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Sunshine Marine Lodge

3.5 star property

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Photo gallery for Sunshine Marine Lodge

3 outdoor pools, pool umbrellas, sun loungers
Boating
Down comforters, minibar, in-room safe, desk
Property grounds
Exterior

Reviews

9.2 out of 10
Wonderful

Popular amenities

  • Bar
  • Spa
  • Pool
  • Laundry
  • Housekeeping
  • Air conditioning

Explore the area

Map
Off Mnemba Island Road, Muyuni, Matemwe, 4749
  • Mnemba Island
  • Kigomani Beach
    ‪11 min drive‬
  • Muyuni Beach
    ‪13 min drive‬
  • Zanzibar (ZNZ-Zanzibar Intl.)
    ‪95 min drive‬

Room options

View all photos for Family Suite, Garden View

Family Suite, Garden View | Down comforters, minibar, in-room safe, desk

Family Suite, Garden View

  • 538 sq ft
  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 Double Bed and 2 Twin Beds

View all photos for Family Suite with Partial Ocean View

Family Suite with Partial Ocean View | Down comforters, minibar, in-room safe, desk

Family Suite with Partial Ocean View

  • 753 sq ft
  • Partial ocean view
  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 Double Bed and 2 Twin Beds

View all photos for Ocean Front Suite

Down comforters, minibar, in-room safe, desk

Ocean Front Suite

  • 431 sq ft
  • Ocean view
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 King Bed and 1 Large Twin Bed OR 2 Twin Beds and 1 Large Twin Bed

View all photos for Suite with Ocean View

Down comforters, minibar, in-room safe, desk

Suite with Ocean View

  • 322 sq ft
  • Ocean view
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Double Bed and 1 Twin Bed

View all photos for Deluxe Ocean Front Suite

Deluxe Ocean Front Suite | Balcony view

Deluxe Ocean Front Suite

  • 538 sq ft
  • Ocean view
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Queen Bed and 1 Twin Bed

View all photos for Deluxe Suite, Garden View

Garden view

Deluxe Suite, Garden View

  • 322 sq ft
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Double Bed and 1 Twin Bed

View all photos for Garden Suite

Garden Suite | Down comforters, minibar, in-room safe, desk

Garden Suite

  • 269 sq ft
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

Similar properties

Exterior

The Zanzibari

  • On private beach
  • Pool
  • Hot Tub
  • Spa
4.5 out of 5, Wonderful, (203)
The price is $245
per night
$292 total
includes taxes & fees
Feb 20 - Feb 21
The Zanzibari

About this property

Sunshine Marine Lodge

3.5-star Matemwe hotel close to Mnemba Island
Spend the day catching some rays at Sunshine Marine Lodge's private white sand beach, relaxing by one of the hotel's 3 outdoor swimming pools, or pampering yourself at the full-service spa.
Sunshine Marine Lodge offers 24 air-conditioned accommodations with safes and complimentary bottled water. Rooms open to balconies or patios. Beds feature down comforters. This Matemwe hotel provides complimentary wireless Internet access. Guests can make use of the in-room coffee/tea makers and minibars. Bathrooms include showers with rainfall showerheads, and complimentary toiletries. Housekeeping is provided daily.
3 outdoor swimming pools are on site along with a children's pool.

Children under 14 years old are not allowed in the swimming pool without adult supervision.

The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.

The onsite spa has massage/treatment rooms. Services include body scrubs, body treatments, and manicures and pedicures. A variety of treatment therapies are provided, including aromatherapy.
Unwind on the private white sand beach, located just 700 meters away. For a free ride to the surf and sand, catch the hotel's complimentary beach shuttle. At Sunshine Marine Lodge you can cool off in one of the 3 outdoor swimming pools and indulge in a pampering afternoon at the full-service spa.

The hotel offers a restaurant and a coffee shop/cafe. Guests can unwind with a drink at one of the hotel's bars, which include a poolside bar and a bar/lounge. Public areas are equipped with complimentary wireless Internet access. This beach hotel also offers a children's pool, a garden, and a terrace. Onsite self parking is complimentary.

Sunshine Marine Lodge is a smoke-free property.

Sunshine Marine Lodge has a restaurant on site.

Languages

Danish, English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Swahili

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • 24-hour roundtrip airport shuttle on request for a surcharge
  • Free beach shuttle
  • Free extended parking on site

Food and drink

  • A bar/lounge
  • A coffee shop/cafe
  • A poolside bar
  • A restaurant

Things to do

  • 3 outdoor pools
  • Boat tours
  • Children's pool
  • Free bicycle rentals
  • Full-service spa
  • Library
  • Mountain biking
  • Scuba diving
  • Snorkeling

Family friendly

  • 3 outdoor pools
  • Children's pool
  • Laundry facilities

Conveniences

  • Gift shop/newsstand
  • Laundry facilities
  • Limited-hour front desk
  • Luggage storage
  • Safe at front desk

Guest services

  • Housekeeping (daily)
  • Multilingual staff
  • Porter/bellhop
  • Tour and ticket assistance
  • Wedding services

Outdoors

  • Barbecue grill
  • Garden
  • Pool loungers
  • Pool umbrellas
  • Terrace

Full-service spa

  • Aromatherapy
  • Body scrubs
  • Manicures/pedicures
  • Massage
  • Spa treatment rooms

Accessibility

  • No elevator

More

  • 7 buildings
  • At least 80% of food locally-sourced
  • At least 80% organic food
  • Built in 2013
  • Comprehensive food waste policy
  • Comprehensive recycling policy
  • Humane treatment of captive wild animals
  • Mosquito nets
  • Smoke-free property
  • Traditional architecture
  • Vegan dining options
  • Vegetarian breakfast available
  • Vegetarian dining options

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided
  • Down comforter

Bathroom

  • Free toiletries
  • Private bathroom
  • Rainfall showerhead
  • Shower
  • Towels provided

Food and drink

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Electric kettle
  • Free bottled water
  • Minibar

More

  • Air conditioning
  • Ceiling fan
  • Desk
  • Portable fan
  • Safe

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: noon; Check-in end time: anytime
Early check-in subject to availability
Early check-in is available for a fee

Check-out

Check-out before 10 AM

Special check-in instructions

This property offers transfers from the airport (surcharges may apply); to arrange pick-up, guests must contact the property 48 hours prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation
The front desk is open daily from 7:30 AM - 9:30 PM
Front desk staffed during limited hours
For any questions, please contact the property using the information on the booking confirmation

Renovations and closures

The property is closed between May 1 and June 1.

Access methods

Front desk (limited hours)

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome

Property payment types

Important information

Fees

You'll be asked to pay the following charges at the property. Fees may include applicable taxes:

  • A tax is imposed by the city: USD 4.00 per person, per night

We have included all charges provided to us by the property.

Optional extras

  • Airport shuttle fee: USD 60 per vehicle (one-way, maximum occupancy 6)
  • Airport shuttle fee per child: USD 60 (one-way), (up to 12 years old)
  • Early check-in is available for a fee (subject to availability)
  • Credit card charges are subject to a surcharge

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation
This property accepts credit cards; cash is not accepted
Cashless transactions are available
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a security system, and a first aid kit

We should mention

This property does not have elevators
Reservations are required for massage services and spa treatments; reservations can be made by contacting the property prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation
Children under 14 years old are not allowed in the swimming pool without adult supervision

Property is also known as

Sunshine Marine
Sunshine Marine Lodge
Sunshine Marine Lodge Matemwe
Sunshine Marine Matemwe
Sunshine Marine Lodge Matemwe, Zanzibar
Sunshine Marine Lodge Hotel
Sunshine Marine Lodge Matemwe
Sunshine Marine Lodge Hotel Matemwe

Sunshine Marine Lodge Reviews

Reviews

9.2

Wonderful

Rating 10 - Excellent. 46 out of 71 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 20 out of 71 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 4 out of 71 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 71 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 71 reviews

9.6/10

Cleanliness

9.4/10

Staff & service

9.2/10

Amenities

9.4/10

Property conditions & facilities

8.6/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

8/10 Good

George

Traveled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The propertynwas beautiful, the room was spacioua and incredible balcony. The distance from town and expense to get there and back ( over an hour $160 rtn)was the only drawback.
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Robert

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The staff at Sunshine went above and beyond the call of duty to make our stay there wonderful. We especially would like to acknowledge Hamida, Rosemary and Daniel. Everyone there was great and always had a smile waiting for you. Service was top notch and their restaurant deserves a michelin star.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

sarah

Traveled with group, Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The best part of the hotel is the staff—warm, friendly, wonderful and willing to go ABOVE AND BEYOND to make our stay wonderful. The location is far away from hustle and bustle of beaches like Nungwi. No one is trying to sell you anything here. The view from the pools is lovely and the dramatic rise and fall of the tide made for fun little adventures. The dive shop was handy and lovely. The snorkeling and diving at Mnemba were just 20 minute away and great. To note: there isn’t a swimmable beach in front of the hotel. For this, you wait until low tide and walk north to Muyuni or bike there…well worth it for the sandbar, starfish, and swimming. We are so thankful to Sunshine Marine Lodge team for sharing their beautiful space and smiles with us!
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Ada

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The place is very nice Food is Amazing great for a cupples retret! You will anjoy your stay if its a relaxing mode!
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Carolyn, Boston

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Amazing views, pools, food and service. Very relaxing private paradise!
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2020

10/10 Excellent

Chris, Charlottesville

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Loved the rain-shower-head in the shower. Loved the view from the balcony. Loved everything.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2020

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We stayed at this property to go scuba diving. Our room was beautiful, the pool was clean, the food was good and well priced and the staff were very friendly and professional. We had a great time and recommend this property to anyone!
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
This is such a fancy resort and even though the beach is not right by the hotel they have shuttles that will take you to the private beach whenever you want. the private beach is just amazing as it’s so deserted!
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2019

10/10 Excellent

Tom, Colorado Springs, Colo, USA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Very enjoyable stay at Sunshine Marine Lodge!
My wife and I chose to stay here because of the on-site Scuba Diving shop (Dive Point Zanzibar), and really enjoyed our 5-night stay. The property is located about 90 minutes from the airport, and a one-way private transfer/taxi arranged through the hotel costs $60 USD. We opted for the "half board" option which includes breakfast and dinner each day. Breakfast includes a continental style breakfast, but you can also have eggs/omelettes cooked-to-order, along with African pancakes (like a thick crepe). For dinner you can choose from the "Catch of the Day", or from a limited 4-course menu that changes daily. All in all, we were very happy with the quality, and quantity of the meals. The rooms were spacious and comfortable (we opted for the seaside bungalow, and had a beautiful/close view right from our room and porch - well worth the extra $. The property grounds are nice, quiet, there are three separate pools on-site, and a nice bar and restaurant. They also offer free yoga classes on Monday, Wednesdays, & Fridays, and you can snorkel right in front of the property during high tide (there are big tide swings here, so at low tide, there is not enough water to snorkel). We were very pleased with the overall service at the resort, however the restaurant staff/waiters do not seem to be very motivated, or have not been trained well on how to provide excellent service. DivePoint (scuba shop) is excellent, really nice to have on-site, and we loved our 7 dives with them!!!
Stayed 5 nights in Mar 2019

10/10 Excellent

Mat, Seattle

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
As always the staff at the hotel are excellent. The location is ideal if you need to take a break from life and rejuvenate. overall excellent value for money.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
This place was absolutely lovely! I enjoyed that it was quiet and out of the way - it is not close to any town and doesn't have the "party" vibe, but if you're looking for a nice place to relax, soak in the beach & snorkel/scuba dive, it's perfect! The staff were very friendly and helpful, and the dive center is located right at the hotel! Definitely recommend this place!
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2018

10/10 Excellent

Steve

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great place, wonderful people.
Great location for relaxing - well kept property with awesome view of ocean and Mnemba Island straight ahead, cool breeze, and very friendly and helpful staff. We had a family death and had to rebook and they were incredibly accommodating. Wifi was reasonable for Zanzibar (we didn't try to stream netflix or anything). Dive shop team are great and reasonably priced. Food was good and prices were reasonable (same as or less than other similar places in Zanzibar)
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2018

8/10 Good

Nabil

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
The lodge is located in an amazing area. Staff were nice, food was good. However, it is a bit isolated, so you have no options for going around at low costs.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2018

10/10 Excellent

Mat, Seattle

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Ideal Vacation Location
Ideal stay for those of us that need to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Stayed for 3 nights the hotel staff were wonderful, hotel restaurant had a decent food & drinks menu, no internet connection and weak phone signal in the rooms so ideal to disconnect from work and life but you can find wifi by the bar, lots of water activities or just lay by the pool and do nothing kind of place, Loved it, also most importantly make sure you get a rental call its cheaper than taking a taxi to and from the hotel or moving around the island.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2018

8/10 Good

laura, italy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Awesome hotel, super friendly staff
We stayed 2 nights and had a fantastic room with sea-view. Place is absolutely top-class, staff are really friendly and helpful, beach is very close and there's a pool too. Restaurant is also very nice, on a big terrace Be aware that the place is rather isolated so you won't be able to go "for a stroll" as no other restaurants or shops around - good for a couple of days but probably not much longer. Also, it's pretty much on a cliff and to get to the beach you have to cycle, take a boat (when it's his tide) or ask for a lift...
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2018

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
gorgeous but remote
A fantastic remote location- a real getaway! A dive centre on site with great instructors and hotel staff are friendly. Some small issues to note: - wifi is not great and phone reception v v limited. -they charge 5% on all card transactions and there is no cash point so come prepared with dollars to settle your bill or account for the extra costs. Not as much locally caught food on the menu as you might expect on the coast - always catch of the day and lobster but many other dishes are European (pastas etc) and difficult to go elsewhere for meals. Having seen the half board menu on their notice board and eaten it one day I would recommend doing half board as the a la Carte menu can get pricey each day. Not quite as much variety on the menu but all nice food. -The road to the lodge is badly affected by the wet season so be prepared for a bumpy 10 minutes of the journey but this adds to the feeling of remoteness. Bear it in mind though if you're planning excursions out as it's very remote and adds some time to the journey. Positives- Breakfasts are lovely with lots of fresh fruit, pastries and cooked breakfasts - diving is great - Not having the white sandy beach right at the front of the hotel is actually an added bonus as you really get to see the tides and rock pools forming with lots of wildlife to look for each day. -The view out to Nnemba is gorgeous - arguably better than the view they would have staying out on the island looking back at Zanzibar.
Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2017

8/10 Good

Expedia Relocation, Oslo

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
A great place with great service - on the water
Don't be fooled by the name, "lodge" is not quite what it is. This small place has well appointed rooms in bungalows scattered around a nicely landscape natural garden, a nice pool, and the property gives on the beach. Very friendly service, great views, nice base for exploring the surrounding beaches. Very friendly service. On-site diving Center, with very friendly staff.

10/10 Excellent

Renise, Ashland Nebraska

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Paradise Retreat
Beautiful,new and isolated location with excellent staff.

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely but difficult access
But for the need to spend 30 minutes on unmade road, 20 minutes of which is on a single vehicle very rough track which would be well suited to field testing ATVS, each time you want to go off and explore the island I would rate it higher. Unfortunately the local taxis are not 4x4s. As it is I feel that this journey isolates the hotel and presents a barrier to full enjoyment of a stay in Zanzibar. For those who simply want to spend the week diving at the PADI school on site, and for those whose ideal holiday comprises butt squatting eating and drinking then Sunshine Marine is a gem. The staff are really friendly and helpful and the setting/gardens are magnificent. Food is good and reasonably priced. The hotel is in an area where most people survive on subsistence farming and fishing so you see people in the sea fishing with nets from your balcony and a large fleet of small local trimaran fishing canoes are located on the beach nearby and the twice daily fishing flotilla passing by adds extra charm and a feeling of being in 'real Africa' - as does seeing people extracting and carrying their water from three wells located along the aforementioned track. Reef off Mnembe Island is excellent and very well stocked with fish despite the fact that a lot of fishing seems to take place on the reef. So, we enjoyed the stay at the hotel but did not see as much of Zanzibar as we had wished to do as the very uncomfortable access meant we limited our trips off site. Hotel 4.5/5 Access 1/5

10/10 Excellent

Emily, New Zealand

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Wonderful stay at a relaxing and comfortable lodge
The Sunshine Marine Lodge is a great relaxation escape! The grounds and setting are beautiful and all the rooms enjoy great views. The restaurant is reasonably priced with attentive, polite staff and good food at all times of the day. We sampled a wide range of drinks from the bar which were great. There are plenty of places to relax like hammocks and loungers round the pool. Room furnishings are very comfortable compared to other places we stayed in Tanzania (although this was a higher price range than those others). The snorkelling trip to Mnemba atoll was well worth it even in the rougher weather and we swum with dolphins! We did walk to the beach at low tide and explored the rock pools but spent most of our time chilling out. Allow 3 nights or more as it is a reasonable trip from Stone Town. I recommend that most of your Zanzibar excursions are done from a Stone Town base and then you should come here mainly to relax.

10/10 Excellent

JamieShea, Houston, TX

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Paradise.
This resort was the perfect choice to end our 3 week trip! We loved the rooms, the views, the staff, and the food! The rooms were very clean, and quite large with a huge balcony/patio with amazing views of the ocean. The staff was very nice, espcially the waitstaff, bartenders, and the dive shop crew. The food- All fresh ingredients (fish caught that day), fresh fruit and fresh squeezed juices, and amazing pastries and desserts! Location- very secluded, and private. Not a place for crazy nightlife. However, you do get to meet the other people staying there due to the intimate setting of the resort, and the friendly atmosphere in the common areas. We went SCUBA diving and snorkelling, which entailed a very short boat ride to Mnemba Island, which can be seen from the resort. The dive equipment was all new, with great dive instructors. Just be aware that this resort is extremely remote. You can rent a bike (for free) to go to beaches nearby, but it is a hike to any sort of civilization. Also, make sure you contact the resort before you arrive to organize a ride from the airport/Stone town before you come. The location is miles (not an exaggeration) down a challenging dirt road (African Massage), with no road signs to follow. Overall, I cannot say enough good things about this resort! I HIGHLY recommed this place if you are looking for a quiet, relaxing place to enjoy the spectacular beauty of Zanzibar!

8/10 Good

Dawn, California

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
This is a beautiful spot if you want quiet and isolated white sands beach, which we did. It is at the end of an unbelievably long and rough road. So there is nowhere else to eat or buy food for a beach picnic except the hotel's restaurant. The food was pretty good and fresh and local. The managers were very nice but their billing was confusing, indicating the amount you were credited was the amount they billed hotels. Com which was less than we paid. They just need to make that clearer. The snorkeling folks were great. They have SCUBA too.

10/10 Excellent

Emma, London

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful!
The road to the hotel really is difficult... Our taxi driver first took us to the Sunshine Lodge and then needed 'extra' to take us to the correct place. This was a poor start to the holiday - be VERY explicit when explaining your destination. However, once we arrived the horrors of the journey were quickly forgotten. The environment of the hotel is amazing - beautiful setting and very calm (apart from the noises of nature). The infinity pool next to the Indian Ocean is every bit as beautiful as it looks in the pictures, the rooms are large and well designed to be airy and comfortable. The restaurant sells a limited - but excellent - selection of different meals. This is proof enough that food is fresh as it changes daily. I went with the fish option every day and wasn't disappointed once. I spent 2 days diving with the dive school which shares the same location. Both beautiful days with a very caring dive team that really gave me the impression that nothing was too much and acted as excitedly as the tourists when we spotted a pod of dolphins. Overall, this was an increadible holiday and one I would recommend highly. The minor niggle on the 'room comfort' feedback doesn't reflect the fact that the manager had to come and remove a large crab from the bathroom (although he did!) but the fact the ceiling fan only had 2 speeds - off or turbo - so it was hard to make a balance between noise and temperature at night. Although I would still go back in a flash!

10/10 Excellent

Barbara, San Francisco

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Wow! A perfect spot!
This hotel is truly a resort in the truest sense. The room, views, and food are perfect. The service was great. We loved biking on the free bikes to the local white sand beach, which you can also reach easily at low tide by walking. The only challenge is the bumpy road to get to this isolated, quiet spot. Also, the only food choice really is the restaurant, which serves delicious food but at USA prices. There is no air conditioning, but there is a ceiling fan and a little fan over the bed--an additional fan would have been helpful. We loved it. It was a perfect place to read, swim and sunbathe.

10/10 Excellent

Tabitha, London

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Perfect Paradise location for R&R and diving
I was looking for a quiet get away spot after climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro to rest and relax and try my hand at diving. The Sunshine Marine Lodge was PERFECT for this. Amazing location, friendly staff. Definitely recommend!