Maji Lodge

We only stayed two nights, but would definitely come back to Maji Lodge if we return to Zanzibar. It’s a charming, peaceful little place with just four spacious bedrooms, and the staff were really friendly. You can walk straight from the lodge to the beach, and there’s also a cute little pool, so choosing between the ocean and the pool is the hardest part. The room and bathroom were really clean, and breakfast was delicious. Paradise on earth, highly recommend.

We found the lodge wonderfully peaceful, with a great shower, a spacious room, fresh towels, and nice toiletries. Breakfast was excellent too, especially watching the sunrise with fresh fruit and coffee. Natalia was lovely and made us feel welcome. It’s right on the beach and makes a great base for diving or snorkeling around Mnemba Atoll. Excursions and taxis can be booked through the lodge and added to the bill. There’s also a small kitchen and a fridge where you can buy beer, wine, and snacks. Thanks for a great stay :-)

The staff were wonderful. There was always a guard watching the gate and property, which made the place feel much safer. Each morning the pool and garden were cleaned, sheets were changed every two days, and the towels were replaced. The chef was amazing, arriving two hours (!) before our 10 am breakfast to make fresh homemade juice and crèpes, toast, and cut fruit, then cooking eggs and cleaning up afterward. Sometimes he even arrived four hours (!) early to prepare dinner. We loved it. And special thanks to the cat, who I assume was a stray, for coming to cuddle and play every day. The building is beautiful, surrounded by tropical plants and palms, with direct yard access to the beach and a pool, though the pool floor felt a bit rough. The rooms were good, if nothing special. European chargers fit the sockets, and the building had equipment to keep the power at 220V, plus an emergency generator for outages. The windows had wire mesh instead of glass to keep bugs out. That was different for me as a European, but I can understand the cultural difference, and it helped with airflow. The ceiling fan kept us cool. Wi-Fi was great in the lodge, weaker in the yard, but that didn’t matter much.

We were seven and it felt like a home away from home. The lodge is very nice, rustic, and clean, and the location worked well for my friends and me. We did have plumbing issues in two rooms, and the furniture in the living room and pool area was worn. If you need air conditioning, this may not be the right place, since the rooms only have fans.