Boutique Hotel Matlai

The staff were so attentive and helpful, and the hotel is in a lovely quiet spot with beach access. They arranged some great trips for us, all well planned. The food was exceptional too. For my birthday, a group of staff sang “Happy birthday” in a really unique way. It was unforgettable. Definitely recommend this place to other travellers.

We ended our three-week honeymoon in Zanzibar after climbing Kilimanjaro and going on safari, and Matlai was possibly my favorite place I’ve ever stayed. We’d spent two nights at the Park Hyatt first, and I wish we’d come straight here. The room and surroundings were gorgeous, and it was incredibly relaxing. The food was amazing too. We tried the Rock restaurant one night, but the meal wasn’t nearly as good. Go for a drink there and save your meals for Matlai! One evening we had a private screening of Lion King, which was so much fun, with bush babies up in the trees around us. It was my husband’s birthday on our last day, and they brought him a cake that morning. Everything felt magical. 1000/10.

We had a massage at the spa, and it was the best one we’ve ever had. Miriam and Saumu from the spa deserve a Nobel Prize for massage! We spent three amazing nights at this small boutique hotel. It was romantic and so quiet that it almost felt like we had the place to ourselves. We were on half board, which worked well. Breakfast was so big that we were usually full until dinner, and the Vietnamese restaurant was amazing. One of us is vegetarian, and they had tofu dishes, which is pretty rare in Zanzibar. The rest of the team were very kind and helped with everything we needed.

We had a great time at Matlai for our honeymoon. It felt tropical and romantic, without being crowded. The team were so nice and ready to help with anything, anytime. The beachside location is wonderful. Definitely ask about the kayak experience!