The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar

Location: Dongwe Beach, Pingwe, Dongwe, Dongwe, TZ

Star Rating: 4 Stars

Property Type: Hotels

About this Property

Important Information

Policies

Check-in: 02:00 PM - anytime

Check-out: 11:00 AM

Amenities & Facilities

• Free breakfast
• Full-service spa
• Free WiFi
• 24-hour front desk
• Terrace
• Garden
• Luggage storage
• Designated smoking area
• Concierge service
• Wheelchair accessible
• Snorkeling nearby
• Hiking/biking trails nearby
• Library
• Free breakfast
• Safe-deposit box at front desk
• Full-service spa
• Tours/ticket assistance
• Snack bar/deli
• Scuba diving on site
• Free self parking
• Airport transportation - pickup (surcharge)
• Beach umbrellas
• Beach sun loungers
• Pool sun loungers
• Beach towels
• Free buffet breakfast
• Mosquito nets
• Horse riding nearby

Rooms Available

• Luxury Villa, 2 Bedrooms, Private Pool

  1 Queen Bed and 1 Twin Bed

  2152-sq-foot room, balcony/patio with garden views

  
  

  Layout - 2 bedrooms, dining area, and sitting area

  Relax - Private pool; in-room massage available

  Food & Drink - Electric kettle, minibar (fees may apply), room service (limited hours), and free bottled water

  Sleep - Egyptian cotton linens, blackout drapes/curtains, turndown service, and bed sheets

  Bathroom - Bathrobes and a separate bathtub and shower with a rainfall showerhead

  Practical - Safe and travel crib; rollaway beds (surcharge) available on request

  Comfort - Air conditioning and daily housekeeping

  Need to Know - Toothbrush and toothpaste not available

  Non-Smoking

  Max Occupancy: 4 (4 Adults)

  • Minibar
  • Safety deposit box
  • Air conditioning
  • Hair dryer
  • Bathrobe
  • Electric kettle
  • Private pool
  • Bidet
  • Toilet paper
  • Bottle of water
  • Shampoo
  • Room service (limited hours)
  • Daily housekeeping
  • Ceiling fan
  • Separate sitting area
  • Turndown service
  • Blackout drapes/curtains
  • In-room massage available
  • Separate bathtub and shower
  • Separate dining area
  • Private plunge pool
  • Rainfall showerhead
  • Balcony or patio
  • Separate bedroom
  • Bedsheets provided
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste available
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste not available
  • Travel crib

• Family Villa, Multiple Beds

  1 King Bed and 2 Twin Beds

  1506-sq-foot room, balcony/patio with garden views

  
  

  Layout - Bedroom, dining area, and sitting area

  Relax - In-room massage available

  Food & Drink - Electric kettle, minibar (fees may apply), room service (limited hours), and free bottled water

  Sleep - Egyptian cotton linens, blackout drapes/curtains, turndown service, and bed sheets

  Bathroom - Shower, free toiletries, and a hair dryer

  Practical - Safe and travel crib; rollaway beds (surcharge) available on request

  Comfort - Air conditioning and daily housekeeping

  Need to Know - Toothbrush and toothpaste not available

  Non-Smoking

  Max Occupancy: 4 (2 Adults)

  • Minibar
  • Shower
  • Safety deposit box
  • Air conditioning
  • Hair dryer
  • Electric kettle
  • Bidet
  • Toilet paper
  • Bottle of water
  • Shampoo
  • Room service (limited hours)
  • Daily housekeeping
  • Ceiling fan
  • Separate sitting area
  • Turndown service
  • Blackout drapes/curtains
  • In-room massage available
  • Separate dining area
  • Balcony or patio
  • Separate bedroom
  • Bedsheets provided
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste available
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste not available
  • Travel crib

• Standard Twin Room

  2 Twin Beds

  Features a private balcony/patio

  
  

  Layout - Bedroom

  Relax - In-room massage available

  Food & Drink - Electric kettle, minibar (fees may apply), room service (limited hours), and free bottled water

  Sleep - Egyptian cotton linens, blackout drapes/curtains, turndown service, and bed sheets

  Bathroom - Free toiletries, a hair dryer, and a bidet

  Practical - Safe

  Comfort - Air conditioning and daily housekeeping

  Need to Know - No rollaway/extra beds available, toothbrush and toothpaste not available

  Non-Smoking

  Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)

  • Minibar
  • Safety deposit box
  • Air conditioning
  • Hair dryer
  • Electric kettle
  • Bidet
  • Toilet paper
  • Bottle of water
  • Shampoo
  • Room service (limited hours)
  • Daily housekeeping
  • Ceiling fan
  • Turndown service
  • Blackout drapes/curtains
  • In-room massage available
  • Balcony or patio
  • No rollaway/extra beds
  • Separate bedroom
  • Bedsheets provided
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste available
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste not available

• Standard Bungalow

  1 Double Bed

  355-sq-foot room, balcony/patio with garden views

  
  

  Layout - Bedroom

  Relax - In-room massage available

  Food & Drink - Electric kettle, minibar (fees may apply), room service (limited hours), and free bottled water

  Sleep - Egyptian cotton linens, blackout drapes/curtains, turndown service, and bed sheets

  Bathroom - Shower with a rainfall showerhead

  Practical - Desk and safe

  Comfort - Air conditioning and daily housekeeping

  Need to Know - No rollaway/extra beds available, toothbrush and toothpaste not available

  Non-Smoking

  Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)

  • Minibar
  • Shower
  • Safety deposit box
  • Air conditioning
  • Hair dryer
  • Desk
  • Electric kettle
  • Bidet
  • Toilet paper
  • Bottle of water
  • Shampoo
  • Room service (limited hours)
  • Daily housekeeping
  • Ceiling fan
  • Turndown service
  • Blackout drapes/curtains
  • In-room massage available
  • Rainfall showerhead
  • Balcony or patio
  • No rollaway/extra beds
  • Separate bedroom
  • Bedsheets provided
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste available
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste not available

• Luxury Villa, 1 Bedroom, Sea View

  1 Queen Bed

  1507-sq-foot room, balcony/patio with sea views

  
  

  Layout - Bedroom, dining area, and sitting area

  Relax - In-room massage available

  Food & Drink - Electric kettle, minibar (fees may apply), room service (limited hours), and free bottled water

  Sleep - Egyptian cotton linens, blackout drapes/curtains, turndown service, and bed sheets

  Bathroom - Shower, free toiletries, and a hair dryer

  Practical - Safe and travel crib; rollaway beds (surcharge) available on request

  Comfort - Air conditioning and daily housekeeping

  Need to Know - Toothbrush and toothpaste not available

  Non-Smoking

  Max Occupancy: 3 (2 Adults)

  • Minibar
  • Shower
  • Safety deposit box
  • Air conditioning
  • Hair dryer
  • Electric kettle
  • Bidet
  • Toilet paper
  • Bottle of water
  • Shampoo
  • Room service (limited hours)
  • Daily housekeeping
  • Ceiling fan
  • Separate sitting area
  • Turndown service
  • Blackout drapes/curtains
  • In-room massage available
  • Separate dining area
  • Balcony or patio
  • Separate bedroom
  • Bedsheets provided
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste available
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste not available
  • Travel crib

Guest Reviews

• Pat (10/5): - Quiet and relaxing
• Kristina (10/5): - Sehr zuvorkommendes Personal, haben uns sehr wohl gefühlt. Zimmer werden mehrmals täglich gereinigt, Essen sehr lecker und abwechslungsreich. Super für alle, die entspannen und die Ruhe genießen möchten.
• Matheus (8/5): Muito bom. - Nossa estadia no The Sands foi maravilhosa. Se você precisa de um local pra relaxar, sem barulho na área da piscina e no resort como um todo é o local ideal. Nota-se que o resort é de uma construção antiga, porém tudo muito limpo e bem cuidado. O carinho e cuidado de todos os funcionários é uma característica muito positiva. O café da manhã não é o forte do resort, oferece o básico. Tem dias que é buffet e outros a la carte, sem aviso prévio de qual será em cada dia. O jantares são muito bem preparados e saborosos. Em relação à praia do resort, é linda para apreciar, mas se você é o tipo de pessoa que gosta de tomar banho de mar não é a praia ideal, pois tem muitos corais e mesmo com a maré alta é uma praia muito rasa, e quando a maré fica baixa ela recua tanto que parece que nem tem mar na frente do resort. Mas, no geral, recomendamos o resort. Vale o custo-benefício.
• Cassandra (10/5): - Overall this is the perfect getaway! No distractions just the sounds of the ocean and the amazing staff! This is perfect if you want to getaway and truly relax! Options to explore are available. The pool is large and clean. The rooms get serviced twice a day. The bar was definitely my favorite spot!
• Omar (10/5): - This is by far the best hotel we've stayed in in a long time, probably best ever. The rooms are spacious and spotless clean. Every little detail is thought of. The beds are very comfortable and room service pass by twice a day to clean the room and for turn down. The staff were all very friendly and helpful. Especially Khamis and John who went our of their way to make sure we are comfortable. Food at the restaurant was also lovely and service there amazing. Staff are constantly keeping an eye on the tables, plates are removed the second they're empty, water refilled immediately after drinking etc. Downside here was the entertainment on the Swahili night, the guys were playing more western music. The beach is very pretty, even at low tide which didn't impact our stay much. We swam 2 or 3 times in the ocean. Its not crystal clear water though, expect some sea weed. We weren't disturbed by any beach sellers like we saw on some of the other beaches. Only slight down side is that there isn't much to do nearby at night. We drove one day to Paje and that was fun.
• Janet (10/5): - Fabulous stay at this very quiet, clean, secure resort. Very comfortable room. Staff are very attentive. Beautiful beach. Highly relaxing! Really enjoyed the Swahili buffet and music!
• Enoch Fernando (10/5): NO ES DE 5 ⭐️ PERO SI PERSONAL LO HACE 5 🌟 - EXTRAORDINARIO Simplemente así Todos sin excepción te atienden con una sonrisa, amables, acomedidos Nos la pasamos súper padrísimo los tres días que estuvimos ahí GRACIAS
• Verified traveler (10/5): Perfect place to relax - Our villa was super spacious, it was cleaned regularly, and it was nice to wake up in that beautiful garden. Service was very good, Mr. Ally and the team made us feel welcome and helped us with the early check out and late check out because of our flight times.
• Markzs (10/5): Top Hotel - Schöne Anlage, europäische Standart betr.Ausstattung,Sauberkeit, Komfort Überdurchschn.freundl.Personal Sehr schöner Strand, beachbar mit lunch und genügend liegen am Schatten. Einzig Ebbe und Flut beinträchtigen das Badevergnügen keine Strandverkäufer! Insgesamt ein wunderschöner Urlaub!
• Remie (10/5): - We hebben een heerlijk verblijf gehad. Het is schoon en fris, mooie tuin, direct aan zee. Huisjes zijn echt bizar groot/ruim. Het personeel is werkelijk altijd vriendelijk en correct. Een aanrader.
• Alessandro (8/5): - Il Sand beach resort è una bellissima struttura gestita con molta cura dal suo staff, sempre gentilissimo e pronto a soddisfare ogni tuo bisogno. A nostro giudizio anche la cena è sempre stata ottima, forse la colazione potrebbe essere un po’ arricchita ma nel complesso direi che si mangia molto bene. Quello che mi sento di segnalare è che il posto è molto distante dai luoghi di partenza di tutti i tour principali e quindi ogni volta è necessario fare 1 ora circa di taxi per raggiungerli. Altra annotazione importante è che, sebbene la spiaggia sia molto bella e ben curata, il mare non è assolutamente all’altezza degli standard dell’isola. In una settimana qui non abbiamo mai fatto il bagno, indipendentemente dalle maree che anche condizionano fortemente questo pezzo di costa. Insomma se come noi intendete usare il resort come base di appoggio per girare direi che è un posto magnifico, ma se l’idea è quella di restare nel resort dimenticate il mare azzurro cristallino di Zanzibar, dovrete accontentarvi decisamente. Concludo ringraziando nuovamente tutto lo staff del resort che è davvero eccellente.
• Jermaine (8/5): - Great hotel to stay to escape the busy hustle and bustle lifestyle. It is beautiful and quiet. Food is great. The only crtique i have is there are frequent power outages in the evening. Overall I would visit again.
• Oliver (8/5): Nice big villa - We did book a villa with an ocean view. And we got a very nice villa, clean and very comfortable. I would say it’s a bit of wasted money for the ocean view, because the villas are a bit behind the palm trees. But in general very beautiful and nice. Staff is very polite and friendly. Was a good experience.
• Jenny (10/5): - We really enjoyed our stay at the Sands Resort. Each suite is actually a separate bungalow with large, comfortable rooms and wonderful AC. There is an onsite restaurant that serves all day as well as a beach bar that serves snacks/meals during the daytime. It was very relaxing to be able to have all of our meals on the property. The staff were all very friendly and professional. Everything about the staff and property was wonderful. The hotel also offers excursions. The nice thing is that they are private which entailed having a driver and tours that were just for our party. However, I would not recommend doing the "swim with dolphins" excursion because there are too many other boats doing the same thing, and we didn't feel safe going in the water with so many boats moving around quickly to try to bring their passengers close to the dolphins. So, we stayed in the boat. Also, there were no life jackets available, and it was unclear how we would get in/out of the boat without a ladder or rope; the snorkel and other equipment was old, and we didn't get a chance to try the snorkel/mask before going on the water. We also did the Jozani Forest/Butterfly excursion, which was interesting to do to see the monkeys, mangroves, and butterflies, but the price the hotel charged seemed disproportionately higher than the experience merited; please note that I say this without knowing how much the hotel paid the driver to stay with us for several hours and for the forest guide.
• Elias (10/5): - We had such a Wonderful stay at the Sands. Great service and premises!
• Artur (10/5): - The staff at this hotel were incredibly welcoming and helpful throughout our stay. The rooms were immaculate and very comfortable. We also enjoyed the delicious dinner every night.
• antonio (8/5): Relaxing on the beach - Quite good stay Excellent food and location on the ocean side Optimum service and very kind personnel
• Edward (10/5): - Very nice, quiet place with a lovely beach and excellent staff. Very good food, too.
• Kara (10/5): - Absolutely stunning. Service beyond amazing. Quiet with gorgeous gardens and beach. Easy access for SCuBA diving. Incredibly friendly staff and felt completely safe with masai warriors guarding the hotel. Food was phenomenal Would absolutely go back.
• Shari (10/5): - The service was excellent. Everyone was very friendly and courteous. We really enjoyed our stay here
• Mark (10/5): - Location was tranquil and just what we were looking for at the start of our Zanzibar holiday. All the staff were amazingly welcoming and friendly. The team led by Ally are a credit to the hotel. The dining experience was quite special and we very much enjoyed the fresh barbecued fish at night, especially the huge tuna that a slice and thickness of your liking was cooked there and then and served to your table….in fact the staff even do your toast for you in the morning ! Overall hotel was perfect for our family of 4 including teenagers - if staying I would recommend a rental car to explore the local area, good deals can be found on arrival at the airport, we paid $30 USD a day and rental car company collected from hotel anywhere on the island for $20 USD.
• Michael (10/5): Skønt ophold - Elskede vores ophold på the Sands. De sødeste mennesker, god service, fin mad og sublim rengøring. Vær obs på, at der er tale en tidsvandsstrand, så der vil være tidspunkter på dagen, hvor der ikke kan svømmes i havet. Men hey - så er der altid poolen eller gode muligheder for at tage en bådtur ud og snorkle. Stedet har vores varmeste anbefalinger.
• Nasser (10/5): - It's a great hotel, with great staff. Very simple, yet clean and well kept. No TV in the rooms which could be nice as the evenings are quiet with not much activity around the area
• Kelly (10/5): - We had a marvelous stay. Incredible beach staff went the extra mile always. We cant recommend this destination enough. 5 stars all the way.
• Linda (8/5): - Wir hatten einen schönen Aufenthalt im The Sands Beach Resort. Die Villa war sehr großzügig und mit allem notwendigen ausgestattet. Jedoch waren die Fenster sehr undicht und nach den nächtlichen Gewittern stand häufig das Wasser im Zimmer. Außerdem funktionierte das WLAN auf dem Zimmer nicht und es kam häufig zu Stromausfällen auf der gesamten Anlage. Das Essen war gut, jedoch nicht sehr abwechslungsreich. Morgens gab es immer die gleiche, begrenzte Auswahl. Abends gab es frischen Fisch, der immer großartig geschmeckt hat. Die Strandanlage ist sehr schön und ruhig, jedoch benötigt man für das Meer aufgrund der Steine und Seeigel Badeschuhe, die man sich an der Rezeption ausleihen kann. Auch an diesem Strand wird man regelmäßig von "Beach Boys" angesprochen, jedoch deutlich weniger als an vielen anderen Stränden, wie bspw. in Paje. Das Personal ist in der Regel sehr nett und bemüht, insbesondere Head Waiter Kelvin hat uns stets sehr willkommen geheißen. Einige Putzfrauen hingegen wirkten schnell genervt, wenn sie nicht direkt ins Zimmer zur Reinigung konnten, weil wir uns noch dort aufgehalten haben. Die Lage des Resorts ist eher abgelegen und man benötigt eine Taxi um in den nächsten Ort zu gelangen. Jedoch liegen einige Sehenswürdigkeiten, wie bspw. The Rock Restaurant, Michamvi Sunset Beach, Maalum Cave und Paje in unmittelbarer Nähe.
• Valton (10/5): - Wunderschönes Ambiente und Service war excellent! Sehr empfehlenswert!
• Philip (10/5): - We had a great stay at the Sands. The staff were amazing, from Mr. Ally the GM to the executive chef and the cooks like Thomas who took care of us. The food was first class - this goes for breakfast right through to dinner. Amazing food and fantastic service. The beach was beautiful, clean and safe. We could not have asked for more. Even the Masai security guards were great! We loved it. Would definitely recommend the Sands in Zanzibar. We'll be back.
• Vincent (10/5): - The resort was 5 star! The staff was so helpful and attentive.. Ally the manager made sure everything was perfect! No only would I recommend this resort … we are going back! The perfect place to kick back a d get away from the hustle and bustle. Stone town is not far and a flight to Dar es Salaam was on 34 Dollars !!Just go and relax !
• EMILIO (10/5): - Regresaría definitivamente Es un hotel pequeño, estilo boutique, súper tranquilo y seguro. Nuestra habitación quedaba frente a la playa, la cual es preciosa. Lo mejor del hotel fue la atención personalizada y todo el Staff siempre tenía una sonrisa en su rostro, trasmitiendo el lema de la isla Hakuna Matata
• lorenzo (10/5): - Abbiamo prenotato senza conoscere la struttura. Una bellissima sorpresa. Personale puntuale e preciso. Unica cosa, forse, la poca varietà nei cibi alla colazione. Grazie a tutti, da Ally ad Isaac!
• Shaarik (10/5): - The Sands is a terrific resort, located on a beautiful beach, with incredible facilities, terrific food, and an amazing staff. Highly recommended. Go Deeper: The Sands Zanzibar Beach Resort is amazing. We stayed here with our two daughters in July 2023 and had an incredible time. This followed a safari on the mainland and then two nights in Stone Town at which point we were ready to relax and enjoy the beach. The Sands was exactly what we needed
• Meagan (10/5): - The Sands was amazing! It was an oasis of beautiful beaches, a large pool, and great food. Highly recommend!
• Amanda (8/5): - We recently spent 10 days at The Sands Beach resort. If you want entertainment, night life and things to do this isn’t the place for you. There doesn’t appear to be much on the main road leading to the hotel and the nearest town of any note is Paje a 15 min drive away (taxi $25 return) Here there are lots of bars and restaurants. There was a slight mix up with the transfer the hotel arranged but this was quickly sorted out. We were met with drinks on our arrival and cold towels. Much appreciated as we had 2 long flights. We arrived at the hotel early 10am and were shown straight to our room by Ally, the guest relations manager who goes out of his way to ensure that you have a great stay. The hotel was very quiet probably no more than 5-6 rooms occupancy out of 20 rooms for most of our stay. Our room had been upgraded to a sea view. The rooms themselves are basic but huge. The bedroom consists of a comfortable king size bed with mosquito nets and crisp white sheets, a chair, desk and luggage storage bench. A separate area had a wardrobe, shelf space and a safe. The bathroom was huge, with shower and one sink. There is a water heater but this only sufficient for one shower. The soft furnishings in the rooms need updating they are dingy and old fashioned, plain brown curtains and brown light shades with tassels on. This could easily be improved with some bright colours. Outside you have 2 chairs and a table on the veranda. The rooms are cleaned daily to a good standard. Isaya a
• Daniel (10/5): - We visited Sands Beach resort in mid-June for three nights. On the plus side, the staff (including Ally, guest relations manager) was consistently friendly, welcoming, and aimed to please. They were VERY accommodating, allowing a very late checkout with no additional charge, since our unit was not booked the evening of our checkout. The grounds of the resort were quite beautiful too. As was the beautiful pool area. Also the villas were very spacious. The meals were great and the servers were very attentive. They "hovered" a bit too much, but I'm sure they were trained this way. Americans may not appreciate "hovering" quite as much as Europeans. Not sure. Beach bartenders were also wonderful: Hassan and Isaya. Even the massage therapist was terrific! On the negative side: Our villa (and most others, we were told) had no WiFi. This was only available at the pool, restaurant or beach. The villa had very low lighting. Ally did offer to change to brighter bulbs but we opted not to bother them. Also the cabinet doors in the kitchen were all broken. We didn't need these cabinets but this issue was easy to spot by routine housekeeping, so they may have a limited repair budget. Finally, the resort would occasionally have power issues. They have their own generator when the local utility goes out, but if it ran too long, they might need to shut down ALL the WiFi. This happened just once or twice. Normally, the WiFi in the public areas was great.
• Bernhard (10/5): - a wonderful place to relaxe. we stil had low season and allmost the whole place for us, fantastic. The best stuff on the island, helpfull, nice, allways trying to forfill every whish. The Sands and the whole team made our vacations to what it was, a dream. Looking forward to be back.
• Wayne (10/5): Outstanding staff and spacious accommodations - Outstanding resort in Nungwi. From the time I arrived until my departure the service was top notch. If there was an issue it was resolved quickly to ensure you had the best possible time at The Sands resort. The gentleman named Ally was like having a vacation angel watching over you to make sure you were enjoying your time there. He constantly checked on us and other guest. We appreciate him for doing so. The food was delicious and each day a different selection of items. There were 2 chefs and both visited out table after dinner on various days. They did a great job. On separate days there was the whole tuna carving station one day and dorado carving stations another day, delicious as well. One of the chefs tried out his recipe for American pancakes on us Sunday morning and this recipe definitely needs to be a permanent part of Sunday breakfast, they were so good. The wait staff was great we had one gentleman a few times and he was great at anticipating our need’s and making dinner a pleasant experience. The beach bartenders were funny and great with the drinks and food service for lunch. The housekeeping staff was also excellent. I had to do some work one day and observed them cleaning the room. I doubt there was a spot missed as they were very focused on making sure the room was refreshed properly. When I return to Zanzibar I’ll split my time between Nungwi and Kendwa. I will definitely revisit The Sands resort in Nungwi. I wish all the staff the very best.
• Benjamin (10/5): Amazing!!! All was perfect!!! - All more perfect and better than we can expected! Thanks a lot for making our honeymoon a reality!
• Geert (10/5): Good place to stay it is great - Nothing to say. It was just great especially after the negative experience at konokono beach
• Verified traveler (8/5): Great people and ambiance - This hotel had the best staff we had the pleasure of meeting! The service was amazing, the beach was great (very low tide until afternoon though), room was fine also. The only bad thing to mention is the food, wasn’t the best, but we also had worse.
• JEANETTE Shari (10/5): - The best resort I’ve ever stayed at. The staff were so friendly and my bungalow was absolutely beautiful. I am so sad now that I am home because I want to go back!
• Verified traveler (10/5): - Had an amazing experience at this hotel. The villas were spacious and clean. The food at the restaurant was delicious. The staff and management were able to take care of all of our needs with no hesitation. Would definitely stay here again.
• Verified traveler (10/5): mazing stay - Very good service, excellent food offered as well. Highly recommend villa with private pool, as you can relax even more than in the general area. Beach bar is very nice as well.
• Verified traveler (10/5): - I liked everything about the hotel. I stayed for only 6 days but i wish i would have stayed longer. The villas are very private with no interaction or noise from other guests. The staff are also amazing, very attentive on the guest’s needs. The hotel is right at the beach with white sand and very good to go swim, though it’s not possible to swim during low tide. I also loved the menu, there’s a great variety of foods on all meals which are mostly buffets and a la carte menus on some nights. I would definitely come back here whebever i visit Zanzibar
• Daniel (10/5): Amazing place, amazing staff, worth every penny - Amazing stay, the staff were all so helpful and friendly. Thank you to Semeni, Milka, Hamida, Alfred, Lucas, Hassan, Edgar and Ziada for making our stay so comfortable and enjoyable
• Daniel (10/5): A must stay location in Zanzibar - I had a wonderful time staying at the Sands the lovely team of staff worked so hard to make the stay so enjoyable I was sad to leave. From catering to our every needs in the kitchen to helping us get a local mobile SIM card we were so well looked after. Special thanks to Semeni, Hassan, Milka, Hamida, Alfred, Ziada and Lucas
• Kp (8/5): - This is a very nice property. Staff are exceptional. The beach is still on the northern side of the island where there is alot of coral so many not the best for yound kids who want to swim. I would aome back. Very pleasant and relaxing
• Yousef (10/5): - This is the best hotel to stay in Zanzibar, I cannot believe that this hotel was super, we are very happy, the staff is helpful, the food was delicious and perfect , I love it
• Verified traveler (8/5): - In a Lovely quiet position in spacious grounds the resort has large comfortable rooms. The food choice was pretty good and always well presented but needs better coffee with breakfast! The staff were brilliant always helpful an charming although sometimes a little slow at the beach bar
• Chad (10/5): Relaxing beach resort - Great little resort on a beautiful beach. Stayed in a multi room house with a private pool. Very comfortable. Helpful at planning activities. Staff was all so friendly, especially the ones at the beach bar and at the restaurant. Very clean and the AC worked great
• Verified traveler (10/5): - Staff were amazing. Property felt safe. My family and I thoroughly enjoyed our time there.
• Verified traveler (10/5): - Wonderful, relaxing place to just chill out. The staff were amazingly friendly and helpful. Our ocean view villa was spacious and immaculately clean and the food was also very good indeed. Really fantastic all round and we were so sad to leave. Not much more I can add, really.
• shaz (10/5): Fantastic beach front hotel - My 7 year old daughter and I travelled to Zanzibar for the first time. What a fantastic and warm welcome we received from the staff who simply were marvellous throughout our stay. The hotel was is on the sea front with a beautiful white sandy beach and can only be described as a tropical paradise with colourful well maintained gardens and a large pool. The accommodation is in bungalows which gives lots of privacy and is quiet which is ideal for families and couples. The only thing i would say is the bed is a little too firm. Dinner and breakfast is included which is great as I rarely needed lunch alough my daughter did as dinner is served at 7:30 pm . The food was super, mostly a buffets with lots of choices and options. The chef was great and came to meet guests during their first meal. I am definitely planning to return to the hotel.
• Verified traveler (4/5): Will not stay here again - Food was awful and very overpriced. Don't eat here. Go down the beach to a local place. The spa was awful. I had bruises after the massage and left bleeding from three fingers after a manicure. And it was very over priced. The only thing this place has is a nice beach.
• Verified traveler (8/5): Peaceful and quiet hotel to relax in! - The hotel is clean and spacious and the staff are very warm and welcoming. We had 2 x sea view villas but they were set quite far back from the beach. As a result, although we could see the sea, it was not a front line view as we had expected. The dining experience was good and they staff in the restaurant were very attentive and friendly too. The food was good and varied - especially if you're a fan of sea food. The hotel has some day beds where all 4 of us could lounge around all day by the beach. Awesome! What was not so good: Although the bedrooms were nice, spacious and clean, the bathrooms had chipped tiles and grouting was coming away - but it was still acceptable. The hotel offers room service, but to order it you have to walk to reception as the rooms don't have phones! One final thing missing was that there were no staff taking orders for drinks or snacks around your sunbeds etc... You had to go and order from the beach bar and they would be delivered to you. Overall, would I go back? Yes! The personal attention from the staff of this small hotel (max around 54'ish guests) and the peace and quiet made it an excellent place to go and recharge. Would be even better if they sorted out the few issues mentioned above.
• Javier (10/5): - Great place to enjoy a nice beach. Very helpful staff. Great food at the restaurant.
• Verified traveler (8/5): Friendly spacious beach side hotel - The Sands has recently been renovated which might explain why it was quieter than other hotels on the Dongwe beach stretch. For me the quiet and serenity was blissful and the layout of the compound means even if the hotel is full you wouldn't be disturbed by your neighbours. Rooms are clean spacious and all have a sea view. Super friendly and helpful staff. Only tiny gripe is the lack of proactive waiter service at the beach beds or by the pool. Also lunch menu really poor and costly ($14 for a small margherita pizza) but on the plus side you have the excellent Fishers restaurant 2 mins walk down the beach. I feel this place will mature into a gem of a resort but meantime I recommend highly as a serene quiet special place to stay.
• William Brad (8/5): Beautiful, quiet hotel right on the beach. - We loved our stay. We were one of a few guests during our stay. We had a great staff that took care of us. We loved the size, the decor and the comfort of the two bedroom villa. The only hiccup was the hot water heater didn't work well or it wasn't big enough for the whole villa. Overall, we had a nice stay.

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