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About
4.5
#1 of 2 hotels in Kizimkazi Mkunguni
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
Highlights: • Ocean-Front Resort in the Southwestern Part of Zanzibar • 350 meters Private Beach • Environmentally-Friendly Resort with Extensive Tropical Gardens • Lavish Rooms & Suites including Swim-Up & Jacuzzi and Presidential Villa • A Secluded Spot Ideal for Unwinding • 5-Minute Distance from Snorkeling with Dolphins at Menai Island • The Cave Restaurant Featuring an earthy, coastal design in an utterly cozy ambiance, the beachfront resort, Kwanza, is here to be on top of the highlights of life. Adopting the genuine facets of The Spice Island, Kizimkazi, in which the resort is located, you get to enjoy the sincere feeling of the Indian Ocean waters, the vividness of its aura and a heavenly climate all year round. Built on an environmentally friendly basis, surrounded by tropical gardens and the organic fruits and spices growing within, the authenticity of life will revive your senses. The resort is situated on the Ocean with a wonderful view of the Tanzania mainland and the capital during clear days, it features a distinctive Location.
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Kwanza Resort by SUNRISE earns rave reviews for its friendly service and elegant atmosphere, with lush greenery and modern decor that create a serene environment. The spacious rooms with modern amenities and beautiful views are popular among guests, although some have noted maintenance and cleanliness issues.
While the resort's central location and range of amenities like pools and dining options are highly praised, some travelers warn of inconsistent service and unexpected costs, despite the allure of 'all-inclusive' packages.
Location
Central
Atmosphere
Stylish
Rooms
Spacious
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Mixed
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Abundant
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The hotel is beautifully decorated, it’s very secluded and away from the busy, touristy areas. The rooms are spacious, cleaned everyday with a change of towels, our jacuzzi malfunctioned a few times but it was always quickly resolved!
We went for the all inclusive option, the main buffet restaurant was great, the food was always delicious and quite a lot of things to choose from. We dined at the African restaurant one night, the main courses were great but the starters and desserts not so much so we haven’t booked again. We also booked for the Japanese restaurant although about 15 minutes before our booking we were told that it’s actually closed on Mondays and they didn’t know why hasn’t anyone told us that at the time we were making the booking. So we didn’t actually get to try it but it wasn’t a big deal, mistakes happen and we were quite happy to eat at the buffet :D
The staff at the main pool are amazing! Special thanks to Isaya for organising pool volleyball everyday and always chatting to everyone, very nice guy! All the bartenders are great too especially Hassan and Jamal.
The only thing that irritated us quite a few times is that even though all the prices are in USD, every single time when we wanted to pay for something they’d say that they haven’t got any change, so then we’d say that we’re not interested anymore and all of a sudden they had the change?? Very strange, seemed to us like they were trying to make some extra money hoping that the guests wouldn’t want their change back. Not very 5 star ;)
But overall it was a great stay and we do hope to be back one day. Hakuna matata!!
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Date of stay: November 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Guest Service, Guest Services / Front Office at Kwanza Resort by SUNRISE
Responded 30 Nov 2023
Dear Our Valued Guest It has been a pleasure to host you and we love to hear that you had a "fantastic and romantic holiday". The staff is there to make you feel comfortable and ‘at home’ and we are so pleased to note that you appreciated their efforts. Thank you for taking the time to write this review and we look forward to welcoming you back again in the near future. Warm regards, Kwanza Resort
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We went to Kwanza for our honeymoon and although I wanted the trip to be so great, Kwanza took me by surprise, it was just perfect and both my husband and I loved every minute of our stay. The resort's location is 1:30 minutes from the airport, quiet, secure and surrounded by the most beautiful shades of blue clear waters. we particularly opted for the ocean view rooms, as we imagined getting up to that wonderful view and sleeping to the sounds of waves crashing on the rocks. we were warmly welcomed by Abdul, a driver who the hotel organised for us. At the hotel reception, Wilfred, Rhamadhan and Wallid welcomed us. Wilfred was very helpful and let us know about all the activities that we could do on the island. The food was just to die for. Buffet from breakfast through to dinner. We paid for all-inclusive so we had access to everything on the menu apart from a few drinks. The bar staff is so friendly, and professional. Don't forget to ask Jamal for a Dawa, that's the local cocktail and you won't regret it. ask for water through room service as you cannot drink from the tap. I could go on and on about this amazing resort, so ill stop here and encourage to go if you were thinking about it.
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Date of stay: June 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:On your first visit, arrange for a driver with the hotel.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Guest Service, Guest Services / Front Office at Kwanza Resort by SUNRISE
Responded 12 Jun 2024
Dear Our Valued Guest It has been a pleasure to host you and we love to hear that you had a "fantastic and romantic holiday". The staff is there to make you feel comfortable and ‘at home’ and we are so pleased to note that you appreciated their efforts. Thank you for taking the time to write this review and we look forward to welcoming you back again in the near future. Warm regards, Kwanza Resort.
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I spent one night in Kwanza and highly recommend you to stay too.
Me and my friend were the first Korean to visit this place since its newly opened few months ago.
I stayed as a premium all inclusive package. So we could choose out of three restaurants they have, Japanese, African cuisines and international buffet and all our beverages were free including alcohols.
But for dinner you have to make reservation a day in advance for Japanese and african restaurants(and they also open one at a day for now). But Cralessa helped us squeezed in! Thanks to her, we had opportunity to enjoy one of the best fresh Japanese food in Africa!
They also provide free Yoga class with instructor starting from October (thats what i heard), so would be best if i could do some yoga next time.
They have multiple pools, bars, and restaurants so one night was not enough to seize the most! And the staffs are all friendly and nice too.
Had an amazing relaxing time here in Kwanza and really wanna come back for longer periods next time!
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Date of stay: August 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip:It takes about 1 hour and a half from port to hotel
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Guest Service, Guest Services / Front Office at Kwanza Resort by SUNRISE
Responded 27 Aug 2023
Dear Our Valued Guest It has been a pleasure to host you and we love to hear that you had a "fantastic and romantic holiday". The staff is there to make you feel comfortable and ‘at home’ and we are so pleased to note that you appreciated their efforts. Thank you for taking the time to write this review and we look forward to welcoming you back again in the near future. Warm regards, Kwanza Resort
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Following a wonderful first week of honeymoon in Kenya, we had high hopes for a week of sun in Zanzibar. We planned our trip carefully, and were excited to stay at Kwanza. How wrong we were to be proven.
First, the positives. The food, particularly breakfast, was excellent. Dining and catering staff were phenomenal. The resort is mostly clean and lush. However, this is where the positives end.
Our room was in a poor state of repair. Multiple things broke, including the shower, safe, and toilet. Staff had to be contacted multiple times to arrange repairs, and staff would often enter our room to perform their work when we were there, rather than at meal times or checking when suited us.
The upkeep and cleaning of rooms was terrible. It was inconsistent, and we often had to request new towels or a re-clean. The turn down service often occurred when we had finished dinner and return to our room, which meant we had minimal privacy.
Food and drinks were expensive and the quality did not match the price point, especially compared to other fully inclusive resorts in Africa and indeed around the world. Bills were often presented to us while we were still eating, which was plainly rude and not something I have encountered before.
We found staff, particularly at reception and the towel exchange, to be rude. We were issued faulty room access cards which regularly had to be reset, and were lectured by reception multiple times on their use rather than be issued new ones.
However, this all pales in comparison to our final issue. On the last day, we were knowingly and incorrectly overcharged US$120 for an airport transfer we had already paid for. To date, Kwanza have not returned emails or phone calls to claim this money back.
Please - if you are planning a honeymoon especially, or if you are a family looking for fun in the sun, there are cheaper, friendlier, more honest, and better quality resorts elsewhere on the island. I highly recommend avoiding Kwanza if you wish to have a wonderful holiday.
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Date of stay: June 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Guest Service, Guest Services / Front Office at Kwanza Resort by SUNRISE
Responded 24 Jun 2024
Dear Sir, SUNNY Greetings from Kwanza, thank you for taking the time to write your detailed review of your recent experience at KWANZA Resort. We are sorry to know that some parts of your stay with us were not up to your satisfaction and we'd like you to rest assured that all of your constructive points will be taken into account and shared with the team as an opportunity to improve our service and product
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I booked a bungalow with a private pool and never got to use the pool because it was filthy… all sorts of dead insects. Requested twice for the pool to be cleaned and it was never cleaned.
We were 2 people in my room but for some reason, house keeping only replaced one set of towels, we had to call a few times to request towels.
The hot water in our room wasn’t working properly for the entire 5 nights that we stayed.
The bar man at the hotel pool bar doesn’t use gloves when he is making drinks. I politely requested that he used gloves and he was quite rude in response… The bar was swarmed with flies and bees. Wouldn’t be the case if it was cleaned properly.
The breakfast selection is not the best, the same food items are served every single day with little to no variation. The waiters at breakfast are also not so efficient as you have to make a simple request twice before you are attended to.
I found it particularly odd that on the morning of our departure, the response to our request for late check out was a demand for the payment for the room charges (mini bar, drinks etc.)… typically, all charges are cleared during check out.
We requested a porter to assist with moving our bags for check out and it took over 20 minutes of us calling repeatedly to get one over.
we visit a new country for my birthday every year and this was the first hotel I’m staying in that made 0 effort to make the stay or the day special. No minimal gesture… not even a card or a simple birthday wish.
A friend of mine informed me that she called the hotel to book a surprise gift and spa session for me but got frustrated because she was getting passed on to different departments for over half an hour. She gave up.
Absolutely would not recommend for luxury travelers. You’d be frustrated. this experience was disappointing and most definitely falls short of 5 stars. More like 3 stars. Will do a more thorough review with videos and pics on my social media.
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Date of stay: June 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Guest Service, Guest Services / Front Office at Kwanza Resort by SUNRISE
Responded 18 Jun 2024
DearU W Paulas, SUNNY Greetings from Kwanza, thank you for taking the time to write your detailed review of your recent experience at KWANZA Resort. We are sorry to know that some parts of your stay with us were not up to your satisfaction and we'd like you to rest assured that all of your constructive points will be taken into account and shared with the team as an opportunity to improve our service and product.
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I have just finished my weeks holiday in Zanzibar. I highly recommend this hotel. The service is at a very high level and always smiling, everywhere is clean, the food is delicious - everyone will find something for themselves because there is a large selection. The selection of drinks is very wide, and the staff will be happy to make whatever you want to drink beyond the menu. The barman Jamal is the best and makes the best mohitos in the whole world, and I've had a lot of them. Additionally, there are many attractions such as yoga and volleyball - very nice.
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Date of stay: March 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Guest Service, Guest Services / Front Office at Kwanza Resort by SUNRISE
Responded 14 Mar 2024
Dear Our Valued Guest It has been a pleasure to host you and we love to hear that you had a "fantastic and romantic holiday". The staff is there to make you feel comfortable and ‘at home’ and we are so pleased to note that you appreciated their efforts. Thank you for taking the time to write this review and we look forward to welcoming you back again in the near future. Warm regards, Kwanza Resort.
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"Absolutely fantastic hotel! The service was impeccable, rooms were spacious and well-appointed, and the central location made exploring the area a breeze. From check-in to check-out, it was a seamless and delightful experience. Highly recommend for a luxurious and memorable stay!"
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: November 2023Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Guest Service, Guest Services / Front Office at Kwanza Resort by SUNRISE
Responded 22 Nov 2023
Dear Our Valued Guest It has been a pleasure to host you and we love to hear that you had a "fantastic and romantic holiday". The staff is there to make you feel comfortable and ‘at home’ and we are so pleased to note that you appreciated their efforts. Thank you for taking the time to write this review and we look forward to welcoming you back again in the near future. Warm regards, Kwanza Resort
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It was a good start to the trip when we arrived and were well received by the front desk staff and rest of the onground staff who were hospitable. Our stay was for 3 nights and it was upon our last night that my small kids (2yrs & 5yrs) and nanny were watching TV in the room and heard a loud bang that terrified them thinking it could have been a bomb or something terrible crashing from the roof. They ran outside for safety and to see if other guests were outside. Nobody else was outside so they came back inside after seeing no commotion from outside. Minutes later, our nanny opens the door to the bathroom only to find glass shattered everywhere. It was the shower door that had fallen and smashed into pieces. The shower door is approximately 7 foot in height and 4/5 feet wide. We were given another room as they cleaned up our previous room. We were extremely dissapointed at the way the General Manager, Ajay treated us as he never came to check if my family was okay, never apologized for the incident and instead demanded for us to pay for the damage. We refused to pay because we were not at fault. We were glad that our family was safe and would have let go of the incident but it was the way that the General Manager, Ajay spoke and treated us that showed he neither cared of our safety nor that our experience at the hotel mattered. We were highly upset and disappointed as we were leaving the hotel.
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Date of stay: March 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Guest Service, Guest Services / Front Office at Kwanza Resort by SUNRISE
Responded 3 Apr 2024
Dear Shia, SUNNY Greetings from Kwanza, thank you for taking the time to write your detailed review of your recent experience at KWANZA Resort. We are sorry to know that some parts of your stay with us were not up to your satisfaction and we'd like you to rest assured that all of your constructive points will be taken into account and shared with the team as an opportunity to improve our service and product.
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Great great place. Superb welcome and lovely lovely people. We had a villa with pool. The room was enormous! Small issue with booming music most nights until 10.30pm which is annoying with young kids but the management dealt with it and we didn't want to spoil the fun of others.
I would say it's annoying you have to pay for Kids Club - we were on an all inclusive - and that the spa is not free for sauna and steam and cold pool - and maybe lend people snorkles since the beach is so beautiful?
The highlight was Chef Robin. What a legend. What a good cook, a great person and such a friendly and interesting asset that the hotel has in him.
Bravo Chef. My kids send their best!
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Date of stay: October 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Go on a boat trip!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Guest Service, Guest Services / Front Office at Kwanza Resort by SUNRISE
Responded 26 Oct 2023
Dear Our Valued Guest It has been a pleasure to host you and we love to hear that you had a "fantastic and romantic holiday". The staff is there to make you feel comfortable and ‘at home’ and we are so pleased to note that you appreciated their efforts. Thank you for taking the time to write this review and we look forward to welcoming you back again in the near future. Warm regards, Kwanza Resort
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The grounds and facilities are all beautiful. We had an ocean view room with a swim out and outdoor shower. The room was great but after the first couple of nights we noticed a few small roaches crawling around throughout the day; we asked them to spray which helped a bit. Not something that can be cured given the location and they have a net for the bed but just know you might see a few and to call to have them spray. We really enjoyed going to the gym which had all new equipment. The couples spa we received was amazing. Only small downsides is that some of the food could be improved though I think it was pretty good for resort food. The Japanese restaurant was the best but the service was slow the first night we went (but better the next night). It’s newer so it was not full when we went, so it was quiet and relaxing but they still had activities. I could see it being a little rowdier but still fun once it’s on more people’s radar, the facilities are great for pool/festival-type parties, I just hope all the great things about the place don’t change too much when that happens! Overall we would definitely stay here again and recommend it to others.
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Date of stay: February 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Guest Service, Guest Services / Front Office at Kwanza Resort by SUNRISE
Responded 9 Feb 2024
Dear Our Valued Guest It has been a pleasure to host you and we love to hear that you had a "fantastic and romantic holiday". The staff is there to make you feel comfortable and ‘at home’ and we are so pleased to note that you appreciated their efforts. Thank you for taking the time to write this review and we look forward to welcoming you back again in the near future. Warm regards, Kwanza Resort.
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