Barefoot Luxury: Zanzibar's Five-Star Escapes

It is the most exclusive place to stay in Zanzibar — and one of the few where conservation is part of the stay, with green turtles nesting on the island's beaches.

You have an entire island and its reef with only a handful of other guests. Diving, snorkelling, kayaking, a sundowner dhow cruise and yoga are all included.

All meals are included, served wherever you choose — beneath the trees, in the courtyard, at the bar or privately in your banda — along with most drinks.

The bandas line the beach, so close to the sea that the waves become part of the room. You can snorkel straight from the beach, and low tide brings guided reef walks.

Nothing — that's the point. Transfers run by boat from Matemwe, with a helicopter option from the airport or Stone Town.

• By far the most expensive stay in this guide, with a conservation fee on top.
• Open-sided bandas with no doors or windows won't suit everyone.
• Closed every year from early April to late May.

It combines genuinely beautiful design, a serious approach to sustainability and the island's most dependable swimming beach.

Sustainability is built in: the resort has its own wells and desalination plant and an "evening breeze" cooling system that it says uses a quarter of the energy of standard air conditioning.

Upendo is the main restaurant, with live cooking; there's also a pool restaurant, a beach grill and the Dhow Bar on the sand. Half board is standard, with an all-inclusive option that adds drinks.

Kendwa's beach is the island's most reliable for swimming, and the resort describes it as swimmable at any tide. Sunsets are over the sea.

Kendwa's beach bars are a walk along the sand; Nungwi's restaurants and boat trips are a short drive north.

• Premium pricing, particularly for the oceanfront villas.
• Drinks are only included if you choose the all-inclusive option.
• Welcomes families, so it isn't a couples-only retreat.

It's one of the island's most complete luxury resorts, and every villa has its own pool — ideal for couples and families who want room to spread out.

Kizimkazi, at the island's southern end, is known for its dolphins, and the resort runs dolphin-watching trips. It also grows produce for its kitchens on its own farm.

The Dining Room serves international cuisine and The Pavilion Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes, with beach, poolside and private dining. Drinks are extra.

A mile-long beach. The villas at the northern end sit directly behind the sand, where swimming is easiest at high tide; those at the southern end are on a low cliff. Water sports depend on the tides.

Kizimkazi is remote, with very little outside the resort; dolphin trips leave from nearby, and Jozani Forest is on the way to Stone Town.

• Drinks and extras are expensive, and they add up.
• A remote location — you'll need transport to go anywhere else.
• Villa pools are 1.2 metres deep and need supervision for children.

For a night or two in Stone Town, it brings resort-level comfort to the heart of the old town.

History. You're staying in a landmark building in a World Heritage town, with the dhows sailing past at sunset.

The Dining Room draws on the flavours of the spice trade, and the hotel's waterfront Beach House restaurant is a few doors along. Bed and breakfast; drinks are extra.

The hotel faces a busy public town beach, used by people and boats — not one for sunbathing or swimming. Swim in the infinity pool instead.

Everything in Stone Town: markets, carved doors, rooftop restaurants, the Forodhani night food market and boat trips to Prison Island.

• A city hotel, not a beach resort — best for one to three nights.
• Breakfast only; you'll eat out or pay as you go for other meals.
• Recent guests mentioned some renovation work in 2026 — ask when you book.

For an all-inclusive that still feels intimate and special, Baraza's villas, design and spa are hard to beat on the south-east coast.

The architecture and the plunge pool at every villa. It feels more like a palace than a resort.

Several restaurants and a bar and lounge; meals and most drinks are included, except champagne, premium wines and top-shelf spirits.

A long white-sand beach and lagoon. This coast is very tidal: when the tide is out the sea retreats a long way, so plan sea swims around high tide.

The Rock restaurant and the Michamvi peninsula are a short drive north; Paje is to the south.

• Expensive, even for an all-inclusive.
• The sea is only swimmable around high tide.
• Welcomes children, so not a couples-only retreat.

It combines a dramatic setting, an overwater restaurant and generous family villas — and it's well placed for Nungwi's restaurants and boat trips.

The jetty restaurant over the sea, and the villas — rare at this level in Nungwi.

Market Kitchen serves all day, The Jetty restaurant and bar sits over the sea, and there's a pool bar, a bar under the baobab, 24-hour in-room dining and a cookery studio. The Jetty has recently closed on some low-season weekdays — check if it matters to you.

This is a coral-bluff setting with a jetty rather than a classic beach hotel, and the shoreline is tidal. Accounts of sea swimming differ, so ask the hotel; it has run a shuttle to Kendwa's beach.

Nungwi village, its restaurants, sunset dhow cruises and the turtle aquarium are close by.

• Not a sandy-beach resort — check swimming conditions with the hotel.
• Recent guest reviews mention some dated interiors.
• Drinks aren't included on half board.

For an all-inclusive holiday with real polish and plenty to do — and the option of an adults-only upgrade — it's one of the best-equipped resorts on the island.

The jetty bar at sea, and The Level, which gives couples a quieter, premium corner of a big resort.

Several restaurants and bars, including Tamu (Swahili, at extra charge), the Jetty Lounge and a beach restaurant. Standard all-inclusive; premium drinks only in The Level.

The resort combines low cliffs with a separate 300-metre beach reached by an in-resort shuttle. Kiwengwa is strongly tidal, so plan sea swims around high tide.

Kiwengwa is lined with resorts and has little independent life; Stone Town is about an hour away.

• A big resort — lively rather than intimate.
• Premium drinks are only included in The Level categories.
• Some areas are reached by shuttle within the grounds.

It's one of the island's newest and best-equipped all-inclusives, and its location makes Mnemba's reef an easy trip.

Scale and choice: six pools and four restaurants, all included, in a fresh contemporary design.

Four restaurants — Jikan (Asian fusion and teppanyaki), Jua Grill, the Muyuni Beach Club and Horizon — plus bars and a gelato shop, all included.

Directly on Muyuni Beach. This north-east coast is strongly tidal, so plan sea swims around high tide; Mnemba's reef is a short boat ride away.

Matemwe is quiet, with few restaurants outside the resorts; Stone Town is about an hour away.

• A large resort — not the place for seclusion.
• The sea is tide-dependent.
• Some booking sites still use the old Emerald name.

It pairs Kendwa's excellent swimming beach with a stylish, mid-sized resort that's big enough for choice but not overwhelming.

The themed beach villas, and the chance to dine at its sister island lodge.

Kilimanjaro is the main restaurant, Gold Restaurant serves à la carte dinners, and there are two bars. The top "gourmet" plan includes quality spirits and wines by the glass.

Directly on Kendwa's white-sand beach, which stays swimmable through the tides; sunsets are over the sea.

Kendwa's beach bars are along the sand, and Nungwi is a short drive.

• Check what your meal plan includes — drinks vary by plan.
• The resort has closed in late April and early May; check spring dates.

For a fuss-free all-inclusive with sunsets and Nungwi's restaurants nearby, it's a strong, polished choice.

Swim-up suites and private-pool villas within a big all-inclusive, on the sunset side of Nungwi.

Five restaurants including a buffet, fusion, Mediterranean and a steakhouse, plus four bars — all included, around the clock.

Steps lead down to a private beach area with loungers. The north-west coast generally offers easier swimming than the east, but ask about the beach below the resort at low tide.

Nungwi village, its restaurants and boat trips are close by; Kendwa is a short drive south.

• Its age policy is unclear — RIU's own page has described it both as adults-only and as family-friendly; check before booking.
• Large and busy compared with the smaller resorts here.
• Don't confuse it with RIU's other Zanzibar hotels, including the adults-only Riu Palace Swahili.