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Reviews of Essque Zalu Zanzibar

5 out of 5
Essque Zalu Zanzibar
Nungwi Village, Nungwi

Reviews

8.8

Excellent

Rating 10 - Excellent. 59 out of 96 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 23 out of 96 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 9 out of 96 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 3 out of 96 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 2 out of 96 reviews" "

9.4/10

Cleanliness

9.0/10

Staff & service

9.0/10

Amenities

9.4/10

Property conditions & facilities

8.2/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

michelle ann

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Staff were excellent, property was incredible, food was really good. Short distance from Nungwi beach. Highly recommend this place, view is fabulous. The shop onsite is very expensive with limited choice but overall 5*.
Stayed 6 nights in Feb 2024
Response from TEAM ESSQUE ZALU on 5 Apr 2024
Dear Michelle,It was a great honor hosting you at Essque Zalu Zanziba on your vacation in Zanzibar. Thank you for your kind comments and reviews.We are looking forward to hosting you again at our resort.Thank you.RegardsTEAM ESSQUE ZALU

10/10 Excellent

Susan

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Excellent resort
Great hotel. Front desk, Activities group, bartenders, cleaning and restaurant were all excellent. Only on complaint was the dinner at the pier restaurant was terrible. Appetizers were great but King fish main course was filled with bones and my daughter’s shrimp linguine was fishy and suspect and took a really long time to come out. Bar on Pier was excellent. Funny that this one area of this great hotel was lower standards! In the end I wound come back but I wouldn’t eat at the Pier restaurant until I saw positive reviews
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Hans

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
My only issue was that we were not told that we needed to pay for seafood despite that we had half board. I was surprised on check out that l was billed.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Aaron

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Amazing stay
Lovely hotel, huge room very comfortable, amazing swimming pool, delicious food. It was quiet at the hotel, we used the spa twice which was amazing, and the service was great - everyone amazing at their jobs!
Stayed 6 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

John

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Professional, attentive and responsive staff.
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2023

6/10 Okay

Mario

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2023

10/10 Excellent

Stephanie

Stayed 9 nights in Jan 2023
Response from Filbert on 12 Feb 2023
Thank you for staying with us

6/10 Okay

Kazeem

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stay was okay. But price was too high for service received. Dinner options were limited and buffet dinner only included water. Drinks were extra charge. Price should’ve been about $200/night rather than $400/night.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2022
Response from Filbert on 9 Nov 2022
Thank you for the feed back Will share the concern with the head of department

10/10 Excellent

Anat

Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2022
Response from FILBERT on 9 Nov 2022
THANK YOU WELL COME AGAIN

2/10 Terrible

Vishal

Liked: Property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Please remove this from Zanzibar .
It’s a pathetic hotel . The service level is bad , there were no shampoos inside , dental kit was available next day . Approach to the hotel is worst , the roads are bad . You need 15 mins to travel 2 km.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2022
Response from Filbert on 23 Sept 2022
Thank you for your feed back, will address the concern to the management

10/10 Excellent

alec

Travelled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Superb hotel with a relax feeling. Food is simple but outstanding, every meal is different. Staff is super nice and friendly. It is romantic but also family friendly.
Stayed 8 nights in Jul 2022
Response from filbert on 31 July 2022
Thank you, welcome again

8/10 Good

Christian

Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2022
Response from filbert on 10 Aug 2022
thank you for the feed back

2/10 Terrible

Clinton

Stayed 7 nights in May 2022

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Stayed 1 night in Nov 2021

10/10 Excellent

Jeana

Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2021
Response from Edna Deya on 25 Oct 2021
Thank you Jeana for the wonderful review. Kind Regards,

10/10 Excellent

saad

Travelled with partner
Liked: Staff & service, amenities
The staff are very accommodating and we had a great time staying at the resort! Food was excellent too and the location was perfect! Overall we had a great time and will come back again thanks!
Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2021
Response from Edna Deya on 20 Oct 2021
Dear Saad, Thank you so much for staying with us and for taking time to book such a wonderful review. We are delighted that we made your holiday memorable and look forward to welcoming you back to our resort again. Kind Regards,

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness
Parfait
Super hôtel, tout était parfait de l’accueil chaleureux à l’au revoir ! Un personnel au petit soin, les chambres sont spacieuses et propres, les différentes restaurants très bons, il y a du choix au pdj. La piscine est super. Nous recommanderons l’hôtel autour de nous et reviendrons !!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2021
Response from Edna Deya on 6 Sept 2021
Dear Latifa, Thank you so much for such a wonderful review. We are glad you enjoyed your stay with us and really look forward to welcoming you once more to our magical resort. Kind Regards,

10/10 Excellent

Jeana

Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2021
Response from Edna Deya on 16 Sept 2021
Thank you for such a wonderful rating. Kind Regards

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Good choice very limited and average. Many buffet dishes were repeated for past 3 days during our stay
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2021
Response from Filbert on 5 Apr 2021
Thank you for your feedback. We will be addressing your concerns.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Such a beautiful hotel! The staff for extremely kind and helpful. Anything you needed they would help you get it or figure it out. The rooms were clean and the views of the garden or the seaside were incredible. I would highly recommend staying at this resort. You won’t be disappointed! Also it’s walking distance to some great activities like the aquarium or the zoo.
Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2021
Response from Filbert on 2 Apr 2021
THANK YOU FOR STAYING WITH US wELCOME AGAIN

6/10 Okay

Kim

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Solo
To start the hotel is 1.5 hrs drive away from the airport and excursions. The staff was very friendly and accommodating. And the room and views of the ocean was great.. However there is no place to sit on the beach , the food is mediocre, the drinks are expensive , small and watered down. There was one culture night with local dishes and music which was very nice . I did the Masai Ritual with spa treatment , which would have been a greater experience if it was explained to me the difference between having it in “the village ” (which I saw was on the resort, beautiful and private , when I retuned from the poolside to change at the end of my services ) and poolside. I had high expectations due to the cost. And wasn’t able to end my trip on a high note and was disappointed.
Stayed 5 nights in Mar 2021
Response from Filbert on 21 Mar 2021
Thank you for your feedback. We will be addressing your concerns

10/10 Excellent

Amanda

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Amazing Views
From check in to passing by interactions, the staff was friendly and accommodating. The amenities were very clean and enjoyable. The views spectacular. The food was decent and prices a bit high for drinks. Overall, nice upscale stay and would recommend to others.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2021
Response from Filbert Almas on 5 Mar 2021
Thank you Welcome again

8/10 Good

Epp

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Kena hotell.
Kena hotell,ilus vaade merele, armsad bangalod.Ujumine meres spets silla pealt või kaldalt pikalt kõndides.. Kindlasti on vajalikud merekingad. Ainuke lamamistoolidel päevituskoht oli basseini ümber, aga kuna seal olid põhiliselt turistid Venemaalt, oli seal liiga lärmakas.
Stayed 11 nights in Feb 2021
Response from Filbert Almas on 5 Mar 2021
Thank you Welcome again

10/10 Excellent

Zuhura

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2021
Response from Filbert Almas on 5 Mar 2021
Thank you Welcome again

8/10 Good

Ghislaine Djapouop

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Very nice hotel!
Stayed 10 nights in Aug 2020
Response from Filbert Almas on 4 Sept 2020
Thank you Ms Ghislaine for staying with us Welcome again to Essque Zalu Zanzibar

10/10 Excellent

FernandoPuertas, Argentina

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Amazing and unforgettable experience!!!!! Hope to be back!
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2020
Response from cyrus on 13 Feb 2020
Dear FernandoPuertas, Thank you for staying with us and for this kind review. We look forward to seeing you again at Essque Zalu Zanzibar!

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2019
Response from Filbert on 4 Jan 2020
Thank you for staying with us Welcome again

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
This hotel certainly lived up to the expectations. We enjoyed our stay in Essque, the staff were very friendly and helpful. We enjoyed every moment spent in Zalu.
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2019
Response from Filbert on 9 Dec 2019
Thank you and come again

8/10 Good

Elsa, New York

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Property was stunning. Service was excellent, Not much we didn't like but area of improvements would be (i) breakfast buffet - food selection was ok, not much variation day to day and (2) wifi did not work well in some areas on the property. But overall fantastic place that we would definitely recommend and return to.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2019
Response from Filbert on 26 Sept 2019
Thank you very much

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The hotel was lovely overall and we had a nice time. The pool area is beautiful and gardens beats and tidy. The rooms were spacious and well equipped. Our only criticism would be the lack of variety of food across the two restaurants. When you only have the option of eating there every night, limited number of main meals is not enough. But the buffet night by the pool was a pleasant surprise and very welcomed with lots of variety.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2019
Response from Filbert on 3 Sept 2019
Thank you for staying with us

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Disliked: Amenities
It doesnt have a beach front. Please dont describe it as 'Nestled on the Nungwi beach...'. It has a rocky seashore as front. It is also a fake property with basics missing. Highly overpriced for its value.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2019

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Amazing Property with Wonderful Staff
Essque Zalu is truly a breathtaking place. The resort is stunning -- from the architecture in the front entrance to the landscaping to the picturesque villas to the saltwater pool. The resort is tucked away on the northside of the island, so expect an hour plus drive from the airport or Stone Town but once you're there you'll be so happy. We spent our days at the pool with walks on the beach and also had the hotel arrange a snorkeling excursion for us as well. The staff is amazingly friendly and greeted us every morning at the buffet breakfast, throughout the day, and at dinner as well. We also took advantage of dinner at the Moshe Spice Studio which was phenomenal and I highly recommend. I can't say enough good things about Essque and hope I get the chance to visit again one day! Asante Sana!
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2019
Response from Filbert Almas on 22 Mar 2019
Thank you Jennifer We will keep up the good work Karibu sana

8/10 Good

Hassan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Good hotel, nice architecture
Good hotel. Our family enjoyed the time spent there, staff were friendly especially at the kids club.
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2017
Response from Heather on 9 Jan 2018
Thank you for your comments Hassan. You and your family were a pleasure to host. We hope to see you again soon.

10/10 Excellent

Walter, Montreal, Canada

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Fabulous property, great management
The hotel architecture and grounds are impressive. The hotel manager, Duarte Correia went out of his way to make our stay phenomenal. The food was the best we had during our time in Tanzania. Highly recommended.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2017
Response from Heather on 9 Jan 2018
Dearest Walter Thank you for your kind comments, you and your family were fantastic guests. Please come and see us again soon.

10/10 Excellent

ted, georgia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful well appointed Great food
Beautiful gracious 2 pools but can not swim in ocean. Water cloudy and bottom completely covered with sea urchins If you don't want to swim in ocean this is a great place. 5 stars
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2017
Response from The Essque Zalu Team on 8 Nov 2017
Thank you Ted, Please come to stay with us again soon.

10/10 Excellent

fatma

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2017

10/10 Excellent

Adriana

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

10/10 Excellent

varun

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
great location
well hosted by the owners. wonderful views and good food.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great hotel with super friendly staff.
I had an A++ experience, the hotel is way better than the pics, pool is great, spa is good, staff are super friendly and they are on top of everything. They are very detailed oriented, the food was awesome and I strongly recommend it. If I have to write anything negative I will say it's a little far from the airport. It takes about an hour and a half but it's not a big deal if you're staying more than a few days.

10/10 Excellent

Shamir, Dar Es Salaam

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Zalu is one of the most prime hotels in znz
Stayed at Zalu many times and it never fails to exceed expectations. Highly recommended it, you can't go wrong!
Response from Duarte Correia on 31 July 2016
Dear Guest, Thank you ever so much for taking the time to share with us your feedback, following your most recent visit to Essque Zalu Zanzibar. I am glad to hear that you thoroughly enjoyed your experience with us and please rest assured I will be sharing your most kind words to our team members, who will be delighted to receive such praise. We look forward to the pleasure of welcoming you back and providing you with a memorable and enjoyable experience at Essque Zalu! Best Personal Regards, Duarte Correia General Manager

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Disliked: Staff & service

10/10 Excellent

Davin, Australia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
The best place to stay in Zanzibar
Absolutely great, excellent rooms and room service, excellent meals and bars, the pool is the best and the staff are absolutely the best, i will be returning for sure

10/10 Excellent

Nichola

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

10/10 Excellent

Maya, Israel

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Wonderful hotel
My boyfriend and I stayed there for 6 days. We had great time, the place is beautiful, the service was excellent and we had the time of our lives.We recomend Essqe Zalu and we hope to stay there in the future.

10/10 Excellent

Jack Ancrum, London

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Dream Holiday
We stayed at the the Zalu for a week in October. We both had the most amazing holiday, the service at the hotel was lovely and had a really personal touch as is to be expected from a 5 star hotel. The staff were attentive and helpful in organising day trips. The beach and pool area were simply out of this world and the food in the restaurants was sublime. Whilst the portions initially seemed small after 3 or 4 courses we were both extremely satisfied as the food was just so good. The suite was beautiful and well furnished. I did quite a bit of diving though East Africa diving (organised by the hotel which was excellent) and my girlfriend enjoyed the Spa which I am told was incredible. If you want to stay at the best hotel in Zanzibar without the celebrity prices of "The Residence" then look no further.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A truly amazing hotel
I loved it for its beauty, service and relaxation. If you don't like this place, it's your fault, not theirs.

8/10 Good

Holly, Africa

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Good with Hidden costs
The hotel is beautiful but very crowded, the swimming pool area is not big enough to cater for a full hotel volume. On our departure on settling the bill, there were extra charges not specified on booking. Staff communication a bit slow and they seem confused most of the time, more staff training is recommended. The food menu is good but is very limited and repetitive, a huge improvement needed. The kitchen is understaffed and waiters forget orders sometimes. Overall; beautiful hotel but with more improvement on staff training and innovation in the kitchen. Not recommended for those who want absolute privacy unless you book a villa.

8/10 Good

Marg., Sydney

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful setting and Buildings etc.
Loved it. Though we did had some niggling things. Wi-fi hardly ever worked and business center did not exist. Understand that it might be the location/provided. Brochure advertised a gym, but there was none. While both these things are minor, my real bug bear was the lack of tea/coffee facilities in the room. Sure I could have paid for room service, but I often cannot sleep and make myself a herbal tea in the middle of the night. Not a time I would try to get hold of room service. It is a small expense. Most of the time guest would have their coffee/tea in the bar or the restaurant, but I really missed not having any opportunity to make a drink in the room

10/10 Excellent

Ronnie Glass, Belfast

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Fabulous views
Self contained high quality resort hotel on the northern tip of Zanzibar. Most guests were on half board; this was no hardship as the breakfasts had everything on offer except cereals and the 4 course table d'hôte dinner menus were excellent. Staff were exceedingly helpful and friendly. Tipping was slightly unusual; 2 envelopes are presented along with the bill at the end of the stay; guests are expected to put a cash tip in each, one is for the front of house staff, the other for the background staff.

10/10 Excellent

Husband, Israel

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Luxury but over attentive service
We stayed 5 nights for our honeymoon in Essque. The hotel is marvellous; The pool (salt water pool) is great, with ocean view; The deck that leads into the ocean is a great way to explore the low tide waters; The meals are tasty and plentiful. The only thing to dampen our stay was the over-attentiveness of the staff members - which we felt was a fake curtesy that was meant to squeeze bigger tips from us.