Clove Island Villas & Spa — Hotel in Unguja

Paradise found! We just spent 8 relaxing days at Clove Island & can highly recommend it to everybody, who is seeking true Zanzibari vibes & great hospitality in a beautiful environment.

Our unforgettable experience with Clove Island started far ahead to our arrival. All communication and the entire booking process were nothing but easy & helpful. Arranged by the hotel, a driver picked us up from the airport and drove us to Makunduchi for 50 US-Dollars within 1,5hrs. Even a requested ATM stop along the way was no problem. Having arrived at the hotel we were warmly welcomed with a sparkely refreshment & afterwards guided to our villa. WOW!!! Wow to the spaciousness, the beautiful furniture, the most comfy beds, the local bath amenities, the complimentary daily drinking water, the filtered tap water (so no bottled water wasting to brush teeth as everywhere else in East Africa), the huge balconies, the fully equipped kitchenette, the hair dryer (after 2 weeks of Safari with messy hair, it deserves to be mentioned.) However, on the evening of our arrival, the best was yet to come: The View!!!! The view onto the glittery, turquoise Indian Ocean from everywhere! From the bed, from the shower, from the balcony, from the restaurant, the pool area!

The rooms are cleaned daily and in the evening we were surprised to find our beds nicely prepared, with curtains closed and the mosquito net over our huge bed opened. Furthermore they spray the rooms to keep mosquitos out. We had barely any mosquitos during the entire stay thanks to strong winds. Don’t forget to bring mosquito spray for calmer days and nights.

The pool area is well maintained and cleaned every single day. The sun chairs and hammock are cozy. The garden with blooming flowers and huge palm trees are picture perfect. The food and drinks are delicious. For breakfast the options are varied. Never skip the daily juice!!! The prices for a la carte lunch and dinner are mid to high-range and always worth it. The menu has something to offer for everybody and if you go to bed hungry, it is for sure not the hotel‘s fault. Burgers, seafood and fish, pasta, salad and soups, local rice and curry dishes, sweet desserts. Their wine selection is small but nicely assembled. ZA‘s Footprint!

Makunduchi is far off all touristy sights and that’s exactely why we chose Clove Island. Anyhow, the complimentary bicycles lured us off our sunbeds and we drove to Paje with a stop at Jambiani beach. It is a (self driven) day trip, bring water and some cash for a lovely lunch by the beach. On another day we decided for a Safari Blue. We should have known better: don’t waste your time and just skip it. Rather spend an extra day in Stone Town, what a vibrant & cultural intense city! The beach right by the hotel is long and white, the water is crystal clear and warm. Don’t forget to bring water shoes. During low tide it is such an experience to walk out and look at the beautiful corals and sea life. Try to find Haji. He is from Makunduchi and while strolling along the beach, we met him by incident. He nicely offered us to show us moraines, seastars, octopus… all just for an „English lesson“. Meet people openly and be interested. You can have the nicest encounters. What we liked so much, that the beach was quiet and empty. Only kind locals, some fishermen, playing kids who asked for a high five and ladies dressed in colorful dresses. Barely any beach boys and with a respectful but firm „no, thank you“, they will back off quickly. Everything is HAKUNA MATATA!

For us the most important: the entire team of Clove Island is truely the best. Everybody, from the restaurant team, to the housekeeping ladies, the maintenance guys, the security and the management, everybody deserves a shout-out! They are very attentive, friendly and always open for a good story and...

We spent 14 days here and we feel obliged to give a positive review of this place and words of appreciation for the entire staff. Unfortunately, people often evaluate places through the prism of their own, often Western, point of view, regardless of the conditions, limitations, and culture in which, for example, a given hotel operates. Clove Island is a true Oasis of peace, cleanliness, hospitality and delicious food. For 2 weeks of our stay, we weren't able to fault anything. The facility is new, the rooms are well equipped, have beautiful local furniture and are decorated in a local style. The room has modern, quiet and very efficient air conditioning. The view with an eye on the ocean is captivating and will stay in our memories for a long time. The atmosphere in Clove Island deserves special attention. It is very quiet here, the guests staying here do not disturb each other, everyone by the pool is quiet, no one screams, does not play music, the only thing you can hear is the sound of the ocean. Some say that the beach is not the most beautiful. Yes, there are nicer beaches in Zanzibar, but it is impossible to enjoy them because they are full of tourists, and even worse, Maasai and beach boys offering something for sale. In Clove Island, this is not a problem, we went for a long walk on the beach every day before sunset and we were almost always alone. In our opinion, this beach is beautiful because of its naturalness and intimacy. When the tide is high, the beach is really beautiful and we bathed in the ocean every day. The service deserves words of aprecciation, as it is genuinely friendly and reads your mind. We did not think that we would meet such nice people here. In addition to a few days of excursion, we ate everyday in the hotel's restaurant. The menu is extensive and there is something for everyone. We tried almost everything and I must admit we never left anything on the plate. Of course, we liked some dishes less, others more, so we chose the same items more than once. The drinks offer is also interesting and extensive. For those who stay longer, breakfasts may seem monotonous, but if you talk to the staff they can always do something else. Everyone here really tries very hard. The swimming pool is intimate, but functional, spotlessly clean, the garden and surroundings are beautiful. The manager is very good and polite, not only to the guests but also to the entire staff, which creates a family atmosphere here. He is practically on call all the time and will help with everything. The only thing that may not be satisfactory is poor wifi range in hotel rooms. It is enough to read news or send a message, but if someone needs a 100% link for work or communication, it is better to get a SIM card at the airport. The wifi works fine in the restaurant. For people going to Zanzibar, I would like to advise you not to come here just to enjoy, swim and sunbathe, but it is also worth helping the local community. There is no doubt that the Western world owes a lot to Africa, so let's not forget to leave the staff a tip and visit the local school or kindergarten in Makunduchi, where you can leave crayons, pens, markers, notebooks, and coloring books brought from home. You can also meet kids on the beach, so it's worth having something for them. To sum up, Clove Island and Makunduchi is a great place for a quiet holiday away from the hustle and bustle of tourists, with a natural, real and empty beach. We wish them all the best during this...

If I could give 6 stars, I would! We spent part of our vacation in Zanzibar at Clove Island Hotel, and it was truly a highlight of the trip.

📍 Location: After spending three weeks exploring different parts of Zanzibar (Stone Town, Nungwi, Jambiani...), I can confidently say this hotel stands out. It’s secluded from traffic and beach boys, offering a peaceful, uncrowded beach — an ideal spot for a relaxing vacation.

🚗 Accessibility: The hotel is easily accessible by a paved public road. Only the last 50 meters are unpaved, but that part is very well maintained, smooth, and free of potholes. There’s ample parking space behind the hotel.

🍽 Restaurant / Food: The food is absolutely delicious. My personal favorite was the fish in banana leaf — a true explosion of flavors. The prices are comparable to those in Nungwi, Jambiani, or Paje, so you’re not overpaying for quality. A special mention goes to the restaurant’s restroom: it was spotlessly clean, with luxurious coconut-scented hand soap and neatly rolled individual cotton towels — such a thoughtful touch!

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Staff: Simply outstanding. While the Zanzibari "pole pole" (slow and relaxed) approach is part of the charm, here we felt like VIPs. The staff went above and beyond to accommodate every request — nothing was ever a problem.

🏊‍♀️ Pool: The pool is larger than what you typically see in Zanzibar, with an amazing sea view. There are plenty of sunbeds and beautiful thatched umbrellas made from palm leaves, offering great shade throughout the day.

🏖 Beach: Just in front of the hotel is a long, peaceful beach perfect for sunset walks. The sand is soft and white, like flour. If you're lucky, low tide brings in seashells, coral pieces, and sponges — a fun little adventure if you're with kids.

🛏 Room: The hotel offers a mix of smaller apartments and larger, two-story family apartments. We stayed in a Jungle villa and the upper balcony view was out of this world — no words can describe it. The room was fully equipped with everything we needed, and out of all our stays in Zanzibar, this was by far the cleanest room we experienced.

💆 Spa: I booked a one-hour full body massage, and it was great. Don't hesitate to give instructions if you prefer a stronger or gentler touch, or if you want the therapist to focus on a specific area. The spa is also equipped for manicures and pedicures, although I didn’t try those personally.

📶 Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi was strong enough for scrolling through social media, uploading photos, and even streaming movies — no issues there.

🌴 Excursions: If you’re interested in any excursions or activities, just ask at the front desk. The staff will gladly help organize whatever you need.

💰 Value for Money: Absolutely worth it. A small hidden gem for a calm and relaxing vacation, yet only a 10-minute drive from the vibrant nightlife, restaurants, and authentic Zanzibari vibes (for example,...