Unguja Lodge

The Unguja Lodge was an oasis of luxury and comfort - just what we were seeking after a safari. Martin and his staff went out of their way to make the visit comfortable. The chef prepared fabulous meals! Each lodge was nicely appointed and quite clean. Fabulous sunsets!!

This lodge provided a lot of positives for our last few days in Zanzibar. Martin runs a tight shop with his employees who are very friendly and attentive. There were only a few other guests there so it was really quiet and relaxing. The rooms are very large and the views breathtaking. The chef is excellent and provided delicious choices at every meal. Martin arranged a walking tour of the village outside the resort which we found very interesting. He also arranged a boat, BBQ, and snorkeling trip which we enjoyed. It was fun watching the monkeys in the trees and living amongst nature. What was missing here were the little extras that would make this resort luxury. The faucets were pitted, the pool area towels need to be replaced with new ones, the room towels need an upgrade and the pillows on the chairs need a cleaning. Overall, we enjoyed our stay and the pros were more than the cons.

Stayed for 4 magical nights with my 6 year old daughter. Martien and staff are a family and welcomed us with love and incredible hospitality. Out of a a 10-night Zanzibar trip in which we stayed in a couple of 5-star resorts as well as Unguja (TUI Blue Bahari and Park Hyatt), the food, atmosphere, service and pristine nature at Unguja was unmatched by the resorts. Several times we had the beach to ourselves, and we were NEVER hit up by local “guides” and beach boys (this is rampant in the resort areas and Stone Town). At night all you can hear is the ocean and animals (at the resorts there was less of that and more man-made noise). We really appreciated getting a different paper each night explaining various aspects of our surroundings. All our arrangements for excursions and transport were done by Martien and his amazing staff. We encountered Dik-Diks, Elephant Shrews, monkeys, hermit crabs, and a bat, all happily living in the lodge. My daughter got the full princess treatment from the staff and couldn’t be happier. I had to tell her not to chase the dik-diks! We really hope to come back one day. Thank you so much Martien and staff for welcoming us to Zanzibar in your unique style. The love was received and I hope you felt it from us too.

Our time at the lodge was relaxing and peaceful.  We visited between seasons so we six were the only guests which meant we recieved very personalized attention.  I can't really comment on the value since it was part of our tour package; however the drink prices are reasonable.  While the accommodations are spacious, comfortable and spotless, the food prepared by the team of chefs is truly outstanding.  You are offered a wide variety of choices at each meal. Ie.  seafood, fish, meat or vegetarian for the main course. Once you have reached sensory overload from exotic Stonetown, Unguja Lodge is the place to recharge yourself.  But don't forget to visit the nearby village and interact with the locals.  They enjoy sharing a conversation and welcoming you.  The people are beautiful and the children delightful.

Nice if you like solitude and being in nature, and don't mind "rustic". Big open air villas surrounded by trees (even a few baobabs), which are frequent by monkeys (including red colobus). Not so nice if you are used to excellence and attention to detail in everything. Resort is in need of TLC at a minimum or renovation at a maximum to make it worth the price. All of the cushions are either worn out or torn with the cotton pocking out or zippers not closing... I would not recommend booking any trips with them either, as all we had were mediocre at best. Not sure about diving, but would not recommend snorkeling unless you have your own equipment. My snorkel had to be cleared every 2 minutes. Our snorkel guide could barely swim, and the boat we were on had no basic safety equipment. The coral was nice but fish population is almost all gone due to overfishing. There was a fish trap on the bottom of our snorkeling area. Lots of trash along the shore. Our boat caught a fish line in the engine, and almost got into the exposed rocks during cleanup...Everyone working there was nice and trying to please us. Overall, wish we had better memories of the Zanzibar island.

If you are looking for a rejuvenating break, quality time and meaningful authentic experience, Unguja lodge is the right choice for you. Every lodge has its own character and equipped with everything you need for a relaxing holiday. I stayed in a sea view lodge and the ocean view was simply priceless. Food and drink were of the highest quality too. A very own chef was cooking fresh fish every nigh and if you are like me a seafood/fish lovers, this is a place for you. Monkeys are frequent visitors and the bush around lodges is bustling with wildlife. Fabulous choice for scuba diving lovers too. An instructor on site is very friendly, helpful and knowledgable. Martie, who runs the lodge, has vast experience in hospitality and certainly knows how to look after his guests. Fabulous place, people, food and of course the ocean.