Bliss - what a wonderful time at this lovely hotel. Beautiful grounds, rooms huge &
spotless, beach amazing, food choice varied & tasty, but huge shout out to the
hardworking, friendly, warm & welcoming staff (extra special thanks to Gloria & the
guys at the beach bar), who made it a perfect stay ! Thank you
Rooms
Massive & always cleaned well. Mosquito netting around bed (didn't get one bite during entire stay). Fridge with bottles of water provided daily. Toiletries provided & recommendation not to drink tap water when cleaning teeth, which was
fine. Good AC. Safe & hairdryer provided & lots of storage space. No lifts, so be aware if you request 1st, 2nd, or 3rd floors. Huge balcony with outside seating & nearly all rooms had a full or partial sea view. Rooms have walk in shower & a bath. Had occasional power cuts during stay but never lasted longer than a couple of minutes so never caused me any issue. Always had Wi-Fi signal in room. UK plugs accepted in all plug sockets, so no adaptors required for UK appliances. Kettle provided with tea & coffee sachets replenished when needed. Beds so comfy so always slept well !
Grounds & Beach.
Well kept, beautiful grounds. Quite a large site so depending on which block you're
staying in; it may be a few minutes' walk to either the beach or to reception/buffet
restaurant (but fairly step free, so fine for people with mobility issues). Beach & sea
amazing. Even during low tide, you can still swim, as this part of the island is unaffected by the extreme low tide. Sun loungers freely available around pools & on the beach. Yes, there are lots of local sellers on the beach, but they do not bother you if you are on the sun loungers & will only possibly approach you when you are walking along the beach or entering the sea. At times, there can be quite a lot of them, which some people may find intimidating when you first arrive, however, I found a polite 'no thanks' to them (at the beginning of my stay) was enough & by the end of my trip, I was hardly ever approached, so it never felt an issue. Numerous, large clean pools with easy step access. Great beach bar & the guys working there work so hard. Provided beach towels may have seen better days, but they were clean & replaced daily, so it wasn't a problem. Although certainly not essential, I took swim shoes with me & these proved ideal for the occasional stone or small rocks. Always had wi-fi throughout grounds & on beach. There is a small on-site gift shop that also carried a few essentials such as sun lotion, mosquito repellent ...& pringles!
Food & Entertainment.
With All Inclusive you can never go hungry. Mainly used the buffet restaurant (rather the a la carte 'Cliff restaurant) & found the choice & quality perfectly adequate. There were some dishes that may have sounded or looked different to what I was
used to, but it was great trying new things & everything was always tasty. Was perfectly happy to take a break from the 'western' pasta & pizza dishes that were also available. Water bottles always freely available, however it would be great if the hotel could provide a more eco friendly alternative to the plastic bottles. I was more than happy with quiet evenings & although I could sometimes hear the hotel entertainment, it was never a disturbance. It was mainly live guitar or African drums/bands, so not having any euro pop blasting at all hours was a huge relief.
Staff
Genuine, warm, friendly & hard-working people who made all the difference. Nothing
was ever too much & despite how hard they work, in the energy zapping heat (& having to deal with the occasional rude or demanding guests) - they were always helpful, kind & welcoming. There is a Tip Box' near reception, so if you can, PLEASE show your appreciation during or at the end of your stay. I understand everything is shared with all the staff, even the ones who may not be so visible, but who make your stay just as good.
The hotel is about a 90-minute journey from the airport. Although a long drive, it's a great opportunity to watch the locals going about their business. There isn't really anything in the close vicinity of the hotel & I didn't get to venture out as much as I'd like, as after dark, the streets weren't lit that well (so bring a good torch if you do want to venture out after dark). There is a small road/alley that is next to the hotel, where you can find some small local businesses/shops, & a great place to buy any local trinkets. If you can, I would also definitely recommend booking a safari on the mainland during your stay, as you can get such a great choice of trips at different budgets (bookable before you go or when you are in Zanzibar).
Unfortunately , the only let-down happened on the last day of my stay. Unable to keep my room for a late check out (due to the hotel being fully booked), I was told I
could shower etc before leaving for the airport. I assumed a private room would
be supplied for this, but unfortunately, you must go to a slightly shabby female shower/toilet block that's tucked away behind the public grounds. Inadequate AC & having to get dressed outside the small shower cubicle - you're aware any other female could enter at any time. This was not the most comfortable or memorable send-off unfortunately.
Overall, travelling as a solo female traveller, I always felt safe during my entire trip & I can't wait for a return trip to Zanzibar. Thank you
Royal Zanzibar.
