The Residence Zanzibar
Hotel in Tanzania
5-Star Hotel
Reasons to book
Guests love it hereGuests give this property a top rating
Includes essentialsGarden, Pool, Air conditioner and more
Book with confidenceWe partner with the top travel sites so you know you're getting a great deal on the perfect rental
About this hotel
Luxury hotel on the beach, with outdoor pool
Catch some rays at the beach or spend the day relaxing at The Residence Zanzibar's full-service spa. Then enjoy a meal at one of the hotel's 2 restaurants.
The Residence Zanzibar offers 66 air-conditioned accommodations with private pools and fireplaces. Rooms open to furnished patios. Accommodations offer separate sitting areas. Flat-screen televisions come with satellite channels. Guests can make use of the in-room coffee/tea makers and minibars. Bathrooms include separate bathtubs and showers, slippers, complimentary toiletries, and hair dryers.
An outdoor tennis court and complimentary bicycles are featured at the hotel. In addition to an outdoor pool, other recreational amenities include a sauna and a fitness center.
Catch some rays at the beach or spend the day relaxing at The Residence Zanzibar's full-service spa. Then enjoy a meal at one of the hotel's 2 restaurants.
The Residence Zanzibar offers 66 air-conditioned accommodations with private pools and fireplaces. Rooms open to furnished patios. Accommodations offer separate sitting areas. Flat-screen televisions come with satellite channels. Guests can make use of the in-room coffee/tea makers and minibars. Bathrooms include separate bathtubs and showers, slippers, complimentary toiletries, and hair dryers.
Guests can surf the web using the complimentary wireless Internet access. Business-friendly amenities include desks, safes, and phones. Additionally, rooms include complimentary bottled water and ceiling fans. A nightly turndown service is provided and housekeeping is offered daily.
An outdoor tennis court and complimentary bicycles are featured at the hotel. In addition to an outdoor pool, other recreational amenities include a sauna and a fitness center.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
Amenities
Pool
Air conditioner
Internet / Wifi
Fireplace
Parking
Laundry
Balcony or Patio
Hot tub or spa
TV
Gym or Fitness Center
Garden
Map of Tanzania
Nearby attractions
Available Rooms
Luxury Garden Pool Villa
1 King • 1668 ft²
Sleeps 4
You'll be directed to Expedia.com for availability & pricing
Luxury Ocean Front Pool Villa
1 King • 1668 ft²
Sleeps 4
You'll be directed to Expedia.com for availability & pricing
Prestige Ocean Front Pool Villa
1 King • 1668 ft²
Sleeps 4
You'll be directed to Expedia.com for availability & pricing
Frangipani Garden Pool Villa
1 King • 2 Single
Sleeps 6
+
You'll be directed to Expedia.com for availability & pricing
Frangipani Ocean Front Pool Villa
1 King • 2 Single
Sleeps 6
+
You'll be directed to Expedia.com for availability & pricing
$$$$
Ratings and reviews
5.0 / 10.0
Fabulous stay. Beautiful, relaxing and quiet resort. Particularily enjoyed the kindness of all staff. Will probably be back.
5.0 / 10.0
Amazing stay in the Residence!
Employees are very kind, the rooms are very luxurious, ans the a perfect service!
I travel a lot and it is one of my favorite hôtel
I will come back very soon for sure 😃
5.0 / 10.0
Simply put fantastic. We stayed in on of the Villas close to the beach with own small pool. Highly recommend
4.0 / 10.0
Amazing property but has its flaws. It's more fourish.
There are too many cockroaches and small insects in the villas for it to be an impeccable experience. The lamp shades need to replaced and are showing signs of wear-tear. There seems to be issues with communication as we never got the breakfast boxes we arranged prior through phoning the front-desk and room service. Asked for 0600am delivery but there was nothing the next day and there was no explanation from anyone. Just a poor no-show of service. The beach itself isn't particularly swimmable as there's too much low-tide. The movie night screen is way too small for anyone to enjoy. Much cheaper resorts do a better job at playing beach-side movies than The Residence. There was an issue with the key-cards, which didn't make sense as one could've lost its magnetism due to the phone, but the spare card was in the room. It just didn't work the last day. There were 3 power outages which was a first for me in Zanzibar, and there weren't any explanations for apologies from the staff. At check-out even though I made ample comments and complaints on things to be improved, they made no gesture at check-out as to ask me how the stay was or if they got any communication relayed about my issues. They just took the exorbitantly expensive drink prices in full (USD 200 in total for a few beers and mineral water). The rooms are nice with the pool, but there isn't much else here. Not really value for money. I expected more.
10.0 / 10.0
Beautiful place. Great staff. Delicious food
1.0 / 10.0
The stay was not fit for a couple on our honeymoon. The only mode of reasonable transportation was through a gulf cart which took at least 20 minutes to arrive once we asked for it. The hotel is huge with only 1 cart available for all guests. The service was extremely slow and the food average at best. The monkeys at the room were very disturbing, we could not use the outdoor pool, as several monkeys were aggressively trying to break into the room. We were also woken up at 6 am with monkeys jumping and banging on the roof. We originally booked for 3 nights, but decided to leave after 1 night, and the management did not offer any useful help.
5.0 / 10.0
Fabulous trip! The residence is gorgeous. The food was delicious and the service was great, everyone is super friendly and welcoming. We found the hotel day trips on the pricey side. There are other local options so all good.
10.0 / 10.0
A truly magical holiday with great attentive staff, Nitin and his team really looked after us. The resort is set in a very natural surrounding and there is lots of opportunity to catch the wildlife in action (including cheeky monkeys!). Pool was great for long swims, fitness centre was very well equipped. The food was immaculate! Both the lunch and dinner menu amazed us every time we dined. Evening entertainment was very entertaining! I recommend you go for all inclusive, full board or at a minimal half board.
4.0 / 10.0
I stayed 9 nights (Feb 24) in Residence Zanzibar together with my 3 daughters (13, 17, 20y.) to have "onetime" holiday that included also safari in Tanzania. Hotel is situated approx. 90min far from an airport, surrounded by a tropical garden. Hotel offers only villas with private pools. We stayed at Frangipani villa, which easily accomodates 4 almost adult persons. Villa is very large (3 rooms, 2 bathrooms) pleasant, private pool very spacious. One may say, that a furniture is a little bit outdated, but we are in Africa and even though I am quite demanding - it was not a problem. In the middle of the resort, there is "master pool", there are also equipped gym, tennis court and other sport facilities. Food is absolutely excellent. During dinners they served local foods, seafood, grill, pasta - the offer is very varied and very tasty. Hide and low tide can be uncomfortable for someone, because it is almost impossible to swim directly at the beach, but it can be easily solved by various activities like snorkelling with dolphins, starfish, sandbank etc. They will take to by boat 10min from the hotel to the ocean and you can swim as much as you can. Definitely visit Stone town! Unbelievable city including arabic, afric, european elements. Prison island is not so interesting. And finally - if you have a time and energy, go to Tanzania to visit national parks. Even only for 2 days as we did it. The country is safe, people very nice and heplful and you may have unforgettable holiday
8.0 / 10.0
Some positives:
Was clean and the rooms were amazing. The rooms are very big, and you have your own private pool (well our room had this not sure if all rooms do) and we even got to see monkey's whilst we were there which was awesome.
Food at the buffet was okay - wasn't amazing, but wasn't horrible either. It was decent. Staff were really lovely too, however they are not as friendly as staff at a different hotel we stayed at in Zanzibar.
Some negatives:
I booked a couples massage at the spa. The spa was very visually pretty and staff were friendly and were able to accommodate to quite last minute bookings. However the massage services was poor. There was no relaxing music playing, the therapists were whispering between themselves during the massage. At one point the massage just paused although the therapist was there sitting next to me. I'm not sure if she fell asleep or what had happened. It was worth twenty dollars but I paid one hundred and fourty dollars per person, and so I was quite disappointed with the massage. The actual massage itself was poor, no techniques were used and I think staff here need training.
Also, my sister found a snake in her shower. There are two showers, one inside and one that is outside but still apart of your room. The snake she saw was in the outside one. She raised this with the reception and it took 1 hour for anyone to come, at that point she had no idea where it went. Staff said snakes are rare and so we were even more worried.
10.0 / 10.0
The staff were amazing. It felt like a family environment. I was quite emotional after I left. The managers and staff did everything possible to make my stay perfect. Benjamin, kitchen staff and housekeeping and all cleaners helped me out a-lot during my stay. This was a dreamy luxurious stay. I was even given complimentary treats on my arrival. I booked the Ocean view prestige Villa and it was a great decision. You have bikes at the villa which you can use to explore around the resort and gardens. The spa is extremely amazing. I loved my therapist Anna she was brilliant. Highly reccomend.
5.0 / 10.0
Perfect Residence. Luxury amenities. Pool area, dinning villas stunning. Staff , every person very pleasant, smiling and ready to help, please you in any possible way. Food is good. Entertainment at dinner time with african bands, dancing. Nice music.extremly clean pool, bathrooms, all common area..Me and my housban enjoyed our stay. Thank you Residence.
8.0 / 10.0
The room was large and beautiful sea view and outdoor private pool. Please note not fully private pool. The bathroom was nice but lots of bugs. When I mentioned it to the hotel they came to spray with bug spray (including indoor with kids). Highly venomous snake in outdoor shower - could very easily come in as there was a glass sliding door between indoor and outdoor shower which has a large gap. Took security 1 hour to come to remove snake, it disappeared by the time they arrived. Stayed elsewhere in zanzibar and did not have as many bugs inside. Food not great. Very basic.
Was ok but I wouldn’t stay here again. Lovely experience with monkeys though and enjoyed the pool. The beach isn’t proper sand so uncomfortable to walk on and water not clear because of this. Staff were nice.
10.0 / 10.0
Really nice hotel, stayed in a one bedroom villa and it was beautiful and clean, food choices were good also but could have more options. Pavilion restaurant was really nice. The place is really big and because they are all villas it sometimes feel like there’s not many people around, when in fact they are sold out.
Would stay here again only downside is the location, the road conditions are not the best on some areas, and nothing around the resort so you are forced to only eat and stay on the villa. However it’s not too far from some of the activities.
2.0 / 10.0
The food is below average, also the free water activities that the hotel provides were unavailable when we stayed there for 4 days. Similarly, the steam room was out of order. We had a half board stay and they would charge for water during dinner (but not for breakfast). Most of the vegetables were from the can although fresh vegetables are available in the market. For a five star hotel I would expect more.
5.0 / 10.0
Amazing localization and very well maintained gardens. Staff is very nice and always helpful.
10.0 / 10.0
The property was amazing but the highlight was Ms Joyce. She is incredible. My son was sick upon arrival and everyday she checked on him, brought him food to the room and made the stay so pleasant.
10.0 / 10.0
It was amazing! Loved everything about the property .. special thanks to Helen at the dinning hall for being very efficient as well as all her colleagues who were always smiling and extremely helpful. And to all the happy chefs who would come to check if all was okay.. not to forget the happy gentleman at the pool who would help us with our towels/fruits etc.
loved it!
10.0 / 10.0
Definitely had an amazing time at The Residence Zanzibar. Everything was perfect, thanks so much for the hospitality.
10.0 / 10.0
Amazing hotel, bit far from the airport but definitely worth the trip. Amazing food, a very polite and pleasant group of staff, very helpful, attentive to details, large clean rooms, very well kept and maintained hotel and facilities and amazing activities, great snorkelling site nearby.
2.0 / 10.0
Not a 5-star property, website very exaggerated. Buffet dinner was not good, sushi left warm for several hours. Ocean not very nice in front of the hotel and large tides. Strange men constantly approach you on the beach soliciting goods and services. We checked out early and changed hotel. Thankfully we were refunded the remaining nights which was a nice gesture. Decent for a family vacation with kids but don’t expect luxury.
5.0 / 10.0
Amazing as it is my 4th time to stay in the residence, its so comfortable feela like home, the food options one of the best on the island.
10.0 / 10.0
Perfect hotel, with plenty to do and a very large space to explore.
Staff were amazing and very friendly, in particular Nuhu was always on hand to assist with any requests, including catering complimentary room service whilst my wife was ill on the first night. This was an amazing unexpected gesture.
10.0 / 10.0
We really loved our stay at the Residence Zanzibar. The staff was excellent and so kind and always happy. Overall the resort’s grounds are really beautiful. The facilities were great. We always felt safe with friendly staff on grounds whenever needed, but also had lots of peace and quiet to enjoy our stay. Our luxury garden pool villa was huge. We loved the private pool and the massive bathroom - amazing tub and both an indoor and outdoor shower. Another big highlight for us was the spa. We tried a variety of treatments and all of them were excellent. Felt completely relaxed and at peace. The dining options were also good, with a breakfast buffet that has a huge variety of foods as well as live omelette and waffle/pancake stations. Some nights we enjoyed the buffet dinner and others we enjoyed the quieter, more intimate set menu of the pavilion dining area. Every night at dinner a different act provided entertainment and we were really impressed by the quality. Would highly recommend The Residence for any stay in Zanzibar.
10.0 / 10.0
Excellent Villas, service and food
2.0 / 10.0
This could be a great five star property, but as it is, it misses completely. The pool is great, the rooms are nice. Half the staff try very hard. The problem is it is misses on almost all fronts.. the food is often themed like a cruise ship, there are ants all over the utensils... it is the kind of place honeymooners enjoy but experienced travelers will be very, very very, disappointed.
10.0 / 10.0
We’ve been blessed to be able to stay at a lot of top hotels around the world but this was one of the best! An absolutely stellar hotel. From the architecture to the interior design, to the attention to detail to ensure you are as comfortable as possible (for example they even fumigate the property so that you don’t get mosquito bites!). The garden view room was beautiful, private, peaceful and gorgeous. The facilities are great - the suites come with a gorgeous bathroom designed to perfection, with a stand-alone bath tub with bath salts, a beautiful marble large shower, an outdoor “cold water” shower if you’re feeling adventurous, beautiful lighting, beautiful scents. There is a spacious living room with multiple seating. The bedroom is gorgeous, you wake up looking into the private pool terrace. The buffet was great - lots of options and I’m pleased that they also include local food in the African Buffet which was one of the nights on rotation (a lot of other top hotels abandon local food which is a shame). Great gym with well maintained equipment. Lovely spa, beautiful massages. There’s also a sauna and steam room. Golf buggies plus complementary bicycles are the modes of transport if you don’t want to walk around the resort. The team have thought of everything! Huge thanks to Masemo, Benjamin, Nuhu, Nubia and the entire team for making our stay incredible and allowing us to celebrate our wedding anniversary in style! Couldn’t recommend enough - peaceful luxury!
5.0 / 10.0
PARADISE ON EARTH ! One of my best vacation to date. The staff at the residence was very friendly and professional. It all started with Abdul who picked me up from the airport and gave me a nice guided ride to the property. He is so friendly and knowledgeable. I stayed in the unit 309. Everything was impeccable! From the fresh flowers on the bed, cleanliness, and beautiful and subtle decor. At the restaurant, Josephine always greeted me with a smile. She is so much fun and was very attentive to all my needs and allergies!! The food was immaculate! Chef Sumesh was splendid! I cannot forgot about Benjamin at the reception. My Go to guy. No issues seemed too small or too big for him! The whole staff was nice and professional but those particular ones went the extra mile to make my vacation amazing !!!
The residence is intimate yet entertaining. The right balance of quietness and fun. I will most definitely be back.
5.0 / 10.0
PARADISE ON EARTH ! One of my best vacation to date. The staff at the residence was very friendly and professional. It all started with Abdul who picked me up from the airport and gave me a nice guided ride to the property. He is so friendly and knowledgeable. I stayed in the unit 309. Everything was impeccable! From the fresh flowers on the bed, cleanliness, and beautiful and subtle decor. At the restaurant, Josephine always greeted me with a smile. She is so much fun and was very attentive to all my needs and allergies!! The food was immaculate! Chef Sumesh was splendid! I cannot forgot about Benjamin at the reception. My Go to guy. No issues seemed too small or too big for him! The whole staff was nice and professional but those particular ones went the extra mile to make my vacation amazing !!! The residence is intimate yet entertaining. The right balance of quietness and fun. I will most definitely be back.
4.0 / 10.0
We stayed in a beachfront apartment which was beautiful, the private pool was amazing and fully lived up to the expectation set by the website photo's. I really enjoyed by 5 days here. I would have enjoyed it more if a) there was an a la carte dining option (everything was a buffet), and b) the sea was more appealing for swimming and snorkeling (the last point is not the hotels fault, just an observation).
5.0 / 10.0
My stay here was amazing! The villa and the area was amazing. I slept really good, the beds where great!
4.0 / 10.0
A wonderful experience! My only criticism is that some of the equipment is old and some (but most are great) of the staff does not quite understand our needs and things need to be repeated. Additionally, and I am aware of the areas being huge, some of the plants are quite dry (compared to other hotels in Zanzibar we stayed at). However, the evening activities, food, private pool and the wildlife was amazing! The view from the infinity pool was just incredible!
2.5 / 10.0
Had an amazing family holiday ...beautiful property....very classy....with an amazing beach . The service was excellent ....specially the F&B area managed by Pritam....who took care of our dietary needs of pure veg good ...and chef Somesh really made it very special for us by making most amqzing veg dishes eveey day...and the best part was the special ice cream cake made for my daughters birthday. Really made us feel special.The rooms / villas were very nice and spacious. The dinner was different theme every night....with live music / band
5.0 / 10.0
Had an amazing family holiday ...beautiful property....very classy....with an amazing beach . The service was excellent ....specially the F&B area managed by Pritam....who took care of our dietary needs of pure veg good ...and chef Somesh really made it very special for us by making most amqzing veg dishes eveey day...and the best part was the special ice cream cake made for my daughters birthday. Really made us feel special.
The rooms / villas were very nice and spacious.
The dinner was different theme every night....with live music / band
5.0 / 10.0
We had an amazing time very relaxing ! Gorgeous property
2.5 / 10.0
We had an amazing time very relaxing ! Gorgeous property
2.5 / 10.0
Amazing stay!! Staff was great
3.0 / 10.0
Amazing stay!! Staff was great
5.0 / 10.0
WOW words cannot describe how beautiful this resort is. We booked 4 nights here for our honeymoon and wish we had stayed longer!! We could not find a single thing to complain about here - it was clean, the food was phenomenal, the staff was friendly and helpful and everything from the rooms to the main pool to the restaurant views of the beach were stunning. You will not regret staying here!!
3.0 / 10.0
Superb! Highly recommended - from the villa, to the food, to incredible staff. Would go back tomorrow if we could.
FAQs
How much does this hotel cost compared to others in Tanzania?
The average price for a rental in Tanzania is $71 per night. This rental is $429 above the average.
Is parking included with this hotel?
Yes, parking is listed as an amenity at The Residence Zanzibar. For more information, we encourage you to contact the property about where to park.
Is there a pool at this hotel?
Yes, a swimming pool is available for use at The Residence Zanzibar. Enjoy the water!
Is The Residence Zanzibar pet friendly?
Unfortunately, this hotel is not pet-friendly. Try searching again and filter for "Pets Allowed"
What amenities are available at The Residence Zanzibar?
We found 11 amenities for this rental. This includes pool, air conditioner, internet / wifi, fireplace, and parking.
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