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Zanzibar hotels, south east coast.
South East Coast
The Sultan’s Palace is a small, very exclusive hotel
which is part of the Relais and Chateaux Group. It opened in
1999 and provides “bare foot luxury”. The main building has
a terrace overlooking the ocean and on the first floor the
restaurant serves international and Swahili cuisine. The
meals are memorable, mainly Zanzibari and Mediterranean.
Location – North of the village of Bwejuu and
approximately 1.5 hours drive from Stone Town.
Accommodation – 15 individual cottages, each with
their own little garden overlooking the beach and Indian
Ocean beyond. The cottages are extremely spacious (150
square metres) furnished to the very highest standard and
each with a verandah where you enjoy your morning breakfast.
Garden suites look over the gardens. The Imperial Suites
provide the largest and some of the most luxurious
accommodation on Zanzibar.
Facilities – There is no swimming pool, but the Hotel
arranges snorkelling (from it’s own “ngalawa”, a local
fishing boat, in the lagoon in front of the hotel. Scuba
diving is organized through the dive centre at Breezes Beach
Club and the hotel can arrange big game fishing. The central
building houses the bar and restaurant as well as a terrace
where afternoon tea is served. Lunches are served in the
beachside restaurant.
Karafuu Hotel Beach Resort is ideally located on a
blissful stretch of palm-fringed beach on the east coast
with white sand and dazzling blue water – just what you’re
after in a beach resort. The spacious, cool reception area
under makuti (palm thatch) is impressive, especially when
you are visiting the resort for the first time. You
instantly know you are in a top-notch hotel. There is an
enormous pool around which you will find guests soaking up
the sun. The clientele is largely international, so you will
hear a variety of accents. A little further along is the
beach with a generous strip of sand with sun lounges sets a
good distance apart from each other under the palm trees.
Warm hospitality comes naturally to the Swahili staff, who
are impeccably dressed in long, robed uniforms. You are
welcomed with the traditional greeting of karibu and we
found there was always someone on hand to assist with a
smile. The service is excellent.
The air-conditioned hotel has all the expected facilities:
fully equipped dive and watersports centre, disco,
boutiques, tennis courts and satellite television. The rooms
are extremely comfortable and styled in a modern Zanzibar
theme. They provide a welcome relief from the sun when you
have spent the day by the pool or diving and lazing on the
beach.
The eastern side of the island is greatly influenced by the
tide. You can sunbathe on the beach and slip straight into
the water and swim far out when the tide is high. When the
tide recedes, there is a specially constructed walkway on
which to walk out in a natural sea pool. There is also a
sparkling swimming pool with pool bar in which to cool off
during low tide.
If you are fond of buffet meals, you will be pleased to know
that Karafuu serves buffets for breakfast, lunch and dinner
so there is always good variety.
The hotel opened in 1995 and is aptly named after the
Swahili word for cloves, Karafuu, which are grown in
abundance on Zanzibar (especially on Pemba).
Thinking of getting married on a paradise island? Ourselves
and Karafuu will give you exciting ideas for a romantic
wedding and honeymoon.
The hotel has over 90 rooms, divided into standard rooms and
junior suite cottages. Only 26 of the junior suites are
situated along the beachfront. The others are set a short
distance back in the tropical gardens. All have easy access
to the long stretch of beach.
All the rooms have makuti (palm-thatch) roofs and are
decorated in a modern style with some Zanzibari
characteristics. They are very clean, well maintained and
comfortable. They all have air-conditioners, ceiling fans,
mini-bars, telephones and en-suite bathrooms. Each room has
its own veranda and the beds have mosquito nets. In order
not to spoil the romance of a beach holiday there are no
televisions in the rooms. If you need to catch up on news or
watch a movie, there’s a satellite television room in the
main lodge.
There are 28 elegant standard rooms, which have flowing
mosquito nets, marble bathrooms and balconies or verandas.
The 61 junior cottages are more spacious with dressing rooms
and an entrance through the lush garden.
We obviously recommend the junior suite cottages with sea
views, but these are more expensive. If you are not really
fussed about the extra luxuries, or the view, then the
standard rooms are just as good.
We highly recommend the cuisine at Karafuu. There are theme
evenings, different venues to choose from and you can even
have a romantic dinner right on the beach.
There is an amazing choice of five restaurants:
? The main restaurant serving generous buffets
? A barbeque restaurant for buffet lunch on the terrace.
? The a la carte Grand Bleu, which serves spicy lobster and
other seafood.
? Masai Village, where you can taste local Swahili cuisine.
? A floating restaurant for a private dinner on the Indian
Ocean.
Karafuu is situated on the east coast, 65km from Stone Town
and the airport.
General facilities:
? Five restaurants.
? Large swimming pool.
? Discotheque.
? Satellite television room.
? Full water sports centre, including water-skiing,
kayaking, deep-sea fishing, windsurf school, snorkeling and
diving. The dive school supports PADI, SSI AND CMAS methods
of diving at all levels.
? Two floodlit tennis courts.
? Game room with billiards, darts and table tennis.
? Volleyball court and bowls
? Conference room
? Two boutiques and a chemist.
Room facilities:
? Air-conditioner and ceiling fan
? Telephone
? Mini-bar
? Hairdryer
? Mosquito nets
? Marble bathrooms.
Activities:
? You can visit Stone Town, Jozani Forest, spice gardens,
old sultan baths and historical sites.
? Take advantage of the hotel’s watersports and excellent
facilities.
Open: All year round.
Hakuna Majiwe Beach Resort is one of those rare finds
that you stumble across quite by accident. Whilst on our
last journey to Zanzibar in June, we saw this place being
built, but ignored it thinking it was going to be a local
guesthouse, not worth mentioning on our guide. Whilst
sitting at the pub in Paje, we met the owners. Upon meeting
them, we immediately liked them and decided to take a look
and see for ourselves…and what we discovered was one of the
best-kept secrets on the South East Coast of Zanzibar.
The story starts with Claudio having a lifelong dream of
coming to Zanzibar and building a lodge. Whilst finalizing
the land purchase, Claudio came across a young little girl
on the beach who told him she really loves the beach, as it
is “hakuna majiwe” meaning “it is without stones”. The rest
is history.
The owners, Claudio hails from Milan and his girlfriend
Margherita from Rome. As these are the fashion capitals of
the world, you can well imagine the style and ambience they
have brought to their lodge. Added to this, Claudio has been
very particular in using indigenous products in building the
lodge and has kept the surrounding as intact as possible. He
is currently trying to secure the area as a marine
sanctuary.
The lodge is located on one of the most beautiful beaches on
the southeastern side of Zanzibar. It is about an hour’s
drive from Stone Town. A bonus is that guests are able to
walk a variety of restaurants and pubs in the area, should
you wish to go out and find alternative leisure.
Claudio and Margherita have used bright colours and wood to
make the place look absolutely stunning. They have a
fantastic bar and restaurant area situated almost on the
beach under a large thatch like structure. Guests are able
to enjoy cocktails and meals in charming surroundings.
There is a brand new swimming pool installed late in August
2004.
There are 16 rooms in total in semi-detached units of 2
rooms each. All rooms have ceiling fans, en-suite bathrooms
with hot water and a lovely verandah facing out on to the
beach.
One thing about the Italians is that they have style. The
rooms all have stunning wooden floors leading from in room
out on to the verandah. The rooms have been painted in a
tasteful yellow and they have used dark woods for the
furnishings. We always know when a woman is present in the
management of a lodge, as they have this flair of making a
place feel just that much more homely. This is exactly what
Magherita has done. The beautiful Zanzibar double beds blend
in with the wooden floors and d?cor. They definitely set a
new Zanzibar style.
Hakuna Majiwe also has a family room measuring 6x6 metres
and can comfortably accommodate 2 adults and 2 children, or
3 adults. As the rooms are semi-detached with 2 rooms, you
could also house your children in the room next to you quite
safely.
Cuisine is a blend of Italian, local food and international.
Breakfast is served from the buffet which consists of local
fruits, breads, cereals and eggs. Lunches and dinners are
from an a la carte menu and is very reasonably priced. As
with all Italians, they are very particular about their food
quality. The lodge’s local chef, Agi, is the specialist in
the local cuisines and vegetarian meals, while Claudio who
comes from a restaurant background prepares the Italian
specialties, fish and Japanese sushi (well he is working on
it). Dining here is excellent.
Location: Hakuna Majiwe is situated in Domocuchu, near Paje
on the South East Coast of Zanzibar. It is about an hour and
a quarter drive from Stone Town.
Hotel facilities:
? Restaurant
? Bar area
? Swimming pool
Room facilities:
? 16 Rooms (all sea view)
? Ceiling fans
? En suite bathroom
? Hot water facilities
? Mosquito net
? Large verandah.
Activities:
? Snorkelling
? Bicycle rides
? Fishing
? 3 boats (4.5m, 5m and 6m all with 50hp motors)
Services:
? Massage service
? Laundry
? 24 hours doctor on call
? Airport transfers
Hakuna Majiwe is open all year round.
Accommodation ranges from US$ 90 per person.
The Sunrise Hotel is a good mid-range hotel. European
owned and managed. Set in lush gardens, this delightful
small hotel is right on the beach. There is a genteel,
old-fashioned atmosphere and the staff are well trained and
attentive.
Location – 3 kms north of Bwejuu, just over 1 hour
from Stone Town.
Accommodation – The ensuite bungalow bedrooms are
clean and cool with ceiling fans and small verandah.
Facilities – The restaurant has an excellent
reputation, not surprisingly as it is supervised by the
owner, George Noel who has a background of catering in
Belgium. The bar overlooks the beach/ocean. A small swimming
pool has recently been added.
Accommodation ranges from US$ 50 per person.
The Sau Inn is a locally owned and managed hotel
providing mid-range accommodation. There are other hotels in
close proximity which give alternative places to eat, as
well as the possibility of taking meals with local people in
their homes.
Location – At Jambiani, a large fishing village
approximately 1.5 hours drive from Stone Town.
Accommodation – The accommodation bungalows are set
in attractive tropical gardens. There are 3 rooms in each
bungalow, rooms are quite small, ensuite, traditionally
furnished, with verandas overlooking the gardens.
Facilities – The central building which contains the dining
area, bar and reception, has open sides and looks over the
beach and ocean. The Hotel will arrange snorkeling over the
reef in front of the hotel, swimming with dolphins at
Kizimkazi, visits to the Jozani Forest etc.
Accommodation ranges from US$ 50 per person.
Visitors Inn Beach Hotel – Bed and Breakfast
Accommodation ranges from US$ 30 per person.
Pongwe Beach Hotel – Bed and Breakfast
Accommodation ranges from US$ 60 per person.
Palm Beach Inn is owned/managed by Niala Jadawi who
used to be an MP and still carries considerable influence.
The budget/mid-range hotel is set in well-tended gardens
overlooking the beach. There is a tranquil atmosphere with a
definite local feel.
Location – In the heart of Bwejuu Village, about 1.25
hours drive from Stone Town.
Accommodation – The clean, en-suite rooms are
air-conditioned with fridges, fans are colourfully
decorated. Some of the rooms are set back a little from the
beach. There is 1 family room.
Facilities – The restaurant serves local food,
including seafood specialties. Excursions can be arranged.
There are other places to eat in the village.
Accommodation Rates in sea facing suite – US$ 110 per room,
Bed and Breakfast.
Paje By Night. With its funky and vibrant atmosphere,
Paje is the place to go to have fun in a relaxed setting
close to a beautiful beach.
If you’re allergic to fancy air-conditioned resorts and want
something more in touch with its surroundings, Paje by Night
is the place to be. This vibrant, budget hotel, situated
near the magnificent Paje beach on the eastern coast of
Zanzibar, simply oozes character and charm.
Paje by Night has one of the best atmospheres on the island,
thanks to the brilliant team of fun-loving managers and
staff. A young Italian by the name of Marco, whose lively
character is infectious, runs it. You are bound to love him
and feel instantly relaxed. The barmen and waiters are
equally vibey and great to be around, making Paje’s bar the
social hub of the area (hence the name Paje by Night). The
restaurant serves excellent meals at reasonable price and is
well regarded in the area. There’s a central fireplace
around which to gather and socialise in the evenings and
listen to the occasional impromptu drumming session.
A sandy pathway leads through the coconut palms to one of
the most beautiful beaches on Zanzibar. Not only is it
postcard perfect-swaying palms, soft white sand and gorgeous
turquoise sea –the water is deep enough to swim at high and
low tide. This is an enormous bonus when compared to other
beaches on this coast that are greatly affected by tidal
variances.
Another plus is the fact that Paje is not your typical beach
resort. You do not get regimented rows of sun lounges set
out hardly any space between them. This beach is an
authentic window on the pulse of Zanzibar. Village life
carries on in a quiet, tranquil fashion. Sometimes the beach
is totally deserted. At other times you’ll see local women
harvesting seaweed in the water, fishermen venturing to sea
in an outrigger canoe or villagers cycling past with their
fish baskets. No one disturbs you much. There might be the
occasional group of children asking for money or pens and
paper, but they are usually friendly and not invasive.
You can lie anywhere you want on the beach or find a private
place in-between the palm trees. You can even enjoy a
coconut oil massage right on the beach or have your hands
and feet painted in traditional Muslim henna pattern (of
course, that’s if the village women are about). There are
other small guesthouses tucked away behind the palm trees,
but no large hotels on this stretch of coastline.
Call it what you will, Paje by Night is somewhere in-between
a funky backpackers, a beach guesthouse and a small, budget
hotel. It does not look much on arrival, but don’t that faze
you. The management has done its utmost to spruce up the
place. As you walk around you will see ethnic paintings and
colourful patterns decorating the walls, hammocks calling
out to be lazed on, a craft centre full of gorgeous things
to buy and gardens flourishing in between the coral
pathways. The rooms are simple, but very comfortable, clean
and tidy.
Guests are offered a range of activities. You can go fishing
with a local fisherman in his dhow and enjoy a meal at his
home in the village. Paje is also situated close to Jozani
Forest (8km away) and Kizimkazi (25km away), which means
excursions are less costly than you’ll find in Stone Town.
You can also hire bicycles or motorbikes and explore. If you
want to dive, we recommend catching a taxi to Breezes Beach
Club further up the coast.
If you are after a true Zanzibar experience, value-for-money
accommodation and loads of relaxed fun, Paje by Night is
hard to beat.
There are 18 rooms arranged in rows on the outskirts of the
property. They all have ceiling fans, mosquito nets and
en-suite bathrooms (except the family rooms, which share a
bathroom). Not all the rooms have hot water, which is not
too much of a problem in the hot Zanzibar climate.
There are 10 standard rooms, five king-size rooms and two
deluxe rooms. Four of the standard rooms are suitable for
families and have interleading doors and one shared
bathroom.
The best rooms to choose are the deluxe as they are large
and have hot water. However, do not be too disappointed if
these aren’t available as all the rooms are comfortable and
the shower water is more lukewarm than cold. If you’re with
a few friends, there are rooms, which can be made into
triples, with three single beds.
The accommodation at Paje by Night is simple, but clean and
comfortable. This is a rare find in Zanzibar as most budget
places have dodgy rooms.
The hotel’s manager, Marco originates from Venice and ran a
restaurant in Stone Town before moving to Paje. His
restaurant know-how, combined with the natural flair of the
Swahili chefs, makes the restaurant a great hit with guests
and visitors. During the day, the open-walled restaurant
serves the most awesome pizzas, as well as a variety of a la
carte options. For dinner, you can choose from this menu or
find out what special is being prepared. We highly recommend
the three-course Swahili dinner. It is a treat and is
exceptionally reasonable, given the prices at some
restaurants in Zanzibar. If you are a tea drinker, ask for
their spiced tea – it is so tasty you will never want to
drink standard Ceylon again.
From Paje by Night’s open-walled bar you can gaze down a
sandy path lined with coconut trees to the dazzling blue
ocean beyond. In the day, when guests are not lazing about
the beach, they gather at the bar to play cards or bao (the
traditional Zanzibar game), to read a book or to just be
sociable. At night things are rather festive when guests
from nearby guesthouses join in, musicians perform and
barmen get creative with cocktails. When the evening winds
down guests sit around the roaring fire pit in the sand and
tell stories under the stars.
If you feel like eating elsewhere, just for a change, there
is fun and reasonably priced restaurant down the beach to
the left of Paje. Here you can sit and look out at the ocean
with your feet on the beach. If you place a seafood order
the day before or in the morning, the fishermen will try to
catch it for your lunch or dinner.
Paje by Night is situated on Zanzibar’s east coast near the
village of Paje. It is about an hour’s drive from Stone
Town.
General facilities:
? Restaurant
? Bar
? Craft shop
Room facilities:
Mosquito nets
Ceiling fans
En-suite
Only deluxe rooms have hot water.
Activities:
? Numerous guided tours are on offer at Paje. You can visit
the largest mature forest on Zanzibar at Jozani Forest, see
the dolphins at Kizimkazi, take a spice tour or a trip to
Stone Town.
? Go fishing with a local fisherman in a dhow.
? Have your hands or feet painted with henna by a local
villager on the beach. You can also informally book a
coconut oil massage with a group of women who are sometimes
found on the beach.
? Hire a bicycle, car or motorbike and explore the area.
? Go diving with the Breezes dive centre. (There is a dive
centre located on Paje beach, but we do not recommend you
use it. We have had issues with their safety considerations
and qualifications of the dive masters. This dive centre is
in no way affiliated with Paje by Night)
Accommodation ranges from US$ 30 per person.
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