Pongwe Bay Resort

We stayed here during our visit to Zanzibar. A beautiful place, great location, a walk to clean, well maintained beach. 5 mins walk to Kongowea Pier restaurant. Hotel rooms were great, cleaned daily, evening curtain drawn, insecticide sprayed, mosquito net drawn. Lovely relaxing porch, a ladder provided to hang swimming suits by the porch, Breakfast was well organised so was lunch and dinner. Pool was wonderful, small, exclusive and relaxing. The staff are amazing, friendly, helpful and always smiling My only frustration was the sand on the path, walking on with sandals at dinner time was always a challenge and frustrating but had to give in after a day, was time to relax so ditched the sandals and bare feet walking was the thing. Will definitely visit again.

My husband and I stayed here for our honeymoon, which we took on our 1yr anniversary. We were welcomed so well there by the team. They helped arrange EVERYTHING for us. Our arrival was splendid. They welcomed us with this very tasty homemade passion fruit juice. Our first dinner was amazing, the portions were bigger than we'd anticipated. Their lobster pasta? In fact their whole seafood dishes! Every morning at breakfast, they had the freshest selection of fruits. We really loved our stay here and will definitely go back on our next trip to Zanzibar.

This was our second visit to Pongwe Bay resort. It still is a beautiful resort, with fantastic staff. A few points of attention: the food in both restaurants. We had hoped that there would be a little more variety, especially in the jetty restaurant. But there is a small menu. Which means that vegetarians and meat eaters in particular don't have much choice. Loud guests: there was large group they were loud. There were shouts and yelling at each other from a great distance. There was so much commotion that we thought something was going on, that we even went to the manager. But this group was not held accountable for their behavior. Very unfortunate because all that shouting meant that other guests couldn't really relax. I would like to end on a positive note by saying that we really appreciated being allowed to check out late without any extra charges.

Beautiful resort set right on the beach. Their club restaurant jets out in the sea. It was nice and windy when we went. We ordered lobster linguine , T bone steak, grilled octopus n grilled lobster. Everything was fine except for the lobster that was very dry . The staff need more training as half the table was not set properly. Also very forgetful bar staff. Overall it was a nice experience. We also had 2 pinacolados and a bottle of white wine and the bill came to $ 165, which is very reasonable

Small and perfectly formed. My husband and I stayed for 10 days in June and had a fabulous time. Gardens and pool area are stunning and immaculately maintained. The Club jetty is a lovely recent addition giving an additional bar and restaurant. The staff are genuinely friendly and can’t do enough for you. If you’re looking for a boutique hotel for a relaxing stay, I’d recommend Pongwe Bay Resort to anyone.

We had an unforgettable stay at Pongwe Bay Resort! This hidden gem offers a truly tranquil escape with its stunning swimming pool and beautiful surroundings. Our room was spacious, clean, and cozy, decorated with elegance for ultimate comfort. The staff at Pongwe Bay Resort were exceptionally friendly and went above and beyond to ensure our stay was enjoyable. The beachfront location was picturesque and serene, ideal for leisurely walks and sunbathing. While swimming in the sea was affected by the tide, the resort compensated with a fantastic pool and water sports. Dining at the on-site restaurant was a highlight, especially the unique experience at the pier restaurant with breathtaking ocean views. The food was delicious, though some prices, like for beer, were a bit high. The resort's traditional architecture and well-maintained gardens added to its charm. Despite limited internet access in rooms, this minor drawback was overshadowed by the resort's many positive attributes. Go check the fitness center on the beach… that’s a must see. For anyone seeking a peaceful and authentic getaway with excellent service and stunning scenery after a safari or Kilimanjaro climb, Pongwe Bay Resort is an excellent choice. We can't wait to return! On the contrary, steer clear of activities promoted by Mr. Zanzibar at the resort, claiming to be 'the most affordable travel agency in Zanzibar.' Despite their low prices, they offer nothing but disappointment. Opting for their Silver package Safari Blue, we were greeted by a dilapidated boat with a dysfunctional sail, barely holding together with patches. Snorkeling in deep waters was lackluster, with only a few fish lured by chunks of watermelon, amidst the constant risk of being squeezed between other boats. The sandbank resembled a chaotic parking lot with over 40 vessels, and the nearby island coerced visitors into pricey souvenir shops, even charging for basic amenities like toilets ($1). While reputable agencies like Safari Blue offer genuine adventures and quality experiences, Mr. Zanzibar provides a dismal imitation at best. Expect dolphin encounters overshadowed by noisy boats and a relentless focus on extracting money from unsuspecting tourists, rather than delivering promised adventures.

We stayed at Pongwe for 5 nights in our trip to Zanzibar. ROOM: was quite old I would say (both bed, sheets and bathroom), but pretty well maintained in terms of cleanliness. FACILITIES: the hotel has a very nice white and wide sandy beach, with an amazing bridge towards a restaurant on the sea (similar to what Melia has). LOCATION: I would not recommend due to the fact that you have frequent cycles of low-high tide. Therefore, the water will not be available every time for swimming and also it is full of algae. STAFF: Amazing staff, friendly, helpful and polite all the time (I would like to mention here Gladie). The restaurant also offers a variety of food options.

The best accomodation in my life… the resort was excellent, the staff absolutely perfect, very king and very implicated. Also, the managers are doing their job very very good, all the staff deserve a raise in thei sallary!! I will for certain come back!

First time to visit Zanzibar. I've always wanted to and glad that we finally did it. Boy, it's all the patient needed. Simply the best. It's worth all the cents. The cleanliness of the place, the professional staff, the rooms are simply amazing.