Pongwe Beach Hotel
Location: Pongwe Beach, Pongwe, tz
Star Rating: 3 Stars
Property Type: Hotels
About this Property
Luxurious Beachfront Property
Experience paradise at Pongwe Beach Hotel, a stunning retreat in Pongwe offering an outdoor pool, a private beach area, and free bike rentals.
Elegant Rooms and Relaxing Amenities
Indulge in comfort in each room with a private patio, seating area, and a well-equipped bathroom with bathrobes and free toiletries. Unwind in style!
Exciting Activities and Convenient Services
From cycling to beach adventures, there's never a dull moment. Enjoy free WiFi, luggage storage, and complimentary parking for a stress-free stay.
Ready to escape to a tropical oasis? Book your stay at Pongwe Beach Hotel now!
Important Information
Please inform of your expected arrival time in advance. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly using the contact details in your confirmation.
Payment before arrival by bank transfer is required. The property will contact you after you book to provide instructions.
Guests are required to show a photo ID and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all Special Requests are subject to availability and additional charges may apply.
Policies
Check-in: 02:00 PM - 08:30 PM
Check-out: 10:30 AM
Amenities & Facilities
- Health or beauty spa nearby
- Offsite parking discounted rates available
- Parking
- Non-smoking rooms
- Swimming pool
- Restaurant
- Terrace
- Family rooms
- Luggage storage
- Safety deposit box
- Car hire
- Massage services
- Non-smoking throughout
- Board games/puzzles
- Shuttle service (additional charge)
- Kid meals
- Outdoor furniture
- Fruits
- Beauty Services
- Manicure
- Pedicure
- 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
- Contactless check-in/check-out
- Invoice provided
- Guests can opt-out any cleaning services during stay
- Smoke alarms
- Shared stationery like menus, pens are removed
- Guest room sealed after cleaning
- Physical distancing in dining areas
- Food delivered to guest room
- Process in place to check health of guests
- Access to health care professionals
- Screens / Barriers between staff and guests for safety
- Face masks for guests available
- 24-hour security
- Delivered food - securely covered
- Security alarm
- Thermometers for guests provided by property
- Happy hour
- Television in common areas
- Free wired internet
- Snack bar/deli
- Scuba diving on site
- Snorkeling on site
- Self parking (surcharge)
- Airport transportation - pickup (surcharge)
- Airport transportation - drop-off (surcharge)
- Beach umbrellas
- Pool sun loungers
- Offsite parking discounted rates available
- Private beach nearby
- Internet access
- Housekeeping on request
- Concerts/live shows
- Wine release events
- Exercise/lap pool
- Japanese garden
- Secured parking
- Fishing nearby
- Health or beauty spa nearby
- Horse riding nearby
- Swimming nearby
- Beach club nearby (surcharge)
- Bicycle-friendly property
- Beach toys
- Vegetarian menu options available
- Paddle boating nearby
- Accessible shuttle
- No accessible shuttle
- Accessible train station shuttle
- No accessible train station shuttle
Rooms Available
-
Deluxe Family Room
Guests will have a special experience as this family room provides a pool with a view. The spacious family room offers air conditioning, a private entrance, a terrace with sea views as well as a private bathroom featuring a shower. The unit offers 3 beds.
Max Occupancy: 4 (4 Adults)
- Shower
- Air conditioning
- Hair dryer
- Bathrobe
- Seating Area
- Fan
- Toilet
- Private bathroom
- Interconnected room(s) available
- Private entrance
- Mosquito net
- Private pool
- Wardrobe or closet
- Terrace
- Linen
- Outdoor furniture
- Clothes rack
- Toilet paper
- Plunge pool
- Pool towels
- Bottle of water
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body soap
- Fire extinguisher
- Air purifiers
- Hand sanitiser
-
Garden View
1 Double Bed
377-sq-foot room, patio with garden views
Relax - In-room massage available
Internet - Free WiFi
Food & Drink - Electric kettle and free tea bags/instant coffee
Sleep - Turndown service and bed sheets
Bathroom - Private bathroom, bathrobes, and towels
Comfort - Daily housekeeping and ceiling fan
Need to Know - No cribs (infant beds) available
Non-Smoking
Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)
- Bathrobe
- Private bathroom
- Electric kettle
- Daily housekeeping
- Ceiling fan
- Turndown service
- In-room massage available
- Free WiFi
- No cribs (infant beds)
- Bedsheets provided
- Free tea bags/instant coffee
-
Seaview Suite with plunge pool
1 Double Bed
431-sq-foot room, patio with pool views
Layout - Bedroom
Relax - In-room massage available
Internet - Free WiFi
Food & Drink - Electric kettle and free tea bags/instant coffee
Sleep - Turndown service and bed sheets
Bathroom - Private bathroom, bathrobes, and towels
Comfort - Daily housekeeping and ceiling fan
Need to Know - No cribs (infant beds) available
Non-Smoking
Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)
- Bathrobe
- Private bathroom
- Electric kettle
- Daily housekeeping
- Ceiling fan
- Turndown service
- In-room massage available
- Free WiFi
- No cribs (infant beds)
- Bedsheets provided
- Free tea bags/instant coffee
-
Standard Family Room
The family room is furnished with a desk and a seating area and has sea views. The unit has 2 beds.
Max Occupancy: 4 (4 Adults)
- Shower
- Hair dryer
- Bathrobe
- Desk
- Seating Area
- Fan
-
Premium Double Room
The double room is furnished with a desk and a seating area and features sea views. The unit offers 1 bed.
Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)
- Shower
- Hair dryer
- Bathrobe
- Desk
- Seating Area
- Fan
-
2 Bedroom Family Beachfront Suite
1 Double Bed and 2 Twin Beds
Patio with pool views
Layout - 2 bedrooms
Relax - In-room massage available
Internet - Free WiFi
Food & Drink - Electric kettle and free tea bags/instant coffee
Sleep - Turndown service and bed sheets
Bathroom - 2 bathrooms, bathrobes, and towels
Practical - Cribs (free) available on request
Comfort - Daily housekeeping and ceiling fan
Non-Smoking
Max Occupancy: 4 (4 Adults)
- Bathrobe
- Private bathroom
- Electric kettle
- Daily housekeeping
- Ceiling fan
- Turndown service
- In-room massage available
- Free WiFi
- Free cribs/infant beds
- Bedsheets provided
- Free tea bags/instant coffee
-
Double Room
Featuring a plunge pool, This suite offers a private entrance and lovely views over the ocean. Complete with free toiletries and bathrobes, the private bathroom is fitted with a shower. This suite is adults only.
Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)
- Shower
- Hair dryer
- Bathrobe
- Seating Area
- Fan
- Toilet
- Private bathroom
- Private entrance
- Mosquito net
- Wardrobe or closet
- Terrace
- Linen
- Outdoor furniture
- Clothes rack
- Toilet paper
- Plunge pool
- Pool towels
- Bottle of water
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body soap
- Fire extinguisher
- Air purifiers
- Hand sanitiser
-
Twin/Double Room
The spacious twin/double room offers a private entrance, a seating area, a terrace with sea views as well as a private bathroom boasting a shower. The unit has 1 bed.
Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)
- Shower
- Hair dryer
- Bathrobe
- Seating Area
- Fan
- Toilet
- Private bathroom
- Private entrance
- Mosquito net
- Wardrobe or closet
- Terrace
- Linen
- Outdoor furniture
- Clothes rack
- Toilet paper
- Pool towels
- Bottle of water
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body soap
- Fire extinguisher
- Air purifiers
- Hand sanitiser
-
Triple Room
The spacious triple room offers a private entrance, a seating area, a terrace with sea views as well as a private bathroom featuring a shower. The unit offers 2 beds.
Max Occupancy: 3 (3 Adults)
- Shower
- Hair dryer
- Bathrobe
- Seating Area
- Fan
- Toilet
- Private bathroom
- Private entrance
- Mosquito net
- Wardrobe or closet
- Terrace
- Linen
- Outdoor furniture
- Clothes rack
- Toilet paper
- Pool towels
- Bottle of water
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body soap
- Fire extinguisher
- Air purifiers
- Hand sanitiser
-
Double Room
The spacious double room offers a private entrance, a seating area, a terrace with garden views as well as a private bathroom featuring a shower. The unit offers 1 bed.
Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)
- Shower
- Hair dryer
- Bathrobe
- Seating Area
- Fan
- Toilet
- Private bathroom
- Private entrance
- Mosquito net
- Wardrobe or closet
- Terrace
- Linen
- Outdoor furniture
- Clothes rack
- Toilet paper
- Pool towels
- Bottle of water
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body soap
- Fire extinguisher
- Air purifiers
- Hand sanitiser
-
Twin/Double Room
This Double/Twin room has a seating area, bathrobe and private entrance.
Max Occupancy: 3 (3 Adults)
- Shower
- Hair dryer
- Bathrobe
- Seating Area
- Fan
- Toilet
- Private bathroom
- Private entrance
- Mosquito net
- Wardrobe or closet
- Terrace
- Linen
- Outdoor furniture
- Clothes rack
- Toilet paper
- Pool towels
- Bottle of water
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body soap
- Fire extinguisher
- Air purifiers
- Hand sanitiser
-
Quadruple Room
The spacious quadruple room features a private entrance, a seating area, a terrace with sea views as well as a private bathroom boasting a shower. The unit has 3 beds.
Max Occupancy: 4 (4 Adults)
- Shower
- Hair dryer
- Bathrobe
- Seating Area
- Fan
- Toilet
- Private bathroom
- Private entrance
- Mosquito net
- Wardrobe or closet
- Terrace
- Linen
- Outdoor furniture
- Clothes rack
- Toilet paper
- Pool towels
- Bottle of water
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body soap
- Fire extinguisher
- Air purifiers
- Hand sanitiser
-
Double Room
The double room has a terrace with outdoor furniture to relax in after a busy day. The unit has 1 bed.
Max Occupancy: 4 (4 Adults)
- Shower
- Hair dryer
- Bathrobe
- Fan
- Toilet
- Mosquito net
- Terrace
- Outdoor furniture
- Clothes rack
- Toilet paper
- Pool towels
- Bottle of water
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body soap
- Air purifiers
- Hand sanitiser
Guest Reviews
- Bethan (8/5): Lovely relaxed vibe - Great hotel with wonderful white sandy beach, quiet vibe which was perfect for us. Relaxed and friendly atmosphere. We came here for two nights at the end of our safari to relax, and we certainly did that. The main reason I booked the hotel was because I had read that they feed the bush babies in the evening before dinner. Disappointingly this didn’t happen on either night :( , although we did spot one in a tree later on. Quite expensive overall.
- Virginie (10/5): Vrai petit paradis ! - Tout était parfait : cadre, emplacement, accueil, service, propreté, qualité de la literie, calme, piscine… Rien, tout était parfait !
- johana (9/5): Little quiet paradise - Fantastic staff!! ❤️ Beautiful room. Great coctails and nice food. Pool area and the whole hotel setting is absolutely stunning.. You can even see a bush baby ❤️ Possibility to borrow a paddle board or cayak, reef shoes... Very quiet location. As there's no other options for refreshment the prices are a bit higher and kitchen close from 1600 till 1900.
- Bettina (9/5): -
- Johanna (10/5): - Frukosten var fantastisk! Vattentrycket kunde vara lite sämre ibland, men inget som störde mig.
- Christophe (10/5): -
- Guus (9/5): -
- Eva Helena (9/5): - Location overall There was only one water bottle in the room. I requested an additional water bottle im the afternoon, but the receptionist denied and said it's only one bottle a day per room - so in the middle of the night we found ourselves super thirsty.
- jean (10/5): - Magnifique plage, personnel attentif et très gentil, excellente cuisine, vraiment un petit coin de paradis.
- Paul (8/5): Second time here and would definitely recommend - Exceptionally Beautiful beach location and fabulous grounds/gardens. Staff are so friendly and helpful Dinner choices need more variety although the chef will try and accommodate any requests. Cocktail maker/bar tender needs more training as quality of cocktail was poor. Would have been nice to have had a musician say twice weekly in the evenings
- Patricia (8/5): -
- Jorrit (10/5): Super relaxe - Wat een mooie sjieke locatie met oog voor de gast Alles was perfect
- Anoop (8/5): Perfect for couples looking for a relaxing romantic escape - Location, privacy, exclusivity The culture of upsell everything but otherwise staff were good
- Peter (10/5): Spitze 🤗 - Das ganze rundherum mit einem tollen Hotelteam.👍👍👍👍👍
- Wohlfeil (10/5): -
- Luca (8/5): -
- Marion (9/5): Erholung und Ruhe pur - Eine paradiesisch schöne Anlage 🥰 viele verschiedene Liege- und Sitzmöglichkeiten direkt am Meer 😊 Das Personal war ausserordentlich freundlich und aufmerksam! Die Erholung ist garantiert 😎 Keine Möglichkeit, ausserhalb der Anlage ein Restaurant zu finden. Dies zwingt einem dazu, das überteuerte europäischgeprägte Essen zu konsumieren. Jammern auf hohem Niveau...
- Aimara (10/5): Séjour exceptionnel et bien soigné partout. Vraiment conseillé - Service exceptionnel dans tous les sens. Personnel très sympathique, professionnel et accueillant. Chambres charmantes et plage magnifique
- Emma (8/5): Lovely private hotel, beautiful beach. Great food but quite limiting menu in the evenings - Beautiful private beach, lots of loungers by the pool and beach Limited choice at dinner Poor pillows
- Tracey (8/5): Nice hotel on a lovely beach - The location was lovely. Beautiful beach. The room was a bit dark.
- Brittany (10/5): Highly recommend, an amazing stay! - We had an absolutely incredible stay at Pongwe Beach Hotel. Our room was amazing, with our own pool for a dip in the mornings, as well as a lovely pool. The size of the resort meant we never felt crowded at the pool or dinner facilities. The menu was amazing, dinner options changed daily and everything was ordered was delicious with fantastic, fresh produce. There wasn’t really anything not to like about our stay. The accommodation is about 1 hour 20 mins from Stonetown, so if you’re someone who wants to do a lot of sightseeing maybe not the best option for you. But if you’re looking for somewhere to relax and unwind this is definitely the place for you!
- Emily (10/5): - Everything about the Pongwe beach hotel is done w excellence! The food, the staff, the ambiance, the emphasis on quiet luxury…. We loved it all! There is nothing that could be improved. Nothing.
- Abel (10/5): -
- Janine (10/5): A slice of paradise - This place is just complete paradise. The staff are soooo friendly, they refer to you by name every time they see you which gives it a premium and personal feel. The rooms are huge, clean, and the plunge pool was just insane. The main pool is beautiful over the beach and sea, it’s just utter peace and quiet. The staff cannot do enough for you, it is just absolute heaven here. The area is very quiet, the beach is peaceful and there are not many people around at all. If you’re looking for tranquility, this is the place.
- Anthony (10/5): A slice of paradise - We stayed for four very enjoyable nights at Pongwe Beach Hotel. It is a small tranquil hotel right on the white sandy beach of the turquoise Indian Ocean. It really is a slice of paradise. Our thatched African styled semi-detached accommodation was as close to the beach as you could get with a spectacular view of the ocean from the sunbeds resting on the terrace. Our room was clean and spacious. It had good quiet air conditioning and a ceiling fan. There was also a mosquito net over the four poster large firm but comfortable double bed. There were also four firm but comfortable pillows. There was a good hot shower in the large shower area which keeps the bathroom floor dry. There were complimentary toiletries and a large bottle of water which is replenished daily. The staff are very friendly and attentive. In fact we thought it was too much so. We had a problem with the latch on our door which was replaced soon after I mentioned it to reception. The swimming pool again by the beach is sparkling clean warm and inviting. There seemed to be enough sunbeds by the pool for the number of guests during our stay but there were not enough parasols and the few in the shade disappeared very quickly. The breakfast is good with a reasonable variety of choices. The freshly cooked part of breakfast is as close as you will get to a full English breakfast in Zanzibar. Lunch and dinner are available in the restaurant. There is a limited choice from the à la carte menu which changes daily. The food is of an excellent quality although by African standards it is extremely expensive and the portions are small. When we arrived on Friday night it was 'buffet night' but as my wife does not like buffets we could choose from the lunchtime menu. There is complimentary tea and coffee with biscuits and cake available all day from the restaurant and at four o'clock a waiter comes round the pool and beach with an afternoon snack of freshly cut fruit. Insufficient Parasols: There weren't enough parasols by the pool, and those in the shade were quickly taken. * Loud Live Music: The extremely loud live musical session on Sunday evening disturbed the peaceful atmosphere. * Unnecessary Background Music: we disliked the continual inane background music, which we felt ruined the tranquil environment. * Expensive and Small Portions: The evening menu, while of excellent quality, was considered extremely expensive for African standards with small portions. * Overly Attentive Staff: in our opinion we found the staff to be too attentive.
- Andrew (10/5): Exceptional -
- David (10/5): Beautiful beach and grounds, good restaurant, friendly and attentive staff -
- Kenneth (10/5): Exceptional -
- Gary (10/5): We thoroughly enjoyed our visit - Very good breakfast. Good food, excellent service. Nothing
- Keith (10/5): Exceptional -
- Neil (9/5): Nothing short of a tropical paradise - Stayed at the cliff villa with pool. Things we liked were the stunning location/beach, delicious food (we ate all our food at the hotel), spacious room with a comfy bed, very picturesque and well maintained property grounds and the service While the water at high tide is one of clearest and bluest you’d ever see and the beaches almost blindingly white, low tide is interesting in it own way and a great time to explore the sea. The hotel staff does an amazing job at ridding the beach of seaweed every day. The room (and bathroom) could have done with a tad bit more detailing/design especially at these price points. However that didn’t put a dent in our experience in any way
- hao wen (10/5): - Very private and beautiful beachfront, spacious villa walkable to the beach. Very friendly and welcoming staffs.
- Hillier (10/5): Probably the best stay you'll ever have - Everything, probably the best accommodation we've ever stayed in!
- Joan (10/5): Gorgeous!! - Hotel was lovely! Customer service and food great. Would highly recommend.
- Alexandra (10/5): Beautiful, quiet boutique hotel at exceptional location - Pongwe Beach Hotel is embedded in a beautiful tropical garden and situated right at the beach. We‘ve loved its secluded location, the beach is not accessible during high tide and that means that you don‘t get bothered by beach boys as much (rarely ever, to be honest). We‘ve had a beach front room that was literally a stone‘s throw away from the beach, it couldn‘t have been any more convenient! The room was spacious and spotless, also our 14yr old daughter had a full single bed to use. The turn down service in the evening is something you don‘t usually see in that category, so we were pleasantly surprised. Another nice touch is the option to order early morning coffee / tea, that gets quietly delivered to your terrace from 07:00 am onwards, so as an early bird you can enjoy your first cup of coffee on the daybed of your room terrace and enjoy the wonderful beach view whilst others are still sleeping. We‘ve booked half board and were not disappointed - the menu was very diverse, each day you could choose between meat / fish / vegetarian options for your main course. There‘s a buffet twice a week as well, plus evening entertainment on 2 days, we‘ve enjoyed both very much! The staff is most welcoming and attentive, no matter if housekeeping, restaurant, reception….as a guest you feel your presence is appreciated and every wish is taken care of. I usually never book 3-star hotels, but with this one got tempted because of its exceptional reviews - and they are all true, so can highly recommend and would definitely stay there again! There is nothing I could complain about or wished they would do differently. I do love snorkeling, and there are no snorkeling spots around (you have to book an excursion to be taken somewhere and it‘s guided, you cannot just go on your own), so that option would have made it perfect. It‘s something that I knew in advance though and was outweighed by many other Pro‘s :-)
- Denis (9/5): Excellent please ti unwind for a week - Location, beach , service , food quality A little remote
- Fabiola (6/5): Pleasant - Location place I stayed for 2 days and they didn’t re fill my bottle of water, in the bathroom there was no so clean, people in reception don’t have good attitude.
- Schafer (10/5): This property is staffed with caring employees, from the top down!! - I love the view, the tranquility and the spaciousness of our unit. There wasn’t anything I didn’t like.
- Raakesh (10/5): Always feels like home ( with a beach ) - I’ve been here many times and the staff and the small beach are the best thing here. Also the new cliff villa was amazing.
- Olga (8/5): Ni - Location
- Olga (9/5): Superb - The location and staff at Pongwe Beach make it an absolutely special place to spend a holiday: we loved the tranquillity of the beach and the friendly and warm atmosphere created by everyone who works there. The hotel functions in perfect harmony with its natural surroundings, so that one can enjoy the unspoiled view of the ocean and the sound of the waves. Sleeping just a few steps away from the white sand and palm trees make it feel like paradise. The cuisine offered was a delight - we particularly enjoyed the variety of options at breakfast and the delicious fish served at dinner (with the special dinner served on the beach a particular highlight). Thank you to the staff for making our stay so beautiful and memorable, we would love to come back!
- Tori (8/5): Perfect beach stay for a quiet couple! - -We loved how clean and quiet the beach was. There is not a super long area of beach but enough to walk and enjoy the white sand and find shells -The staff was very friendly -The included breakfast buffet had enough options -The pool was very clean -There were certain nights that local entertainment came which was fun! -The hotel does not have any markets or restaurants to walk to -There seemed to be too many staff actually when we were at this hotel as multiple servers would come up to us within a few minutes asking the same questions (but they were all very nice! just got a bit old) -As a vegetarian, there was only 1 option on the dinner menu
- John (10/5): - The staff were all very friendly and welcoming. The overall service was excellent. This is a wonderful place to relax - it may not be 5 star luxury but it is authentic African hospitality - just what we had hoped for.
- Amanda (10/5): Exceptional - The grounds were beautiful and it was so peaceful
- Thomas (10/5): Stunning location, great beach and most of all fantastic service from everyone - Authentic beautiful hotel right on the beachfront, the service from everyone was the best we’ve ever had at a hotel. Nothing
- mark (10/5): - We just left after spending 6 night at this wonderful resort. My family and our travel friends had a wonderful time, and were sad to leave. The staff are super amazing, the resort was a wonderful place to relax, the food very delicious, I can’t really say enough great things about this resort. Without a doubt, I would highly recommend the Pongwe Beach Hotel!
- Karen (10/5): Love this place - Beautiful, laid back, lovely stafff
- Timothy (10/5): I had a pleasant stay and will come back again! - The staff are very friendly, the environment and rooms are very clean!
- Ewa (10/5): Paradise hotel. - Location is wonderful! The beach is beautiful, not too many annoying "beach boys ". You can feel here like you were alone. Really, paradise hotel! All rooms are in bungalowes, so you have your private space or even private pool. The bathroom need to be renewed. But they are very clean aleays.
- James (10/5): - The staff and management were all very friendly and professional. Our room was delightful and had everything we could wish for and more. The beach was beautiful, clean and private. The food was of a high standard with a menu that changed daily. Would recommend Pongwe Beach to anyone wishing for a relaxing holiday in the sun.
- Harry (10/5): A beautiful place to relax and chill. - Set in a beautiful location right on the beach. A lovely relaxing place to stay. We were lucky enough to have a room with its own private swimming pool and would thoroughly recommend one of these rooms as it a lovely shaded semi private place to relax. The meals are lovely and the staff very friendly and helpful. A range of trips can be organised by the hotel. The beach is a wonderful place to walk and swim. The tide goes out a long way to provide fantastic walks on the sand and pools. It is about an hour from Stone town by taxi.
- Radu (10/5): Exceptional -
- Adi (4/5): Good location but unprofessional and sloppy service at times - We have mixed feelings about this place. The pros: We liked it when the chef himself came personally to check if everything was ok and if we liked the food. It showed professionalism and customer care. The other staff on the beach and in the dining room (not the reception, see below my comments on cons) were nice and professional, and each night for dinner they did a good job. The beach is nice and though you cannot swim (low/high tide), the setting was nice with the beach seats and beds. We used the massage and a snorkeling tour with the hotel which was ok too. While some of the staff were very nice and professional, others were not unfortunately. Two examples that we remember vividly: 1. When we checked in the guy at the reception mentioned that in case needed, we would be able to extend for a bit our check-out time. Though we didn't expect to use it, on the check-out day we happened to need another 15 minutes and up to 60 minutes more, something all other accommodations in the island and the world always offer complimentary. When my partner came to the reception to ask to check out at 11:30am instead of 10:30am, the girl at the reception said no and didn't offer another solution (e.g. 15-30 minutes more), saying another guest needed to check in. Though we understand that the cleaner needs to clean before people check in at 14:00pm, giving us 15-30 minutes just to finish packing our stuff wouldn't make a difference. When I came over to ask them about that after they said no to my partner, they claimed my partner had told them we wanted to check out in the late afternoon, which is NOT TRUE. It's a shame that the hotel receptionists preferred to lie in our faces about what my partner told her and instead of coming forward and apologizing for giving wrong check-out information, they decided to deny it all and made up a story. This is the first time it has happened to us in an accommodation, and their behavior ruined the end of our stay. 2. The cleaner literally forced her way inside our room while we were there and at other times came back several times within 1 hour (which started to feel like harassment) and she tried to get inside, even though we kindly asked her every time not to come back because we wanted our privacy and felt no need to have our room cleaned more than once a day. All in all, it felt that what you pay vs. what you get here is really not worth it, which is a shame because before we came here, we saw the photos of this place and were looking forward to it. I would stay elsewhere next...
- Ben (10/5): Exceptional -
- Emma (10/5): Perfect! Would love to go back! - My friends and I absolutely loved staying at Pongwe Beach Hotel. Most of other guests were couples, but it was the perfect place for us to relax after a couple of weeks on safari. The property, rooms, and beach are all stunning. Every member of staff was friendly and welcoming. I happened to be there on my birthday and they made it very special. Every meal was delicious! We walked to town one day and there wasn't much to do. I would have rather enjoyed more time on the beach or paddle boarding!
- Marcos (10/5): - Excellent location, beautiful views, great customer service. Shower water pressure can be definitely improved but overall great experience!
- Bd_melbourne (9/5): Superb - Exceptional tropical beach location. Wonderful resort with an authentic feel, super friendly and helpful staff, and excellent food. Nothing.
- Raakesh (8/5): Pole pole - Firstly RIP Captain Ali . The main reason I came back so often . Great guy. I hope the hotel treats his legacy and Captain MK well as on future trips I’ll look forward to seeing them . The beach and staff are great . Rooms are old and need safety deposit boxes . Make it better for the guests please .
- Kenneth (10/5): Best in Zanzibar - Friendly staff that went the extra mile.
- Wambura (10/5): - Amazing resort. Excellent staff. Beautiful hotel. Very clean.
- Oggie (8/5): Very good - Fantastic location, outstanding beach and nice people that made us feel very welcome. Peaceful, great service and very well maintained Food overpriced
- Karthik (7/5): Good - Great food, great staff, great hospitality Room was ok
- Carol (10/5): Exceptional - The decor and ambiance were superb. Food was good and staff were excellent
- Fríða (4/5): Arrived excited and left disappointed - Staff is nice, the beach is nice was well as the general atmosphere of the place. Not sure where to begin... We had high expectations since this hotel had very good reviews on booking and it's not exactly cheap at $300 a night. -Strange first impressions, the road to the hotel was VERY bumpy (it's my understanding that they are currently fixing this, however, it really affected our stay). Next, when we arrived the staff sat us down told us a lot of information, and wanted us to decide what we would order for dinner at 14:00. It was so strange, have never been in a hotel that made me do this. When we arrived for dinner the same waiter asked if wanted to order, she didn´t remember that we had ordered, and we ended up waiting 30 min for the dinner we had pre ordered? Later found out that it was ok not to preorder dinner, why didnt they tell us this when we arrived? - The food was very average, expensive and tiny portions, It was obvious they were trying to get us to order a starter, main and desser (would of cost around around $45) - The staff was very friendly, but they were constantly coming to our table. Waiters would come over 5-8 times asking if everything was okay, how we were doing, and if we wanted anything. After a while, it simply got tiring... - Rooms are just very standard for $300 a night, with holes in the mosquito nets, old towels, no soap dish, the toilet only flushed 1 every 20 min, the extra bed was so hard, and we had to mention it 4 times to reception until they switched it out. And there was almost no WiFi in the rooms our whole stay. The stay overall was not horrible, we just expecting more. I personally wasn't going to go into detail about everything that we were disappointed about but the manager requested it. And they sent a very nice email conveying their apologies. We booked for 7 nights but ended up leaving after 5, seeing that we paid full price, and got no refund, I at least expected them to take a few drinks off the tab or something to make up for it.
- Charlotte (10/5): An excellent mid-range choice - The property is spread out along Pongwe Beach and there are lots of places to choose to rest and relax, many more than there are people staying. The resort is quiet. The beach is well maintained and the water wonderful to swim in at high tide. Kayaks and paddle boards available for free. The pool in particular is marvellous and again well maintained. The beds have a cool breeze system instead of AC, which works well. The staff are very friendly and competent. The food is acceptable and fairly priced. The breakfast is quite good compared with other Tanzanian offerings we’ve had. The property is a bit dark in feel, perhaps all the dark wood, and also not much natural light coming into the villas. But this is quickly escaped by moving to the beach or pool areas. There was some confusion with payment. Booking.com said that payment would be taken nearer the time by the property shortly before our stay, in fact 25% was taken immediately and no further payment taken. The hotel charges 5% to use card payment, which is irritating, although not uncommon in Tanzania (about 50% of the hotels we visited did the same). We wish we’d had more clarity on payments so we could plan.
- Harriet (10/5): Gutted to have to leave! - I never write reviews, however we had an exceptional stay, enhanced by the enthusiasm and attentiveness of ALL the staff. Nothing was too much trouble. The setting was better than the pictures and it was fun to explore the beach at low tide or use the free kayaks at high tide. Rooms were clean and comfortable with lovely views. We had a garden view and the children had the sea view as the family rooms had all gone. Thought I would be disappointed with the garden view but you are a stones throw away from the beach. Only complaint was that our holiday wasn’t longer - we only had two nights. It is expensive but the food, location, swimming pool ( that we didn’t have time to use😢) and staff made this our most memorable stay in Zanzibar. There is absolutely nothing to dislike. Perhaps it might be quiet for some but having stayed in a couple of places Pongwe was perfect, if you were staying longer there are a number of restaurants in neighbouring hotels and islands to enjoy and when we were there there was drumming and dancing in the fabulous dinning area. For us it was the perfect mix of privacy and quietness but with options
- Madhur (8/5): Very good -
- Tom (9/5): Superb - Wonderful beach; nice food.
- Paul (10/5): Exceptional - Great atmosphere, excellent service, clean
- Luis (10/5): Relaxing Vacation - Paradise Place, the beach, the food, the security, all employees, the rooms with Private Spool, special seafood diners on the beach, and the swimming pool, so everything was beautiful, everything it’s absolutely Fantatsic
- Cerag (10/5): I would definitely go back. - I spent a week here. Wonderful place to unplug. Extremely beautiful, calm beach. Excellent food. Professional, helpful management and friendly staff. Clean, spacey rooms. They did everything they can to make me feel comfortable during my stay. Not for those looking for a party. Bathrooms and water piping could use an update.
- Fernando (9/5): Superb -
- Anonymous (6/5): Nice stay, but lots of problem areas. - The pool, food, and massage were excellent I didn’t love the dead bugs on my sheets upon return every evening, apparently the result of frequent insect spraying. The shower pressure and hot water left a lot to be desired. Consideration should be given to repairing the massively potholed road leading to the resort. Credit card fees and payment system are extremely problematic and also need to be rectified.
- Sasha (7/5): Lovely setting but accommodation standard was very poor considering the price - Beautiful location with a wonderful beach. A lovely swimming pool nobody told us that we were not allowed to collect seashells and that it was against Tanzanian authority procedure. Extremely frustrating having spent five days collecting shells to have them all confiscated at the airport. The music in the main area was very offputting and really destroyed the natural peaceful sitting. We asked several times on a daily basis for the music to be turned down, for five minutes later volume to be increased again.
- Edward (9/5): Idyllic beach location to escape from it all. - Excellent staff, with a system of no individual tips, but a tips box. For a British traveller this is ideal and avoids uncompfortable 'should I be tipping' moments. Loverly private pool and communal pool, and a relatively secluded beach with few hawkers. Free to use Kayaks which was very much appreciated. Tours could be booked at reception and they worked as advertised. The food was excellent, although a little pricey. The rooms do not have airconditioning but a cooling system for the bed making the experience much more pleasant that feared. A nice family atmosphere with board games available, but it is euqually a great setting for a couples get away with cocktail happy hour and moolit beach walks. There are no room safes, although the check in do offer a 'safe' service, and items are bagged, sealed and logged so they certainly feel secure Not a fault of the hotel in any way, but be aware that there is a very big intertidal area (i.e. the tide goes out a long way) The hotel is on the windward side of the island, so be prepared for windy afternoons.
- Malin (10/5): Our stay was very convenient and surrondings amazingly beautiful. - The beach was one of the most beautiful I have ever seen and most roooms were located In direct connection to it. There was nothing to dislike. Only thing I missed was a small refrigerator or mini-bar in the room.
- Alexander (9/5): Superb -
- Michael (10/5): Completely relaxing! - Excellent location and wonderful staff. the beach is sandy and relatively quiet.
- Tomas (10/5): Exceptional -
- Anonymous (10/5): Exceptional - white sand beaches, beautiful water, palm trees, relaxed vibe, super friendly staff, great food and drinks
- Cillian (10/5): Exceptional - Beautiful location, pool, food - great swimming spot
- Megan (10/5): Perfect place to relax, loved the friendly and helpful staff - We loved our stay at Pongwe Beach Hotel! We were looking for somewhere to relax after climbing Kilimanjaro, and it certainly delivered. The staff was amazing, the grounds were beautiful, and we chose the room with the private plunge pool and it was so worth it. The restaurant was great and always offered Western and local options for each meal. There was a Swahili buffet on Friday evening, which was delicious. The breakfast was a combination of self-serve fruit, bread and yogurts, along with made-to-order options that varied slightly each day. The hotel also helped us arrange a snorkeling/hand-fishing trip one morning from the beach for $20 USD per person. So fun! Would definitely recommend for a private, relaxing vacation. We liked everything, but one thing to note is that there is not much nearby. There are other hotels along the beach, and the town of Pongwe is only a 10-minute walk away (either along the beach at low tide or along the road at high tide), but it is fairly quiet. We wanted to relax, so this was ok with us, but something to keep in mind if you're looking for a livelier location.
- Kathryn (9/5): Superb -
- A (10/5): Amazing Zanzibar retreat - Excellent quiet retreat. Amazing staff , good food and beach and pool beautiful. Staff could not do enough for you and Hati in the restaurant was great fun . Definitely recommend if a peaceful , restful holiday is your thing .
- Karn (10/5): Unique stay - We travel a lot and I must say that I have not come accross prettier a rustic property. The food is outstanding and the staff is very helpful. The pictures don't do justice to the on ground reality( it is much prettier). It is a calm and peaceful place for tasteful travellers. The missing airconditioners aren't a problem and the breeze beds are totally worth it. Bush babies at the bar are the celebs. We stayed for 6 nights and loved every minute spent.
- sarah (10/5): - Overall we had a wonderful stay at Pongwe Beach Hotel. The property is very unique in Zanzibar in that it has its own almost private beach pretty much immediately near bungalows and its very beautiful and quiet, the sea is very clean with less seaweed than others we visited. Beautiful swimming pool overlooking the sea. The resort facilities and bedrooms could be improved in that the decor feels a little dated in terms of interior design, but generally very comfortable and very well serviced by the ever cheerful and kind staff working at every level. Food is very good, the menus are changed daily and offer two options plus two vegetarian options at lunch, and others at dinner. The rooms could be improved by offering air conditioning in every room. Some rooms only offer a fan with a bed-cooling air con system which we didn’t enjoy.
- Mia (10/5): Exceptional - Beautiful authentic hotel, with an amazing private beach that looks like it was taken out of a postcard. Thanks to the bay, the low tide was soft, relatively to the east and south sides of Zanzibar. Great restaurant with a beautiful view and varied food. The hotel highlight in our opinion was the staff - always kind and smiling, willing to help with any request. There is no air condition on most rooms and wick water flow in showers, but it did not detract from our pleasure of the hotel
- Pawel (9/5): Superb -
- Roungthiva (9/5): A secret garden to relax during the holiday - Very private and calm, clean beach and total security. Staff were amazing and very respectful. We did 4 hotels during our stay and this is the best in this range, private beach where you can swim without sea ursins and not bothered by too many beach boys The second bed in our room was not comfortable although they did everything to make it comfortable. I think the mattress needed to be replaced. The massage is ok but they need to change the towels between guests 🥺 Felt bad to see the bell boys carry luggages on their back on a sandy path were luggages can’t roll, but I guess there were no choice so maybe find a better solution for this.
- Isabelle (8/5): Very good -
- Francieli (9/5): Little paradise - The property is located in one of the most beautiful beaches for sure, it is stunning and very private. the service is exceptional, the food of good quality and the resort is very eco friendly. The Wi-Fi is good in all areas including on the beach. Its obviously the style of the hotel, the bungalows are in the middle of the threes and there are so many lizards, coming to room, toilet, etc.. a bit stressful to sleep with them. Also the shower doesn’t have pressure at all and the water is not very hot.
- Anonymous (9/5): Fantastic hotel with its own private, golden sand beach, friendly & attentitive staff, great for honeymooners & - Incredible location with its own private beach
- Nick (10/5): Exceptional -
- Simon (10/5): Incredible location, awesome hotel - Incredible location, feels exemely remote, most secluded beach area we have been to during a 2-week round journey through Zanzibar. INCREDIBLY beautiful beach dining setting, a young employee took 1-2 hours in the afternoon to prepare the most romantic table for us just at the beach. Insane. Bungalows very beautiful, some even with private pool. Hotel offers massages with external masseuses. Coordination and execution were not good - instead of a couple massage with 2 masseuses, only 1 masseuse arrived. Since we had already checked out, she used a very uncomfortable, unflexible sun bed for the massage.
- Tamara (10/5): The perfect luxury beach retreat. - such lovely staff. Idyllic location. stunning clean beach. the food is incredible. great chef from South Africa. Nothing
- Alina (10/5): Exceptional -
- Carlos (9/5): amazing place worth a couple of weeks holidays - perfect to relax and disconnect - Wonderful breakfast, amazing quality of the food stunning beach, great views, super quiet place perfect to enjoy holidays with the family or a honeymoon. the only regret I have is that our stay was not longer.
- Alina (10/5): Excellent accomodation in Zanzibar with an amazing view - We had an amazing stay at Pongwe Beach Hotel. The staff is very friendly and always ready to help, they made sure we had everything we needed. We left for a couple of nights for safari in Tanzania and on our return we had a late flight from Tanzania to Zanzibar - we found delicious food in our room and plenty of water and our luggages that were stored at the hotel were already in our room. Also the communication was very good, they arranged the shuttles for us and an early check in. Needless to say, the view from the room was amazing and we could hear the ocean at night. We definitely recommend Pongwe Beach Hotel, it’s a great choice! -
- Moataz (10/5): Exceptional -
- Verified traveler (10/5): - Awesome weekend - staff were great and food was excellent
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