If Zanzibar is not on your bucket list yet, it really needs to be added! In my opinion it’s totally underrated, and is rarely even mentioned in Canada. That may be because it’s further than the Caribbean, for example… but it is SO worth it. I’d highly recommend adding a week of relaxation in Zanzibar at the tail end of an adventure trip in Tanzania, such as a safari or climbing Mount Kilimanjaro! More on our adventures to come soon 🙂 Our favourite hotel from our visit was Nungwi Dreams, so let me dive into exactly why it was so great.
Location
Nungwi Dreams is located in… Nungwi! Go figure! Nungwi is at the northern tip of Zanzibar island, and the hotel faces east. But don’t worry, sunset lovers – they have a wonderful rooftop bar that gives panoramic views, so you can enjoy the evening show from up there!
It takes about an hour to reach the hotel from the airport by car, and the taxi will cost between $30-$75 USD, depending on your negotiating skills… don’t settle for the first price you are offered! Lol
The hotel is on a quiet strip of beach, which is quite nice if you’re looking for an escape. To see the town of Nungwi, I’d highly recommend walking over (or taking a taxi), to explore the shops, markets, and different beaches. If you walk along the beach, you can see a bunch of the waterfront hotels and peek at what else is offered. As a nosy Nancy, I loooveee to do this!
We walked into town along the road to go to Sweet Corner to grab smoothie bowls, and then walked back along the beach around the tip of the island. It was an enjoyable mini adventure, and a great way to see more of the island. Note: walking via the beach is only possible at low tide, so make sure to check the tide charts!!
Pricing
For me this was a major splurge type hotel but in my opinion, the value for money is HIGH. Rates are between $240-270 CAD per night for a standard room, and $340-370 CAD per night for ocean front. They also offer a presidential villa with 4 rooms and a private plunge pool, rooftop lounge, and kitchen… for which the price is not listed. 🙈
Restaurants & Bars
Nungwi Dreams has 2 main dining areas: one patio by the pool, and one four-story building with incredible views. Breakfast is served at the indoor dining area on the second floor overlooking the ocean. Lunch is served at the poolside (you can either sit in the restaurant, or be served at your pool chair!). And dinner rotates between the poolside patio, and the third floor outdoor dining area overlooking the ocean. There’s also a small fourth floor lounge area deemed the “Sky Bar”, which was our fav spot to catch sunset!
Views from the breakfast/dinner restaurant:
Sky Bar:
Poolside dining:
More on Food…
The hotel offers all-inclusive packages, but we didn’t opt in since we were planning on eating off the resort for a few meals. Breakfast is included for all though! And boy was it a good one… they had an egg station, a pancake station, a waffle station, a smoothie station, an oatmeal station, a cereal station, a yogurt station, a pastries table, a coffee bar, a full hot savoury buffet, and fresh juices. I think that’s it! There may have been more!!
The lunch menu was large, with a good mix of local cuisine and comforting staples. Dinner rotated between a la carte menus, and different buffets! We were lucky enough to be there for the Asian buffet, which was not your classic “American Chinese” asian… it was probably the best buffet I’ve ever had. Thai stir fries and Indian curries and Japanese sushi and Indonesian kababs and SO MUCH MORE, all carefully crafted by the chefs. Just divine!
*I apologize as I didn’t get many pics of dinner food – you’ll just have to take my word that it was fantastic.
Pools
There are two pools at the hotel; both infinity pools, both overlooking the ocean. One of them is aaaalmost big enough for a swim workout! I tried, at least 🙂
We enjoyed just lounging at the edge, watching the ocean & beach goers.
Other Amenities
On top of the various restaurants and pools, the hotel also has a spa, a library, and a gym. We did not indulge in the spa, but I most definitely enjoyed the library and gym!
Rooms
The room was spacious and clean, with comfy beds and a great shower. The A/C was cold and ran all the time (unlike some other hotels that shut it off when you’re not in the room!). We got a standard room so there wasn’t much to look at out our window, but there are many “sea view” and “ocean front” rooms available that would have stunning views.
Beach
Right in front of the hotel is one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen with perfectly white sand and turquoise waters. The water was SO warm that I did not find it even remotely refreshing, and couldn’t do the swim workout I had planned because I was overheating… great for relaxing!! Not so great for training. 😂
The tides are veryyy strong here, so twice a day the water recedes around a hundred metres and reveals little tidal pools! A lot of people say this is a negative since the beach isn’t as “picturesque”, but I think it’s a plus since it looks really neat, and you can explore the marine life. The hotel gives out water shoes to protect your feeties – don’t venture out without them!!
Final Thoughts
This has gotta be the nicest hotel I’ve ever stayed at. It was absolute luxury, located in paradise. The grounds are SO well kept and perfectly manicured, so everything is stunning everywhere you look. The staff were all incredibly friendly and ON THE BALL. They were truly experts at knowing what you needed before you even knew you needed it yourself… Such a treat!
I couldn’t recommend Nungwi Dreams enough. 10/10. Loved it!!!
