MELIÁ Zanzibar

We left our kids at home in order to re-energize, rest, relax and chill. And we got it all in Melia Zanzibar. From the cold welcome drinks, through meals each day at the Spice restaurant (and others), Gabi beach time & tropical drinks, to our farewell dinner in the Jetty it was all just an amazing time. The garden room we had was very spacious and comfortable, we laughed that bathroom was even bigger than bedroom. One thing I'd change would be to refresh the bathroom area a bit - it's not bad just a bit below what we'd expect. Each dinner in the main restaurant (Spice) had an entertainment element from world evergreens to very African accents so this made nights quite exciting. Given we went there as an exhausted couple of parents who were just dreaming of doing nothing, we skipped a good deal of opportunities to either do yoga in the mornings or visit the local village or the cave that the hotel team was offering as well. We super enjoyed the space - no crowds, it all felt "some people here and there", no problems in getting a place at the pool or on the beach. The beach sellers are quite active offering boat trips, snorkelling etc etc but are very friendly and not too pushy, and we actually even hopped on jet ski from one of them which was super fun. The crown of our visit though was an extra special dinner at the Gabi beach which meant to be a little surprise for my wife for the anniversary - the prep they did with romantic lights, table, and 4-meal dinner was a blast! I think it made me a "husband of the year" in one moment. But it's all those humble "jambo" greetings dozens time each day and the smiles of everyone that made it truly remarkable. All you Bakhirtas, Brunos, Peters, and others whose name I didn't pick up deserve a huge kudos. Asante sane - and of course hakuna matata!

Melia Zanzibar is a very special place for several reasons. The property is vast and that is rare. Beautiful mature gardens are bordering the coast line which is varied from the caves easily accessible from the jetty during the low tide to the swimmable beach a mile away. The carts run there non stop. Don’t let the fact that the beach is 5 minutes ride away to discourage you from booking this property. I hesitated because of it, what a silly thing to do! Location: very favorable near Kiwenga town, and you can take a walk towards it along the beach. The service is outstanding. They make sure that every guest is happy. Dietary requests or a room change were handled promptly- no problem here! Every single person working in this resort is making an extra effort to satisfy the needs of the guests. The entertainment/ music was great and especially during nightly diner service created pleasant atmosphere. Food was good. Many restaurants to choose from. The only one thing I would say could be improved are the drinks, the quality and the taste wasn’t as good as at some other all inclusive resorts. Beer and wine ( both tasty and included) was the way to go here. Also it’s worth noting, and hopefully I am not mistaken, they are upgrading slowly older rooms. Thank you for a wonderful vacation. I can’t wait to return and try other Melias in Tanzania.