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Boutique Hotel Matlai

4.0 star property
Hotel on the beach, with outdoor pool

Photo gallery for Boutique Hotel Matlai

Exterior
Suite with Sea View ( Villa Kidosho )
Suite with Sea View ( Villa Kidosho ) | Terrace/patio
Suite with Sea View ( Villa Kidosho )
Exterior

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional

Popular amenities

  • Bar
  • Pool
  • Spa
  • Room service
  • Air conditioning
  • Laundry

Explore the area

View map
Michamvi Beach, Michamvi
  • Place, Pingwe Beach
    ‪2 min walk‬
  • Place, Michamvi Kae Beach
    ‪4 min drive‬
  • Place, Dongwe Beach
    ‪5 min drive‬
  • Airport, Zanzibar (ZNZ-Zanzibar Intl.)
    ‪73 min drive‬

Room options

View all photos for Deluxe Room with Sea View ( Asili House )

Deluxe Room with Sea View ( Asili House ) | Living area

Deluxe Room with Sea View ( Asili House )

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(1 review)

Highlights

Furnished balcony
Separate dining area
Separate sitting area
Individually furnished
Individually decorated
Air conditioning
Fridge
Pillow menu
  • 50 sq m
  • Sea view
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 King Bed OR 1 Double Bed

View all photos for Suite with Sea View ( Villa Kidosho )

Suite with Sea View ( Villa Kidosho )

Suite with Sea View ( Villa Kidosho )

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(2 reviews)

Highlights

Furnished balcony
Separate dining area
Separate sitting area
Individually furnished
Individually decorated
Air conditioning
Fridge
Flat-screen TV
  • 70 sq m
  • Sea view
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 King Bed

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About the area

Michamvi

At Boutique Hotel Matlai you'll be within a 5-minute walk of Pingwe Beach and 3.3 km (2 mi) from Michamvi Kae Beach. Highlights at this beachfront hotel include a full-service spa, a restaurant and an outdoor swimming pool. .A pampering day can include deep-tissue massages and Swedish massages along with body scrubs, facials and mani/pedis. Several dining areas serves international cuisine and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The hotel's own lounge bar and beach bar are nice places to enjoy a drink. Spend the day at the beach where you'll find sunloungers, and enjoy the on-site pool loungers. Additionally, you'll find a snack bar/deli, coffee/tea in a common area and free use of bicycles. There's also the convenience of an airport shuttle. .Within a 30-minute drive of this 4-property class Michamvi hotel, attractions include Paje Beach and Jambiani Beach.

What's nearby

  • Pingwe Beach - 2 min walk - 0.2 km
  • Michamvi Kae Beach - 4 min drive - 3.7 km
  • Dongwe Beach - 5 min drive - 4.9 km
  • Bwejuu Beach - 10 min drive - 10.4 km
  • Paje Beach - 17 min drive - 17.1 km

Getting around

  • Zanzibar (ZNZ-Zanzibar Intl.) - 66 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Bali Cafe - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Abdi’s Place - Best Restaurant In Zanzibar - ‬9 min drive
  • ‪Kae Beach Restoraunt - ‬4 min drive
  • kae funk sunset beach bar
  • ‪Kichanga Lodge Beach Bar - ‬4 min drive

About this property

Boutique Hotel Matlai

Hotel on the beach, with outdoor pool
Boutique Hotel Matlai offers its guests a full-service spa, an outdoor pool, and complimentary bicycles. There's a restaurant on site, as well as a snack bar/deli. You can enjoy a drink at one of the bars, which include a beach bar and a bar/lounge.

Spa services, a library, and a terrace are also featured at the boutique Boutique Hotel Matlai. An airport shuttle (available 24 hours) is available for a fee.

This 4-star Michamvi hotel is smoke free.

  • 6 guestrooms or units
  • 2 levels
  • 2 buildings
  • Built in 2012
  • Deli
  • Beach lounge chairs
  • Towels for the beach
  • Poolside lounge chairs
  • Coffee in lobby
  • Self-service laundry
  • Front desk (limited hours)
  • Staff members are multilingual
  • Storage area for luggage
  • Front desk safe
  • Tour and ticket information
  • Concierge
  • Wedding services available
  • Library
  • Terrace
  • Garden
  • BBQ grill(s)
  • Outdoor picnic space
  • Bellhop
  • No smoking on site
  • Bar or lounge
  • Bar on the beach
  • Dining venue
Boutique Hotel Matlai offers 6 air-conditioned accommodations with laptop-compatible safes and complimentary bottles of water. Rooms open to furnished balconies. This individually decorated and furnished accommodation has separate sitting areas and includes desks. Beds feature premium bedding. A pillow menu is available. Business-friendly amenities include telephones along with free local calls (restrictions may apply). Coffee/tea makers and minibars are provided. Bathrooms include a separate bath and shower with a deep soaking bath and a rainfall showerhead. Bathrooms are also outfitted with bathrobes, slippers and complimentary toiletries. Additionally, rooms include a hairdryer and a ceiling fan. A nightly turndown service is provided and housekeeping is offered on a daily basis. Amenities available on request include in-room massages.
Guests can pamper themselves with a trip to the on-site spa, which has 1 treatment room. Services include deep-tissue massages, Swedish massages, facials and body scrubs.

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Property amenities

Parking and transport

  • 24-hour return airport shuttle on request for a surcharge

Food and drink

  • A bar/lounge
  • A beach bar
  • A restaurant
  • Coffee and tea in common areas
  • Couples/private dining
  • Private picnics
  • Snack bar/deli

Restaurants on site

  • Several dining areas

Things to do

  • Beach volleyball
  • Boat tours
  • Free bicycle rentals
  • Full-service spa
  • Infinity pool
  • Kayaking
  • Library
  • Outdoor pool

Conveniences

  • Laundry facilities
  • Limited-hour front desk
  • Luggage storage
  • Safe at front desk

Guest services

  • Concierge services
  • Housekeeping (daily)
  • Multilingual staff
  • Porter/bellhop
  • Proposal/romance packages
  • Tour and ticket assistance
  • Turndown service
  • Wedding services

Outdoors

  • Barbecue grill
  • Beach loungers
  • Beach towels
  • Garden
  • On the beach
  • On the waterfront
  • Picnic area
  • Pool loungers
  • Terrace

Full-service spa

  • Body scrubs
  • Deep-tissue massages
  • Facials
  • In-room massages
  • Manicures/pedicures
  • Swedish massages
  • Treatment room

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • Accessible airport shuttle
  • No lift

More

  • 2 buildings
  • 2 floors
  • Built in 2012
  • Mosquito nets
  • Smoke-free property

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Pillow menu
  • Premium bedding

Bathroom

  • Deep soaking bathtub
  • Dressing gowns
  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer
  • Private bathroom
  • Rainfall showerhead
  • Separate bathtub and shower
  • Slippers
  • Towels provided

Food and drink

  • Champagne service
  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Electric kettle
  • Free bottled water
  • Limited room service
  • Minibar

More

  • Air conditioning
  • Ceiling fan
  • Desk
  • Free local calls
  • Individual decor
  • Individual furnishings
  • Laptop-compatible safe
  • Phone
  • Separate sitting area

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; check-in end time: midnight
Late check-in subject to availability
Minimum check-in age - 18

Check-out

Check-out before 10 AM
Late check-out subject to availability
A late check-out fee will be charged

Special check-in instructions

This property offers transfers from the airport (surcharges may apply); to arrange pick-up, guests must contact the property 24 hours prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation
The front desk is open daily from 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Guests will receive an email within 2 weeks before arrival with check-in instructions; front desk staffed during limited hours
If you are planning to arrive after 8:00 PM please contact the property in advance using the information on the booking confirmation
For any questions, please contact the property using the information on the booking confirmation

Renovations and closures

The property is closed between 2 April and 31 May.

Access methods

Front desk (limited hours)

Pets

  • Pets and service animals are not allowed at Boutique Hotel Matlai

Children and extra beds

  • Children 12 and younger are not allowed at this property. All guests older than 12 are welcome.
  • Rollaway/extra beds are not available.
  • Cots (infant beds) are not available.

Payment types

Important information

Fees

Guests will be asked to pay the following charges at the property:

  • A tax is imposed by the city: USD 5.00 per person, per night

We've listed all charges provided to us by the property.

Optional extras

The fees and deposits listed below will be charged at the time of service, check-in, or check-out.

  • Airport shuttle fee: USD 60 per vehicle (one-way, maximum occupancy 6)
  • Late check-out is available for a fee (subject to availability)
  • Credit card charges are subject to a surcharge

This may not be a comprehensive list. Fees and deposits are subject to change and might not include tax.

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
This property accepts credit cards; cash is not accepted
Parties and events are allowed on site
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios and terraces, which may not be suitable for children; if you have any concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm that they can accommodate you in a suitable room
Charges for extra guests may apply and vary according to property policy.
A cash deposit, credit card or debit card for incidental charges and government-issued photo identification may be required upon check-in.
Special requests are subject to availability at the time of check-in. Special requests can't be guaranteed and may incur additional charges.
    This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business or profession. This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios and terraces, which may not be suitable for children. If you have any concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm that they can accommodate you in a suitable room. This property accepts Visa and Mastercard. Cash is not accepted. Parties and events are allowed on site. For guests' safety, the property includes a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit in all accommodation.

We should mention

  • Please note that this property can refuse certain bookings for the purpose of group events or parties, which include pre-wedding stag/bachelor and hen/bachelorette parties.
  • Reservations are needed for massage services. For reservations, contact the hotel before arrival using the contact information on the booking confirmation.
  • Children 12 years old and younger aren't allowed at this property.
  • Registered guests are the only ones allowed to be in guestrooms.
  • Pets and service animals are not allowed on site.

Property is also known as

Boutique Hotel Matlai
Boutique Hotel Matlai Michamvi
Boutique Matlai
Boutique Matlai Michamvi
Hotel Matlai
Matlai
Matlai Boutique Hotel
Boutique Hotel Matlai Michamvi, Zanzibar
Boutique Hotel Matlai Hotel
Boutique Hotel Matlai Michamvi
Boutique Hotel Matlai Hotel Michamvi

Frequently asked questions

Are there any beaches close to Boutique Hotel Matlai?

Yep, Boutique Hotel Matlai is a short 3-minute walk from Pingwe Beach. Fun beach activities include volleyball, snorkelling and scuba diving. You can also find boat tours.

Is there a spa on site at Boutique Hotel Matlai?

Yep, there is an onsite spa at Boutique Hotel Matlai. You'll enjoy heaps of services like body scrubs, facials and body treatments, as well as deep-tissue massages.

Does Boutique Hotel Matlai have a pool?

Boutique Hotel Matlai has an infinity pool. Grab your bathers and lounge poolside while enjoying on a lounger.

What makes Boutique Hotel Matlai a romantic place to stay?

Beachfront dining and couples dining, as well as deep-soaking baths and premium bedding in the guestrooms, help set the scene for a romantic weekend at Boutique Hotel Matlai.

Are there hot tubs in the rooms at Boutique Hotel Matlai?

No, but there are deep-soaking baths in the guestrooms.

Is there a free airport shuttle available at Boutique Hotel Matlai?

No, but there's an airport shuttle that runs 24 hours a day on request for a fee.

Is there a bar or restaurant at Boutique Hotel Matlai?

Yep, they've got a lounge bar and an onsite restaurant that serves international cuisine. Pre dinner cocktails anyone?

What time are check-in & check-out at Boutique Hotel Matlai?

Check-in begins at 2:00 PM. Check-out time is 10 AM.

Are pets allowed at Boutique Hotel Matlai?

No, pets and service animals are not allowed.

Reviews

Boutique Hotel Matlai Reviews

10

Exceptional

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Staff & service

10/10

Amenities

10/10

Property conditions & facilities

10/10

Eco-friendliness
Rating 10 - Excellent. 46 out of 47 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 1 out of 47 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 47 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 47 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 47 reviews

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

joohee

Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

youjin

Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jonathan

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
A beautiful small resort with just 6 rooms in two separate buildings. Very attentive and friendly staff. Lovely pool. Beautiful gardens. Long white sand beach right in front of the rooms is perfect for walks and swimming (with sea shoes, and somewhat tide dependent).
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Pattaneeporn

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Roberto

Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Kristina

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Thank you, Matlai, for super happy memories!!

There are lots of beautiful boutique hotels everywhere in the world, lots of them have just a beautiful facade, but missing that special personal touch that actually makes the difference by bringing up good emotions and making you always remembering the place. Matlai gives you that experience and you will want to come back, because everything here is simply very very very good - location, views, facilities, service, food, comfort, design and details, happy staff, peace ... you will not miss a thing from your luxury beach stay!
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2022

10/10 Excellent

Patrick

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
A Boutique Hotel worth of its name. The team will welcome you with a smile from the heart and you will have the most pleasant stay in a place that is close to a piece of heaven on earth! You will not have to worry about anything as the Matlai team will get all your needs covered from out trips to transportation to snorkeling gear to anything you might need. The outdoor cinema was a charm and the beach bar was great. Do not hesitate to book your stay with Matlai Hotel. You won’t be disappointed. special thanks to Justus and Mohammed from the Matlai team
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2021

10/10 Excellent

Ellyn Dryden

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Best hotel I have ever stayed in!

If I could give this hotel a higher rating I would. Everything was perfect from the time we arrived to when we left, our only regret was we wish we had booked for longer! We stayed for 2 nights as part of our honeymoon. Inge arranged our airport transfer, when we reached the hotel we got out and didn't need to pay (they put it on our room bill) and took our cases to our room, handed us fresh coconuts with Malibu and got us checked in quickly. We arrived late and ordered our dinner which we ate on our balcony served by the hotel butler. I love the little quirks of this place: - You can eat anywhere you like and there are SO many beautiful spaces! - Cooked to order breakfast you can eat whenever you like and as much as you like with local delicacies - The room balcony was beautiful and incredible views - Food is exceptional and well priced - Service is also exceptional - It's so relaxing, peaceful and quiet - The bath and local bath salts are a beautiful touch - I LOVED the bedtime stories! - The room spray choice is such a nice touch - The hotel bar/ restaurant is well decorated - All the décor is outstanding - You can pay for everything on your card, even hotel transfers Do not hesitate about booking this, we would absolutely come back. Traveller tip: Don't waste your money going to the Rock Restaurant for over priced, below average food and poor service. Eat here and get amazing food for incredible quality with exceptional service!
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2020

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Mátlai boutique hotel is a dream and a little piece of paradise, the owners (manager, director) Tim, Inge and the rest of the staff specially Muhammed, justice and Regina made our stay very special, the view of our room was amazing, the food and service was impecable and We were able to borrow the snorkeling gear (free to use) and we were also able to watch a movie in the outside cinema setting at the hotel (quite romantic and another movie 🍿 in our room. The matlai hotel is my favorite place and I hope I can be lucky enough to come back every year, it was the most special 5 days I have had in a long time. Thanks to the matlai team for sharing and giving us such a special time. Ana Beltran
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2020

10/10 Excellent

Julian

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

A piece of paradise in Zanzibar!

Paradise! Both in terms of service and grounds. Totally recommend this hotel to those looking for a unique experience in Zanzibar.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2019

10/10 Excellent

Simone

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Best hotel we have ever stayed at!

This hotel is a 10/10, you will not regret booking it. The owner Inge is very helpful and attentive from the moment you book and all the staff during our stay was phenomenal. This hotel is a very good value, especially considering other hotels with similar offering are more than double the price. From the food, to the service, to location, to the individually decorated rooms, everything was perfect! Given there are limited rooms and the hotel is located on a large property, it also never feels crowded and you can enjoy your privacy.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2018

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2017

10/10 Excellent

Elizabeth

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Book it already. Amazing time.

Amazing hotel with the bestest of service. The owners were beyond nice and the staff was the most enjoyable and professional. Great experience and would definitely stay again. Only thing that could be improved is the wifi speed.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Great hotel, amazing staff

I turned up and was very slightly disappointed. However, the staff are amazing and more than made up for my initial thoughts Great location and a walk away from The Rock
Stayed 8 nights in Nov 2017

10/10 Excellent

Terri, canada

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Heaven on Earth!

Never in my life have I been to such an amazing hotel! Beautiful ocean views, gardens, lounging areas. The only thing better than the breathtaking hotel itself is the amazing staff. So incredibly friendly and helpful, they made you feel like you were the most important person there. And the food....delicious! If there was more than a 5 star rating, this place deserves it! Everyone should have a chance to visit this place at least once in their lives, truly paradise on Earth! - Adam and Terri
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2017

10/10 Excellent

Roberta

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

zanzibar paradise

Boutique Hotel Matlai is a wonderful place to stay - everything from the beginning to end was perfect! All the staff was amazing, Tim the general manager was friendly and helpful. The room was well designed, spacious, had every comfort needed. Our room was a few feet from the beach - incredible view - couldn't ask to for a better location. With only 6 rooms great attention was paid to all details and to making every guest feel as if they were at home. Food was very good and it was the only place in Zanzibar that we found could make a good aperol spritz! We had a fantastic 4 day stay - I would only change one thing - to have stayed longer!
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2017

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Beautiful!!!

Breathtakingly gorgeous private place right on the beach! Wonderful staff and delicious food! Its like a private paradise and once youre there you just want to remain napping on the bahari overlooking the ocean and never leave! Only fault is slow wifi but its not even needed because you just want to forget the outside world when youre there. Definitely will recommend it and be back!

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Wonderful hotel, great experience

True luxury, beautiful hotel by the sea. Recommend Villa Kidosho for honeymooners

10/10 Excellent

Heather, Canada

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

A little piece of indulgent paradise!

What an amazing stay at Boutique Hotel Matlai! From the butler service to the private pool to the great transport to and from the airport - will definitely come back!

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Opulence at a great price

We stayed at the Villa Kidosho, Mwezi (Moon) room, which is a 2-room house with private balcony, salt water pool, dining area, and plenty of reading and lounging areas inside and outside. Also, there was a butler. Yes, you read this right, there is a butler 24/7. You can summon the butler with a cell phone that you can use in town (might need to reset the phone when you get off the property). Tim, the co-owner/manager with his mother, Inge, did a wonderful job of coordinating trips to Stone Town and to Cheetah's Rock, a must-do. The taxi people he uses are secure and prompt, so leaving things in the taxi for a while is no issue with security. This was low season, and we were the only ones in the entire hotel for a few days, which was quite pleasant. 1/2 board is breakfast and dinner included, which has a large menu selection that is made to order. This was truly a royal treatment.

10/10 Excellent

Jeroen, Antwerp

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Like royals

We had a great stay here on the final days of our honeymoon. The service and facilities were just perfect, we were treated like royals!!

8/10 Good

Thomas, Dubai/London

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Small and friendly

Beautiful small property with great rooms and gardens. Loved the ability to eat when and where you like. Service was very friendly if a bit slow at times. While you are free to request dishes, the actual range and quality delivered depends on the limited availability of produce and sometimes lead times that surprised us. The beach is nice for long walks, but swimming is subject to the tides as everywhere on Zanzibar. During low tide the plentiful rock pools are an attraction for explorers.

10/10 Excellent

Paul

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Very convenient boutique hotel

Four great rooms with each a butler for all your wishes. Nice pool almost on the beach. For quietness and relaxing. Superb!

10/10 Excellent

Joeder

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Håkan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Ett underbart supermysigt boutiquehotel.

Fantastiskt mysigt boutiquehotel. Verligen en pärla. Mycket god mat som serverades i restaurant, på rummets balkong eller på ett av flera ställen i den fina trädgården (man valde själv ställe varje dag). Mycket trevlig personal, alla hälsade och pratade gärna. Ett drömställe - vi längtar tillbaka.
Stayed 6 nights in Mar 2025