Gold Zanzibar Beach House & Spa

Kashni Naidoo

most amazing hotel and beautiful beach. Chef Paul and Chef Warren went out of their way to prepare dairy free foods for my daughter. Our Butler Jackline was so wonderful with my kids. The food was really delicious. Will definitely recommend Gold Zanzibar. Their staff are excellent. We had the most amazing time at the hotel and beach. The villa was very neat

Steponas Zepčiukas

🌴 A True Golden Paradise — Our 50th Wedding Celebration 🌴 We stayed at Gold Zanzibar Beach House & Spa to celebrate our upcoming Golden Wedding Anniversary, and it was one of the most beautiful experiences of our lives. Everything about this place is pure perfection — a wide white-sand beach, crystal-clear water, and an impeccably maintained resort. The staff are warm, kind, and attentive, always nearby but never intrusive. The food is exceptional, fresh, and full of flavor, and drinks are served wherever you wish — by the pool, on the beach, or right on your villa terrace. When the hotel management learned that we had booked a seaside dinner to celebrate our 50 years together, they surprised us with an unforgettable gift — an upgrade to the best villa in the resort, located right on the oceanfront with a private pool. During dinner, the restaurant team sang and brought us a beautiful anniversary cake, made especially for us. It was an incredibly emotional and joyful moment that we will never forget. We also felt completely safe and cared for, even during the post-election period when there were some concerns in the media. The hotel’s security and professionalism made us feel perfectly protected and relaxed at all times. We have traveled a lot around the world, but nowhere else have we experienced such genuine hospitality, generosity, and warmth. If you are looking for peace, perfect service, delicious food, refreshing drinks, and the feeling of being truly cared for — Gold Zanzibar Beach House & Spa is the place to be. 💛 Steponas & Nijolė from Lithuania Room: Villa 603 | Stay: October–November 2025

Sarah Naco

Heaven on earth! Could not recommend more highly. The staff were absolutely the highlight. But really, every aspect was perfect - the beach, the food, the accommodation. Phenomenal. My husband and I stayed at Gold Zanzibar for our honeymoon for 4 nights in July. There aren't sufficient words to express how incredible our stay was. As soon as we entered the reception (this amazing, tall wooden thatched structure), we were greeted by numerous staff, offered a delicious complimentary drink and given a room upgrade to a Suite Pavilion, just steps from the gorgeous pool and then the ocean. When we got to our room, we were greeted with a bottle of champagne and a large, beautiful tropical fruit bowl. The food was INCREDIBLE and the range of options was truly breath taking. Each night there was a different 'theme' - our first night the buffet dinner was jungle-themed on the beach. And another night we got a complimentary romantic dinner at their Gold restaurant as a honeymoon gift, also seated on the beach. Big shoutout to the warm and generous staff, in particular: Ali (grounds keeper & gardener; thank you for my gorgeous palm front flower crown and the fresh coconuts. We were sorry to miss saying goodbye on our last day); Issa (Gold's hype man and all round great guy); Ibrahim (kindest chef who made us roti and packed us curries to-go on our last day). P.S. I've seen some reviews talking about seaweed on the beach and the smell. We experienced no such seaweed on the beach nor any unpleasant smell. The beach was absolutely stunning - white sand, warm water, and plenty of space to walk / wander.

Laurie

Our stay at Gold Zanzibar was nothing short of spectacular. As soon as we arrived we were immediately greeted and made to feel at home. In celebration of our honeymoon we were upgraded to a beautiful villa with private pool and butler service - very comfortable and clean accommodation. The amenities including pool, spa, beach and bars were all fantastic. We were also amazed by the food, with so many options and the quality was remarkable, all very fresh, the best pasta we’ve had outside of Italy, great local cuisine too. But what stood out the most was the absolutely amazing service. Every single member of hotel staff went above and beyond to greet us at every opportunity, make us feel at home, offer us anything we could wish for and just engage in conversation; they seemed genuinely interested in getting to know us. We are fortunate to stay at nice hotels around the world and the staff and service at Gold stand out as the very best we have ever experienced and by a very long way. We enjoyed complimentary sunset cruise on our final night for which we are very grateful. The occasional complimentary food and drink with bills showing ‘zero’ against each item, also a very generous touch. I would not hesitate to recommend Gold to anyone looking for accommodation in Zanzibar - furthermore, I would even encourage people to stay at Gold simply to see how the very best of hotels can and should be. I could not think of a single thing that could have been better or different. Thank you for an incredible experience.

Vitória Brum

We stayed at Gold Zanzibar right after spending a few days at Riu Palace, which was cheaper yet far superior in every single aspect. Unfortunately, Gold Zanzibar did not live up to its price or reputation. When we arrived, the TV, AC, and mini-fridge in our room weren’t working. Thankfully, after our travel agent intervened, the staff solved the issue very quickly and upgraded our room, honestly, this was one of the very few good parts of our stay. Food safety was a major concern. Some dishes appeared to be pre-cooked and then reheated on the grill when requested, which doesn’t feel safe. Raw items like fish and beef were kept in containers at room temperature instead of being refrigerated, and fruit was also left out unrefrigerated. Furthermore, both of us experienced symptoms consistent with food poisoning during our stay, despite having consumed only food provided by the hotel. Getting drinks took so long that we usually finished eating before they even arrived. On top of that, there were flies around the food, likely because the buffet area isn’t enclosed or properly protected — something Riu Palace handled much better. Another big difference was the overall service. At Riu, staff constantly checked if the food was good and frequently passed by the pool to ask if we needed more drinks. At Gold Zanzibar, almost never someone approached us, and service felt slow and inconsistent. The entertainment didn’t help either. The music was outdated, and the live band often sang off-pitch. The only truly good entertainment came from the fire show and the dancers. The pool area needs serious maintenance. We noticed green algae and dirt/sand at the bottom, along with some missing tiles. Riu Palace cleaned their pool every evening after guests legt, so the contrast was very noticeable. Here pool maintenance was carried out midday while guests were using it, resulting in algae and debris being stirred into the water instead of being effectively vacuumed. In front of the beach, there are large inflatable slides run by external operators, which take away from what should be a calm, guest-only beach area. That said, there were a few highlights. The sunset boat ride was lovely. The gentleman offering aloe vera treatments around the pool was incredibly kind. And the spa was truly excellent — the therapists had magic hands and were warm, professional, and genuinely welcoming. Overall, despite a few bright moments, Gold Zanzibar fell far below expectations, especially compared to Riu Palace and charging what they charge. For the price, I expected much better conditions, hygiene, and service. We left disappointed and would not return.