JAZ Elite Aurora Beach

We had a wonderful family time at the hotel. The food was really good, and the service was excellent. A special mention to **Hardik Rathod**, who was absolutely fantastic and went out of his way to help us with whatever we needed. His friendly and helpful attitude made our stay even more enjoyable. Thank you to the whole team for a great experience. We’ll definitely be happy to visit again!

An overdue review of the Jaz Elite Aurora in Michamvi, Zanzibar. Go grab a coffee as my reviews are always long but detailed and honest! Date of stay – June 26 This was probably one of the best hotels that we have stayed in for a long time. It was a long-awaited family holiday and did stretch the budget but was well worth it. Let me tell you why, but before I do here are some tips for pre booking: You need to get your Visa’s and their own insurance. Please use the official sites when doing this. Out of our family, 2 Visa’s came within 48 hours however the balance took a few weeks and calling them was a flaff as no one got back to you. I did find one useful person so if you have issues, Message me and I will send you the email address. Their own travel insurance is required. Not sure why – but it’s mandatory and they check on entry. Vaccinations: check with your Dr as we were advised to take Typhoid, Tetanus, Hepatitis. We also took malaria tablets (didn’t realise how expensive these are). Money: we took GBP and Dollars, but they don’t take GBP there really so, take Dollars and plenty of it. Exchange into Shillings there if you want, but not too much as it’s not something you want to bring back. Note also not everywhere takes credit cards! Transfers: Get these booked with the holiday booking as cabs are expensive and the journey to the hotel is long and bumpy! Roads are still being developed. Vibes: If you want a chilled quiet place to stay – this is a dream. If you want lively, loads of beach vibes and bars, etc then go North to Nungwi/Kenwa. The tide is not so prominent there. Pros- what we loved: Arrival: • From the moment we entered the hotel, we were greeted by friendly staff and management • The hotel has a pure Indian Ocean feel, with amazing sunsets, and truly the friendliest staff members I have encountered for a long time. • Wifi is okish but does span to the beach (not the best but we managed) Rooms: • Very big and spacious with a mosquito net too. • We had a partial sea view which was still lovely and there was a small balcony with two chairs and a table. Nice to chill on in the evening before heading out. • The bathroom was big and the shower cubical is about 3m long!! Water temp was a bit hit and miss though. • Amenities provided (Shampoo etc) • Hairdryer in the bathroom • Very clean • Bif TV and a coffee machine too – but pods are not free so if you like your Nespresso, take some from home. Normal size! • Beds were super comfortable as were the pillows • Some rooms had normal UK plug sockets and others didn’t - take your Egypt power adapters just in case. • Laundry Service available too Food: The Jaz Elite Aurora boasts many restaurants: • Zaafarani (Main Restaurant) with Indoor and outdoor seating. They will make up the table to your party, and I have not seen such exemplary service in clearing up plates as you finish. There is ample choice of food for veg and non veg. All kept very beautifully and well presented. The nice thing I saw was that management would sit and eat with you or use the restaurant too. It overlooked the pool area and the beach. • Palm Court a 24hour lounge for teas and coffees • Luma Cocktail bar – comfy seating and great service – watch out for the mosquitos though … • Pilipili Bar – this was a bit like a Japanese dining area (we did not go there though) • Breeze Bar and Restaurant & Mwamba Grill – We were still a bit out of season early June, so the main buffet was not open at lunch time, but the Breeze and Mwamba Grill were. You can choose off the menu, but the food was yum! Plenty of it and service always with a smile. • Samaki – on the Jetty, Can not fault service or food. Had the best Porn Star Martini there. • Moto – a Teppanyaki Grill – did not try as there was ample elsewhere to eat. • Staff – all amazing and could not do more for you! Beach: Beautiful white sands. Go right from the beach Jetty and you can walk for ages but be warned as the tide comes in – it comes in fast! Left you can only go a short distance. But overall, it’s amazing. Low tide does last for hours, and you probably can’t really snorkel here. Best to take a boat out to do that. There are traders on the beach but not many and most of the time they just want to talk…. Buy something as again, everyone is trying to make a living. Pools: • The Jaz Elite has apparently the biggest pool in Zanzibar • What we found also as we explored is that there are several pools! • It offers a kids water park and be warned, those slides are super-fast so be careful of your back! Gym & Mividaspa: • A well Air conditioned and kitted out gym. All new equipment and plenty of space • We didn’t get a chance to go to the spa but it looked beautiful – not part of the All Inc. Shop: There’s only one shop on site and it’s ok. If you want any snacks like crisps etc you need to go to the local town. Jetty: • There is a beautiful Jetty – amazing view from there and there is a restaurant (Samaki and Moto (but Moto is not part of the All Inc.) and bar. They make great cocktails there. The sunset view is awesome. Entertainment: Entertainment team: • Big shout out to the team (I’ll come to that part at the end of my review) • Pool activities, Darts, Vollyball, the ball game on the beach (don’t know the name) • Shows in the evenings. Table Tennis/Snooker: • There is a table in the main part of the building near the Buffet. Nighttime lighting is not good, but I raised this. • There were 2 snooker tables in the upstairs bar Paddle /Pickleball • 2 Paddle courts which was brilliant (my game has so improved since this holiday!) all part of our stay and no extra charge. • Available all day and as we were off season ish there was nothing to book. Kids (albeit grown-ups) loved it. Requests and balls all available and not bad quality – balls a bit flat. The entertainment team were always happy to join in and give us a run for our money! Trips: So, here’s the thing. There is a hotel tour company, but we found them to be too expensive. We found our own via a few recommendations. We didn’t want to do too many, but these are the ones we liked: • Took a boat form the beach area and headed to a beautiful Sandbank and saw so many star fish and held them – was expecting them to be slimy but not at all, then headed to do some snorkelling and take on a few sights. Cost for 5 of us was around $190 • We did Safari Blue after my daughter saw it on TikTok, cost was about $440 again for 5 but it did offer an amazing BBQ (Lobster included), tropical fruits on the sandbank (but the sandbank was over populated and much preferred the local one), snorkelling again and home – I think this was overrated and should have done Mnebma Island instead. • Salem Cave – this was great and we managed to get ample time there. Be careful of the turtles as they have been known to bite if you provoke them. It’s a fair distance, and cost around $150 with an entrance fee of $78. We had our own driver so we saw other sites along the way. • Prison Island with Stone Town, Nungwi and sunset in Kenwa. The Turtles at Prison Island are something – oldest being 201y. This island is so pretty and amazing photo (Insta) moments. As we had our own driver, we altered the trip to go to the beach area up North. Cost around $375 • Zanzibar is NOT CHEAP! Take plenty of $’s with you. • Tip also as everyone is so friendly and trying to make a living. Weather: Well like most tropical places, there was sun and rain but the rain showers didn’t generally last too long. We only had 1 day out of the 10 where there was prolonged rain. Staff: What can I say … this is probably the friendliest members of staff we have come across. I would like to say a BIG THANK YOU to and I apologise if I have missed some out due to sheer bad name recollection memory! Management – GM Mr Domenico, Yousseff, Hardik and the rest of the team. You made us feel so welcome and nothing was to much of an ask. Entertainment: Mayo (our Paddle Serve master, you will find out if he plays Padel with you!! ), Boody, Victoria and Leila – you guys made it so much fun and Mayo with his competitive streak). Again, nothing was too much to ask. Restaurant/Bar: Neema – my sister or shall I say NayNay, Ramla, Daniel, Justine, Loveness, Marima, Shayla, and so many more. Pool and Lifeguards: Justine, Ibrahim, Ramadhan, Mwamboka, Jassty Big up to the Chef’s nothing was a challenge when we had asked! Even got a good recipe given to me Room for Improvements: • The hotel did not have a currency exchange facility – this made it harder as we had to go to the local town to get • If there are three in a room, then the camp bed or sofa bed does not have a mosquito net and my son got bitten alive from the evening and possibly form the room! Not fun. Ask them to spray the room at night before bed. • Taxis are quite expensive so be prepared. • Get Your Guide does not pick up from the Jaz. • Hotel tour company was very expensive – speak to others before booking as there are better ways to organise trips • Mini bar on an all-inclusive was not free – this was surprising and needs to be looked at for a 5* hotel as with the room snacks • Coffee machine pods are not free. That’s also not a good thing for an all-inclusive! • No Buffet in the afternoon due to low capacity/season – ala carte only • If you like crisps or snacks – you need to go to the local town. The hotel had no shop for those items. • I can’t really say that there were any further things to say that could have been better Overall, I would say that we had the best time in Zanzibar. It’s a beautiful developing country with so much to offer. The staff were unreal and the hotel was one of the prettiest I have been to for a long time. The design of the hotel was unlike any that we have been to. Not all bricks and same set up as big chains, but an authentic Indian Ocean setting vibe which made all the difference. Even had umbrellas for that downpour moment. There are I’m sure, many mixed reviews as with anything and some people put one or two experiences down as a berating of the hotel and staff. It’s not a massive hotel and so the level of care was great. I personally want to say thank you to Youssef and Hardik for making us feel so welcome and where nothing was too much. Dom – the tour of the horse stables – eye opener. Thank you also for making us feel so welcome. I hope we will be able to return there again one day and making this a great holiday. You have an amazing team there, be proud of what you represent. Keep smiling. Remember many there just want to help, learn better English by talking to holiday makers. Be kind, be patient. Be happy as you are in one of the most beautiful places.

We recently spent a few days at Jaz Elite Aurora in Michamvi Kae and it was an absolute dream. The resort strikes the perfect balance between sleek, modern design and warm hospitality. Watching the sunset over the water from the jetty quickly became our favorite daily routine. Our room was spacious, spotless, and incredibly comfortable with strong air conditioning and a private balcony that offered lovely views over the property. The food across the resort was consistently great with plenty of fresh variety at the main restaurant and an incredible dining setup right on the jetty. Beyond just relaxing by the massive main pool, having padel courts and a peaceful spa on-site gave us plenty to do throughout the stay. What really made the experience, though, was the staff. Everyone was genuinely warm, attentive, and welcoming from the moment we checked in. It is a fantastic spot for a quiet, high-end tropical escape, and we would come back in a heartbeat!

Started off our stay here with a few hiccups however they were resolved with care and attention by Hardik. He ensured that my special veg meals were delicious and plenty.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I had an amazing stay at Jaz Elite Aurora! The service was exceptional, and every staff member was friendly, professional, and always ready to help. A special thank you to the animation team, especially Justini, for the energy, enthusiasm, and fun they brought every day. The entertainment and activities were fantastic and created a wonderful atmosphere for everyone without ever being intrusive. The hotel is beautiful, the facilities are excellent, and the hospitality made us feel truly welcome from the moment we arrived. Thank you to Justini and the entire team for making our holiday unforgettable. I highly recommend Jaz Elite Aurora and can't wait to come back!