Unguja Lodge

“Wonderful lodge with great potential”

Our family of five spent two nights in Unguja Lodge in late December. We wanted to start our stay in Zanzibar in Kizimkazi and work our way up to Nungwi and end in Bwejuu. After some research we opted for the Unguja Lodge and booked a big family villa in early 2025 and paid a deposit. I read some… more

Our family of five spent two nights in Unguja Lodge in late December. We wanted to start our stay in Zanzibar in Kizimkazi and work our way up to Nungwi and end in Bwejuu. After some research we opted for the Unguja Lodge and booked a big family villa in early 2025 and paid a deposit. I read some bad reviews a few months later related to the state of the hotel and got second thoughts. However, an e-mail from the facility informed me that there had been a change in ownership as the previous owner had left suddenly. I was reassured that our booking was fine and that the hotel would be renovated by the time we would arrive in December. However, later I had to prove that I had paid the deposit, which was a bit annoying. But after this was sorted out, it worked well and we were offered two villas instead of one big as the big villas were not renovated yet. The villas have bedrooms with a/c but the area outside the bedrooms - which included a sitting room and bathroom - under the thatched roofs did not have a/c. There is also no wifi in the villas, only around the restaurant/pool area. The villas have an opening facing the ocean, with a small path down to a bench where you can enjoy views of the indian ocean. However, beach access is not possible due to the elevation and rocks below. There were stairs up to the second floor each villa but this area had not been renovated and was in a poor state. The opening towards the ocean means that insects and animals can enter into the outside part of the villas. This gives a "jungle feeling" which in itself can be charming but might not be suitable for everyone. Food was nice and staff friendly, especially Philemon. The pool was nice although it was in need of a paint job. Service was at times slow but friendly. Access to the ocean was by stairs and we were glad we had brought with us water shoes as there is a coral reef just below the hotel. To the south of the hotel there is a nice sandy beach. We enjoyed our stay and would recommend the facility. Hopefully, it will be totally refurbished in the near future. The Unguja Lodge has a fantastic potential once totally refurbished.

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“Relaxing stay away from the crowds”

My adult son and I enjoyed a relaxing 3 night stay at Unguja Lodge. It was the perfect getaway, far from the tourist crowds at Kendwa and Stone Town. The simple rustic bungalows are comfortable and food is much better than at the large hotels – composed with fresh, high quality ingredients. Every… more

My adult son and I enjoyed a relaxing 3 night stay at Unguja Lodge. It was the perfect getaway, far from the tourist crowds at Kendwa and Stone Town. The simple rustic bungalows are comfortable and food is much better than at the large hotels – composed with fresh, high quality ingredients. Everything was creative and tasty. Audrey, the manager, was a warm and helpful hostess. Mohammed, server and barman, was efficient and friendly. Unguja Lodge is highly recommended for those who want to get away from the crowds and relax in a remote destination.

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“A brief but lovely stay at the Unguja Loadge”

I'd booked to stay at the Unguja Lodge as a follow up to climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro (I didn't choose the lodge, this was done by my travel company). The idea was to have 3 days of rest and recuperation before heading back home. And I'm so glad I did as I had a lovely, relaxing time at Unguja. Definit… more

I'd booked to stay at the Unguja Lodge as a follow up to climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro (I didn't choose the lodge, this was done by my travel company). The idea was to have 3 days of rest and recuperation before heading back home. And I'm so glad I did as I had a lovely, relaxing time at Unguja. Definitely gave my poor, battered self (Kili was tough!) a chance to recover. As has been indicated in other reviews, the rooms / villas are a little tired and in need of renovation and redecoration. I would have like the aircon to have worked, for example and the Wi-Fi was a bit hit or miss. Also the in-room jacuzzi was definitely a bit chilly! Hence, my only giving a mark of 4/5. But the new management team are well aware of all of the issues and plans are 'underway' to rectify. But this doesn't detract from the other great features - the lovely grounds where you can see monkeys, lizards, elephant shrews and tiny 'pygmy' antelope. The pool area where you can just relax on a bed all day - I did! The restaurant with it's fabulous food (the chef is a genius!). And most of all the great staff who looked after me very well for my whole time. OK, full confession - I was the only guest as far as I could tell during my brief stay but, even so, I don't think I was getting any extra special attention as a result - I'm sure that they would treat all guests in the same way. I did take one trip out - a walking tour of Stonetown. The town itself is fascinating but the tour, in my view, didn't do it justice. I would suggest that you agree on the itinerary before setting so there are no surprises. Overall, as indicated, I had a really nice time and I was sorry when it was time to leave. It would be lovely to come back in a year or two to see the changes that will have taken place. With many thanks to Philemon, Audrey, Muhammad, and the team for making my stay so memorable.

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