Kisiwa on the Beach

Staff were very friendly and gave us a lovely, unique welcome when we arrived. The hotel has great potential, and I hope they take this honest feedback on board because it could be great. I wish them all the best. Before that, just getting in touch was difficult. We called the number provided and nobody answered, and it took over two days to get a response about booking. We did manage to sort it out in the end. The food quality and available cuisine also fell short of what we were promised. At $700 per room per night, I expected quality food and chefs with international experience. Perhaps they could bring in international chefs to train the staff for a while. I found it a bit outrageous to be charged for an espresso or cappuccino when coffee was included in the prepaid breakfast buffet. They didn't offer us any excursions or activities during our stay either. At checkout, they asked for 4% more on the bill for credit card transactions.

The rooms were nice and the staff generally friendly, but the stay was disappointing, especially for our honeymoon. The GM repeatedly said he'd follow up on our complaint, but never did. For a hotel presenting itself at a high standard, that lack of management accountability was surprising. Laundry was another serious problem. One pair of trousers came back visibly discolored, apparently damaged by a chemical product. We reported it right away, but staff denied responsibility and said it had arrived that way, which simply wasn't true. They removed the laundry charge and called it a “gesture,” but it felt like the bare minimum. We'll have to replace the trousers ourselves. The way the financial issue was handled, along with the lack of any response from management, was particularly disappointing and didn't reflect the service level we expected.

The beachfront villa was impeccable, spacious and clean, with a beautiful pool. The room was perfect, though a toothbrush and vanity kit would have been a nice extra. Wi-Fi kept going on and off. The staff gave us a lovely welcome, were very polite, and the villa was amazing, but several other things disappointed us. Booking took four days to get a reply. When I asked to pay on arrival, they required advance payment through a link. The money went through but they didn't receive it, so I had to pay twice and open a dispute with my bank to recover the amount already deducted. That will take 45 to 180 days. I really suggest changing the payment gateway or provider. The food was really average for a luxury hotel, with little variety at the buffet. The breakfast on the beach was a nice experience offered by the staff, but the food was cold and the quality wasn't there. With international customers, they could bring someone in to teach different cuisines, and how a croissant should taste, for example. At checkout, they charged me separately for a cappuccino even though breakfast was included. For someone paying almost $700 a night, that felt a bit silly. It's the little things that make customers come back. I hope they take the feedback positively and improve, because there's huge potential.

The team made us feel so cared for from the start. Julius, the manager, welcomed us personally along with several staff members who'd be looking after us. Both Steves were fantastic, and one went above and beyond: he suggested a sunset beach bar we loved, arranged taxis for dinners off-site, and was always available when we needed anything. Everyone from servers and bartenders to housekeeping and security was warm, friendly, and genuine. The palms by our door and flowers on our bed were lovely honeymoon touches. After our safari, Kisiwa on the Beach was a perfect place to land. The entrance through the beautiful open-air dining canopy was breathtaking and set a relaxed, luxurious tone, with natural beauty and ocean air. The resort is thoughtfully laid out, and we always found loungers by the pool or on the beach. Our room was incredibly spacious, and we were lucky to have a private plunge pool. The food was consistently very good. The Sunday traditional Swahili buffet with a live Swahili band was the standout, with beautiful cultural ambiance. They also hold a BBQ every Wednesday, and we happened to be there for both special dinners. We chose a private dinner on the beach, which was a perfect way to end our honeymoon. Half-board was convenient since we didn't have to think about meals, and we could go off the resort during the day for a meal in the main beach area or on an excursion without wasting food. Drinks by the pool or at dinner were quite expensive. It would've been nice to have cappuccino or specialty coffee at breakfast, though I understand resorts usually make money on those things and reinvest in upgrades they consistently do. It's about a 15-minute walk along the beach to Paje's main area, a stunning walk during the day. It's not advised at night, so arrange transport in advance if you want to go out after dark. As a couple who can't always sit still, we'd have liked to be a touch closer to the main beach. The resort gets very quiet at night. Paje, Zanzibar | Honeymoon Stay. Kisiwa was a peaceful, beautiful, welcoming place for our Zanzibar honeymoon, with a great balance of relaxation, comfort, and warm hospitality.