Bluebay Beach Resort

Bluebay is one of the newest and largest beach resorts on Zanzibar, able to accommodate more than 170 guests. Appropriately named, it’s set along a beautiful stretch of idyllic palm-fringed white beach with deep-blue sea in the Kiwengwa area on the northeast coast. Unfortunately, the beauty of this region has attracted several other big resorts and Bluebay is almost in the middle of them. If you’re a fan of luxury beach hotels, with all the bells and whistles, which could be located in any tropical setting this won’t faze you one bit. But, for the adventurous traveller, there are wilder, more remote lodgings to choose from on Zanzibar which are more in tune with local village life.

That being said, the hotel itself is fantastic. Run and owned by Kenyan hoteliers (known for their professionalism) this is a slick and efficient hotel. The kind of place where everything runs as it should. You’ll find all the usual facilities and activities, including a state-of-the-art watersports centre, high-tech PADI-affiliated scuba centre, fitness centre, kiddies club, tennis court and disco. It’s also an ideal place to access some of Zanzibar’s best diving sites around the magnificent Mnemba Atoll. There’s also good snorkelling for non-divers.

This side of the island is greatly influenced by the tide. We found a pleasant sandy strip at the top of the beach where we sunbathed and plunged straight into the water. At high tide you can swim far out in the safety of the coral reef. However, at low tide we found the water receded dramatically, leaving only shallow water in which to wade. No problem, the sparkling swimming pool is only a few paces away. There’s a pleasant patch of lawn under the palm trees with sun lounges.

The makuti-thatch bungalows are set on a slope some distance from the beach and main lodge area. They’re well appointed with all the necessities you’d expect from a top beach hotel. The service is outstandingly polished and, in true Swahili character, warm and friendly. The hotel has 176 staff which equals one staff member for every hotel bed. 

The reception area at Blue Bay is very impressive. It’s white, airy and spacious with Arabic arches and a fountain set in a palm-fronded atrium. Blue Bay is the only hotel in Zanzibar that offered us, not only a welcome drink on arrival, but a cool face cloth to refresh after the long journey. Very welcome indeed. We also enjoyed meeting the Maasai who act as doormen and guards on the beach.

Environmental note: One of the problems with all this large-scale hotel development on a small island is the effect on the natural environment and the drain on the resources. Bluebay’s efforts to reduce these harmful effects are indeed noble and have been recognized by the Government of Zanzibar. Nevertheless, this hotel is no way near as impressive as Chumbe, which not only restricts human impact in terms of numbers in the first place, but employs highly effective means to preserve the environment.

Bluebay purifies underground water for human consumption, thus lessening the impact on Zanzibar’s fresh-water resources. A water treatment plant recycles water from the rooms, kitchen and laundry for use in the landscaped gardens. Priority has been given to planting indigenous trees and shrubs to attract local bird species. Solar panels help to save energy, and fridges and air-conditioners comply with regulations concerning the use of CFCs and other ozone-harmful gases. Garbage is sorted and burned in a special incinerator on the hotel premises.

We can only hope that other resorts in Zanzibar follow Bluebay’s (or better still, Chumbe’s) example to reduce long-term impacts on this beautiful island.

Bluebay Beach Resort offers 88 sea-facing rooms, including 80 superior rooms, six deluxe rooms and two Sultan suites - with big price differences. The bungalows are thatched with makuti palms to blend in with the tropical environment. Although the rooms are positioned some distance from the beach (which keeps it pristine) on the green lawns, some have chinks of a sea view through the lush palm trees.

All rooms are tastefully decorated using reproductions of Zanzibari furniture (rather than the genuine antiques found elsewhere in Zanzibar) and a cool, white-and-blue colour scheme reflecting the dazzling sand and azure ocean. 

There are four-poster beds with mosquito nets, a writing bureau, coffee table and easy chairs, dressing room, en-suite bathroom and either a veranda or balcony. Each room is well appointed with an air conditioner, ceiling fan, satellite television, mini-bar, hairdryer and telephone. 

The superior rooms are found in two-storey blocks (housing four rooms each) furthest away from the beach in the lush, tropical gardens. The garden rooms are slightly closer to the beach and have a smaller lounge and veranda area on ground level. 

If you’re after the ultimate in luxury and can afford the extra premium, book one of the Sultan Rooms. These spacious rooms are situated closest to the beach and feature enormous 8-foot beds and verandas with sun beds and a Zanzibari lounging sofa. Attended by butlers dressed in elegant, traditional Swahili robes, you can sit back and imagine what it must have been like in a Sultan’s palace. Of course, the Sultans of yesteryear wouldn’t be spoilt with all the modern technology you’ll find at Bluebay.

Honeymooners: If you’re on honeymoon, you’ll be offered a complimentary tropical fruit basket and a bottle of sparkling wine. If you spend more than seven nights, you can also enjoy a lobster dinner served in a romantic candle-lit area.