Boutique-Hotel Matlai — Hotel in Unguja

A Touch of Perfection at Boutique Hotel Matlai

Hospitality: Experiencing the hospitality at Boutique Hotel Matlai is like embarking on a journey of warmth and attentiveness. The level of customer service from every staff member sets a new standard for what exceptional hospitality should be. The hotel's adept butlers seemed to know our schedules better than we did, going above and beyond to create an ambiance of seamless luxury. A heartfelt thank you to Jesus, Dereck, Hashim, Gideon, Ramadan, and Shaqira - each one of you added a unique touch to our stay and will be fondly remembered. Their expertise shone when they organised an unforgettable and deeply romantic dinner for our proposal, which can only be described as truly stunning.

Location: Boutique Hotel Matlai is a serene oasis nestled in a uniquely beautiful beach, further elevated by the Rock Restaurant, one of the island's finest dining destinations. From this prime location, we had convenient access to an array of island tours, while also being within a comfortable distance to the vibrant small town of Paje, rich with additional restaurants, dive shops, bars, and surf shacks. For those considering a visit to Mmenba, it is a bit of a distance, but rest assured, the immediate surroundings offer more than enough to explore and enjoy.

Amenities & Tours: The hotel boasts a wealth of amenities including a lovely swimming pool, an excellent restaurant, and a cozy bar, not to mention a Cinema room that adds a touch of romance to any movie evening. Their collection of high-quality equipment for snorkeling, paddle boarding, and kayaking invites adventure at your leisure. The hotel excels as personal 'holiday planners', taking charge of organising tours around the island in a manner tailored to our preferences. Thanks to them, we experienced incredible trips including a private boat tour with snorkeling, an exploration of Muluum cave, a tour of Stone Town complete with stellar dining recommendations, and diving with Buccaneers Dive Shop in Paje.

Rooms: The rooms at Boutique Hotel Matlai are a luxurious dream. Spacious and elegantly adorned, they are meticulously prepared for your arrival and maintained impeccably each day. The thoughtful touches, like the bedtime stories left on our bed, added a whimsical charm to our evenings. Each room also promises a breathtaking sunrise view, a glorious symphony of colors accompanied by the soothing sound of crashing waves.

Food & Beverage: Food on the island can be a bit of a gamble, but the hotel ensures you'll never be disappointed. The breakfast, available at any time of the day, offers a versatile range from continental, traditional English, fresh fruits, to both sweet and savoury delights. Not to miss is the local Swahili option for the adventurous palate. The freedom to dine in any of the hotel's beautiful gardens, your private terrace, or the beach only enhances the culinary experience. Whether it's the cinema room or one of the private gardens, each meal is an event to remember.

Value for Money: Although Boutique Hotel Matlai might seem a substantial investment, the value received in return is exceptional. The level of service, attention to detail, luxurious amenities, and overall quality of the experience have convinced us to become repeat visitors to this extraordinary haven.

Conclusion: In short, Boutique Hotel Matlai is nothing short of perfect. It's not just a hotel, it's an experience, a place where every detail is considered, every need anticipated, and every expectation surpassed. If you're looking for an unforgettable island stay, Boutique Hotel Matlai is the epitome of perfection.

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We had a wonderful, relaxing break at Matlai. The entire team were courteous, accommodating and professional throughout our stay. ||On our first morning, the owner made a special effort to locate us, and extend their welcome. This personal touch was very much appreciated. The butlers were all efficient and effective, and refreshingly not overly-deferential. I very rarely mention names when submitting reviews, but it’s fitting to single-out Hashim, who did an amazing job at being our first point of contact. He listens, makes assurances that are always followed-through effectively, has an eye for detail as well as a broad vision, and is affable, authoritative, and highly professional: A great asset to the butler team, and to the wider operation.||Dinner was served in a variety of locations around the property, ranging from our room’s terrace, to the restaurant’s beach terrace, including several secluded places in and around the gardens. The service was impeccable, and I very much appreciate the chef’s efforts in being aware of, remembering and accommodating my dietary requests throughout our stay. It was a team effort–and was much appreciated.||The Housekeeping team were fabulous and worked really hard. They were around when it was convenient for us, and didn’t disturb us when we needed to rest. If we happened to be on our terrace while they were cleaning the room, they were discreet, and always kind and courteous. The best! It was also fun to have a ‘room fragrance menu’, and to enjoy the varied, daily ‘bedspread art’.||It was no surprise that the gardeners and gatekeepers were also really courteous.||I’m not keen on massages, but the one I had at the spa at Matlai was the best I’ve ever had. My wife, who loves massages, confirmed that in her view, the masseuse was excellent. The spa is located in the gardens, and has wonderful, relaxing views.||The soundscape at Matlai is memorable: A loop of silence followed by the sound of powerful waves, followed by silence … The (very efficient) air-conditioning in our room was quiet, and the minibar compressor was perfectly silent (hurrah)!|... and: No. Screaming. Kids.||As many reviews have mentioned, the changing views are breathtaking.||The room was spacious and the bed and other furnishings were very comfortable. We had one of the smaller bathrooms, but there was still plenty of room for a tub, a double basin with plenty of counter space, and a shower. The rain shower itself was in a wetroom with a toilet. After having used the shower, we’d sometimes get our feet wet if we needed to get to the toilet–but the bathmats were changed regularly, and it wasn’t a big deal. Splitting hairs (so to speak), it would have been good if the hairdryer cable had been longer. The bed had shelves attached on either side in place of nightstands. These were neat, but rather small. It would have been useful to have compact bedside tables instead, ideally with accessible power sockets.||Breakfast was excellent, and served in the room / on the terrace (or wherever you liked) … until late morning. It’s such a luxury to have the option of getting a late breakfast when you’re relaxing on vacation. This is an example of one of Matlai’s rare strengths: Its entire team make an effort to see things from its guests’ perspective, and acts accordingly. Matlai is exceptional, and we can’t wait for the opportunity to return to this...

Matlai is a place for dreamers... The unique boutique hotel impresses with spectacular villas, surrounded by lush nature, turquoise sea and endless horizons. If I had to describe my experience at Matlai in one word, I'd say extraordinary. It took me a few days to process my stay and after I left, I realized that this has been probably the most beautiful place we have ever stayed, in all our years of traveling.

Matlai is the absolute perfect place for a romantic honeymoon or lover's getaway, it can't get any better. The villas are large and comfortable, guests enjoy having a big house with all luxury amenities to themselves. Being able to watch the stars from your private pool with your loved one is simply priceless. I'm not exaggerating :) We were celebrating our 3rd wedding anniversary here and it just made us feel, like our honeymoon.

We stayed in the Villa Kidosho, that is tastefully decorated in oriental style, hosts very spacious rooms that made us feel so relaxed, the moment we stepped in. The bathroom of our Villa Kidosho, with two separate showers in one space, and a large bathtub offering a bath menue and with sea views of course.

We had half board during our stay, which was more than plenty because the service and the food literally blew my mind. For breakfast a delicious selection of exotic fruits, homemade breads or pastries selected from a menue has been served on our terrace every day. It was such a delight to try all those different flavors and if you're a fan of fresh juices and smoothies, you'll be amazed by their everyday selection. You're also flexible with selecting the dinner menue and location for the dinner. We have been served at the beach, under hidden palm trees with flower decorations, lanterns and moonlit skies - this is another romantic heaven. The Chef's fresh selection will exceed all your expectations.

What I should definitely highlight is the Matlai Team. The owner Inge and Tim, who manage a wonderful, always smiling, very service oriented and proffessional team, who make you feel unique and special every single day.

I left the Zanzibar, relaxed, tanned, with a few new freckles and a big smile on my face. A few days on Zanzibar had an instant effect on me. But it was not only the stunning surroundings, and the amazing food... Also the kindness of the people working there made our time on the island unforgettable. - THANK YOU!

Highly recommend the exclusive trip to small islands organized by the Management as well.

I'm forever grateful that I had the chance to visit this place and we're just planning to come back for our next wedding anniversary. Boutique Hotel Matlai is made for lovers, dreamers and everyone who is looking to connect with nature...