Read 11 traveller reviews of Unguja Lodge

'Unguja' is the traditional Swahili name for Zanzibar Island. Unguja Lodge is a brand new beach lodge, which opened in December 2006. Unguja sits in a quiet area named Kizimkazi, on the southern tip of Zanzibar.

Unguja is a small and quiet lodge, with ten private bungalows and an informal, unpretentious atmosphere.

Unguja is run by it's owners – Ralph and Elies were unfailingly helpful when we were there; they were very good hosts with a relaxed, yet effective, management style.

Unguja has been designed in a crisp and clean modern style. There are lots of large white walls built in sweeping curves, and dotted with the occasional piece of unique Zanzibari art – some ancient, some modern. It's stylish and fun without being out of keeping with its location. We were pleased to learn when visiting it that almost all of the furniture and materials used to build Unguja Lodge have been locally sourced on Zanzibar.

The furniture is built almost exclusively from coconut tree wood, which is a lovely timber with a most intricate pattern. The main building and the rooms are all very simple, almost minimalist in style. The combination is open, breezy, but with plenty of Zanzibari character.

Unguja Lodge also has an on-site dive centre which runs PADI courses, as well as general diving and snorkeling, dolphin-viewing trips and dhow cruises. If you don't feel like doing something water based, then try a guided village walk! This only costs $5 per person and the money goes directly into village projects to help the local community.

We last visited Unguja in June 2007, at the end of two research trips covering Zanzibar in detail – and we were very impressed. It's quite a find: a new, high-end lodge that's small, personal and owner- run on Zanzibar!

Unguja's standards are already up there with the best on the island – like Matemwe Bungalows and Sultan Palace. Come here quickly – it will become very popular when word gets out!

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Villa at Unguja Lodge

Lodge overview

Lodge type: Beach

No. of bedrooms: 10 detached villas.

Season: Open Year Round

Ideal length of stay: You could easily spend four days or more at Unguja Lodge, just relaxing.

Central facilities: Unguja Lodge sits in a lush tropical garden dotted with baobab trees. When you arrive, you walk through the garden along a path made from coconut tree planks to reach the main lounge and dining area. This main area at Unguja has a modernist and artistic feel to it. White curved walls form the main structure of the building, and sweep with great artistic effect. The dining tables sit on the lowest level, overlooking the pool in front; the lounge and bar stand behind them. Low, curved walls are cleverly used to carve this area into different sections: giving semi-private areas for each small dining table. Then the bright Zanzibari fabrics and the odd bit of modern art add a colour and warmth – making it a really stylish area. Unguja Lodge's swimming pool sits in front of the bar and lounge. It is a large curved pool around which you will find some comfortable loungers and plenty of shade. It is a perfect spot for sunbathing or reading a good book. Adjacent to the pool is the dive shop, which is run by One Ocean. The dive shop has an ample area for equipment and there is also a classroom on the second floor. Here a TV is primarily used for assisting with dive courses – but can be used by guests if there is a big sporting event. You can hire snorkeling gear here; the swim from the beach to the nearest reef is only about 70m. The beach at Unguja is beautiful white sand, but it's not the fine, powdery-white sand of the east coast – it's slightly coarser and has fragments of crushed shells in it. Unguja's beach is far more secluded than most on the east coast, and there are very few people around.

Geographics

Location: South-west Zanzibar, Zanzibar

Directions: Unguja Lodge is 62km and about an hours' drive from the airport.

Accessible by: Fly-and-Transfer

Food & drink

Usual board basis: Half Board

Food quality: When we were last there the food at Unguja Lodge was very good – doubtless influenced by the head chef who, until recently, was running the excellent kitchen at Matemwe Bungalows. Breakfast consisted of a self-service buffet, where there was a variety of fruits and cereals, as well as juices. Hot tea or coffee and a cooked breakfast could also be ordered from the waiter. Lunch was then an à la carte menu with a variety of light snacks and salads on offer. More hearty meals and plenty of seafood were also on offer. Lunch is usually around $10 for those staying on a half board basis. Dinner is then a very impressive and tasty 3-course affair, all served to your table. This usually involves plenty of seafood and the food is delightfully fresh with lots of flavour.

Dining style: Inidividual Tables

Dining locations: Indoor and Outdoor Dining

Room service: Unguja do not offer room service

Drinks included: Drinks are not included – you can expect to pay $2.50 for a beer and around $1 for a bottle of water.

Special interests

Honeymoons: Unguja Lodge is a very quiet and peaceful lodge and the bungalows are incredibly private. For those wanting to get away from it all – this is a great choice. Furthermore, with an attentive team and thoughtful management, no doubt you will be made to feel special. - See more of our suggestions of the best places for Honeymoons

Beach Breaks: Unguja Lodge sits on a low coral cliff above a quiet stretch of beach. Though it doesn't have the endless long white beach that some may associate with Zanzibar, it is far away from other resorts and as a result is free from any hassle. You can also snorkel and dive straight from the beach here – which is a rarity on Zanzibar. - See more of our suggestions of the best places for Beach Breaks

Diving & snorkelling: Unguja Lodge has a dive center on-site, run by a company with a reliable reputation on Zanzibar. Snorkellers and divers will enjoy the coral in the protected 'Menai Bay' area, whilst the most experienced divers can even head out to new dive sites, identified only by a GPS. If you wish to do a diving course, let us know when you book your trip. - See more of our suggestions of the best places for Diving & snorkelling

Children

Attitude towards children: Children are welcome at Unguja Lodge – but they are the responsibility of the parents at all times. Please note that there is a small cliff at the front of the lodge.

Age restrictions: There are no age restrictions at Unguja.

Activities: Special meals and child-minding can be arranged.

Equipment: There are a few cots and highchairs at Unguja – however these are limited in number. It would be best to request these at the time of booking, to give you the best chance of getting them.

Generally recommended for children: Yes

Central communications

Power supply: Mains Electricity

Communications: There is mobile phone reception at Unguja Lodge, and the lodge also has a wireless (WiFi) connection which is free to use.

TV & radio: There is no TV or radio at Unguja Lodge.

Health & safety

Malarial area: Yes

Medical care: There is a small first aid kit and first-aid trained staff with the on-site dive shop. Also they are only an hours' drive from Stone Town where there is a private hospital.

Dangerous animals: Low Risk

Security measures: There is a digital safe in each room and there are also Askaris (local guards) around the lodge during the day and in the night.

Fire safety: There are fire extinguishers in the communal areas, and a mobile hose and pump for the villas.

Extras

Disabled access: On Request

Laundry facilities: Laundry is an extra charge - $1 – 4 depending on the item

Money: Travellers need to do currency exchange in Stone Town ; there are no facilities for this at Unguja.

Accepted payment: At Unguja Lodge you can use US$ cash. You can also use Visa, Mastercard and Amex, however there is a 5% surcharge. You cannot use travellers' cheques at Unguja Lodge.

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