The top end splits three ways: beach resorts, Stone Town seafront hotels, and heritage boltholes. On the coast, Baraza and The Mora do the pools, spas and sea views. In Stone Town, Park Hyatt and Zanzibar Serena bring pools and seafront to the old city, while Emerson Spice and Zanzibar Palace trade the pool for antiques and rooftop dinners. Prices start around US$250 a night (2026, verify).
A whole beachfront villa on the Kiwengwa sand, with sea views, a full kitchen and air-con, set up for a family with a crib. It's self-catering with no front desk, though the host meets you on arrival.
The second Lions villa comes with a private cook and, per the listing, a pool, plus a full kitchen and board games for slow afternoons. It rents self-catering, though the on-hand chef takes the work out of meals.
One of two Ay Villas units, a whole home on the east side of Nungwi with a full kitchen, air-con and an outdoor shower. Best for a group that wants privacy over hotel service.
A whole luxury villa on Nungwi's quieter east side, with a full kitchen, air-con and a private backyard set up for barbecues. It rents self-catering, so there's no front desk or restaurant, and it sleeps a group comfortably. One of two Ay Villas units here.
A whole villa, the first of two Lions villas here, described as beachfront with a private pool, with a full kitchen and split air-con. It rents self-catering and sits at the top end, about US$456 a night. Check the beach and pool details before you commit.
One of Bwejuu's marquee stays: a five-star all-inclusive from the Zanzibar Collection, built in an ornate Swahili and Arab palace style right on the beach. There are four restaurants, two bars, a spa, a pool, a PADI dive centre and a kids club.
It has a pool, sea-view rooms and a spa, and runs airport transfers.
Jua Retreat is an adults-only, beachfront hideaway on the Michamvi peninsula, the priciest stay across both areas at about US$629 a night. It's small and high-end, with a spa, a private beach and sea views, and no children.
Moja is billed as a private beachfront suite at Amani Home, the priciest short-let here at about US$543 a night. It leans on entertainment, with a home cinema, a games console and a big TV, and is set up for families with a crib and high chair.
It's priced as a luxury stay at about US$238 a night but runs intimate rather than resort-scale. Pets are allowed, which is unusual for the tier.
The heritage rooms are theatrically decorated, each one different. There is no pool or lift and the stairs are steep, so it is about atmosphere, not resort comfort. From about US$250 a night (2026, verify).
Rooms open onto balconies and gardens, with room service and airport transfers, but it is intimate rather than a full resort. At about US$570 a night it is a honeymoon-grade splurge.
The Oasis Residence is a self-catering luxury place in Jambiani: full kitchens, a garden and outdoor dining, priced around US$275 a night. There's no restaurant or front-desk service to speak of, so it suits people who want a private villa feel over a hotel.
A whole villa on the water just south of Kendwa, named for its private pool and sunset views, with a full kitchen and air-con. It sleeps a group and rents self-catering, so there's no front desk or restaurant on site.
It's set just back from the beach rather than on it, so you get the view and the quiet without paying the full beachfront premium. About US$239 a night.
It has a spa, a restaurant, a private beach and family rooms, set among gardens with an outdoor fireplace. At about US$233 a night it is the upscale pick in a remote corner known for dolphins and quiet.
It sits toward the southern end of the village, away from the busier centre. Expect a full-service, air-conditioned stay rather than the barefoot guesthouse feel Jambiani is known for.
A beachfront resort-style hotel just south of the old city, with a pool, a spa and a hot tub. The catch is the location: you are a short drive from the historic centre rather than in it, so it is less walk-out-the-door than the old-town hotels. From around US$250 a night (2026, verify).
Stone Town's slickest luxury address, a Hyatt on the Shangani waterfront with an infinity pool looking straight out to sea, wrapped around a restored historic building. This is polished international luxury over local character, and priced to match, from roughly US$250 a night (2026, verify).
Paje's five-star option, Samawa pairs a spa, a gym, a bar and a restaurant with balcony rooms, for about US$222 a night. This is the polished end of Paje, so expect resort comforts rather than the barefoot-shack vibe the beach is better known for.
A tiny boutique hotel with a handful of individually styled rooms crammed with antiques and four-poster beds. Best if you want character over amenities, from about US$250 a night (2026, verify).
A four-star villa resort at the quiet southern end of Matemwe, beachfront with sea-view rooms, a spa and space for families. At about US$237 a night it's firmly in the luxury bracket, and the distance from the busier north end is the point if you want calm.
Zanziblue Waves is a four-star beachfront resort at the quieter south end of Kiwengwa, with a spa, a gym and family rooms. It isn't all-inclusive, so meals and extras are booked as you go.
Beachfront villas at the top of Nungwi's price ladder, roughly US$773 a night, styled for couples: the listing markets it as adults-only, so confirm that policy if it matters to you.
It has a spa, a restaurant and dive and snorkel trips, with airport transfers and room service. No kids and no all-inclusive board, so it suits couples who want a calm, design-led base. About US$265 a night.
An adults-only four-star at the top of Nungwi's price range, about US$480 a night, built around a spa, a pool and a proper restaurant. No kids, and you pay for the polish.
Riu's adults-only, all-inclusive five-star, beachfront with six restaurants, a spa and a gym, built for couples who want everything handled. It's a big, polished operation at about US$589 a night, not a quiet retreat.
The priciest stay in Paje at about US$400 a night, Kisiwa on the Beach is a four-star resort named for its beachfront setting, with a spa, a gym, snorkelling and balcony rooms. Confirm the exact spot on the sand when you book, since Paje's tide swings are wide.
Luxury rooms with private pools and sea views, plus a restaurant and room service, though the location sits south of Nungwi village toward Kendwa rather than in the thick of it. At about US$431 a night it's a splurge, and you'll want a taxi or transfer for the Nungwi nightlife.
A big, green-minded resort on the coast north of the old town, built around a water park and pool, with a spa and a kids' club. Family-friendly and full-service, though a drive from the historic centre. From around US$250 a night (2026, verify).
Part of the Neptune group, this is a big five-star all-inclusive on the Pwani Mchangani sands, with five restaurants, three bars, a pool, a spa and a kids club. It is a full resort-holiday setup on a quiet coast, easy to book full-board and barely leave.
The Mora is Matemwe's big five-star all-inclusive, right on the sand toward the north end of the beach, with four restaurants, a spa and a gym. At about US$611 a night everything is bundled in, which suits people who want to book once and forget the bill.
The top-end option in the village: a five-star premium all-inclusive resort with a spa, a gym, live music and cooking classes. At about US$473 a night, all in, it is by far the priciest stay in Uroa, aimed at travellers who want to book full-board and stay put.
An adults-only five-star on the quiet Pongwe cove, with a spa, a restaurant, private pools and evening entertainment. No children and no all-inclusive board, so it leans towards couples and honeymooners who want calm.
Riu's big five-star all-inclusive, built for people who want the pool, the spa, the watersports and three meals a day handled without leaving the grounds. It's a resort machine, not a boutique hideaway, and at about US$605 a night it's priced to match.
An elegant boutique in a restored townhouse, with a handful of high-ceilinged rooms, a courtyard and a rooftop. Full old-Zanzibar character with proper service, but no pool, in keeping with the heritage buildings around it.
A seafront luxury hotel on the western waterfront, with a pool terrace over the water and one of the best sunset perches in town. Expect polished resort comfort rather than boutique quirk, from around US$250 a night (2026, verify).
Part of TUI's Blue brand, this five-star all-inclusive sits right on the beach at Kiwengwa, with five restaurants, a spa and room service. Full board runs about US$473 a night.
An adults-only four-star on Nungwi's west coast, two linked properties sharing a spa, a gym and a grown-up, couples-first feel. Rooms have balconies and air-con, and the sunset side of the peninsula is the draw.
A big five-star all-inclusive on the Kiwengwa strip, with four restaurants, a spa and evening entertainment laid on. It runs full board and takes families, so you rarely need to leave the gates.
Melia Zanzibar is the priciest resort here, a five-star from the Spanish group with seven restaurants and a spa. It runs all-inclusive and takes families, a large polished operation rather than a boutique hideaway.
A four-star beachfront resort under Marriott's Tribute Portfolio, with two restaurants, a spa and a gym, right on the west-facing sand where Nungwi's sunsets land. It's polished and pricey at about US$293 a night.
Diamonds Mapenzi Beach is a five-star all-inclusive with two restaurants, a spa, live music and a happy hour, and it takes families. Full board runs about US$363 a night.
A four-star spa hotel on the Chwaka Bay side of Uroa, named for its treehouse and an outsized swimming pool. Rooms come with sea or garden views, and there are two restaurants and a gym on site.
Sultan Sands is a five-star all-inclusive with a watersports bent, diving, snorkelling, canoeing and windsurfing, alongside a spa and family rooms. It sits in the resort cluster on the Kiwengwa coast.
Paradise runs as a four-star all-inclusive on the calm Uroa shore, with three restaurants, a spa, a gym and rooms set up for families. Airport transfers can be arranged, and at about US$250 a night it is full-board pricing.
One of Kendwa's best-known hotels, a lively four-star on the beach with two restaurants, a spa and a garden. Live music, happy hours and themed dinner nights keep it social, so come for the buzz over a quiet retreat.
A four-star all-inclusive right on Uroa beach, with a private beach area, three restaurants, a spa and a gym. This is the beachfront all-inclusive of the bunch, a private stretch of sand rather than a set-back plot.
