Royal Zanzibar Beach Resort Review: Honeymoon Paradise

We had booked the Mnemba Island tour last time,

but due to unexpected bad weather, we couldn't make it...

(Book Royal Zanzibar Beach Resort)

So, we unexpectedly found ourselves with some free time on our hands.

We quickly checked out of the Daniel Zanzibar Hotel, where we stayed last night,

and headed straight over to the Royal Zanzibar Beach Resort right next door!!!

Royal Zanzibar Beach Resort

Royal Zanzibar Beach Resort

Check-in: 14:00

Check-out: 10:00

(Most accommodations in Zanzibar have an early check-out time)

Reception

Even though it wasn't official check-in time yet,

we couldn't stand staying at our previous place any longer, so we made our move early.

The entrance has a massive iron gate,

guarded by Maasai warriors.

In Zanzibar, it's common for Maasai guards to secure resort entrances.

Talk about top-notch security!

Passing through the gate, we were greeted by a wide-open, plaza-like space.

I thought it was just a lounge area to sit and relax,

but it turned out to be the beautifully open-air reception desk!

Since we arrived early, they told us our room wasn't ready yet.

But they kindly offered to hold our luggage and gave us wristbands so we could start using all the resort facilities right away.

Fitness Center

After eating and lounging so much on our honeymoon, I felt like I was gaining weight,

so I headed to the gym for a quick workout before check-in.

After a bit of running and some strength training on the machines,

I noticed some boxing gloves and showed some interest.

The trainer offered to hold the mitts for me so I could have a go,

so I put the gloves on for the first time in forever! lol

It had been so long since I'd hit mitts that I completely forgot what to do;;

Checking In

Checking in after a refreshing workout!

(Feeling absolutely refreshed!)

Just like at other resorts here, the Maasai staff helped carry our luggage.

If the weather had been absolutely perfect, it would have felt just like a luxury resort in Guam or Hawaii.

The exotic palm trees and the massive pool areas were stunning!

There are actually three pools inside the resort.

One of them seemed to be undergoing maintenance, so there were two active pools where guests were hanging out!

Plus, Nungwi Beach is right in front of the resort, so you can easily go swim in the ocean too.

The Room

The view from our balcony!

It was absolutely beautiful. Just sitting here and taking in the view made time fly by.

Though I don't have photos of the room interior,

there is an emergency connecting door that links the rooms, and this one had doors on both sides...

They warned us to make sure we don't open both doors at the same time.

And then there was the spacious queen-sized bed with super cozy bedding.

But being an island in the Indian Ocean right near the equator, it did feel a bit humid.

So, like it or not, keeping the AC running is a must!

Also, I was blown away by how incredibly spacious the bathroom was.

The shower booth and the bathtub were completely separate,

and there were even double sinks!

I honestly have no idea why I didn't take any photos of the room... T_T

Being a rookie blogger is tough work!

The Pool

Finally, let me show you the main attraction—the swimming pool!!

The main pool is located right by the beach, with a maximum depth of about 1.7 meters.

There's also a convenient foot-washing station right next to it,

and a deck that's perfect for taking photos.

(If you reserve dinner at the restaurant next door, they can set up a table for you to eat outside. It's a choice between the buffet or the restaurant, on a first-come, first-served basis.)

It sounds romantic, but the deck itself felt a bit underwhelming, so we didn't feel the need to do it.

Even if you're not a big swimmer,

there are plenty of sunbeds, making it the perfect spot to just lie down and relax.

There's also a path leading straight down to the beach.

(I'll share more details about the beach further down!)

I spotted a couple relaxing on the sunbeds,

and a Maasai warrior looking out at the ocean, acting almost like a lifeguard.

The sunbed zone nestled right between the pool and the beach.

The Restaurant

Right next to the pool, there's an à la carte restaurant where you can order meals instead of going to the buffet.

You can enjoy refreshing cocktails and delicious seafood dishes here.

The cocktail menu is divided into free and paid options.

Simple mocktails, cocktails, and house wines were complimentary,

while the rest were paid options!

We ordered the octopus salad, fried calamari, and grilled fish.

The octopus was incredibly tender, not chewy at all, and absolutely delicious!

However, the fried calamari was a bit of a letdown because the squid was way too rubbery.

The grilled fish was also quite average compared to the amazing octopus.

I highly recommend sticking to the octopus salad here!

The Beach

After eating and resting for a bit, we headed out to the beach.

It was still quite windy, but the clouds had cleared up beautifully.

Once the clouds parted, the dark, deep ocean transformed into a brilliant, vibrant blue.

There's even a bar right by the beach.

Since it's all-inclusive, the endless flow of free cocktails is almost too good to handle.

Maasai warriors guarding the beach.

In Zanzibar, the Maasai people seem to mostly work as security guards around the resorts.

On the way down to the beach, there are quite a few tour touts.

They can be pretty persistent, so it's honestly best to just ignore them.

I got scolded by my wife because I couldn't bring myself to ignore their greetings and replied back, haha. T_T

It was too windy to jump into the water, so I just took some photos.

It's a shame because if the weather had been better, we could have gone on a dolphin tour too!

Buffet & Bar

When we checked in, the staff told us dinner starts at 7:00 PM (19:00).

We had some free time until 7 PM, so we grabbed another round of cocktails at the bar right next to the buffet...

...and ended up chatting about all sorts of things with the bartender.

Time flew by while we were chatting,

and we headed over to the buffet to be seated by the staff.

For dinner, you can choose between the à la carte restaurant we saw earlier today and the buffet.

Having eaten at the restaurant during lunch, we found that each dish took too long to come out...

...and the taste was a bit disappointing, so we opted for the buffet instead.

(I think we ate enough buffet food in Tanzania to last a lifetime!)

They even had Korean-style seasoned fried chicken! Hahaha.

(It wasn't quite as good as expected, though.)

Other tasty dishes included the roasted duck leg,

plus naan baked fresh in a tandoor oven and steaks grilled right on the spot.

(The main menu seems to rotate daily.)

The buffet taste was pretty standard, but the freshly baked naan was so delicious I went back for thirds.

I complimented the chef on looking like a true expert and said I wanted a piping hot one. He told me to come back in 3 minutes to grab it fresh!

Every single staff member was so unbelievably kind. Zanzibar really felt like paradise. T_T

Check-out & Tourist Tax

During check-out, they collect a tourist tax in cash.

Since resorts have better facilities, they charge a higher tourist tax rate.

Here, it was $5 per person, so we paid a total of $10.

You can still use the resort facilities even after checking out!

They even have separate shower rooms, so if you have extra time before your flight, you can hang out and enjoy the resort a bit longer.

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This was a quick review of our resort experience,

but it looks like I'll have to extend the Zanzibar series to another post because of length! Haha.

I fail to control the length every single time... 😅

In the next post, I'll bring you to one of Zanzibar's hidden treasures!

Book your stay on Agoda!