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Sunshine Marine Lodge

Off Mnemba Island Road, Matemwe 4749 Tanzania
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Traveller (553)
360
Panoramas (20)
Pool & Beach (163)
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About

#4 of 12 hotels in Matemwe
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
Travellers' Choice
Sunshine Marine Lodge is a unique and remote property located on a cliff right across from Mnemba island on the north-east coast of Zanzibar. It has a beautiful Swahili-style design and an amazing garden, which makes it the perfect paradise getaway. The hotel has 28 rooms in 8 bungalows, with truly spectacular views of the Indian Ocean, and surrounded by a tropical garden. The hotel has a large, ocean-front restaurant. Next to it is the pool area with sunbeds and 2 pristine pools- one of which is an infinity pool with a view right onto the ocean. Dive Point Zanzibar- a PADI 5 Star Resort certified diving center is located in the hotel. Mnemba Atoll, with its magnificent marine life, is only a 20 minute boat ride away from the hotel jetty.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free internet
Pool
Yoga classes
Free breakfast
Bicycles available
Diving
Highchairs available
Secured parking
Wifi
Pool / beach towels
Infinity pool
Pool with view
Outdoor pool
Yoga room
Bar / lounge
Restaurant
Breakfast available
Breakfast buffet
Complimentary welcome drink
Kids' meals
Outdoor dining area
Special diet menus
Wine / champagne
Poolside bar
Snorkelling
Board games / puzzles
Airport transportation
Shuttle bus service
Taxi service
Spa
Couples massage
Facial treatments
Foot massage
Full body massage
Hand massage
Head massage
Manicure
Massage
Neck massage
Pedicure
Waxing services
24-hour security
Baggage storage
Concierge
Gift shop
Mosquito net
Outdoor furniture
Sun loungers / beach chairs
Sun umbrellas
Umbrella
Laundry service
Ironing service
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Room features
Desk
Housekeeping
Interconnected rooms available
Private balcony
Coffee / tea maker
Minibar
Sofa bed
Walk-in shower
Safe
Seating area
Wardrobe / wardrobe
Bottled water
Clothes rack
Private bathrooms
Wake-up service / alarm clock
Electric kettle
Complimentary toiletries
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Room types
Ocean view
Landmark view
Non-smoking rooms
Suites
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
3.0 of 5 stars
HOTEL STYLE
Bay View
Languages Spoken
English, French, Danish, German and 2 more
388Reviews17Q+A73Room tips
Traveller rating
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Rik G wrote a review Yesterday
Nyköping, Sweden6 contributions1 helpful vote
+1
From the very start it is an amazing experience. Welcome drink , cold towels, and a short tour. The rooms are amazing, spacious, clean, charming, air-conditioning plus fans, and just so pretty. The balcony view of the sea is beautiful. The food is just wonderful. The staff so friendly. Free yoga most days which is a major bonus. Tranquillity... so quiet , its just bliss 🙏 The dive center is super professional. I worked as an instructor for 25 years and I am not easily impressed. The guides are super good and the diving is excellent. I'm more than surprised at the variety. For 14 dive sites the variety is brilliant. I cannot say one negative thing ... thank you so much for a fantastic 10 days. Peace n respect from us 🙏
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Date of stay: March 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip: Be prepared for tranquility 🙏
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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.
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Lui R wrote a review 11 Mar
1 contribution
Hotel is overall very nice, super wonderful location right across from the atoll, great and friendly staff. Restaurant/pier/pool area is lovely. Onsite dive shop is 5 star. Special kudos to our DM, Toro. Saw lots of dolphins. Few very minor minus: AC in our room was pointing directly at the bed and madress was way to hard for my liking (my gf liked it though) Sea is only accessable during high tide (most of the time) Place is very remote, takes like 15min in car to get to anywhere, that's both a plus and a minus, mostly a plus :)
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Date of stay: March 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.
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Response from Silvana Poulsen, Guest Services / Front Office at Sunshine Marine Lodge
Responded 4 days ago
Thank you so much for your fantastic 5-star review! We are thrilled to hear that you had such a wonderful experience in Sunshine Marine Lodge. It is always our goal to satisfy our customers, and your positive feedback is a tremendous motivation for our team. We constantly strive to deliver the best possible service, so it's truly gratifying to know that we have succeeded in doing so. Once again, thank you for your kind words and for sharing your positive experience. We hope to have the opportunity to serve you again in the future.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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Amanda wrote a review Feb 2024
Kakamas, South Africa1 contribution1 helpful vote
+1
Wow is an understatement. From the moment we arrived there we were received by friendly staff who carried our bags up the stairs. The rooms are spacious and clean. We had a room with garden and partial sea view. It was lovely. The pool area is to die for and the best cocktails are served by Daniel who works at the bar. Breakfast was lovely. The WiFi was a bit slow but we enjoyed the view from the pool area. There is a tour guide named Mustafa who arranges all activities and transport. Overall the staff were very helpful, friendly and reliable. You will not regret your stay here.
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Date of stay: February 2024Trip 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.
1 Helpful vote
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Response from Silvana Poulsen, Guest Services / Front Office at Sunshine Marine Lodge
Responded 4 days ago
Thank you again for your 5-star rating and for being an amazing part of our journey. Your continued support means everything to us, and we can’t wait to exceed your expectations every time you choose us. If there’s anything specific you’d like to see more of, please don’t hesitate to let us know.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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Dihlobos T wrote a review Jan 2024
1 contribution
The reception was outstanding. We liked the garden view 👌🏾. We were only disappointed by the weather. We really didn’t anticipate it. So for a good two days we couldn’t go out and enjoy ourselves. Otherwise 🫶🏾
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Date of stay: January 2024Trip 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.
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Response from Silvana Poulsen, Guest Services / Front Office at Sunshine Marine Lodge
Responded 7 Jan 2024
We truly appreciate your support and trust in us. Your 5-star review brightens our day and serves as a constant reminder of why we love what we do. We’ll continue striving to provide exceptional products/services and outstanding customer care to make every interaction with us remarkable. If only the weather was a bit better! But we can't influence that I'm afraid.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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Linda E wrote a review Dec 2023
1 contribution
I was so disappointed with the room we were allocated. Having booked months in advance with specific requests we were just ignored and placed in the farthest room from our family member. No attention was given to our request which was made months in advance.
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Date of stay: December 2023Trip 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.
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Response from Silvana Poulsen, Guest Services / Front Office at Sunshine Marine Lodge
Responded 2 Jan 2024
Dear Linda, Thank you for sharing your feedback regarding your recent stay at our establishment. We sincerely apologize for the disappointment you experienced with the room allocation. We understand the importance of providing a comfortable and satisfactory accommodation, and we regret that we fell short of your expectations. We take guest satisfaction seriously and strive to fulfill specific room requests whenever possible. However, due to different room types booked on your side, we were unable to fulfill your request for a specific room type or location. We understand how this could have affected your overall experience, and we truly apologize for any inconvenience caused. Our GM has provided you with outmost generosity and attention, and moved your booking to our sister property where you received 3 rooms, instead of 2 rooms which was originally booked. We appreciate your feedback as it helps us identify areas for improvement. Rest assured that we have taken your comments to heart, and we will use them to enhance our room allocation process to better meet guest preferences and expectations in the future.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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WeeKee wrote a review Dec 2023
Singapore, Singapore517 contributions221 helpful votes
+1
My family swung by to Matemwe for a couple of days from Stone Town, and boy we should have stayed a couple more. This is a small paradise on the slightly overlooked east side of the island, and I hope it stays this way. Each of the huts face the garden and the towards the sea, with some lucky ones with a closer sea view. The sea view here is gorgeous, lack of a beach notwithstanding. There are a couple of pools in the premise and you can soak while being mesmerized but the sea colours. Those who want the beach, they provide a complimentary transport to and fro their sister property down the road (Sunshine Bay) where there is a beach. It is also not far from the still-beautiful Muyuni Beach, albeit the latter is getting overcrowded. Mamba island is just across the waters and chance of swimming with the dophins are good, and surprisingly one of the most unforgettable experience we had. It feels a little like we’re harassing the dolphins so after a few swims we left, but it was memorable nevertheless. Please don’t come with the idea to touch them which irritates them. Guests can borrow snorkeling equipment if they would like to explore the corals, something which we really appreciate. There is also a complimentary yoga class from Mon-Sat. The dive shop based here can also arrange diving and snorkeling trips for you. The rooms now have proper ceilings and the management has put in air conditioners, albeit a too underpowered for the room size. We stayed in a family room and it was spacious, tastefully furnished with everything we need. The service at the hotel is excellent. I recommend that if you are hanging around to purchase the half or full board packages, since there are no other food options around. The food quality is good (albeit at Zanzibar speed) but the idea here is to take it easy right? The portions are also quite substantial. In the evenings the cute bushbabies would come by for some bread. If you come please come please plan for a few more days, which we wish we had. It’s so easy to hang out and enjoy the easy vibe of the place.
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Date of stay: December 2023Trip 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.
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Response from Silvana Poulsen, Guest Services / Front Office at Sunshine Marine Lodge
Responded 21 Dec 2023
Good afternoon! Thank you so much for your amazing review! We are happy to read that you've enjoyed your stay with us, even if it was for just a few days. Next time you'll come a bit longer ;) Your review is extremely helpful for future travelers wanting to come stay with us as you've talked about all the facilities that we have, thank you again! And see you next time!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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Amy H wrote a review Dec 2023
Birmingham, United Kingdom15 contributions7 helpful votes
We were disappointed with our stay - when we arrived late at night our sheets had an old blood stain on them and when we informed the hotel staff the next day they simply said they would be changed that day without offering an apology. We were also charged twice for our stay, having to pay on checkout with a 5% fee for using a card which was a debit card even though it had said the fee was just for credit cards, then when we returned from our holiday our credit card we had used to secure the booking had been charged as well and took a very long time to be sorted out and the credit refunded. It is a good location for diving, cocktails were nice, and the food was fine. Pool was very nice and empty most of the time. The yoga instructor was lovely and classes good, but the mats supplied by the hotel are in bad condition, covered in holes and quite dirty so bring a towel to cover your mat from your room. We went to the sister hotel to use the beach for the day and that looked more rundown than the lodge.
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Date of stay: November 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip: They charge 5% card fee so bring USD if you want to avoid it (even if you are using a debit card)
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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.
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Response from Silvana Poulsen, Guest Services / Front Office at Sunshine Marine Lodge
Responded 27 Dec 2023
Dear Amy, Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention regarding your recent stay at our establishment. We sincerely apologize for the issue you encountered with the cleanliness of the bed linen. This is certainly not the standard we strive to maintain, and we deeply regret any discomfort or inconvenience caused. We take cleanliness and hygiene very seriously, and we have strict protocols in place to ensure the highest standards are met throughout our property. It is disheartening to learn that we fell short on this occasion. We have investigated the matter thoroughly and have taken immediate corrective action to ensure that such an oversight does not happen again in the future. We appreciate your feedback as it helps us identify areas for improvement. Our housekeeping team has been retrained, and we have implemented additional quality checks to ensure that all linens are meticulously cleaned and inspected before being placed in guest rooms. We are committed to upholding the highest standards of cleanliness and ensuring that our guests enjoy a comfortable and pleasant stay. We understand the importance of accurate billing and ensuring a seamless experience for our guests. We have thoroughly reviewed our records, and it appears that an error occurred in processing your payment, resulting in the double charge. Please accept our sincerest apologies for this oversight. We want to assure you that we take this matter seriously, and we have taken immediate steps to rectify the situation. The duplicate charge has been refunded, and the necessary measures have been implemented to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. Regarding the 5% fees, these are applied to all card payments done on site, which is also displayed clearly at the reception, and communicated throughout various channels, and at your check-in. Once again, we sincerely apologize for the inconveniences caused. We appreciate your understanding and thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. We value your patronage and hope to have the opportunity to restore your confidence in our establishment.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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Stephen Prasantha Fernando wrote a review Dec 2023
Moama, Australia15 contributions2 helpful votes
Great facility on a seaside cliff. Primary purpose of visiting the area was to do some diving and having a dive club at the hotel was very convenient. Great rooms and good service. Food options were also good, and my wife enjoyed the spa. Good sized pool. Was informed that the area had the best diving around Zanzibar. One drawback of being on a seaside cliff is that there is no beach where the hotel is. There is a beach close by, but you have to organise a taxi to get there and back.
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Date of stay: November 2023
Value
Location
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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.
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Response from Silvana Poulsen, Guest Services / Front Office at Sunshine Marine Lodge
Responded 27 Dec 2023
Greetings from Zanzibar! Thank you for taking the time to write a review for us. We are happy to hear that you enjoyed our hotel and it's facilities. We know we might not have the 'typical' Zanzibar sandy beach, but we have a view that no one can beat! ;) As you also mention, the shuttle is available free of charge to bring guests to our sister property where they can enjoy the beach. Thank you again for your wonderful review! We appreciate and value all the comments.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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Alphonce M wrote a review Dec 2023
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania1 contribution
We Liked the environment, design of rooms and landscapes, polite and caring staffs, cleanliness of the area. The food, drinks everything was perfect, We enjoyed so much and we promise we'll be back soon.
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Date of stay: December 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.
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Response from Silvana Poulsen, Guest Services / Front Office at Sunshine Marine Lodge
Responded 27 Dec 2023
Dear Alphonce & Esther, Thank you for taking the time to write us such a lovely review. We are delighted to read that you enjoyed your stay with us and will be coming back. It would be our pleasure hosting you again!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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abs661 wrote a review Oct 2023
Mouscron, Belgium1 contribution
Amazing team ! All the team is dedicated to your wellness Amazing food ! Fresh and tasty Amazing view ! Just in the middle of the nature with a view to the sea Amazing place ! Restful place and Enjoy activities : diving snorkelling... Just go for it
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: October 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.
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Response from Silvana Poulsen, Guest Services / Front Office at Sunshine Marine Lodge
Responded 27 Dec 2023
Thank you so much for your wonderful review, we can see that you've enjoyed every single thing that we have to offer! We look forward to welcome you a next time!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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PRICE RANGE
HK$1,071 - HK$1,642 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
TanzaniaZanzibar ArchipelagoZanzibar IslandMatemwe
NUMBER OF ROOMS
28
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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SUNSHINE MARINE LODGE HK$798 (H̶K̶$̶3̶,̶3̶3̶1̶) - Updated 2024 Prices & Hotel Reviews - Matemwe, Tanzania

Frequently Asked Questions about Sunshine Marine Lodge
Which popular attractions are close to Sunshine Marine Lodge?
Nearby attractions include Matemwe Beach (6.3 km), Muyuni Beach (6.2 km), and Mateza Tours & Safaris (7.1 km).
What are some of the property amenities at Sunshine Marine Lodge?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free breakfast, a pool, and an on-site restaurant.
Which room amenities are available at Sunshine Marine Lodge?
Top room amenities include a minibar, a desk, and a view of a nearby landmark.
What food & drink options are available at Sunshine Marine Lodge?
Guests can enjoy free breakfast, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge during their stay.
Is parking available at Sunshine Marine Lodge?
Yes, free parking and secured parking are available to guests.
What are some restaurants close to Sunshine Marine Lodge?
Conveniently located restaurants include Bin Jabir Restaurant, Furaha Local Restaurant, and Marlin Restaurant.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Sunshine Marine Lodge?
Yes, guests have access to a pool and yoga classes during their stay.
Does Sunshine Marine Lodge have airport transportation?
Yes, Sunshine Marine Lodge offers airport transportation for guests. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details.
Which languages are spoken by the staff at Sunshine Marine Lodge?
The staff speaks multiple languages, including English, French, German, Polish, Danish, and Swahili.
Are there any historical sites close to Sunshine Marine Lodge?
Many travellers enjoy visiting Tumbatu Island (15.2 km) and Fukuchani Ruins (8.2 km).
Does Sunshine Marine Lodge have any great views?
Yes, guests often enjoy the ocean view available here.