Where
Kizimkazi, south west coast
Size
66 villas on 32 hectares
2026 price
From $490 per person, half board
Board
Half board, all inclusive on request
Tide
The sea goes far out at low water
Airport
About 55 minutes by road
The Residence Zanzibar
Kizimkazi, south west coast
- Every villa has a private pool, from 155 m²
- Half board as standard, all inclusive on request
- Ila spa with six pavilions in a two hectare garden
- Free kids' club for four to twelve year olds
From $490 per person a night, half board (2026 green season)
See rates on Hotels.comThe Residence Zanzibar review: is it worth the price?
For a couple who wants a villa and a pool of their own, yes. The Residence, run by Cenizaro Hotels & Resorts since it opened in 2011, is one of very few resorts on the island where every unit is a pool villa. The estate covers 32 hectares of palms behind about a mile of private beach, so even when the hotel is full it feels empty. Forbes Travel Guide and Condé Nast Traveller both review it warmly, and the praise is always the same: space, service, the spa and the sunsets over the Indian Ocean.
The criticism is just as steady, and you will not read most of it in the glossy reviews. The sea goes a long way out at low tide, so on many days the beach is for walking, not swimming. The resort is isolated, at the end of a dirt track with nothing to walk to. Drinks and extras are expensive on the standard half board plan. And in the garden villas, monkeys and insects are part of the stay. One 2022 reviewer called it "not worth it for the price" and said he would pick the east coast next time.
Our read: book it for a honeymoon or a slow week with a private pool, ideally in the green season when rates drop. Take the all inclusive plan if you drink. Skip it if swimming in the sea at any hour matters most, or if you want restaurants and bars outside the gates.
The Residence Zanzibar villas: six types, all with a private pool
There are 66 villas in six categories, all single storey. Every one has its own pool of 30 to 35 m², about 1.2 metres deep, a four-poster king bed, air conditioning and fans, mosquito nets, a daybed and a bike. A butler looks after each villa and a golf buggy runs you round the estate.
| Villa | Size | Villas | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luxury Garden Pool Villa | 155 m² | 34 | One bedroom, garden view through the palms. The most private of the one bedroom villas |
| Luxury Ocean Front Pool Villa | 155 m² | 13 | Same villa, facing the sea and the sunset |
| Prestige Ocean Front Pool Villa | 194 m² | 11 | Larger one bedroom on the beach line |
| Frangipani Garden Pool Villa | 234 m² | 5 | Two bedrooms, the family villa |
| Frangipani Ocean Front Pool Villa | 234 m² | 2 | Two bedrooms on the sea. Book months ahead |
| Presidential Ocean Front Pool Villa | 468 m² | 1 | Two bedrooms, the largest on the estate |
The split by category comes from Zanzibar Retreats, the only source that publishes it. The sizes match the hotel's own pages.
Which villa at The Residence Zanzibar to book
Half the estate is the Luxury Garden Pool Villa, and it is the one most guests get. It is the most sheltered: the palms hide it from the neighbours, and the beach is a short buggy ride away. One reviewer still found the villas a little visible from each other, so ask for one at the end of a row.
For a honeymoon, pay for an Ocean Front villa: the sunset from your own pool is what you came this far south for, and there are only thirteen of the one bedroom version. Families need a two bedroom Frangipani villa, of which there are seven in all, so book early for school holidays.
One warning that applies to every category: lock the sliding doors. Red colobus and blue monkeys live in the gardens, and they know how to open a door that is only pulled shut.
The Residence Zanzibar prices in 2026
The hotel does not publish a rate card, so here is what agents and booking sites showed on 26 October 2026. Each source measures something different: read the last column before you compare.
| Source | Price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Safari.com | From $490 per person a night | Half board, sharing, green season, valid to 23 December 2026 |
| Kayak, April | About $433 a night | Platform average for the villa, the cheapest month |
| Kayak, October | About $854 a night | Platform average, the most expensive month |
| Kuoni, 31 March 2026 | From £6,250 | Two adults and two children, 7 nights, half board, garden villa, flights from Manchester |
The pattern is clear enough: April is the cheapest month and October the dearest, at roughly twice the price for the same villa. October is dry and calm, which is why. The long rains of April and May bring the lowest rates of the year. Our guide to the best time to visit Zanzibar explains what each month means for the weather.
Add the Zanzibar infrastructure tax of $5 per person per night, paid at the hotel and not included in the rate. Carry dollars in cash for it. Cenizaro also sells a honeymoon rate from four nights, valid for nine months after the wedding, and children under eight stay free on half board in a one bedroom villa, two at most, outside the festive season.
Is The Residence Zanzibar all inclusive?
No, not by default, and this is the first thing to check on your quote. The standard plan is half board: breakfast and dinner, everything else on the bill. Full board and all inclusive are sold on request. The all inclusive covers drinks from 11 am to 11 pm, with premium brands charged.
Reviewers often say that drinks and lunches are expensive, and one was charged $5 for water. If you like a cocktail by the pool and wine at dinner, the all inclusive plan usually pays for itself within a few days. For how the island's resorts compare on this, see our Zanzibar all inclusive guide.
The Residence Zanzibar beach: Kizimkazi and the tide
The resort is on the south west coast at Mchangamle, near Kizimkazi, facing west. That is the reason for the sunsets, and the reason the beach is not what the brochure suggests. The sand here is less white than on the east coast, and the shore is very shallow.
At low water the sea draws back a long way, "perhaps a mile or so" according to a 2022 guest, and leaves seaweed on the sand. A specialist agent calls the beach "fairly unusable" at low tide. Several reviewers mention sea urchins when swimming. None of the big editorial reviews say any of this, and it is the most common disappointment in guest reviews.
What the resort does about it: a long jetty where kayaks, paddleboards and snorkelling start when the sea is calm, a 41 by 14 metre infinity pool, and your own villa pool. So plan sea swims around the high tide and the pools for the rest of the day. Our Zanzibar tides guide shows how to read the tide table for your dates.
For a beach that changes with the tide in a good way, Mtende, a rock-walled cove on the south coast, is a short drive east along the south coast and makes a fine morning out at low water.
The Residence Zanzibar restaurants and bars
There are two restaurants, plus lunch by the pool and private dinners:
- The Dining Room. Breakfast, lunch and dinner, international with Zanzibari spices, a mix of buffet and à la carte, open to the beach. Theme nights run through the week: Asian, seafood, curry.
- The Pavilion. Dinner from 7 pm to 10:30 pm, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern, lobster on the menu. It closed during Covid, so check it is open on your dates.
- Beach and poolside lunch from noon to 4 pm, and dinner in your villa or on the beach, at a supplement.
- The bars. The Dining Room Bar, the Library Bar for whisky, and the Sundown Special on the jetty from 6 pm to 7:30 pm, with canapés.
The vegetables come partly from the hotel's own garden, which feeds its farm-to-table "Earth Basket" menu. The usual complaints are slow service at busy times and insects at outdoor dinners, so bring repellent. There is nowhere else to eat within walking distance, which is why the meal plan matters more here than at a resort in Paje or Nungwi.
Ila spa at The Residence Zanzibar
The spa is the hotel's strongest card after the villas. Run with the British organic brand ila, it has six treatment pavilions in a two hectare garden, each with an outdoor shower and a bath, plus a whirlpool, a sauna and a hammam. It is open 10:30 am to 7:30 pm, and the gym from 5 am.
The hotel also has an Ohashiatsu pavilion and a Carita hair spa. Yoga and pilates are free, daily. Treatments are not: a guest in 2022 paid $65 for an hour's massage, $130 for two hours. Expect those to have risen, and ask for the current menu at check-in.
The Residence Zanzibar for honeymoons and families
Honeymoon at The Residence Zanzibar
This is where the resort makes most sense. Book the honeymoon rate in a one bedroom villa and you get, according to Zanzibar Retreats, a beach dinner for two with sparkling wine, a 45 minute couples' massage, a kitenge wrap and a beach bag. Tell the hotel your wedding date when you book: the rate needs at least four nights and runs for nine months after. Our page on where to stay in Zanzibar for a honeymoon compares it with the smaller hotels of Michamvi and the north.
Is The Residence Zanzibar adults only?
No, and it works well for families. The kids' club is free for children aged four to twelve, open 7:30 am to 7:30 pm, and babysitting is paid. All the villas are on one level, with ramps to the restaurants, which also suits guests with limited mobility. A private pool 1.2 metres deep outside the bedroom door still needs watching with small children.
Things to do at The Residence Zanzibar and the Kizimkazi dolphins
- Included. Tennis, bikes, kayaks, pedalos, a Hobie Cat, snorkelling gear, the gym, yoga and pilates.
- Paid. Kitesurfing, deep sea fishing, dhow cruises, diving and dolphin trips.
- Nearby. Kizimkazi village, where the dolphin boats leave, is a few minutes by car. Jozani forest and its red colobus are about 22 km away, and Stone Town about an hour.
Think before you book the dolphins. Boats at Kizimkazi often chase the pods, and a trip that promises you will swim with them is promising to chase. Our page on the dolphins at Kizimkazi explains what a responsible trip looks like, and why booking yourself costs less than the hotel desk for the same boat.
Boat trips from the south west coast
Neither sells a swim with dolphins. Prices, ratings and review counts as the partner lists them, read on the date shown below the cards. Check pickup from The Residence before you pay.
Dolphin watching at Pungume Island, with lunch
Menai Bay, where the boats look for dolphins rather than drop swimmers on them.
Safari Blue: lagoon, snorkelling and a barbecue lunch
The classic dhow day out in Menai Bay, full day.
Prices, ratings and review counts read from GetYourGuide on 27 September 2026, and indicative. These are partner links: the price is the same for you.
The Residence Zanzibar airport transfer and location
The hotel puts the drive from Zanzibar airport (ZNZ) at about 55 minutes. The last part, about 15 minutes on a dirt track after the main road, is the reason it feels so far away: there is nothing else around the gates.
The resort arranges transfers at a supplement. Travelocity lists $95 per vehicle each way, for up to four people, though the date of that figure is unclear. A driver booked yourself for the Kizimkazi area usually costs $30 to $45, and our page on Zanzibar airport transfers has the current rates by zone. Whichever you choose, send your flight number ahead so the driver tracks a late landing.
Who The Residence Zanzibar suits, and who should book elsewhere
Book The Residence if
- You want a villa with your own pool, whatever the budget tier
- You are on honeymoon and want privacy and sunsets
- You travel with children of four to twelve
- A spa matters more to you than nightlife
- You are happy to stay on site most days
Look elsewhere if
- You want to swim in the sea at any hour
- You want white sand and the turquoise of the east coast
- You want restaurants and bars outside the hotel
- You mind monkeys and insects around your villa
- You want everything included without negotiating the plan
Alternatives to The Residence Zanzibar in the south
One neighbour shares the same coast and tide. The other two are on the Michamvi peninsula, the south's other sunset coast, closer to Paje and The Rock.
Fruit & Spice Wellness Resort
Kizimkazi
The Residence's neighbour on the same stretch of south west shore, built around wellness. Same sunsets, same tide.
See rates on Hotels.com →
Konokono Beach Resort
Michamvi
Villas with plunge pools at the tip of the Michamvi peninsula, the other sunset coast of the south, closer to Paje and The Rock.
See rates on Hotels.com →
Zawadi Hotel
Michamvi
A small cliff-top hotel on the Chwaka Bay side of Michamvi, facing the sunset, sold all inclusive. Quieter and smaller than The Residence.
See rates on Hotels.com →If swimming at any tide is the deal breaker, look north to Kendwa and Nungwi, where the sea stays in. And for the rest of the island's five star hotels, see luxury hotels in Zanzibar.
Rooms at Kizimkazi
Every hotel around Kizimkazi on one map, from The Residence's neighbours to small beach lodges by the dolphin harbour at a fraction of the price.
See places to stay at KizimkaziPartner link. The price is the same for you.
The Residence Zanzibar practical details: tax, renovation and who runs it
- Infrastructure tax. $5 per person per night, paid at the hotel, ideally in cash dollars.
- Who runs it. Cenizaro Hotels & Resorts, which also runs The Residence hotels in Mauritius, the Maldives and Tunisia. Address: Mchangamle, Kizimkazi.
- Renovation. Open since 2011. Travelocity reports a full renovation completed in May 2025. We found no announcement of it from the hotel itself.
- Not to be confused with Palm Residence in Kidoti or Residence Gadea in Jambiani, which share part of the name and nothing else.
- Bring insect repellent, reef shoes for the shallows, and US dollars for tips and the tax.
Questions people ask about The Residence Zanzibar
Is The Residence Zanzibar adults only?
No. Children of all ages are welcome. There is a free kids' club for children aged four to twelve, open from 7:30 am to 7:30 pm, and babysitting at extra cost. The two bedroom Frangipani villas are the ones families book.
How many rooms are at The Residence Zanzibar?
There are no rooms, only villas: 66 of them, each with its own pool, in six categories from the 155 m² Luxury Garden Pool Villa to a 468 m² Presidential villa with two bedrooms.
Is The Residence Zanzibar all inclusive?
Not by default. The standard rate is half board, with breakfast and dinner. Full board and all inclusive are sold on request, with drinks included from 11 am to 11 pm and premium brands charged. If you drink at lunch and by the pool, the all inclusive plan usually pays for itself.
Is there a Residence hotel in Zanzibar?
Yes. The Residence Zanzibar is a five star resort run by Cenizaro Hotels at Mchangamle, Kizimkazi, on the south west coast. Do not confuse it with Palm Residence in Kidoti or Residence Gadea in Jambiani, which are smaller hotels with no link to it.
Can you swim in the sea at The Residence Zanzibar?
At high water, yes. At low tide the sea draws back a long way, perhaps a mile according to one guest, and the beach is too shallow to swim from. The jetty, the 41 metre main pool and your villa's pool take over for those hours. Check the tide table for your dates.
How far is The Residence Zanzibar from the airport?
About 55 minutes by road from Zanzibar airport (ZNZ), the last stretch on a dirt track. The hotel runs a transfer at a supplement. A figure of $95 per vehicle each way has been quoted, but check it when you book.
What is the most luxurious resort in Zanzibar?
For exclusivity, Mnemba Island Lodge, twelve bandas on a private island. Among the large resorts on the main island, The Residence stands out because every unit is a villa with its own pool, which few others can say.