This was the most amazing place we stayed at in Zanzibar (and we stayed at three different locations). In fact, it may have been the most amazing beach location I've ever stayed at in my life! Marafiki is a true gem. We were there for five days/four nights. Their service is exceptional - turn down service, cleaning service, responsiveness to anything you may ever need or want (e.g., booking excursions, questions about the area and property, etc.). The location is incredible - right on the beach, walking directly from your room onto the sand. The food was so memorable - we looked forward to their delicious breakfasts every morning and they have a wonderful variety of dishes and drinks. They mentioned their chef was trained overseas in Europe which makes sense. The place is also so clean and new - the bar area has a view overlooking the beach with a comfortable breeze and it was opened only a couple weeks before we arrived. Everything about Marafiki is beautiful and well thought out - from their decor to their landscaping to the comfy hammocks. An incredible getaway and a place I would love to return to.

The staff were amazing. The design of the facilities was beautiful. We loved the Marafiki Bar, such a lovely place for drinks and chilling. The food was also tasty with vegetarian options. The bed was also comfy. Try their massage too! Reef walk was great - they have free activities every day. You can also arrange diving & snorkelling excursions easily. Special thanks to all the staff members but mainly Jems, Magda, Amine and Happiness.

We can’t really say anything that we dislike but the roads that lead to the hotel are in pretty bad condition through a local village. Marafiki could invest in upgrading the local village and give back to the community :)

The location of the place is truly great. Our room was dreamy! Also the staff is incredibly nice and kind. We can really recommend the place for all those reasons!

As so many hotels in Zanzibar, this is a hotel owned and led by foreigners. In this environment of mostly white owners and guests, the evening programme has to be very sensitive to the colonial history of the country. For that reason, I would recommend the managers to revisit certain parts of the programme. Another comment would be that the food is very westernised and pretty expensive - we ended up going to the amazing places nearby where you can eat very great local cuisine, but maybe the hotel could benefit from collaborations with such cooks and restaurants.

We had a room with beach front view which was lovely, the staff were all so nice and helpful, the food and drinks were amazing. They also had a really nice beach bar. We were sad to leave this place!

Honestly don’t have any negative feedback.

Incredible staff, Bar raising restaurant, Great accommodations, Very clean, Charming and Cosy

Nothing, I really enjoyed everything in this hotel

Amazing place. Staff went well and beyond any expectations. We arrived very early in the morning, and it was such a pleasant surprise that we were able to check in early. Breakfast was fabulous- loved the concept of fruit/bread/pastries and that you could choose the additionals (egg/pancakes/toast) from the menu. Fresh juice every day. Staff was so welcoming and smiling. We had many meals in the restaurant, and food was really delicious. In addition to the a la carte menu, it was a rotating daily menu. Really a good place to recharge and enjoy the amenities of the place- Pole Pole :) Quiet beach, with Mnemba Island in front of you. We booked a boat on the beach that took us to see and snorkle with dolphins- highly advisable.

We stayed here for a few days after safari for our honeymoon, and it was the perfect location to relax. We stayed in a King Suite and it had an incredible view out to the ocean, and a perfect sea breeze to cool down in the evenings. The room was gorgeous, and everything about the hotels decor is beautiful. Food in the restaurant is delicious including breakfast, and the cooking class and reef walk were both really fun. Two pools to choose between, a beach bar, and directly on the beach. Couldn’t have asked for a more perfect stay!

The single only negative thing was that the air con wasn’t very effective at cooling the room! So it remained quite hot

Wonderfully located directly at Matemwe Beach, the hotel offered spacious and clean rooms with very comfortable beds. Also, the two pools were enjoyable and surrounded by comfy spots to relax. Both breakfast and dinner was delicious and we liked having having a tasty cocktail at the beach bar. The entire team was very friendly and attentive and every wish was taken care of. A place like paradise :) We were more than happy to stay here and would definitely recommend it!

There was nothing that we did not like.

The peace and tranquility. It is a small hotel but very personable. The staff are very helpful and friendly, it's very clean and the rooms are so comfortable. The food is great and the pools are lovely. The beach is lovely to swim in when it is high tide only and you can walk along the lengthy beach. There is use of bikes and kayaks also.

I didn't dislike it as I came to relax, but it is out the way and there is nowhere else to eat or visit close by, but I was more than happy staying in the hotel as well as going out on trips organised by them.

We stayed in Zanzibar for a total of five nights, and we couldn’t have picked a better place to stay! The hotel is fantastic, with a great vibe right by the beach and rooms that are clean, neat, and beautiful. The staff, mostly locals, are exceptional—super friendly and helpful, always with a big smile. They also make delicious fruit cocktails, and we always had great food, especially on our last night when we had traditional Swahili dinner accompanied by a music and dance presentation by locals. The hotel manager also helped us book tours, which saved us a lot of time and ensured we had good guides. We were very happy with our stay. It’s definitely a wonderful place to stay in Zanzibar, and we hope to return!