Bluebay Beach Resort & Spa

Wow…this place is 5 star times ten … why because the people here care and go above and beyond d to help you have a great time Joban- best bartender Fatma and Swide and Mike and macha all gave great service as I fell the first night and broke my toe and banged up my knee and hip They got me to the doctor for free onsite and babied me the entire time with ice, holdcart rides and getting me food….. never EVER in all my travels have I encountered such a great team Thank you from the bottom of my hearts UBARIKWE

During our stay (11 nights from 19th to 29th October 2026 inclusive) we encountered some issues that we feel potential future guests should be made aware of. In the our travel agent’s brochure, this hotel is marketed as being ‘Family Friendly’ and ‘Half Board’. In our itinerary provided by our travel agent, our ‘Room type’ for both rooms that we booked was stated as being ‘Deluxe Room including Half Board’. There was no ‘All-Inclusive’ option offered. On arrival at the hotel, we were welcomed and briefed about the hotel by a member of staff. We were advised that we could ‘upgrade’ from Half Board (which was confirmed as being inclusive of breakfast and dinner, and non-changeable to include lunch instead of dinner) to ‘All-Inclusive’ at a cost of $35 per day per person, so $140 per day for our family of four, two adults and two children aged 15 and 11 years’ old (i.e. the same charge per day for children, who don’t drink alcohol, as for adults). This would enable us to enjoy free drinks and snacks all day (although certain snacks from their Bluedeli Coffee Shop were still chargeable such as cake), including most alcoholic drinks (some cocktails were charged as extra), lunch and the use of the three alternative themed restaurants for dinner (one fusion, one Indian and one Italian) as opposed to the general buffet style main restaurant, on one occasion for each restaurant during our stay (if on ‘Half Board’ this was also available but at an additional charge of $20 per person per visit). As we had pre-booked three separate full days of excursions (directly with a tour company and not through the hotel) on our 3rd, 5th and 7th days, when we would be away from the hotel all day from circa 7-8am until circa 6-7pm, we asked the welcoming member of staff who briefed us if we could upgrade by the day as there was no point in upgrading for the days when we would be out all day as we would not be able to take advantage of the upgrade on those days. We were led to believe that we could do this. That evening we went for drinks at the bar before dinner and noticed that the great majority of guests had wrist bands to show they were on the All-Inclusive ‘deal’. The prices charged for drinks to those not on this ‘deal’ seemed quite high compared with previous places we had visited in Africa ($5 for a small beer, $5-7 for a cocktail or mocktail and $3 dollars for a soft drink). We also established that at dinner there were absolutely zero drinks included with the meal for those on Half Board (not even bottled water which was to be charged at $2 for a 500ml bottle). Had we been on the All-Inclusive ‘deal’ then all our drinks would have been included with the meal. Having been stung for high-priced drinks the evening before at the bar and also at dinner, in the morning of our 2nd day, we went to reception to ask for an upgrade for the day. We were initially told we had been misinformed as this was not possible for a single day and that we would have to upgrade for a minimum block of 3 days contrary to the information we had been given during our welcome briefing. As we were going out every other day thereafter until after the 7th day of our stay, doing this would be a considerable waste of money ($420 to be precise). Ultimately, we were ‘allowed’ to upgrade for just that day at a cost of $35 per person (including children irrespective of age), even though we were told the ‘system’ didn’t ‘allow’ this and in future we would have to upgrade for a minimum block of three days. This constraint meant that we were forced on the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th days of our stay to pay the high prices for our drinks and to go without lunch on our 4th and 6th days when we were relaxing around the pool (there are no alternative tourist restaurants or cafes within walking distance of the hotel). On the morning of the 8th day of our stay, we then upgraded to the All-Inclusive ‘deal’ for our remaining 4 days at a cost of $560. The hotel’s ‘system’ is clearly designed to encourage guests to upgrade as the costs of not doing so result in large drinks bills (unless you can make do with the 1500ml of ‘free’ drinking water per room per day for teeth brushing etc!). It surprised me that the All-Inclusive ‘deal’ was never mentioned or offered to me by our travel agent (it is not mentioned in their brochure nor was it referred to in our itinerary). Perhaps our travel agents are not aware of the ability to ‘upgrade’ or perhaps the hotel doesn’t tell travel agents, so it doesn’t have to pay any commission on that part of the booking cost. Whilst the ‘Half Board’ versus ‘All-Inclusive’ issue was the most obvious flaw encountered which with the benefit of hindsight or a forewarning could have been largely avoided, I have some other observations on the Bluebay Beach Resort and Spa to offer to future potential guests of the hotel. Our room was described as ‘Deluxe’. It was generously proportioned and enjoyed a nice view over the hotel’s lush, landscaped grounds. The shower water pressure and the abundance of hot water are to be commended. As are the mosquito nets that wrap around the bed on curtain tracks on the ceiling (although we encountered very few mosquitos during our stay and none in our room). On the downside, in the early evening every day from about sunset until around dinner time, we experienced a series of short power cuts lasting from a few seconds to several minutes. These would mean that the abundance of hot water and the shower pressure would disappear, albeit temporarily, but frequently, at prime showering time before dinner. Likewise, the Wi-Fi and internet access would also disappear as the rooms and the bar were plunged into near darkness on these frequent occasions. Fortunately, this phenomenon was only for an hour or so each evening, but it occurred without fail on every evening of our stay. Many of the rooms were arranged in small 2-story attractive blocks of four rooms with thatched roofs and white walls, in elevated positions facing the sea and the hotel grounds. There were also some single storey blocks of two rooms situated at a lower position within the gardens, closer to the main hotel complex. My advice for guests is to make sure that you are allocated the rooms on the upper floors in the 2-storey blocks as the actions of residents in the upper storey can have a detrimental effect on the quiet enjoyment of the rooms below. The scraping of furniture across the floor or the early morning high jinks of children accommodated above you, can seriously disrupt your holiday slumbers (as we found in the latter part of our stay). Being allocated one of rooms in the single storey blocks would obviously avoid the unwanted intrusion of noise above your ceiling plus also place you nearer to the hotel facilities. We also often experienced the smell of smoke in our rooms in the morning, and even during the night, as there seemed to be something (rubbish perhaps) being burned nearby. On several occasions in the early morning, I became aware of the low rumble of a suspected large lorry delivering supplies to the hotel, so I’d also recommend a room away from the main access road connecting the hotel to the main road. Finally, when we came to check out and settle our bill, we were charged a $10 per night per room ‘Infrastructure Tax’. We had not been informed about this additional charge when we checked in, nor had our travel agent mentioned it in the notes to our itinerary or during the many telephone calls I had with them prior to booking. Adding this ‘Tax’ to the cost of our mandatory visas ($50 per person) and the mandatory Zanzibar Insurance Corporation Travel Insurance policy that we were forced to purchase at a cost of $132 for the four of us (even though we have annual travel insurance policies that provide far superior cover), the total cost of mandatory charges that we paid to the Tanzanian Government was $552, a not insubstantial sum. The Bluebay Beach Resort & Spa and its sister hotel next door, the Sultan Sands Island Resort & Spa (where the Indian themed restaurant was located), claim on their website (https://www.bluebayhotelszanzibar.com/) that they are a ‘a luxury 5* beachfront resort’ and ‘a 5* beach resort’ respectively, although Trailfinders gives the Bluebay Beach Resort & Spa a 4* rating. From my experience it is in the 4* category at best. The food was of a reasonable standard but by no means worthy of a 5* rating especially as every meal in the main restaurant was an all-you-can-eat buffet. The sometimes-tacky evening entertainment at or before dinner was classic touristic ‘All-Inclusive’. The supposed à la carte restaurants were nothing of a sort with only minimal choices on set menus. If their market is mass tourism, they are on point. If they are aiming for the 5* market then they need a more boutique feel, to offer a proper à la carte dinner in their main restaurant in the evening and less of the tacky evening mass-market entertainments.

I had such a beautiful stay at Bluebay Zanzibar! ❤️✨ A special thank you to Mike, the Front Office Manager at Sultan Palace, and Fatma from Guest Relations for their exceptional service. My heartfelt appreciation also goes to the entire team for making my birthday extra special. I truly had a memorable experience and enjoyed every minute of my stay. The warmth, hospitality, and attention to detail made it even more special. 🥰 I’m happy to recommend Bluebay Zanzibar to anyone looking for a wonderful vacation experience. You won’t be disappointed! 🌴☀️

✨ A truly magical and unforgettable escape! 🌴💖 From the breathtaking views and peaceful atmosphere to the impeccable service, every moment was special. The staff’s professionalism, warmth, and genuine kindness made the experience even more extraordinary. Thank you for the wonderful hospitality and beautiful memories. A little paradise where luxury meets heartfelt service! 🤍🌺🥂

Rooms need an upgrade Lack of drinking water in public areas Had a large incest in my room, which I covered with a glass Beautiful beach and good resturants