Unguja Lodge
Kizimkazi, Zanzibar
Small, personal lodge offering barefoot luxury, stylish organic architecture, fantastic marine life and total seclusion
If your idea of heaven is living virtually outdoors amongst nature,
with the bush on one side and the sea on the other, then Unguja
Resort is for you. Opened in December 2006 by Dutch couple Ralph
and Elies, the lodge's intimate feel ensures a much more personal
experience than Zanzibar's other hotels. Attracting a mix of
thirtysomething couples and young families, guests enjoy mingling
and chatting over drinks or dinner.
Barefoot luxury is high on the agenda – a
bougainvillea-fringed swimming pool and 12 thatched
villas each with tonnes of space and architect-designed.
However, it is not for those who equate quality with room service,
a champagne-filled minibar and a flat-screen TV. Its blissful
element stems from the fact that the hotel, on the southern tip of
the island, feels completely cut off from the world - so much so
that one couple became so relaxed they slept in way past check-out
time. Local activities include snorkelling and diving, village
tours and dolphin spotting; day trips further afield to offshore
island can also be organised.
Reviewed by Rachel Hamada
Last updated 22 February 2012
Highs
- Hands-on owners create a friendly, laid-back atmosphere
- Strong local identity - staff are mainly local with links to the neighbouring village, Kizimkazi
- Close to nature and away for the main tourist resorts (you can see wildlife you might not encounter elsewhere in Zanzibar such as monkeys and dolphins)
- On site PADI dive centre with access to largely unexplored sites
- Large funky rooms with sweeping curved white walls, loos with a view and lots of Zanzibari character
Lows
- Mosquitoes can be ferocious - take lots of repellent!
- The open-plan villas mean you need to be careful about what you leave lying around; there can also be some loss of privacy
- Lack of menu choice could be problematic for some, although the food is delicious
- The local staff are enthusiastic and pleasant, but don't all speak good English, so it can be hard to communicate
