The best accommodations ÎLE DE UNGUJA

Deja Blue is a nice little address in the heart of Paje village, ideal for young people with micro-budgets who want to stay in the island's most festive village, while enjoying the comforts of home in a private room with bathroom (shared or individual). The Zanzibar beds are pleasant, with their mosquito netting canopies, the rooms are well ventilated, and the cleanliness is impeccable. The house is pretty, with its garden furnished with tables, armchairs and hammocks where cats sleep. Breakfast is varied. For the price, nothing to say.

This is one of the best budget addresses, right in the center near Forodhani and the waterfront, offering appreciable comfort. Housed in an ^18th-century house belonging to the Sultan's palace, it has the charm of Arab-Swahili architecture. Previously in foreign hands, the hotel is now owned by two local women, Salma from Zanzibar and Béatrice from mainland Tanzania, and the team is 100% local. The 12 rooms are charming, with ventilation or air-conditioning, and tastefully furnished. Breakfast on the hotel rooftop.

Pierre and Annick bought their little house over 25 years ago on this unspoilt piece of paradise. People come here in search of what they no longer find in Zanzibar, a spirit of wild robinsonnade and preserved intimacy. At Papaye Verte, there's no swimming pool, no restaurant, just two charming, airy bungalows and a family villa with fully-equipped kitchen, set in a lush garden with deckchairs, visited by colobus monkeys during the day. You'll enjoy the peace and quiet, the ocean on the horizon, and an exceptional welcome.

Opened in 2021, this budget address is an excellent option behind Forodhani. Thehostel has 16 beds in mixed dormitories and three private rooms, one shared bathroom per floor and a communal kitchen. The "house" section offers 14 more comfortable rooms with private bathrooms. All are air-conditioned (even the dormitories). The wooden furniture is beautifully crafted, and cleanliness and comfort are beyond reproach.

This old Swahili mansion offers mid-priced en-suite rooms. Its strengths: a rooftop terrace overlooking the town with a 360° view, air-conditioned and ventilated rooms with antique Zanzibari beds, impeccably clean. Weak points: groups with their guides constantly climbing up to see the view from the restaurant, making the small plunge pool not at all intimate; the elevator is always busy; the beds are not fitted with mattress protectors; the restaurant is too expensive for the quality of the food.

This is the new trend in Zanzibar: offering private residences with all the services of a hotel. Breeze Résidence is a collection of 15 air-conditioned apartments with fully-equipped kitchen, sheltered terrace with outdoor table, living room and one or more bedrooms. It is located not far from the beautiful Kiwengwa beach, in the new Cairo Village. In addition to a superb central swimming pool bordered by a tropical garden, the complex offers a private area on the beach with deckchairs, a fitness club and even a padel club!

It's the place to be in Bwejuu! Le Tiki is a charming new beach hotel with several room categories, from the simplest garden-view room (air-conditioned nonetheless) to the sea-view suite, family rooms and self-catering apartments. What they all have in common: plenty of space, omnipresent wood and local, but well-made, furniture. Le Tiki is renowned for its swimming pool with an elegant pool bar under coconut palms, and its restaurant and bar, which come alive on festive evenings.