emlawls
October 23, 2024
We booked Zanzibar Bay Resort as part of a package holiday through TUI. In all honestly, the photos on the TUI website don’t do the hotel justice, it is so much better than we had anticipated it being. The hotel is immaculate and staff work tirelessly to ensure it’s kept clean and well maintained. There are also additional touches, with staff setting up your mosquito nets each night etc. It has to be said that staff are amongst some of the loveliest I have ever encountered. Andrew, one of the waiters, was a particular favourite- he always took time to speak with us during dinner service and was just such so friendly. The staff group as a whole are fantastic and I honestly can’t speak highly enough of their hard work to make the hotel an enjoyable place for the guests. As vegetarians, we were apprehensive about the food, but we needn’t have been, as the food choices were plentiful and varied. We were there for 13 nights, and the food wasn’t repeated either, so plenty of choice. The pools are clean, well maintained and at all bars etc, the service is quick. My only slight niggle would be the street sellers on the beach, who do make a beeline for you when crossing onto the jetty. However they are all friendly enough and do leave you alone if you show little interest in what they are selling. Obviously the hotel has no control over this, and the street sellers do not enter the perimeters of the hotel at any time. Also I would say that because of the low tides, the beach at the back of the resort is not really ideal for swimming. However there are so many beautiful beaches in Zanzibar which are easily accessible. Don't let it be a reason to put you off, but if you are someone who likes a morning dip in the sea, then you may be disappointed if you book the hotel for the beachfront. All in all, I can’t fault the hotel- it was an incredible stay and we wouldn’t hesitate to book here again in future!