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The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar

4.0 star property
Travelers wake up to beachfront breakfast buffets and sunrise ocean views before spending days between poolside relaxation and underwater adventures

Choose dates to view prices

The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar blends upscale comfort with a laid-back island vibe. Guests enjoy beachfront breakfast buffets, poolside sun loungers, and attentive staff. Amenities include spa treatments (facials to manicures) and free WiFi throughout the property.

Reviews

9.4 out of 10
Exceptional

Popular amenities

  • Pool
  • Spa
  • Parking included
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Restaurant
The current price is AU$287
includes taxes & fees
15 Mar - 16 Mar

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Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 5 of 5 rooms

View all photos for Standard Bungalow

Standard Bungalow

Standard Bungalow

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(3 reviews)

Highlights

Balcony or patio
Air conditioning
Blackout curtains
Ceiling fan
Egyptian cotton bed sheets
Separate bedroom
Rainfall showerhead
Bidet
  • Garden view
  • 33 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

View all photos for Luxury Villa, 2 Bedrooms, Private Pool

Luxury Villa, 2 Bedrooms, Private Pool

Luxury Villa, 2 Bedrooms, Private Pool

Highlights

Balcony or patio
Separate dining area
Separate sitting area
Private plunge pool
Air conditioning
Blackout curtains
Ceiling fan
Egyptian cotton bed sheets
  • Garden view
  • 200 sq m
  • 2 bedrooms
  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 Queen Bed and 1 Single Bed

View all photos for Luxury Villa, 1 Bedroom, Sea View

Egyptian cotton sheets, minibar, in-room safe, blackout curtains

Luxury Villa, 1 Bedroom, Sea View

8.8 out of 10
Excellent
(3 reviews)

Highlights

Balcony or patio
Separate dining area
Separate sitting area
Air conditioning
Blackout curtains
Ceiling fan
Egyptian cotton bed sheets
Separate bedroom
  • Sea view
  • 140 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for Family Villa, Multiple Beds

Family Villa, Multiple Beds

Family Villa, Multiple Beds

Highlights

Balcony or patio
Separate dining area
Separate sitting area
Air conditioning
Blackout curtains
Ceiling fan
Egyptian cotton bed sheets
Separate bedroom
  • Garden view
  • 140 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 King Bed and 2 Single Beds

Standard Twin Room

Highlights

Balcony or patio
Air conditioning
Blackout curtains
Ceiling fan
Egyptian cotton bed sheets
Separate bedroom
Hairdryer
Bidet
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Single Beds
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About the area

Located in Dongwe, The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar is on the beach. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Paje Beach and Jambiani Beach. Kite Centre Zanzibar and Salaam Cave Aquarium are also worth visiting. Discover the area's water adventures with snorkelling and windsurfing nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with hiking/biking trails and horse riding. Visit our Dongwe travel guide
Map
Dongwe Beach, Pingwe, Dongwe

What's nearby

  • This restaurant will be sure to offer you a meal to remember. Excellent fresh pasta and seafood with seaview all around! #WeLoveOurMarkets #LifeAtExpedia #Africa #Zanzibar #restaurant #bucketlist
    Pingwe Beach
    4 min drive - 4.9 km
  • Jambiani Beach
    Jambiani Beach
    13 min drive - 13.8 km
  • Dongwe Beach
    1 min walk - 0.1 km
  • Paje Beach
    11 min drive - 11.2 km
  • Kite Centre Zanzibar
    12 min drive - 13.0 km

Getting around

  • Zanzibar (ZNZ-Zanzibar Intl.)
    97 min drive

Restaurants

  • Mapacha
    10 min drive
  • Corner, Cafe And Bbq
    10 min drive
  • Kiddo’s Rooftop Restaurant
    9 min drive
  • Jambo Seafood Restaurant
    10 min drive
  • Hanoi House Cafeteria
    9 min drive

About this property

The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar

Upscale hotel
You can look forward to a free breakfast buffet, a terrace and a garden at The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar. This hotel is a great place to bask in the sun with a beachfront location, sunloungers and scuba diving. Indulge in a manicure/pedicure, a facial and a body scrub at the on-site spa. The on-site restaurant offers breakfast, lunch and dinner. Stay connected with free WiFi in public areas, and guests can find other amenities, such as a library and dry cleaning/laundry services.
You'll also enjoy perks such as:
  • An outdoor pool, along with sunloungers
  • Free self-parking
  • A round-trip airport shuttle (surcharge), massage treatment rooms and beach towels
  • Tour/ticket information, luggage storage and a 24-hour front desk
  • Guest reviews give top marks for the helpful staff
Room features
All guest rooms at The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar have perks, such as air conditioning, as well as amenities, such as safes and minibars.
More conveniences in all rooms include:
  • Bathrooms with bidets and free toiletries
  • Balconies or patios, electric kettles and ceiling fans

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8.4 out of 10, Very good, 311 reviews
The price is AU$294
includes taxes & fees
24 Mar - 25 Mar
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Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • 24-hour return airport shuttle on request for a surcharge
  • Free self parking on site
  • Limited on-site self parking

Food and drink

  • Free buffet breakfast available daily 7:00 AM to 10 AM
  • 2 bars/lounges
  • A restaurant
  • Snack bar/deli

Things to do

  • Full-service spa
  • Library
  • Outdoor pool
  • Scuba diving

Family friendly

  • Laundry facilities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Separate bedroom
  • Snack bar/deli

Conveniences

  • 24-hour front desk
  • Laundry facilities
  • Luggage storage
  • Safe at front desk

Guest services

  • Concierge services
  • Dry cleaning/laundry service
  • Housekeeping (daily)
  • Tour and ticket assistance
  • Turndown service

Outdoors

  • Barbecue grill
  • Beach loungers
  • Beach towels
  • Beach umbrellas
  • Garden
  • On the beach
  • Pool loungers
  • Terrace

Full-service spa

  • Body scrubs
  • Facials
  • In-room massages
  • Manicures/pedicures
  • Spa open daily
  • Treatment room

Accessibility

  • No lift

More

  • Designated smoking areas
  • Mosquito nets

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Blackout drapes
  • Egyptian cotton sheets

Bathroom

  • Bidet
  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer
  • Shampoo
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided

Food and drink

  • Electric kettle
  • Free bottled water
  • Limited room service
  • Minibar

More

  • Air conditioning
  • Ceiling fan
  • Safe

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; check-in end time: anytime
Early check-in subject to availability
Minimum check-in age - 15

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM
Contactless check-out
Late check-out subject to availability
Late check-out fee: USD 50

Special check-in instructions

This property offers transfers from the airport (surcharges may apply); to arrange pick-up, guests must contact the property 48 hours prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation
The property charges 3 per cent for credit card payments
Guests must contact the property in advance for check-in instructions; front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property
To make arrangements for check-in please contact the property at least 24 hours before arrival using the information on the booking confirmation
The credit card used to book the reservation must be presented by the cardholder at check-in along with matching photo identification, and other arrangements must be coordinated with the property prior to arrival
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Access methods

Staffed front desk

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are available for USD 80.00 per night.
Cots (infant beds) are not available

Payment types

Important information

Fees

You'll be asked to pay the following charges at the property. Fees may include applicable taxes:

  • A tax is imposed by the city: USD 5.00 per person, per night

We have included all charges provided to us by the property.

Optional extras

  • Airport shuttle fee: USD 60 per vehicle (one-way, maximum occupancy 5)
  • Late check-out fee: USD 50 (subject to availability)
  • Rollaway bed fee: USD 80.00 per night
  • Credit card charges are subject to a surcharge of 3 per cent

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation
This property accepts credit cards and cash
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a security system and a first aid kit
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios and terraces, which may not be suitable for children; if you have any concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm that they can accommodate you in a suitable room

We should mention

This property does not have any lifts

Property is also known as

Dongwe Beach Bungalows Hotel Bwejuu
Dongwe Beach Bungalows Hotel
The Sands Zanzibar Dongwe
The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar Hotel
The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar Dongwe
The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar Hotel Dongwe

Frequently asked questions

Does The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar have a pool?

Yes, this property has an outdoor pool.

How much does it cost to stay at The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar?

As of 12 Mar 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar on 15 Mar 2026 start from AU$287, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.

Is The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar?

Self-parking is free at this property.

What time is check-in at The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar?

Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; check-in end time: anytime.

What time is check-out at The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM. Late checkout is available for USD 50 (subject to availability).

Does The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar provide a shuttle to the airport?

Yes, there's an airport shuttle that runs on request. A fee of USD 60 per vehicle applies.

Where is The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar located?

Nestled on the beach, this Dongwe hotel is within 3 mi (5 km) of Dongwe Beach, Bwejuu Beach and Pingwe Beach. Paje Beach and Michamvi Kae Beach are also within 6 miles (10 km).

Can I cancel my reservation for free and receive a full refund?

Yes, this property offers free cancellation on selected room rates because flexibility matters! Please refer to the property cancellation policy on our site for more details about any exclusions or requirements.

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Reviews

The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar Reviews

9.4

Exceptional

9.6

Cleanliness

8.2

Location

9.8

Staff & service

9.2

Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 93 out of 124 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 26 out of 124 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 3 out of 124 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 124 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 124 reviews

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Pat

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Quiet and relaxing
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Janet

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Fabulous stay at this very quiet, clean, secure resort. Very comfortable room. Staff are very attentive. Beautiful beach. Highly relaxing! Really enjoyed the Swahili buffet and music!
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Edward

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very nice, quiet place with a lovely beach and excellent staff. Very good food, too.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Elias

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We had such a Wonderful stay at the Sands. Great service and premises!
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2024

8/10 Good

antonio

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Relaxing on the beach

Quite good stay Excellent food and location on the ocean side Optimum service and very kind personnel
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Artur

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The staff at this hotel were incredibly welcoming and helpful throughout our stay. The rooms were immaculate and very comfortable. We also enjoyed the delicious dinner every night.
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Shari

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The service was excellent. Everyone was very friendly and courteous. We really enjoyed our stay here
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Perfect place to relax

Our villa was super spacious, it was cleaned regularly, and it was nice to wake up in that beautiful garden. Service was very good, Mr. Ally and the team made us feel welcome and helped us with the early check out and late check out because of our flight times.
Stayed 8 nights in Jan 2025

8/10 Good

Jermaine

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great hotel to stay to escape the busy hustle and bustle lifestyle. It is beautiful and quiet. Food is great. The only crtique i have is there are frequent power outages in the evening. Overall I would visit again.
Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kelly

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We had a marvelous stay. Incredible beach staff went the extra mile always. We cant recommend this destination enough. 5 stars all the way.
Stayed 7 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Nasser

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
It's a great hotel, with great staff. Very simple, yet clean and well kept. No TV in the rooms which could be nice as the evenings are quiet with not much activity around the area
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kara

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Absolutely stunning. Service beyond amazing. Quiet with gorgeous gardens and beach. Easy access for SCuBA diving. Incredibly friendly staff and felt completely safe with masai warriors guarding the hotel. Food was phenomenal Would absolutely go back.
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2024

8/10 Good

Oliver

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Nice big villa

We did book a villa with an ocean view. And we got a very nice villa, clean and very comfortable. I would say it’s a bit of wasted money for the ocean view, because the villas are a bit behind the palm trees. But in general very beautiful and nice. Staff is very polite and friendly. Was a good experience.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Vincent

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The resort was 5 star! The staff was so helpful and attentive.. Ally the manager made sure everything was perfect! No only would I recommend this resort … we are going back! The perfect place to kick back a d get away from the hustle and bustle. Stone town is not far and a flight to Dar es Salaam was on 34 Dollars !!Just go and relax !
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Mark

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Location was tranquil and just what we were looking for at the start of our Zanzibar holiday. All the staff were amazingly welcoming and friendly. The team led by Ally are a credit to the hotel. The dining experience was quite special and we very much enjoyed the fresh barbecued fish at night, especially the huge tuna that a slice and thickness of your liking was cooked there and then and served to your table….in fact the staff even do your toast for you in the morning ! Overall hotel was perfect for our family of 4 including teenagers - if staying I would recommend a rental car to explore the local area, good deals can be found on arrival at the airport, we paid $30 USD a day and rental car company collected from hotel anywhere on the island for $20 USD.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Amy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
You will be treated with warm, welcoming service from the moment you arrive and throughout your stay. The food included with the half board is very good with quite a few made to order items including omelets, waffles, and crepes at breakfast and fresh catch of the day fish and pasta at dinner. The rooms are glorious! We had the ocean view villa and it was HUGE!!! It was easy to find lounge chairs by the beach, and they all have shade umbrellas. It was so peaceful and beautiful out there. Warning: I did get sunburned even in the shade on the last day!! The beach does have a pretty varied tide, and the hotel provides reef shoes for low tide, which I recommend because there are sea urchins. There is also seaweed in the water near the shore. You will be provided with 2.5 liters of purified water in your room each day, and water is included at breakfast and dinner. Outlets are all British style 3 prongs, no USB. Power did go out intermittently but never interfered with anything. WiFi is good out at the beach, pool, and lobby but was spotty in the room. This is a quiet area north of Paje, so no other restaurants other than the resort. It was more reasonably priced than our American resorts with $15 pool drinks. They do use purified water for the ice in the drinks and the ChatGPT says they use purified water for all food prep too.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jenny

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We really enjoyed our stay at the Sands Resort. Each suite is actually a separate bungalow with large, comfortable rooms and wonderful AC. There is an onsite restaurant that serves all day as well as a beach bar that serves snacks/meals during the daytime. It was very relaxing to be able to have all of our meals on the property. The staff were all very friendly and professional. Everything about the staff and property was wonderful. The hotel also offers excursions. The nice thing is that they are private which entailed having a driver and tours that were just for our party. However, I would not recommend doing the "swim with dolphins" excursion because there are too many other boats doing the same thing, and we didn't feel safe going in the water with so many boats moving around quickly to try to bring their passengers close to the dolphins. So, we stayed in the boat. Also, there were no life jackets available, and it was unclear how we would get in/out of the boat without a ladder or rope; the snorkel and other equipment was old, and we didn't get a chance to try the snorkel/mask before going on the water. We also did the Jozani Forest/Butterfly excursion, which was interesting to do to see the monkeys, mangroves, and butterflies, but the price the hotel charged seemed disproportionately higher than the experience merited; please note that I say this without knowing how much the hotel paid the driver to stay with us for several hours and for the forest guide.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Shaun

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Love the hotel and staff, great location with superb food cooked fresh! Highly recommended
Stayed 13 nights in Jan 2026

10/10 Excellent

Arne

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Perfect Stay. Large Villas and very caring staff. Special thanks to the Chef and John :)
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2025

6/10 Okay

Arshad

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
for the price charged the stay was considered okay as far as F&B was concerned. Food menu was fixed and basic with no nothing remarkable for both breakfast and dinner. rooms were decent and resort was nice otherwise. staff were also polite but language understanding needs more training.
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2025

10/10 Excellent

Cassandra

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Overall this is the perfect getaway! No distractions just the sounds of the ocean and the amazing staff! This is perfect if you want to getaway and truly relax! Options to explore are available. The pool is large and clean. The rooms get serviced twice a day. The bar was definitely my favorite spot!
Beach bar
Outside of room
Beach
Stayed 10 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Meagan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The Sands was amazing! It was an oasis of beautiful beaches, a large pool, and great food. Highly recommend!
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Esa

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Excellent experience. Small boutique like hotel with super friendly staff. Thanks Ally & team!
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Benjamin

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Amazing!!! All was perfect!!!

All more perfect and better than we can expected! Thanks a lot for making our honeymoon a reality!
Stayed 6 nights in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

Bernhard

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
a wonderful place to relaxe. we stil had low season and allmost the whole place for us, fantastic. The best stuff on the island, helpfull, nice, allways trying to forfill every whish. The Sands and the whole team made our vacations to what it was, a dream. Looking forward to be back.
Stayed 18 nights in May 2023