Matemwe Retreat

Matemwe Retreat is located on the northeast coast of Zanzibar, just north of its sister property Matemwe Lodge. Offering the ultimate in luxury and privacy, each of the four villas comes equipped with a private plunge pool, in-house dining and butler services. The gorgeous rooms are decorated with a Moorish flair, and air-conditioned bedrooms lead on to a bath with ocean views. Large verandas have both hammocks and couches for relishing the scenery and ocean breeze. Included activities are reef walks and local village visits, but they also offer diving, snorkeling, dhow rides, Stone Town visits, and Spice Tours at an extra cost.

Matemwe Retreat is perfect for an intimate getaway and ideal for honeymooners. The only major problem we have with Matemwe Retreat is the lack of a nearby beach – guests here need to walk to Matemwe Lodge to use their beach. For this reason, we tend to use Kilindi or Zawadi Hotel for accommodation at a similar price point.

With the exception of rainy April and May, Zanzibar is a year-round destination. November can also bring the rains, but not enough to deter you from traveling.