Up to 3 guests
Deluxe Garden
About 55 square metres facing the gardens, king or twin beds, private terrace and garden, outdoor shower. Takes up to three guests.
Lodges & partnersZanzibar East Coast
Zanbluu Beach Hotel
Sixteen thatched bungalows and a private villa on a low coral cliff at Kiwengwa, with an infinity pool that ends in open ocean.
From $121 per person per night
01 / 06
- Tier
- Comfort
- 4 star, boutique
- Location
- Zanzibar East Coast
About
About Zanbluu Beach Hotel.
Zanbluu sits at Kiwengwa on the north east coast of Unguja, about forty minutes by road from Stone Town and an hour or so from the airport. The property stands on a low coral cliff rather than directly on the sand, which is what gives the terraces their long view: from the infinity pool the water simply runs out to the reef line and the horizon. A path and a shuttle take guests down to the white sand beach below, and the gardens between the bungalows are dense with palm and flowering shrub, so each room feels separate from the next.
The sea here moves. Kiwengwa has two high tides and two low tides a day, and at low water the reef flats come out for several hundred metres, which is when the sand bars appear and the village fishermen walk out with hand lines. Swimming is best planned against the tide chart, and the hotel keeps one at reception. June to October is the long dry season and the most reliable window for sun, with July, August and September the clearest. January and February are hot and largely dry between the rains. The long rains fall in March, April and May, the short rains in November and December, and the hotel closes for annual maintenance in April.
There are four room categories. Deluxe Garden rooms look onto the gardens, Deluxe Partial Sea rooms catch the water through the palms, and both run to about fifty five square metres with a king or twin bed, a private terrace and an outdoor shower. The five Infinity Front Sea bungalows sit on the front line with their own plunge pool and a terrace that faces nothing but water. The Zanbluu Villa has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a large living room and its own pool, and is sold as a whole unit. Rates are half board, taken in the ocean view restaurant, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner from the menu rather than a buffet line, with a beach lounge for the middle of the day. There is a spa for massage and treatments, a small gym, and the hotel arranges diving, snorkelling trips and excursions.
It suits couples who want somewhere small and quiet with the sea in front of them, and families who want space and a pool without a resort scale around them. Honeymoon and anniversary guests are looked after, with room decoration and a private dinner arranged on request and proof of the occasion shown at check in. It is a natural second leg after a northern safari: a short flight from the mainland and then a slow week on the coast.
Getting there means flying into Zanzibar. From Kilimanjaro International it is about an hour and twenty minutes in the air, then roughly forty five minutes to an hour by road north east to Kiwengwa. Transfers are arranged by the hotel on request and should be booked at least seventy two hours ahead.
Signature experiences
Why guests choose it.
The infinity pool at the cliff edge
A long pool set above the reef with the horizon right behind it. Hammocks and loungers around the deck, and the beach lounge a few steps away for the middle of the day.
Low tide on the reef flats
Twice a day the water pulls out several hundred metres and the sand bars appear. Local fishermen walk the shallows with hand lines and it is the best hour for a slow barefoot walk.
A bungalow with its own plunge pool
The five front line bungalows each have a private pool and a terrace facing nothing but water. Breakfast can be brought to the terrace on request.
Diving and snorkelling off the north east coast
The hotel arranges boat trips and dives for all levels through a dive centre. The reefs off this coast are the reason most guests come with a mask in the bag.
A private dinner for two
An exclusive romantic dinner can be laid on, and honeymoon and anniversary guests are given room decoration and a cake at dinner when the occasion is shown at check in.
Gallery
A closer look.
Room types
Where you will sleep.
Up to 3 guests
Deluxe Partial Sea
About 55 square metres looking part way to the water through the palms, king or twin beds, terrace, private garden and outdoor shower. Takes up to three guests.
Up to 2 guests
Infinity Front Sea
A free standing bungalow on the front line with its own plunge pool and a terrace facing open water. Two guests.
Up to 4 guests
Zanbluu Villa
Two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a large living room and a private pool with a sea view, about 80 square metres. Sold as a whole villa for up to four guests.
At a glance
The essentials, in brief.
Amenities
- Infinity Pool Above The Ocean
- Private plunge pools in the front line bungalows and the villa
- Beach Lounge
- Ocean View Restaurant
- Spa Treatments
- Fitness Services
- Diving And Excursions Arranged
- Wi Fi Throughout
- Air Conditioning
- Room Service
- Laundry Service
- Safe Box
- Fridge
- Smart TV
- Coffee And Tea Station
- Mosquito Net
- Outdoor Shower
- Private Terrace
- Baby Cot On Request
- Extra Bed On Request
- Special Diets Catered For
- Pool Towels And Hammocks
- Lobby Shop
- Late Check Out On Request
Best for
- Honeymoon
- Couples
- Family
- Beach Extension After Safari
- Diving And Snorkelling
Wildlife and nature
- Reef fish and coral gardens off the north east coast, reached by boat with the hotel dive centre
- Dolphins seen on boat trips along this coast through the year
- Red colobus monkeys at Jozani forest, a straightforward drive inland
Best time to visit
When to go.
- January: best
- February: best
- March: not a best month
- April: closed
- May: not a best month
- June: best
- July: best
- August: best
- September: best
- October: best
- November: not a best month
- December: not a best month
Best monthsClosed
Best months: January to February and June to October. Closed in April.
Location & access
Getting there.
Location
Zanzibar East Coast
Arriving by air
Fly Kilimanjaro International to Zanzibar in about an hour and twenty minutes, then transfer by road about forty five minutes to an hour to Kiwengwa. There is no airstrip at Kiwengwa; Zanzibar is the arrival airport for the whole island.
By road
Zanzibar is reached by air. From Kilimanjaro International it is about an hour and twenty minutes in the air to Zanzibar, then a road transfer of roughly forty five minutes to an hour north east to Kiwengwa.
On the map
Where it sits.
6.007° S, 39.388° E
What's included
What the rate covers.
Included
- Half board, breakfast and dinner daily
- Accommodation in the room category booked
- Use of the infinity pool and pool towels
- Wi Fi Throughout The Property
- Twice Daily Housekeeping
- Air conditioning, mosquito net, safe, fridge, coffee and tea station and smart TV in every room
- Private terrace and outdoor shower in every room
- Room Service
Not included
- Tourist infrastructure tax of 4 USD per person per night, children included, collected by the hotel at check out
- Zanzibar inbound travel insurance of 44 USD per person, mandatory and arranged before arrival
- Beverages, charged as taken unless the all inclusive package is booked
- Full board upgrade at 20 USD per adult per night and 10 USD per child per night
- All inclusive package at 85 USD per adult per night and 22 USD per child per night for children aged 2 to 11
- New Year Gala Dinner on 31 December, compulsory for guests staying that night, at 80 USD per adult and 40 USD per child aged 2 to 11
- Airport or Stone Town port transfer at 60 USD per car for up to four guests one way, or 120 USD return
- Spa treatments, excursions, diving and other activities booked at the property
- Laundry Service
- International And Domestic Flights
- Tips And Gratuities
Frequently asked
Questions, answered.
How many rooms does Zanbluu Beach Hotel have?
Sixteen rooms across three categories, plus a two bedroom villa. There are four Deluxe Garden rooms, seven Deluxe Partial Sea rooms and five Infinity Front Sea bungalows, each of the last with its own plunge pool.
Where exactly is the hotel?
At Kiwengwa on the north east coast of Unguja, the main island of Zanzibar. Stone Town is about forty minutes away by road and the airport about an hour.
When is the hotel open?
All year apart from an annual maintenance closure in April. In 2027 the hotel is closed from 5 to 26 April. We do not sell April dates for this property.
How do guests reach the hotel?
By air into Zanzibar, then by road. From Kilimanjaro International the flight is about an hour and twenty minutes, and the drive from Zanzibar airport to Kiwengwa takes roughly forty five minutes to an hour. The hotel arranges transfers on request and asks for at least seventy two hours notice.
What is included in the rate?
The published rate is half board, so breakfast and dinner daily, along with the room, use of the pool and Wi Fi. Lunch, beverages and anything taken at the spa or on an excursion are charged separately, and there is a full board and an all inclusive upgrade if you prefer.
What is charged at the hotel rather than in the rate?
A tourist infrastructure tax of 4 USD per person per night, children included, is collected at check out as the government requires. Zanzibar also requires an inbound travel insurance policy of 44 USD per person, arranged before you travel.
Are families with children welcome?
Yes. Infants under two stay free, children from two to eleven sharing with adults pay half the adult rate, and a child in their own room pays three quarters. Deluxe Garden and Deluxe Partial Sea rooms take up to three guests; the Infinity Front Sea bungalows take two. The villa suits a family of four.
What is the beach like?
White sand below a low coral cliff, reached on foot or by the hotel shuttle. Kiwengwa has a large tidal range, so at low water the reef flats are exposed for a few hundred metres and swimming is better planned around the tide. Water shoes are worth packing.
What is the best time of year to visit?
June to October is the long dry season and the most dependable for sun, with July to September the clearest. January and February are hot and mostly dry. March to May brings the long rains and November and December the shorter ones.
Is there a minimum stay?
Only over the festive period. Stays that fall between 21 December and 7 January need a minimum of five nights, and a gala dinner on 31 December is compulsory for anyone in the hotel that night.
What is there to do nearby?
Diving and snorkelling are arranged through the hotel, including boat trips out to the reefs off this coast. Stone Town is an easy half day, and Jozani forest with its red colobus monkeys is a straightforward drive from Kiwengwa.
Is there Wi Fi and mobile signal?
Wi Fi is free and covers the whole property, including the rooms and the pool area. Mobile coverage at Kiwengwa is good on the main Tanzanian networks.
What's nearby
Worth the short trip.
Stone Town
The old quarter of Zanzibar City, about forty minutes by road. Spice market, carved doors and the waterfront, usually taken as a half day.
Jozani forest
The last stand of groundwater forest on the island and the only place to see the endemic red colobus monkey. An easy drive inland from Kiwengwa.
Reef and sand bank snorkelling
Boat trips north along the coast to the reefs and sand banks this side of the island is known for. Arranged through the hotel.
Spice farm visit
A working farm tour inland from Stone Town, walking through clove, nutmeg, vanilla and cinnamon. Half a day with a guide.
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