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The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar

4.0 star property
Beachfront hotel with calming spa services

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your current months are December, 2024 and January, 2025.
December 2024
January 2025

Photo gallery for The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar

On the beach, sun loungers, beach umbrellas, beach towels
Front of property - evening/night
Egyptian cotton sheets, minibar, in-room safe, blackout drapes
Poolside bar
Outdoor pool, sun loungers
VIP Access

Reviews

9.6 out of 10

Exceptional

Popular amenities

  • Bar
    Bar
  • Pool
    Pool
  • Spa
    Spa
  • Breakfast included
    Breakfast included
  • Room service
    Room service
  • 24/7 front desk
    24/7 front desk

Perks for members at select top-rated stays

Our Silver and Gold members get perks at select VIP Access properties, on top of exceptional service.
Silver tier member
A perk like food and drink extras, free breakfast, or parking credits
Gold tier member
Room upgrades when available, plus Silver perks

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 4 of 4 rooms

View all photos for Luxury Villa, 2 Bedrooms, Private Pool

Egyptian cotton sheets, minibar, in-room safe, blackout drapes

Luxury Villa, 2 Bedrooms, Private Pool

Highlights

Balcony or patio
Separate dining area
Separate sitting area
Private plunge pool
Air conditioning
Ceiling fan
Blackout drapes/curtains
Egyptian cotton linens
  • 200 sq m
  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 Queen Bed and 1 Twin Bed

View all photos for Family Villa, Multiple Beds

Egyptian cotton sheets, minibar, in-room safe, blackout drapes

Family Villa, Multiple Beds

Highlights

Balcony or patio
Separate dining area
Separate sitting area
Air conditioning
Ceiling fan
Blackout drapes/curtains
Egyptian cotton linens
Separate bedroom
  • 140 sq m
  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 King Bed and 2 Twin Beds

View all photos for Luxury Villa, 1 Bedroom, Sea View

Egyptian cotton sheets, minibar, in-room safe, blackout drapes

Luxury Villa, 1 Bedroom, Sea View

Highlights

Balcony or patio
Separate dining area
Separate sitting area
Air conditioning
Ceiling fan
Blackout drapes/curtains
Egyptian cotton linens
Separate bedroom
  • 140.0 sq m
  • Sea view
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for Standard Bungalow

Egyptian cotton sheets, minibar, in-room safe, blackout drapes

Standard Bungalow

Highlights

Balcony or patio
Air conditioning
Ceiling fan
Blackout drapes/curtains
Egyptian cotton linens
Separate bedroom
Private bathroom
Hair dryer
  • 33 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

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About the neighborhood

Map
Dongwe Beach, Pingwe, Dongwe

What's nearby

  • Dongwe Beach - 8 min walk - 0.7 km
  • Pingwe Beach - 4 min drive - 4.1 km
  • Bwejuu Beach - 4 min drive - 3.9 km
  • Paje Beach - 13 min drive - 8.7 km
  • Jambiani Beach - 18 min drive - 11.9 km

Getting around

  • Zanzibar Intl. Airport (ZNZ) - 59 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Mapacha - ‬9 min drive
  • ‪The Rock - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Oxygen - ‬10 min drive
  • ‪African Bbq - ‬9 min drive
  • ‪Mr. Kahawa - ‬10 min drive

About this property

The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar

Upscale hotel
You can look forward to a free breakfast buffet, a terrace, and a garden at The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar. This hotel is a great place to bask in the sun with a beachfront location, sun loungers, and scuba diving. Indulge in a facial, a manicure/pedicure, and a body scrub at the onsite spa. The on-site restaurant offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Stay connected with free WiFi in public areas, and guests can find other amenities such as a library and dry cleaning/laundry services.
You'll also enjoy perks such as:
  • An outdoor pool with sun loungers
  • Free self parking
  • A roundtrip airport shuttle (surcharge), concierge services, and a front-desk safe
  • Massage treatment rooms, beach umbrellas, and barbecue grills
  • Guest reviews say great things about the helpful staff
Room features
All guestrooms at The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar include comforts such as air conditioning, as well as amenities like safes and minibars.
Extra conveniences in all rooms include:
  • Bathrooms with bidets and free toiletries
  • Balconies or patios, electric kettles, and ceiling fans

Languages

English, Italian, Swahili

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • 24-hour roundtrip airport shuttle on request for a surcharge
  • Free self parking on site

Food and drink

  • Free buffet breakfast available daily 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM
  • 2 bars/lounges
  • A restaurant
  • Snack bar/deli

Things to do

  • Full-service spa
  • Library
  • Outdoor pool
  • Scuba diving

Family friendly

  • Laundry facilities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Separate bedroom
  • Snack bar/deli

Conveniences

  • 24-hour front desk
  • Laundry facilities
  • Luggage storage
  • Safe at front desk

Guest services

  • Concierge services
  • Dry cleaning/laundry service
  • Housekeeping (daily)
  • Tour and ticket assistance
  • Turndown service

Outdoors

  • Barbecue grill
  • Beach loungers
  • Beach towels
  • Beach umbrellas
  • Garden
  • On the beach
  • Pool loungers
  • Terrace

Full-service spa

  • Body scrubs
  • Facials
  • In-room massages
  • Manicures/pedicures
  • Spa open daily
  • Treatment room

Accessibility

  • No elevator

More

  • Designated smoking areas
  • Mosquito nets

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Blackout drapes
  • Egyptian cotton sheets

Bathroom

  • Bidet
  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer
  • Private bathroom
  • Shampoo
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided

Food and drink

  • Electric kettle
  • Free bottled water
  • Limited room service
  • Minibar

More

  • Air conditioning
  • Ceiling fan
  • Safe

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; Check-in end time: anytime
Early check-in subject to availability
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM
Contactless check-out available
Late check-out subject to availability
Late check-out fee: USD 50

Special check-in instructions

This property offers transfers from the airport (surcharges may apply); guests must contact the property with arrival details before travel, using the contact information on the booking confirmation
Guests must contact the property in advance for check-in instructions; front desk staff will greet guests on arrival
To make arrangements for check-in please contact the property at least 24 hours before arrival using the information on the booking confirmation

Access methods

Staffed front desk

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are available for USD 80.00 per night
Cribs (infant beds) are not available

Property payment types

Important information

Fees

You'll be asked to pay the following charges at the property. Fees may include applicable taxes:

  • A tax is imposed by the city: USD 5.00 per person, per night

We have included all charges provided to us by the property.

Optional extras

  • Airport shuttle fee: USD 50
  • Late check-out fee: USD 50 (subject to availability)
  • Rollaway bed fee: USD 80.00 per night

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Guests must contact this property in advance to reserve cribs/infant beds and rollaway/extra beds
This property accepts credit cards; cash is not accepted
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a security system, and a first aid kit

We should mention

This property does not have elevators

Property is also known as

Dongwe Beach Bungalows Hotel Bwejuu
Dongwe Beach Bungalows Hotel
The Sands Zanzibar Dongwe
The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar Hotel
The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar Dongwe
The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar Hotel Dongwe

Frequently asked questions

Does The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar have a pool?

Yes, this property has an outdoor pool.

Is The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar?

Self parking is free at this property.

What time is check-in at The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar?

Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; Check-in end time: anytime.

What time is check-out at The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar?

Check-out is at 11:00 AM. Late check-out is available for USD 50 (subject to availability).

Does The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar provide a shuttle to the airport?

Yes, there's an airport shuttle that runs on request. A fee of USD 50 one-way applies.

Where is The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar located?

Nestled on the beach, this Dongwe hotel is within 3 mi (5 km) of Dongwe Beach, Bwejuu Beach, and Pingwe Beach. Paje Beach and Michamvi Kae Beach are also within 6 mi (10 km).

The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar Reviews

Reviews

9.6

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 76 out of 102 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 23 out of 102 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 2 out of 102 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 102 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 102 reviews" "

9.6/10

Cleanliness

9.8/10

Staff & service

9.4/10

Amenities

9.2/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.2/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Jenny

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We really enjoyed our stay at the Sands Resort. Each suite is actually a separate bungalow with large, comfortable rooms and wonderful AC. There is an onsite restaurant that serves all day as well as a beach bar that serves snacks/meals during the daytime. It was very relaxing to be able to have all of our meals on the property. The staff were all very friendly and professional. Everything about the staff and property was wonderful. The hotel also offers excursions. The nice thing is that they are private which entailed having a driver and tours that were just for our party. However, I would not recommend doing the "swim with dolphins" excursion because there are too many other boats doing the same thing, and we didn't feel safe going in the water with so many boats moving around quickly to try to bring their passengers close to the dolphins. So, we stayed in the boat. Also, there were no life jackets available, and it was unclear how we would get in/out of the boat without a ladder or rope; the snorkel and other equipment was old, and we didn't get a chance to try the snorkel/mask before going on the water. We also did the Jozani Forest/Butterfly excursion, which was interesting to do to see the monkeys, mangroves, and butterflies, but the price the hotel charged seemed disproportionately higher than the experience merited; please note that I say this without knowing how much the hotel paid the driver to stay with us for several hours and for the forest guide.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Artur, Ridgewood

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The staff at this hotel were incredibly welcoming and helpful throughout our stay. The rooms were immaculate and very comfortable. We also enjoyed the delicious dinner every night.
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2024

8/10 Good

antonio

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Relaxing on the beach
Quite good stay Excellent food and location on the ocean side Optimum service and very kind personnel
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Edward

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very nice, quiet place with a lovely beach and excellent staff. Very good food, too.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Cinzia

Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2024

6/10 Okay

Kelly A, Lancy

Stayed 9 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kara

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Absolutely stunning. Service beyond amazing. Quiet with gorgeous gardens and beach. Easy access for SCuBA diving. Incredibly friendly staff and felt completely safe with masai warriors guarding the hotel. Food was phenomenal Would absolutely go back.
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Ahmed, aaaaa

Stayed 6 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Shari

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The service was excellent. Everyone was very friendly and courteous. We really enjoyed our stay here
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Mark

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Location was tranquil and just what we were looking for at the start of our Zanzibar holiday. All the staff were amazingly welcoming and friendly. The team led by Ally are a credit to the hotel. The dining experience was quite special and we very much enjoyed the fresh barbecued fish at night, especially the huge tuna that a slice and thickness of your liking was cooked there and then and served to your table….in fact the staff even do your toast for you in the morning ! Overall hotel was perfect for our family of 4 including teenagers - if staying I would recommend a rental car to explore the local area, good deals can be found on arrival at the airport, we paid $30 USD a day and rental car company collected from hotel anywhere on the island for $20 USD.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Nasser

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
It's a great hotel, with great staff. Very simple, yet clean and well kept. No TV in the rooms which could be nice as the evenings are quiet with not much activity around the area
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kelly

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We had a marvelous stay. Incredible beach staff went the extra mile always. We cant recommend this destination enough. 5 stars all the way.
Stayed 7 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Philip

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We had a great stay at the Sands. The staff were amazing, from Mr. Ally the GM to the executive chef and the cooks like Thomas who took care of us. The food was first class - this goes for breakfast right through to dinner. Amazing food and fantastic service. The beach was beautiful, clean and safe. We could not have asked for more. Even the Masai security guards were great! We loved it. Would definitely recommend the Sands in Zanzibar. We'll be back.
Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Ernst

Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Mavis

Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Vincent

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The resort was 5 star! The staff was so helpful and attentive.. Ally the manager made sure everything was perfect! No only would I recommend this resort … we are going back! The perfect place to kick back a d get away from the hustle and bustle. Stone town is not far and a flight to Dar es Salaam was on 34 Dollars !!Just go and relax !
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Shaarik

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
The Sands is a terrific resort, located on a beautiful beach, with incredible facilities, terrific food, and an amazing staff. Highly recommended. Go Deeper: The Sands Zanzibar Beach Resort is amazing. We stayed here with our two daughters in July 2023 and had an incredible time. This followed a safari on the mainland and then two nights in Stone Town at which point we were ready to relax and enjoy the beach. The Sands was exactly what we needed

10/10 Excellent

Meagan

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The Sands was amazing! It was an oasis of beautiful beaches, a large pool, and great food. Highly recommend!
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2023

8/10 Good

Amanda

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
We recently spent 10 days at The Sands Beach resort. If you want entertainment, night life and things to do this isn’t the place for you. There doesn’t appear to be much on the main road leading to the hotel and the nearest town of any note is Paje a 15 min drive away (taxi $25 return) Here there are lots of bars and restaurants. There was a slight mix up with the transfer the hotel arranged but this was quickly sorted out. We were met with drinks on our arrival and cold towels. Much appreciated as we had 2 long flights. We arrived at the hotel early 10am and were shown straight to our room by Ally, the guest relations manager who goes out of his way to ensure that you have a great stay. The hotel was very quiet probably no more than 5-6 rooms occupancy out of 20 rooms for most of our stay. Our room had been upgraded to a sea view. The rooms themselves are basic but huge. The bedroom consists of a comfortable king size bed with mosquito nets and crisp white sheets, a chair, desk and luggage storage bench. A separate area had a wardrobe, shelf space and a safe. The bathroom was huge, with shower and one sink. There is a water heater but this only sufficient for one shower. The soft furnishings in the rooms need updating they are dingy and old fashioned, plain brown curtains and brown light shades with tassels on. This could easily be improved with some bright colours. Outside you have 2 chairs and a table on the veranda. The rooms are cleaned daily to a good standard. Isaya a
Stayed 10 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Daniel, Chicago

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
We visited Sands Beach resort in mid-June for three nights. On the plus side, the staff (including Ally, guest relations manager) was consistently friendly, welcoming, and aimed to please. They were VERY accommodating, allowing a very late checkout with no additional charge, since our unit was not booked the evening of our checkout. The grounds of the resort were quite beautiful too. As was the beautiful pool area. Also the villas were very spacious. The meals were great and the servers were very attentive. They "hovered" a bit too much, but I'm sure they were trained this way. Americans may not appreciate "hovering" quite as much as Europeans. Not sure. Beach bartenders were also wonderful: Hassan and Isaya. Even the massage therapist was terrific! On the negative side: Our villa (and most others, we were told) had no WiFi. This was only available at the pool, restaurant or beach. The villa had very low lighting. Ally did offer to change to brighter bulbs but we opted not to bother them. Also the cabinet doors in the kitchen were all broken. We didn't need these cabinets but this issue was easy to spot by routine housekeeping, so they may have a limited repair budget. Finally, the resort would occasionally have power issues. They have their own generator when the local utility goes out, but if it ran too long, they might need to shut down ALL the WiFi. This happened just once or twice. Normally, the WiFi in the public areas was great.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Ramon

Stayed 4 nights in May 2023

8/10 Good

Melinda

Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Felicia Denise

Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Marcus

Stayed 5 nights in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Wayne

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Outstanding staff and spacious accommodations
Outstanding resort in Nungwi. From the time I arrived until my departure the service was top notch. If there was an issue it was resolved quickly to ensure you had the best possible time at The Sands resort. The gentleman named Ally was like having a vacation angel watching over you to make sure you were enjoying your time there. He constantly checked on us and other guest. We appreciate him for doing so. The food was delicious and each day a different selection of items. There were 2 chefs and both visited out table after dinner on various days. They did a great job. On separate days there was the whole tuna carving station one day and dorado carving stations another day, delicious as well. One of the chefs tried out his recipe for American pancakes on us Sunday morning and this recipe definitely needs to be a permanent part of Sunday breakfast, they were so good. The wait staff was great we had one gentleman a few times and he was great at anticipating our need’s and making dinner a pleasant experience. The beach bartenders were funny and great with the drinks and food service for lunch. The housekeeping staff was also excellent. I had to do some work one day and observed them cleaning the room. I doubt there was a spot missed as they were very focused on making sure the room was refreshed properly. When I return to Zanzibar I’ll split my time between Nungwi and Kendwa. I will definitely revisit The Sands resort in Nungwi. I wish all the staff the very best.
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2023