The Residence Zanzibar

5.0 star property
VIP Access

Choose dates to view prices

Photo gallery for The Residence Zanzibar

Luxury Ocean Front Pool Villa
2 bars/lounges, poolside bar
2 bars/lounges, poolside bar
Exterior
Body treatments, body wraps, body scrubs, facials

Reviews

9.0 out of 10
Wonderful

Popular amenities

  • Bar
  • All-inclusive
  • Gym

Explore the area

Map
Mchangamle, Kizimkazi
  • Mchangamble Beach
    ‪7 min walk‬
  • Kizimkazi Beach
    ‪17 min drive‬
  • Paje Beach
    ‪53 min drive‬
  • Zanzibar (ZNZ-Zanzibar Intl.)
    ‪58 min drive‬
VIP Access
Curated for quality and service, VIP Access stays consistently receive our highest guest ratings.
  • Expect exceptional service
  • Extra savings and perks for BONUS+ members

Room options

Prestige Ocean Front Pool Villa

  • Ocean view
  • 155 sq m
  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 King Bed

Luxury Ocean Front Pool Villa

  • Ocean view
  • 155 sq m
  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 King Bed

Luxury Garden Pool Villa

  • 155 sq m
  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 King Bed

Luxury Villa

  • Sleeps 6
  • 1 King Bed and 2 Twin Beds

Presidential Villa (Pool)

  • Sleeps 6
  • 1 King Bed and 2 Twin Beds

Luxury Villa

  • Ocean view
  • Sleeps 6
  • 1 King Bed and 2 Twin Beds

Similar properties

About this property

The Residence Zanzibar

Luxury hotel on the beach, with outdoor pool
Catch some rays at the beach or spend the day relaxing at The Residence Zanzibar's full-service spa. Then enjoy a meal at one of the hotel's 2 restaurants.
The Residence Zanzibar offers 66 air-conditioned accommodations with private pools and fireplaces. Rooms open to furnished patios. Accommodations offer separate sitting areas. Flat-screen televisions come with satellite channels. Guests can make use of the in-room coffee/tea makers and minibars. Bathrooms include separate bathtubs and showers, slippers, complimentary toiletries, and hair dryers.

Guests can surf the web using the complimentary wireless Internet access. Business-friendly amenities include desks, safes, and phones. Additionally, rooms include complimentary bottled water and ceiling fans. A nightly turndown service is provided and housekeeping is offered daily.

An outdoor tennis court and complimentary bicycles are featured at the hotel. In addition to an outdoor pool, other recreational amenities include a sauna and a fitness center.

The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.

Guests can indulge in a pampering treatment at the hotel's full-service spa. Services include facials, body wraps, body scrubs, and body treatments.
Our customers tell us they can't get enough of the helpful staff at The Residence Zanzibar. During your stay, you're just a quick walk from Mchangamble Beach. Features include free breakfast, free WiFi in public areas, and free self parking.
  • Free buffet breakfast offered
  • Free WiFi
  • Free self parking
  • For dining with a beachfront location, stop by The Dining Room, one of the property's 2 restaurants and 2 bars/lounges
  • Take a swim in the outdoor pool
  • Indulge with body treatments, manicures and pedicures, or body scrubs at the spa
  • Services include babysitting, a free kid's club, and dry cleaning/laundry
  • Onsite recreation includes an outdoor tennis court, a gym, and a steam room
  • 18.4 mi (29.6 km) from Paje Beach
  • Airport shuttle service available for a fee
Some rates at The Residence Zanzibar are all-inclusive. These rates include onsite meals and beverages, and may include taxes and gratuities. Additional charges may apply for meals at some restaurants, special dinners and dishes, certain beverages, and other amenities.

Enjoy the umbrellas and sun loungers for a relaxing day at the beach. Pamper yourself with a treatment at the full-service spa and enjoy amenities at The Residence Zanzibar like a complimentary children's club and an outdoor pool.

Free breakfast is served. There are 2 restaurants and 2 coffee shops/cafes, as well as a snack bar/deli. You can enjoy a drink at one of the bars, which include 2 bars/lounges and a poolside bar. A computer station is on site and WiFi is free in public spaces. This luxury hotel also offers outdoor tennis courts, a steam room, and a fitness center. Free self parking is available.

This 5-star Kizimkazi hotel is smoke free.

Guests are served free buffet breakfast.
The Dining Room - This beachfront buffet restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Guests can order drinks at the bar and enjoy alfresco dining (weather permitting).
The Pavilion - Overlooking the garden, this fine-dining restaurant serves dinner only. Guests can enjoy drinks at the bar. Open daily.
24-hour room service is available.

All-inclusive details

All-inclusive room rates at The Residence Zanzibar are available. These rates are higher because they include onsite food and beverages in the room rate (some restrictions may apply).

Languages

English, French, German, Hindi, Spanish, Swahili

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • 24-hour return airport shuttle at scheduled times and on request for a surcharge
  • Free self parking on site

Food and drink

  • Free buffet breakfast
  • 2 bars/lounges
  • 2 coffee shops/cafes
  • 2 restaurants
  • A poolside bar
  • Snack bar/deli

Restaurants on site

  • The Dining Room
  • The Pavilion

Things to do

  • Free bicycle rentals
  • Free children's club
  • Full-service spa
  • Gym
  • Hiking/biking trails
  • Horseback riding/rentals
  • Kayaking
  • Library
  • Outdoor pool
  • Outdoor tennis court
  • Playground
  • Sauna
  • Snorkelling
  • Steam room
  • Yoga classes

Family friendly

  • Free children's club
  • In-room babysitting
  • Laundry facilities
  • Living room
  • Outdoor pool
  • Playground
  • Private pool
  • Separate bedroom
  • Snack bar/deli
  • Supervised activities for children (surcharge)

Conveniences

  • 24-hour front desk
  • Free newspapers in lobby
  • Gift shop/newsstand
  • Hair salon
  • Laundry facilities
  • Lockers
  • Luggage storage
  • Safe at front desk

Guest services

  • Concierge services
  • Dry cleaning/laundry service
  • Housekeeping (daily)
  • Multilingual staff
  • Porter/bellhop
  • Tour and ticket assistance
  • Turndown service
  • Wedding services

Business services

  • Business centre
  • Computer station
  • Meeting rooms

Outdoors

  • Beach loungers
  • Beach towels
  • Beach umbrellas
  • Garden
  • On the beach
  • Pool loungers
  • Pool umbrellas
  • Terrace

Full-service spa

  • Body scrubs
  • Body wraps
  • Facials
  • Manicures/pedicures
  • Massage

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • Accessible airport shuttle
  • No lift
  • Wheelchair accessibility
  • Wheelchair-accessible path of travel

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided
  • Blackout drapes

Bathroom

  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer
  • Separate bathtub and shower
  • Slippers
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • Flat-screen TV with satellite channels
  • Private pool

Food and drink

  • 24-hour room service
  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Free bottled water
  • Minibar

More

  • Air conditioning
  • Ceiling fan
  • Desk
  • Fireplace
  • Living room
  • Phone
  • Safe
  • Separate sitting area

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: anytime

Check-out

Check-out before noon
Contactless check-out available

Special check-in instructions

This property offers transfers from the airport (surcharges may apply); guests must contact the property with arrival details before travel, using the contact information on the booking confirmation
Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property
For any questions, please contact the property using the information on the booking confirmation

Renovations and closures

The property will be renovating from May 2 2025 to May 31 2025 (completion date subject to change). The following areas are affected:
  • Bar/lounge
  • Swimming pool
During renovations, the hotel will make every effort to minimize noise and disturbance.

Access methods

Staffed front desk

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Children and extra beds

  • Children are welcome.
  • Rollaway/extra beds are not available.
  • Cribs (infant beds) are not available.

Payment types at the property

Important information

Fees

Guests will be asked to pay the following charges at the property:

  • Christmas Eve (24 December) Gala Dinner per adult: USD 190
  • Christmas Eve (24 December) Gala Dinner per child: USD 95 (from 3 to 12 years old)
  • New Year's Eve (31 December) Gala Dinner per adult: USD 190
  • New Year's Eve (31 December) Gala Dinner per child: USD 95 (from 3 to 12 years old)
  • A tax is imposed by the city: USD 5.00 per person, per night

We've listed all charges provided to us by the property.

Optional extras

The fees and deposits listed below will be charged at the time of service, check-in, or check-out.

  • Airport shuttle fee: USD 95 per vehicle (one-way, maximum occupancy 4)

This may not be a comprehensive list. Fees and deposits are subject to change and might not include tax.

You need to know

This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business, or profession.
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards; cash is not accepted
Safety features at this property include a carbon monoxide detector, a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, a security system, and a first aid kit
The Residence Zanzibar offers transfers from the airport (fees may apply). Please contact the property at the number on the booking confirmation with your arrival details prior to travel. Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property. For any questions, please contact the property using the information on the booking confirmation.

Property is also known as

Residence Zanzibar
Residence Zanzibar Hotel
Residence Zanzibar Hotel Kizimkazi
Residence Zanzibar Kizimkazi
Zanzibar Residence
The Residence Zanzibar Hotel Kizimkazi
The Residence Zanzibar Kizimkazi
The Residence Zanzibar Hotel
The Residence Zanzibar Kizimkazi
The Residence Zanzibar Hotel Kizimkazi

The Residence Zanzibar Reviews

Reviews

9.0

Wonderful

Rating 10 - Excellent. 134 out of 187 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 31 out of 187 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 10 out of 187 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 4 out of 187 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 8 out of 187 reviews

9.4/10

Cleanliness

9.2/10

Staff & service

9.0/10

Amenities

9.2/10

Property conditions & facilities

8.8/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Stuart, BATTLE

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Our room was perfect, we had booked Luxury Garden Suite, which exceeded our expectations, we particularly like the privacy it afforded and actually were pleased to have not booked a Beach Villa. The main swimming pool does need a face lift, there are numerous tiles missing and also the entry to the pool is rather unsafe it would be much better to just have a step rather than the slanted tiles
Stayed 15 nights in Dec 2024

8/10 Good

Courtney

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
4 star experience for 5 star price
Beautiful grounds, especially oceanfront villas with pools. Large villa that's nicely furnished, however not really at the 5 star level with mould growing on lampshades etc. The ocean is beautiful but be aware there is a lot of seaweed on beach which is not pleasant for swimming. Food at buffet is just ok. Mixed service with front desk staff (servers and cleaners very friendly and helpful), big difference from welcome at check in to rushed check out. There are 1-2 golf carts that can transport you around property but may have a long wait or they may forget to pick you up (though they did arrive early when it was time to check out...). Overall slightly disappointed with experience compared to price.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A charming property
We had an unforgettable stay at The Residence and can’t wait to return—especially our three kids, who are already asking when we’ll be back! The hotel’s beautiful gardens were a highlight; we enjoyed walking through them every day instead of using golf carts. The staff were always friendly and eager to help, making us feel right at home. The two restaurants offered excellent food with daily themed menus and live performances, ensuring a fresh and enjoyable dining experience. The complimentary watersport activities were fantastic, with the boat house crew leading fun and informative sessions. Our beach-facing luxury villa was spacious, well-decorated, and offered great privacy, especially with its private pool although the kids also enjoyed swimming and playing with other kids in the main overflow pool. The monkeys occasionally made an appearance around the villa but kept their distance, adding a fun touch. The beach, while a bit seaweedy at low tide, was perfect after 1 pm. The tour guides were professional and made exploring the area a breeze. Overall, we had a fantastic time and look forward to returning soon!
Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Anne

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
One week stay
Fabulous stay. Beautiful, relaxing and quiet resort. Particularily enjoyed the kindness of all staff. Will probably be back.
Stayed 7 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Anne

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Perfect stay
Amazing stay in the Residence! Employees are very kind, the rooms are very luxurious, ans the a perfect service! I travel a lot and it is one of my favorite hôtel I will come back very soon for sure 😃
Stayed 7 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Connor

2/10 Terrible

Fuat

Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 5 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Anjan

Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2024

8/10 Good

Ubaid

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful property, with a nice layout. The staff was very friendly and helpful, the only issue we faced was complete power failure on the first day and Internet going off and on.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Michelle

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Gerald

Travelled with partner
Liked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
A great location for a quiet get away. The spa treatments and wellness was fabulous. The dining options were always good and of high quality. Staff are friendly and helpful. Recommend the all-inclusive package as options are plentiful and much better than most resorts in Zanzibar.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Nishi

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Christopher

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jorge

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful place. Great staff. Delicious food
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024

2/10 Terrible

Mazen

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Awful stay
The stay was not fit for a couple on our honeymoon. The only mode of reasonable transportation was through a gulf cart which took at least 20 minutes to arrive once we asked for it. The hotel is huge with only 1 cart available for all guests. The service was extremely slow and the food average at best. The monkeys at the room were very disturbing, we could not use the outdoor pool, as several monkeys were aggressively trying to break into the room. We were also woken up at 6 am with monkeys jumping and banging on the roof. We originally booked for 3 nights, but decided to leave after 1 night, and the management did not offer any useful help.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Cole

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2024

6/10 Okay

Robert

Travelled with partner
Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Amenities
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kerry Lee

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Highly recommend
Fabulous trip! The residence is gorgeous. The food was delicious and the service was great, everyone is super friendly and welcoming. We found the hotel day trips on the pricey side. There are other local options so all good.
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

TASNEEM

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
A truly magical holiday with great attentive staff, Nitin and his team really looked after us. The resort is set in a very natural surrounding and there is lots of opportunity to catch the wildlife in action (including cheeky monkeys!). Pool was great for long swims, fitness centre was very well equipped. The food was immaculate! Both the lunch and dinner menu amazed us every time we dined. Evening entertainment was very entertaining! I recommend you go for all inclusive, full board or at a minimal half board.
Stayed 6 nights in Apr 2024

8/10 Good

Henry

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jennie

Stayed 9 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

C E

Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024

8/10 Good

Marek

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Amazing! Travel also to Tanzania to visit safari.
I stayed 9 nights (Feb 24) in Residence Zanzibar together with my 3 daughters (13, 17, 20y.) to have "onetime" holiday that included also safari in Tanzania. Hotel is situated approx. 90min far from an airport, surrounded by a tropical garden. Hotel offers only villas with private pools. We stayed at Frangipani villa, which easily accomodates 4 almost adult persons. Villa is very large (3 rooms, 2 bathrooms) pleasant, private pool very spacious. One may say, that a furniture is a little bit outdated, but we are in Africa and even though I am quite demanding - it was not a problem. In the middle of the resort, there is "master pool", there are also equipped gym, tennis court and other sport facilities. Food is absolutely excellent. During dinners they served local foods, seafood, grill, pasta - the offer is very varied and very tasty. Hide and low tide can be uncomfortable for someone, because it is almost impossible to swim directly at the beach, but it can be easily solved by various activities like snorkelling with dolphins, starfish, sandbank etc. They will take to by boat 10min from the hotel to the ocean and you can swim as much as you can. Definitely visit Stone town! Unbelievable city including arabic, afric, european elements. Prison island is not so interesting. And finally - if you have a time and energy, go to Tanzania to visit national parks. Even only for 2 days as we did it. The country is safe, people very nice and heplful and you may have unforgettable holiday
Stayed 9 nights in Feb 2024

8/10 Good

Seham

Travelled with family, Travelled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Some positives: Was clean and the rooms were amazing. The rooms are very big, and you have your own private pool (well our room had this not sure if all rooms do) and we even got to see monkey's whilst we were there which was awesome. Food at the buffet was okay - wasn't amazing, but wasn't horrible either. It was decent. Staff were really lovely too, however they are not as friendly as staff at a different hotel we stayed at in Zanzibar. Some negatives: I booked a couples massage at the spa. The spa was very visually pretty and staff were friendly and were able to accommodate to quite last minute bookings. However the massage services was poor. There was no relaxing music playing, the therapists were whispering between themselves during the massage. At one point the massage just paused although the therapist was there sitting next to me. I'm not sure if she fell asleep or what had happened. It was worth twenty dollars but I paid one hundred and fourty dollars per person, and so I was quite disappointed with the massage. The actual massage itself was poor, no techniques were used and I think staff here need training. Also, my sister found a snake in her shower. There are two showers, one inside and one that is outside but still apart of your room. The snake she saw was in the outside one. She raised this with the reception and it took 1 hour for anyone to come, at that point she had no idea where it went. Staff said snakes are rare and so we were even more worried.

8/10 Good

Magali

Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2023