Zuri Zanzibar
Kendwa, Zanzibar
Location
Kendwa, NW coast
The resort sits on a 300-metre west-facing beach at Kendwa on the north-west coast of Unguja, in a lagoon that is non-tidal — safe for swimming all day — across 12 hectares of tropical gardens, around an hour from Stone Town.
Transfer
A Zanzibar transfer
Around an hour by road from Stone Town and Zanzibar International Airport — all road transfers, no bush-plane.
Villas
Around 56 keys
Around 56 bungalows, suites and villas across five categories, in tropical gardens with island-sourced materials and African artwork — most with Indian Ocean views, and villas with private infinity pools and jacuzzis.
Best For
Who it suits
Couples, honeymooners and design lovers after Kendwa's all-day swimming and sunsets — a Design Hotels resort built to world-first EarthCheck Gold — with family villas for older children.
Board Basis
Flexible
Flexible board — bed and breakfast, half board or all-inclusive options — across three restaurants, four bars and private Dining by Design.
About the Resort
A design-led beach you can swim off all day
Zuri Zanzibar is the island's design-led beach resort, and it sits on one of Zanzibar's rare prizes — a non-tidal beach. On a 300-metre west-facing stretch of Kendwa, on the north-west coast, the lagoon lets you swim all day, and the beach faces the sunset; most of the island's east and south coasts can't say either. It is the only African beach property in Design Hotels, built to a world-first EarthCheck Sustainable Design Gold standard, with around 56 bungalows, suites and villas in 12 hectares of tropical gardens, the villas adding private infinity pools and jacuzzis. Days run on a sunset sail aboard the resort's own dhow, a tour of the on-site spice garden, and snorkelling and diving at Mnemba Atoll, with three restaurants, four bars and private Dining by Design. The atmosphere skews adult and romantic, though one- to three-bedroom villas suit families with older children. Around an hour from Stone Town, it is the design-and-sustainability pick — and the one to choose for all-day swimming.
Accommodation
Bungalows, suites & villas
Around 56 bungalows, suites and villas across five categories, in tropical gardens with island-sourced materials and African artwork — most with Indian Ocean views, with tropical outdoor showers and private terraces, and villas with private infinity pools and jacuzzis.
Entry
Garden Bungalow
Sleeps two. A thatched king in a lush garden setting with an outdoor shower.
Outdoor showerGarden outlook
Sea
Ocean-View Suite
Sleeps two. An elevated suite with a terrace and sea views, over the Indian Ocean.
ElevatedOcean view
Front
Ocean-Front Suite
Sleeps two. Steps from the beach, facing the Indian Ocean.
BeachfrontOcean view
Villa
Beach Villa
Sleeps two to six. A one- to three-bedroom villa with a private infinity pool and jacuzzi, oceanfront.
Private poolOceanfront
Food & Drink
Dining
Dining runs across three restaurants and four bars — a main restaurant of international and East African cooking, a beach restaurant for tapas at sunset, the Dhow Bar on the sand, and private Dining by Design.
Signature
The main restaurant
The main restaurant, international and East African.
Beach
The beach restaurant
The beach restaurant, for tapas at sunset.
Private
Dining by Design
Dining by Design — private candlelit dinners and cooking, with the Dhow Bar on the sand.
Wellbeing
Spa & spice garden
There is a spa among the gardens and a main pool, with private infinity pools on the villas — and an on-site spice garden to wander, part of the resort's sustainability story.
The spa
A spa among the gardens.
A main pool
A main pool, with private infinity pools on the villas.
The spice garden
An on-site spice garden to tour.
Activities & Experiences
Signature Experiences
Design, sustainability, and the rare luxury of all-day swimming. Swim off Kendwa, sail at sunset on the resort's dhow, tour the spice garden, and snorkel Mnemba Atoll.
Swim-all-day Kendwa
Kendwa's non-tidal beach — one of the few in Zanzibar you can swim off all day — west-facing for sunsets.
A sunset dhow
A sunset sail on the resort's own dhow.
Spice-garden tour
A tour of the on-site spice garden.
Mnemba snorkelling
Snorkelling and diving at Mnemba Atoll.
Design & sustainability
The Design Hotels architecture and world-first EarthCheck Gold sustainability.
Getting There
Location & transfers
By road
From the airport
Around an hour by road from Stone Town and Zanzibar International Airport.
On the NW coast
Kendwa
On Kendwa, on the north-west coast, on a non-tidal lagoon beach.
Guest Reviews
What Our Clients Say
★★★★★
“The most extraordinary place I have ever stayed. Nothing prepares you for the depth of the silence, the beauty of the reef, or the sheer generosity of the experience.”
✓ Verified via feefo
★★★★★
“We’ve stayed here three times now. The house reef has no equal. The stargazing was, genuinely, one of the most moving experiences of my adult life.”
✓ Verified via feefo
★★★★★
“I had stayed at Four Seasons, One&Only and Velaa before visiting Zuri Zanzibar. They are all magnificent. But this is different in a way that is hard to articulate.”
✓ Verified via feefo
Good to Know
Good to know
Board basis
- Flexible board — bed and breakfast, half board or all-inclusive options.
Made for couples
- A romantic, design-led resort for couples, with one- to three-bedroom villas for families with older children.
The beach
- On Kendwa, the rare Zanzibar beach that is non-tidal — safe all-day swimming — and west-facing for sunsets.
Getting there
- Around an hour by road from Stone Town and the airport.
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Dates, party size, villa preference and budget.
Destination
Dates & party
Date flexibility
Adults
2
Children
0
Budget & accommodation
Budget per person (flights + hotel)
£4,500
£500£50,000+
Villa preference
Flights
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