Poa Poa Bungalows — Hotel in Unguja

We stayed for 5 nights (a bit longer than most others), but I can not recommend this place even though it has strong merits.

What's good: The bungalows and the common area are really as nice as they appear in the pictures. The food is very good and offers a decent variety. The staff is super nice and attentive. They are the best part about this place. The life music is very nice.

What's bad (but not in their control): Next to the restaurant, there is a jet ski shop. They test run the engine during dinner time such that we frequently smelled (burned) gasoline while eating. People around the bungalows burn trash or sea grass. Once we woke up at 2 AM thinking there is a fire in there compound. Our bungalow filled with that smell and there was no way to sleep anymore. Walking along the beach is impossible without being molested to by something: a souvenir, a tour, whatever. They follow you until you become very direct. I never had such an annoying expensive.

What's bad (and I their control): The matrices are hands down the worst I ever slept on. They are so hard that we and all the guest we talked to had issues. It was so bad for me that I had to take pain killers to sleep the next days. The massage which a booked to alleviate this pain was not matching the expectations at all. It was some copy of a Thai massage, but not carried out well. Do not book a massage there. The half board plan (you get a starter + main + desert) feels bad for the customer, as for approx 1/3 of the dishes you have to pay extra. I can see why, but you even have to if you leave out the dessert which makes no sense to me. The knifes are completely blunt. The filter in our AC needs to be replaced, we didn't use it cause of a moldy smell. The rooms are sold with "ocean view". While this might be technically correct, I'd argue that it's a partial one at best (see the pictures).

I hesitated to give a 2 star review because the staff is putting in great effort to make this a nice place, but after all I could not relax here.

At checkout, I wanted to say all this to the management but upon asking, they said that a staff member will do...

I had the pleasure of spending two entire weeks at Poa Poa Bungalows. There, I met a lot of wonderful people. A special thanks goes to Cristina, Paul, and John, who served us amazing food with a smile and kindness. The cleaning crew did an amazing job, and every day they decorated the bed with flowers.

The food, as mentioned, was first-class, with a breakfast that fills you up—the avocado toast is a must! The bungalows also offer a pick-up service from/to the airport and live music twice a week.

The beach in front is an amazing place to explore; you can find a lot of life in the pools during low tide. The beach is also well maintained thanks to the bungalows' crew. The bungalows also offer the possibility to celebrate weddings directly on the beach in front. Angela and her colleagues will do an amazing job to make that day unforgettable.

This stay was way better than a resort because here, you feel at home. And this is also thanks to a special guest—an orange cat (we named her Whitney)—who keeps you company and makes you forget about everything else.

We can't wait...

We had a wonderful and relaxing stay at this hotel in Zanzibar. The property is very small but beautiful and well maintained, with a very laid-back and chill atmosphere—exactly what we were looking for.

The staff truly made our stay memorable. Paul, John, and the rest of the team were amazing—warm, attentive, and always going the extra mile. We were celebrating part of our honeymoon here, and they surprised us with a private dinner under the bungalow, complete with a complimentary bottle of wine. It was such a thoughtful gesture and one of the highlights of our trip.

The food was another highlight—authentic, flavorful, and always delicious. Breakfast was especially nice, and we loved the evenings with live music, which added to the already lovely vibe. The pool was also great for relaxing and cooling off.

The only downside for us was the mattress quality and the rather small bed, which could definitely be improved.

Overall, this is a wonderful place to unwind, with great food, fantastic staff, and a...