We traveled with friends and booked through the same company, around the same time, and paid the same price. Somehow, half of our group ended up in beautiful oceanfront rooms, while the rest of us were placed in the very last row of the resort, as far from the ocean as possible, with no view and a lovely hike to the restaurant and beach.
As an added bonus, we were woken up every morning around 4 a.m. by the very loud call to prayer from a nearby mosque. Not exactly the peaceful tropical mornings we had envisioned.
When we questioned the significant difference in accommodations, we were repeatedly assured that there had been no mistake. Apparently, room assignments are completely random. You could get one of the best rooms in the resort or one of the worst, all for the same price. What a fun little lottery!
I personally raised the issue with the manager, Kilosa, who, after our conversation, proceeded to sprawl out on a couch and play on his phone. A reassuring display of hospitality and concern for guest satisfaction.
We specifically asked whether different room categories existed, but again were told it was all random. We would have gladly paid extra to move somewhere more comfortable, but that option was never even offered, despite the resort appearing nearly empty.
And then there was the food.
On our first evening, we ordered tuna. We were asked how we would like it cooked - medium, medium-rare etc. which gave us the impression that someone in the kitchen knew what they were doing. Unfortunately, what arrived was a thoroughly overcooked slab of something resembling the bottom of a shoe. Every single order was the same.
When the manager came by to ask about dinner, we expressed our confusion, as the fish tasted nothing like tuna, or frankly anything described on the menu. He repeatedly assured us that it was, indeed, tuna. Well, mystery solved. Apparently, we just don’t know what tuna tastes like.
The next morning, one of our friends discovered a piece of plastic in their scrambled eggs. When this was pointed out to the waitress, she simply removed the plastic and walked away. No apology, no replacement plate, no concern whatsoever. Perhaps plastic is just another complimentary breakfast topping.
And finally, checkout - a process that should be fairly straightforward - somehow turned into yet another unnecessarily long and inefficient experience. At least the resort was consistent.
The location is beautiful. The service is astonishingly bad. What makes it particularly frustrating is that none of these issues required extraordinary effort to resolve. A little honesty about the rooms, an offer to relocate, properly prepared food, or even a basic apology would have gone a long way.
Instead, we were left with the impression that guest satisfaction was simply not a priority.
There are plenty of beautiful resorts in Zanzibar. My advice? Choose one where the service matches the scenery. A pretty beach can only compensate for so much incompetence.
Ania K2026-10-24
