Karamba Eco Boutique Hotel

The Karumba Eco Lodge was terrific. A wonderful complement to your time in Stonetown, Nungwi or other resorts - it is relatively undeveloped area and of course you get the dolphins. We chose it as it was recommended by the excellent Bradt guide to Zanzibar and appeared to a good location. We had 4 nights which meant we enjoyed the dolphins, snorkelling and also you can walk across to one of the oldest Mosques in East Africa. The food is excellent and much better than the other walkable hotels. The service and team are outstanding. The lounge and bar are a wonderful spaces with couches and shade. WiFi is here too. I saw there were some indifferent reviews on TripAdvisor and unfortunately I suspect these are because people have different expectations. This is a rustic lodge. There isn’t aircon or hot water but there are lovely rooms that all face the ocean and are a step away from a beautiful swim. There are lots of insects but that’s how it should be… it’s wonderful but if you scream every time you see a beetle then maybe it’s just not the place for you. It was just perfect for us! Thank you to a great team. Jane.

Karamba hotel is nicely located in a Kizimkazi bay. Surrounded by beautiful nature, ocean and plants. The rooms are very simple (so would need refurbishment). Beds are comfortable. Great service, special thanks to Nuru who was always very kind and helpful. The half board package let you choose between breakfast/lunch or breakfast/dinner. We went for the second option and were fully satisfied with the quality and quantity of the meals. The pancakes are wonderful. Bravo to the chef and the service team for their professionalism and kindness. Suggestions for improvement: - better cleaning of the room, especially for outdoor showers - bathroom are old - the manager could be a bit more welcoming and smiling

I cant praise this resort enough. It's an amazing place the owners are very friendly and accommodating. The rooms are small but perfect for what I needed. The pool is lovely. The best part about it is the food. It is phenomenal, and the beer is ice cold.

This place is amazing, the location the vibe the people are just outstanding. The hotel is an a simple eco, yet well placed to the environment and perfectly adequate for every day needs, so as long as you're aware and appreciative of the restoration a trip to this slice of paradise will give you you're onto a winner. The beach is close, excursions are easy to arrange - simply chilling in the relaxation areas listening to the ocean and absorbing the views is an experience in itself!! All staff from cook to reception to bar to cleaners to the waiters and waitresses were delightful and extremely friendly and helpful. There were Masai on site too, which gave a rare opportunity to understand their culture and way of life. Myself and my daughter had an amazing time, she chose to speak fluent Swahili with the staff, and there were very many moments of hearty laughter. There's a small family of the native red back monkeys that frequent the gardens, which are gorgeous. I look forward to taking more of my family to this treasured place, it's an absolute tonic 🏝️

We stayed for 10 nights at Karamba Hotel, in the most expensive bungalow. The sheets smelled very badly and had a weird color. Everything smelled terrible and was sticky. The bathroom was extremely greasy. The air conditioning did not work for more than 5 days. We rarely had hot water. The veil above the bed was also dirty and was draping on our faces during the night. The towels - the same. Stinky and of a questionable color. 1 per person, even though when we arrived we had 2 pairs of towels. Everybody had the same issues with their room. We were aware there would be insects and small animals in the room, but not cockroaches :( The food options were very limited. And nobody ever cleaned the tables. For everything we told Gemma, the owner, her answer was: this is Africa. To summarize: 4-5 stars hotel prices for 2 stars services. 300 $ per night for this. But wonderful view and location. It could have been paradise vacation if everything wouldn’t have been so dirty.

We stayed at this hotel for 3 nights with our 4 children and this is the most beautiful and charming place we have ever been. The environment is great, lots of flowers, view is wonderful and changing with tale. We met the new owners (german) and we can feel their willingness to make us happy. A special mention to the chef of the restaurant. The food was more than excellent. You dont want to miss this place. Important note : the environnement is quiet not fitted if you want to party.

Beautiful facilities by a coral cliff, bungalows are confortable but sp****ly furnished. Gorgeous outdoor shower, however, solar hot water runs out quickly. Excellent food. Staff were very helpful and accommodating. However, I felt management was not always forthcoming. We had to leave immediately before breakfast time on our last day and all we received were expired cookies and bottled juice. Also, I didn't feel staff was treated properly.

Unfortunately i am unable to recommend this hotel. I was sorely disappointed staying here. Whilst the setting of the hotel was lovely.  The rooms we were shown/ stayed in were very poor quality. Upon arrival to the hotel, the owner saw us but did not greet us.. not quite sure why.. maybe because she is not used to having non white guests.. Everyone else working at the hotel was fantastic.. just like the island residents..very warm and welcoming. Shortly after being shown to our room we made  known that we were disappointed with our allocation and requested an alternative room. We were shown a room where the bathroom was full of animal droppings and had to ask for that to be cleaned away. We waited all evening until 11pm and had to approach staff for communication regarding whether the new room was ready.  Not a great start. The next morning we noted that the door to our room did not lock. We had planned an excursion so we notified the hotel owner directly about the defected lock on our way out for the day (at approx 12pm). Upon our return at 8pm the door was still not fixed. Meaning our room with all our possessions were not safe - all day. When we reported our concern to the owner we were met with the insinuation that we had somehow damaged the lock  ourself(?!) We contacted *********** to be released from our booking. They contacted the owner.. but she was not responding to their contact. We knew she was in her office- we sat in the main foyer while the door to our room was fixed. Her reluctance to speak to ***********  appeared to be a direct obstruction to our being able to leave what was already a very sour situation. The straw that broke the camels back was when a storm hit. The low quality room was made even more apparent.All of our belongings were soaked through. Of note  the electric sockets in the walls were completely wet..a total safety hazard. That was when we decided to cut our losses and leave. Spend your hard earned cash elsewhere.

We spent 3 nights in Mwezi Lodge(moon lodge) which was double story and open at the front. This is next to the pool and some way from the restaurant. We had the most fabulous views from our bed of the sea including the sunrises and sunsets. The breeze came in off the sea cooling us. There was a fan as well which was good at night when we used the mosquito net. The swimming off the coral rag at high tide was stunning with the waters warm and turquoise. Do take reef shoes to avoid standing on the sea urchins. Food was good with fresh seafood on the menu each day. There was also lovely fresh tropical fruit also available as fruit juices. The lime juice was very refreshing. Gloria and her team were so friendly and helpful making for a lovely relaxed atmosphere. Would highly recommend Karamba for a restful break and a lovely friendly vibe. A new coffee machine is arriving which will make the place perfect. Thank you for a lovely stay.