Unguja Lodge Hotel | Zanzibar. The Unguja Lodge is in a beautiful, remote area, and the rooms are nice and big. The main bad thing is that it doesn’t have any beaches. Even though this beach is rocky, you can walk right in and swim, which isn’t possible very often. The beach is a real shame, but if you don’t care about sand and want a cheap Zanzibar vacation, this is a good choice.

The Unguja Lodge

Unguja is on the southern tip of Zanzibar, about an hour’s drive from Stone Town. It’s also only a 20-minute trip from Dar es Salaam.

Ralph and Elies built this great lodge because they liked their stay at Matemwe Bungalows so much many years ago. It has a similar style to the bungalows, but a different feel and mood. Unguja’s style is based on its very tall thatch roofs, which make the area feel airy and open. The cabin is different from most square buildings because its walls are curved, which gives it a tropical feel.

There are 10 separate villas. The sea view villas, as you might guess, have a great view of the sea, and because they face south or south-west, they’re great places to relax with a drink as the sun goes down. Because the baobab (or “garden view”) houses face east, there isn’t much sea breeze. To make up for it, the bedrooms have air conditioning, and the living area has a good-sized plunge pool. Lastly, there is a house for families that has just enough room for five people. To sum up, the last time we stayed at Unguja Resort, we were shocked by how big the rooms were. You could argue that they are too big and a bit empty, but they are definitely a good deal!

The lodge has a great activities center where you can swim and dive. You can book sailing trips, dolphin tours, and a lot of other things through outside companies. The hotel makes for a great trip to Tanzania with your family!