Unguja Lodge

A true divers paradise

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Review

Right at the southern most tip of Zanzibar, Unguja is known only to a few and is a welcome retreat from the relative bustle of other beaches on the island. While not really the best beach on the island, part of the charm of heading down here is to access the superb and unspoiled diving of the reefs to the south. On top of this, with a good amount of space and great views, it is a relaxing place to soak up a few rays!

Beach

The fact that the hotel is set on a cliff is a bit of an indicator that the beach here is not the best on the island. At low to very low tide, it is possible to walk down onto it and swim in the sea easily enough…but this is only really for an hour or so in a day. With good communal areas and a welcoming pool, this is not really a destination for those that are beach “seekers”.

Rooms

The rooms are a very good size with a full bedroom, a reclining area, a small pool and another lounging area up in the rafters of each of the makuti thatched rooms. Using a fairly simple design, they are comfortable and cool.

Layout

Connected by a series of pathways through the brush forest and occasional baobab tree, the lodge is a fairly laid out affair and reminds us of being out on safari to a certain extent. The main areas are well appointed and comfortable and look out across the good sized pool to the edge of the property and the sea. On the whole it is well done although, if we were being picky, we would have like to have more of a view.

Feedback

Unguja Lodge was indescribable it was absolutely perfect. It wasn’t like being in a Hotel at all but rather more like being very well treated house guests of Ralph and Eilies. We had monkeys in our villa’s which we loved, enough lizards etc around to satisfy even my reptile mad husband and the staff were outstanding nothing was too much trouble for them at any time.

Nick who runs the dive centre was great we did an excellent snorkelling trip and then a trip to swim with dolphins. We were exceptionally lucky with this and swam for a couple of hours with a pod of around 30 dolphins. I have been sad to end a holiday before but never to actually leave a hotel but I was genuinely upset to leave the lodge it was like paradise and felt like a home away from home.

M. Mauger, Apr, 2012
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