Kisiwa on the Beach

Kisiwa on the Beach Resort surpassed all my expectations! It was my first time to Zanzibar (visiting from Toronto, Canada after volunteering and safari on mainland Tanzania) and quite a few people recommended Nungwi Beach but I heard Paje Beach was just as beautiful and a bit quieter and closer to the airport. I’m so glad I chose this resort on Paje Beach! The service here is the best I have ever experienced. I travelled with my two sons, aged 10 and 13. The staff were super friendly and attentive to them. I seemed to get the same wait staff each day who came to know my preferences and made sure they had everything I wanted to order. Juma Simba was absolutely phenomenal. He was our server and also served the bar by the pool most days. My kids loved him! He went out of his way for anything we needed. Emmanuel the bartender was fantastic! He had a new cocktail special every day and they were fantastic! Regina at the spa was amazing! I had a massage and a pedicure and it was so relaxing. The spa is beautiful. The managers checked in with us several times and the whole staff was very attentive and proactive. The pool and pool area are perfect. Great size and temperature. The loungers and straw umbrellas on the beach are beautiful and private. The beach itself is gorgeous and there are security guards as well, and we always felt safe. Even when walking the beach, we always felt safe. Sometimes the Maasai people would come up to you to try to sell you items, but they were pretty good at moving on if you weren’t interested. There are kite surfers all over the beach and my sons enjoyed watching them do their flips and tricks. Also, the food was the best I have experienced in Tanzania. It surpassed any expectations I had. I was pleasantly surprised! Overall, I would recommend this resort to anyone. It is pure paradise and I’ve never stayed anywhere nicer than this, or with better service. I will definitely be returning!

+ve We had a shuttle bus waiting for us at the airport (extra charge) that took us directly to the hotel. It is a 1-hour drive and you get to see life in Zanzibar streets. When we arrived we were met by the hotel manager and his team. We were introduced to them one by one and had a refreshing hibiscus welcome drink. The hotel is made up of villas and a lot of greenery. The rooms are very large and accommodating. Booked the half accommodation package and so had breakfast and dinner . The dinner was a seated dinner but on Sunday it was an open buffet of Swahili dishes with a band singing. The food is very tasty. The the lounge is an open air area which has beautiful vibes. Very peaceful and quiet place. Very helpful and decent staff. It is a walking distance to a fish restaurant called Swahili fish restaurant and Maalum cave where you can swim in a cave. There is a low tide around 2 pm so practically you cannot swim but it was a very nice geographical phenomena to see. We waded through the water for a long distance and had a swim. Otherwise the water level is normal and you can swim anytime of the day. We had a very nice time in the hotel and with definitely recommended to others and come back again. 5 stars experience -ve The bedrooms are not 100% dark because there is a high window that has no curtain. It did not bother us at all but I thought to mention it in case someone does not sleep except in darkness. The TV was a bit small for the large sitting area. There is a gym that has a variety of machines but unfortunately no one was there when we went and so I was not able to use the machines because I did not know how to operate them. There needs to something like a drying line to dry our bathing suits on.

We spent an amazing week in the Kisiwa hotel. All the staff is very caring ! The location is perfect for chill and kite surfing. The rooms are well equipped and very clean. Special mention for Stephano the best waiter ever ! I recommend without problems.. I hope come back one day