the best, we are not fussy but it’s important to highlight this as it’s rated 5*. We struggled to get drinks at meal times (again not big drinkers but a few nights there was no rum or vodka at the main bar and given that cocktails were on the menu too meant you couldn't get many drinks) (another day they had no Diet Coke-again no huge but for anyone who can’t have sugar it was an issue) (drinks were also never really cold-they tend to use cool boxes behind the bars) we had to search for cutlery and crockery at times. Food was ok (I like my food plain so I’m not fussed) but it was often on the cold side and not huge a huge amount of flavour, you often had to try and put a meal together yourself-there was no big dishes pre prepared. Pools and beach were great-first week we didn’t need to put towels down but 2nd week if we didn’t grab a spot by 8am on the beach they were gone (often people putting them down and disappearing for hours!) but there were plenty of beds around and pools were often empty. The fridge in our room didn’t work and wasn’t fixed even though we reported it. It’s been mentioned by others- the blackout blinds were really mouldy in our room too and the balcony doors were quite stiff and old. The furniture on the balcony also wasn’t the most inviting-looked like it needed a good wash! We didn’t have a mosquito net around our bed but other rooms did? The grounds to the hotel are well kept and toilets extremely clean. Some staff are really friendly but others behind the bars and serving gave the impression they just didn’t want to be there! Entertainment each night was ok-but if you like an early night the noise does travel and you can hear this until about 11pm. The rooms echo quite a bit too so you can hear people above you moving around. Yes you can get hassled a bit by the people trying to sell stuff on the beach, it’s horrible to say but the only way for them to leave you and not follow you down the beach is to keep your head down and not respond. Every so often a guy did come along and move them on to the edge. The water is clear-first week we didn’t see anything but when the tide changed it did bring in some jelly fish, and sea urchins-but these are mainly by the rocky bit you can see. Weather is a bit hit and miss-it was warm but generally cloudy until 1pm and then the sun would be out until about 5pm then it started to go down. We didn’t venture out so can’t comment on that but another family we spoke to did and had great time on all the trips. It felt safe to be out and about. The hotel is about 1.45mins from the airport-some of the roads are not the best. Most disappointing part was that my Apple phone charger was taken out of the cupboard-the monetary value was not the issue, it can be replaced-it was the fact someone went into the cupboard and took it plus I have a heart condition and needed it to charge my watch which tracks my heart rate. There was only a one hour window it was taken from when I had left the room and during this time the room was cleaned. It was reported but they took it has it had been misplaced and said only one person cane in our room during that hour. Everyone here seems to have iPhones so might be worth putting any chargers in the safe. After then I didn’t want to leave anything out in the room. Overall…. If you’re looking for somewhere with a nice beach and relaxed atmosphere and not blazing sunshine all day then this place does that but needs massive improvement to be a 5* and be worth the money paid. I wouldn’t discourage anyone from coming but at the same time don’t think I would recommend either if that makes sense. If you come you will have a lovely time but prob alt go home feeling a bit disappointed about some things.
• oliviaaX2536FO (10/5): Great resort, would recommend for relaxation and entertainment. - My husband and I stayed here for 4 days following our safari experience. The resort itself is beautiful, clean and well maintained. The beach is stunning, although fairly busy. The food was great, there was always plenty of options to satisfy our tastes. The staff were very friendly and attentive. There was plenty of entertainment and activities offered throughout the day and evening. We had an ocean view suite which was spacious and pretty. We go to bed quite early and found it can be loud on the resort later than we’d like. Overall, we had a great experience. The resort is perfect for an all-inclusive relaxing experience, as long as you don’t expect an authentic experience of Zanzibar culture. It feels very similar to/interchangeable with the nicer resorts we’ve stayed at in the Caribbean. There’s nothing wrong with that as long as that suits you.
• Ian C (6/5): - Staff are all lovely but Sophia in the restaurant and Merry at reception were exceptional and deserve the very best!
• JackW3069 (10/5): Amazing, amazing, amazing! - Wow what an unbelievable holiday we have just had at the Royal Zanzibar Beach Resort. Everything was brilliant from start to finish, the Masai refuse to let you even touch your own bags and take care of everything as soon as you step out of your transfer, bags were taken straight to our incredible room. It was huge and a stunning sea view and absolutely spotless. Food was good with varied selections every day and the place is so unbelievably well looked after. The staff clearly take pride in where they work! Speaking of the staff they make the resort 100 times better. They are some of the most friendly and selfless people we have ever come across. They couldn’t help any more if they tried, everyone is so polite, so happy and nothing is ever too much trouble (even when some entitled guests are super rude! How hard is please & thank you?) special shoutout out to Ombeni (cliff restaurant) who looked after our private dinners. Prakash, Cynthia, Mussa & Robert who were all just fantastic. Highly recommend this place it was PERFECT
• 980despinaa (10/5): The experience of a lifetime - I was staying in the Royal Zanzibar beach resort for 6 days and i can say that it was the best experience I’ve ever had. The staff is amazing, the food is delicious and it had a lot of varieties to choose from. The pools and the rooms were incredible. Everything was clean, nice and kind of a rustic and modern designed. The reception was excellent and especially big thanks to Wanda for her hospitality. Also their bar Mapenzi, there you can drink the best cocktails, coffees and juices that you can think of. The Mapenzi bar managers were the best. They went out of their way just to make you enjoy the drinks. Special thanks to every single employee that cared to make the best vacation possible.
• O4119EXandreat (10/5): Unfortunate start but a lovely holiday - Update on review below 2 WEEKS AGO Hello fellow travellers PLEASE DONT BOOK THIS HOTEL IN ADVANCE!! because you will be discarded and your booking cancelled just before your about to travel !! Now for the update UPDATED ON THE 14TH SEPTEMBER We fought hard to stay at The Royal Zanzibar for the full duration of our holiday but in the end we had to relent with a few perks, upgraded room, 60 mins spa treatment and our floating breakfast we booked for our Anniversary, the hotel gifted this to us. . Tui also gave us private transfers throughout our stay. Thanks Louise and Rhea from the Burnley Tui store they was very patient with us and Advocated for us brilliantly 👏 😀 We started our holiday for 2 days' at Neptune Pwani beach resort in Kiwengwa. The hotel was lovely, food, staff, drinks excellent no complaints at all. I had researched this area 12 months ago when booking so I knew it was a tidal beach, the sea goes out very far! That's the reason why we choose Nungwi beach in the north. We was actually worried if Royal Zanzibar resort would be as nice.....we needn't have worried as Royal Zanzibar is a stunning resort very picturesque. Beautiful grounds. Beautiful rooms Stunning beach. The food is very good, varied and something for everyone. The staff are lovely and friendly especially in the restaurants and the bar staff, the banter is easy going and relaxed. Thanks to each and everyone of you. Our professional picture went really well with a photographer called Iso, he's nothing to do with the hotel we booked him privately. Iso Photography Zanzibar Production. My only complain is I have to pay for Margaritas and also the drinks they do offer as All-inclusive, they don't have all the ingredients (example being Angostura bitters) for a whiskey sour. I'll bring my own next time we visit because yes we will be back, hopefully minus the unfortunate start to the holiday but overall if I could have forseen our experience, I wouldn't have worried as much, but the little perks have made a difference too, thanks to management staff. We have another week here at the Royal Zanzibar resort and hope it goes pole, pole (slowly, slowly) Rooms: 5/5 | Service: 5/5 | Location: 5/5 Hotel highlights Luxury, Great view, Romantic, Child-friendly, Great value
• leilakanji (10/5): One of the best resorts I have ever visited - What a resort!! The buildings, the gardens and landscapes, the beaches, the pools, the staff, the food and drinks, there is nothing here that is short of the best standard. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and we hope dearly to return one day.
• servet tuna (10/5): -
• 27narendrak (2/5): Discrimination against non-Italians - The resort property is really nice with beautiful garden, large sized room and modern. However, at least 95% of the guests staying there are Italian and that creates a major negative discrimination issues for non-Italians, which is practiced openly. The first morning, we went to the beach area, put the towels on the chairs and sat on them for some time. When it started raining, we left and came back in a short time. We saw that another family had occupied our chairs claiming that there were no towels left by us. We occupied the next set of chairs. An Italian couple arrived moments later and asked us to vacate, claiming those were their chairs. He was very aggressive and even assaulted me. A bunch of arguments were back and forth about whose towel was there on which chair, whose chair it is etc. Meanwhile, a lady from the Italian tour operator Francorosso showed up and started advocating for the Italian couple. When I asked why she is interfering, she clearly replied that he is Italian and she needs to favor him. Finally, when the resort staff arrived, the verdict was clear: He can't ask the family that took our place to vacate because they are Italian and I would have to vacate our current place because that other family is Italian too. Around the same time, a bunch of other Italian guests crowded around us, arguing in favor of both of those Italian families and quickly outnumbered us and we had no choice than to leave. We thought this would be an isolated incident, but no. We got up early the next day, occupied a set of chairs and were sitting there for a few hours. We went for lunch, with our towels still there. When we came back, another Italian family had taken our place, and they still had our towels. Their family of 4 had 6 towels and the resort gives one towel per person against issued blue card. He still claimed there were no towels left. It was very hard to argue with him because he insisted that I speak Italian (which I don't) and he claimed he does not know English. Fortunately, someone else who was sitting next to us earlier came to rescue and witnessed that we were indeed sitting there earlier. Then, that family suddenly said it must be misunderstanding and someone must have removed our towels, which I don't believe. In short, the rule is: Any Italian is allowed to take your spot at any time, but you can't take the spot of any Italian. We can have the beach chairs only if no Italian needs it. We paid around $1,000/night and were really looking forward to having a good time, but they totally ruined our vacation. If I have to struggle like this daily for beach chairs and face discrimination from Italians, this is not a luxury resort worthwhile for any non-Italian. Also, on the second day, earlier to the beach chair issue, I went to the bar to grab some cocktails. I was there first, the bartender had started making our drinks. Meanwhile, an Italian showed up. Bartender stopped working on our drinks and took care of the Italian person including getting popcorn for their kid. Additionally, all the activities, games, sports, yoga, entertainment, happy hour etc. are all organized by Francorosso which is for their Italian guests. Therefore, non-Italians would be excluded from all such events. In short, unless you are an Italian, do not stay in this resort.
• njabulob2024 (10/5): Amazing and completely eventful, I would definitely advise this place to some one else to enjoy the experience - The experience was a amazing the bar manger Nitin was a complete sport very chilled and quick his was everywhere when ever we needed him his service was amazing for the first time coming to the resort
• clydalee (10/5): Family retreat - An amazing experience, amazing food . Amazing service , staff is exemplary . I would definitely come back here again . Nitin , bar manager- cock tails amazing . Amazing person. Made sure we made our stay enjoyable, for the 3rd time we were here . Rooms exeptional , clean and an amazing atmosphere Thank you Royal Zanzibar for the unforgettable experience.

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