Kikoi Boutique Hotel

The little pool right outside the room was a real plus, since we could swim privately, and they even let us use the pool at night. Our room at Kikoi Boutique Hotel was clean, comfortable, and nicely designed. It’s a relaxing place, and I’d be happy to stay again.

We couldn’t recommend this hotel after such a disappointing stay. The sheets were dirty and torn, the private pool was tiny, the WiFi didn’t work, and after the first day they didn’t provide bottled water. The room had a lot of problems too: faucets sprayed water everywhere, the pressure kept changing and made showering difficult, and the AC didn’t work. The toilet was unstable and dirty, and bathroom leaks left the floor flooded for two days with no fix. When we reported these issues, we overheard staff laughing about our complaints. The facilities felt badly maintained and far from clean.

The restaurant staff were very friendly, which we appreciated. The rest of the stay left us disappointed. Breakfast was chaotic, and it wasn’t clear what was available. The toilets and shower in our room smelled very bad. We also couldn’t book a taxi or an activity through the hotel, unlike what we’re used to elsewhere. The hotel taxi prices were 3-4 times what local drivers charged. Maybe that works on other people, but not on us.

For our honeymoon we spent 10 days in a villa at Kikoi Boutique Hotel, and the private pool made it well worth it. The villa was modern, the beds were comfortable, and the AC kept the room cool enough for good sleep. The area was quiet, without the pushy sellers we’ve seen in Stone Town or Nungwi. There are a few restaurants nearby, but we usually had dinner at the hotel. We liked the Wingit Beef Noodle dish. The internet and 4G were better than at other places we’ve stayed, and we could stream movies, unlike in Nungwi. The staff were great. Reception quickly arranged sunbeds for our balcony, helped us find e-cigarettes by calling some people who brought cheap vapes to the desk, and suggested places to go. They spoke good English and were always smiling. When they were trimming the palm trees one day, they cut coconuts for us while we were in our pool, at no cost. A few things could be better. The shared pool areas were dirty and needed more frequent cleaning. Breakfast was very different from most hotels: they toast the bread, make the coffee, and bring juice or milk, so you have to ask for everything. I found that too much service, and it would be easier to get more things yourself. There wasn’t much choice of food either. Taxis, like in most parts of Zanzibar, are expensive: a seven-minute drive to Pingwe cost 30,000 TSh, or 50,000 TSh for the return trip, around 20 USD. You could rent a scooter, but there are corrupt police officers around waiting to charge people who pass by. We’d recommend Kikoi Boutique Hotel, especially a private pool villa if you can afford it. It isn’t much more expensive and is much cooler than the other apartments.