Unguja Lodge

Stayed for 4 magical nights with my 6 year old daughter. Martien and staff are a family and welcomed us with love and incredible hospitality. Out of a a 10-night Zanzibar trip in which we stayed in a couple of 5-star resorts as well as Unguja (TUI Blue Bahari and Park Hyatt), the food, atmosphere, service and pristine nature at Unguja was unmatched by the resorts. Several times we had the beach to ourselves, and we were NEVER hit up by local “guides” and beach boys (this is rampant in the resort areas and Stone Town). At night all you can hear is the ocean and animals (at the resorts there was less of that and more man-made noise). We really appreciated getting a different paper each night explaining various aspects of our surroundings. All our arrangements for excursions and transport were done by Martien and his amazing staff. We encountered Dik-Diks, Elephant Shrews, monkeys, hermit crabs, and a bat, all happily living in the lodge. My daughter got the full princess treatment from the staff and couldn’t be happier. I had to tell her not to chase the dik-diks! We really hope to come back one day. Thank you so much Martien and staff for welcoming us to Zanzibar in your unique style. The love was received and I hope you felt it from us too.

This lodge provided a lot of positives for our last few days in Zanzibar. Martin runs a tight shop with his employees who are very friendly and attentive. There were only a few other guests there so it was really quiet and relaxing. The rooms are very large and the views breathtaking. The chef is excellent and provided delicious choices at every meal. Martin arranged a walking tour of the village outside the resort which we found very interesting. He also arranged a boat, BBQ, and snorkeling trip which we enjoyed. It was fun watching the monkeys in the trees and living amongst nature. What was missing here were the little extras that would make this resort luxury. The faucets were pitted, the pool area towels need to be replaced with new ones, the room towels need an upgrade and the pillows on the chairs need a cleaning. Overall, we enjoyed our stay and the pros were more than the cons.

We had a great stay. There are a lot of things to like. The staff are very helpful (although things do sometimes get lost in translation). The food was consistently excellent. When one of our group has a birthday they provided a free cake and did a impromptu song and dance for her, which was a real highlight. The location right next to the beach and amongst the trees is stunning. The pool is good. The villas are very spacious. We loved watching the local wildlife: moneys, lizards, elephant shrews, dik diks and more. The monkeys seemed just as interested in us. We got very few insect bites. It is also small, quiet and secluded. We were the only people there for some of our stay. We liked that, other people might feel differently. On the minus side, it does feel a bit tired in places. Some of the seats in the dining area are broken, some of the fixtures in the rooms are corroded by the salt air and I got a shock off one of the light switches. And it is a bit of a drive from attractions such as Josani and Stonetown. However we felt the plusses far outweighed the minuses.

Our time at the lodge was relaxing and peaceful.  We visited between seasons so we six were the only guests which meant we recieved very personalized attention.  I can't really comment on the value since it was part of our tour package; however the drink prices are reasonable.  While the accommodations are spacious, comfortable and spotless, the food prepared by the team of chefs is truly outstanding.  You are offered a wide variety of choices at each meal. Ie.  seafood, fish, meat or vegetarian for the main course. Once you have reached sensory overload from exotic Stonetown, Unguja Lodge is the place to recharge yourself.  But don't forget to visit the nearby village and interact with the locals.  They enjoy sharing a conversation and welcoming you.  The people are beautiful and the children delightful.

If you are looking for a rejuvenating break, quality time and meaningful authentic experience, Unguja lodge is the right choice for you. Every lodge has its own character and equipped with everything you need for a relaxing holiday. I stayed in a sea view lodge and the ocean view was simply priceless. Food and drink were of the highest quality too. A very own chef was cooking fresh fish every nigh and if you are like me a seafood/fish lovers, this is a place for you. Monkeys are frequent visitors and the bush around lodges is bustling with wildlife. Fabulous choice for scuba diving lovers too. An instructor on site is very friendly, helpful and knowledgable. Martie, who runs the lodge, has vast experience in hospitality and certainly knows how to look after his guests. Fabulous place, people, food and of course the ocean.

We had a wonderful one-week stay at Unguja lodge in January 2023. The staff were incredibly kind and attentive. We had many laughs practicing our Swahili. They made us a special romantic meal served next to the ocean for our last night, complete with our names weaved from palm leaves. The hardest part of our stay was deciding between the many great options for each course of each meal. The food was always fresh and delicious! Fresh donuts and fruit to start off breakfast- you can’t go wrong. And there was always a seafood and fish option for dinner to showcase the local catch of the day, as well as a meat and vegetarian option. The location was wonderful and we were able to swim at almost any time of day. The tides just changed the water levels. The pool was always clean and inviting. We loved watching the local fishermen going out in their sailboats each day.

We had an amazing time at Unguja. It really is a laid back, seaside paradise. Diving/snorkeling facilities are on-sight: we just stepped out of our house, into our diving suit and onto the boat. 15mins later and we were in the water! Martien is an excellent host who took care of us during you’re stay. We admired his passion for the lodge and the fact that he makes an effort to keep everything as local and freshly made as possible. We loved our stay and definitely recommend Unguja to other travellers.

Me and my husband stayed for 4 days, and how did we enjoy.... it really is a heavenly place, in the middle of beautiful nature with amazing people. As we are divers, I especially want to say something about the diving (and snorkeling) (in other reviews you can read what a wonderful place it is (AND IT REALLY IS TRUE!) so I will focus on the diving because I couldn't read a lot about it in the reviews). JUST GO DIVING WITH THEM ! :-) Our experience here really was amazing.... A really nice range of wonderful dive spots: a mix of spots closeby or further away, shallow dives or deep dives, normal boat dive or drift dive, day dive or night dive,... Wether you are a beginner or an experienced diver, it doens't matter ! You will surely enjoy the diving soooooo much. People helped us carriyng our material, helping us in and out of the boat,... Another really important thing: very very good material. They really invest in good quality, and they take care of it. The ywork with a very good dive guide, really pluspoint because a lot depends on the dive guide. He also immediately felt how we loved diving. I can only be positive about him. After diving, our dinner was served and we could enjoy a nice drink with heavenly food (oeehhhh I loved the curries...........) with the sounds of nature around us... I won't sum up everyting we saw, but I can assure you it was so amazing. I felt likt swimming in an aquarium. And the nightdive: WAUW, just book it. About the snorkeling: really lovely. In zanzibar, not so many places are possible to go snorkeling but here you can. And you will enjoy because you can see very nice things! (off course, we went diving a lot so only went snorkeling 2 times) I surely want to go back ;) Last thing I wnat to tell you: how nice it was when cute friendly monkeys were playing a few meters away from us while enjoying a lovely drink, at the moment we arrived :) we couldn't have a more beautfiful welcome together with a wonderful welcoming from the hosts. And this amazing feeling kept going on. The personal approuch from the hosts made us feel very special, and really makes it worth staying here (together with so many other reasons!)

This was our second visit to this boutique hotel, the first was not too long after it opened. Some aspects of the lodge are looking a bit tired, but hardly surprising after the pandemic. Matters are in hand though, and I am confident that these minor issues will be dealt with very soon. Nothing has really changed the area is heavily wooded and full of wildlife, we had good views of the local dik diks, and the unusual elephant shrews, plus many frogs and lizards. The surrendering trees are full of birds and there is always something to see. We stayed once again in seaview villa number 7, and it was as spectacular as ever. A huge comfortable bed enclosed with insect nets, although we did not need to use the net. The sea views are spectacular and there is nothing better than sitting on the viewing platform with a cup of coffee in the morning. Where Unguja truly stands out is in the quality of the staff, who without exception are friendly, polite and very enthusiastic. Nothing is too much trouble for them. On our last night they gave us a candlelit dinner overlooking the sea, then the entire staff came down to sing and dance around us to say goodbye. A new service is a massage in your room. I had been suffering from a sore back for weeks, but the firm massage I was given totally cured it and it really was one of the best massages I have ever had. Do not miss it. We so enjoyed being back at our special place and we will certainly make every effort to get back as soon as we can. It really is an oasis of peace and quiet and just the way to unwind after a safari.