Kilindi Zanzibar Resort

Kilindi Zanzibar Resort is located in the Kendwa area on the northwest coast of Zanzibar Island off the Indian Ocean Coast of Tanzania.

Upsides …

This very high-quality small beach resort is set on a very large plot above a beautiful beach. It is of innovative and stylish design, with elegant public areas, a large swimming pool and just 15 extensive and interesting guest suites. The lodge has reliable owners and is commonly combined with camps from the same stable. There is a decent range of activities in the area including, unusually, the potential for a little bit of nightlife.

Downsides …

The main potential downsides are that the resort is expensive, the area is being increasingly encroached upon by other development, it is most definitely not to the level of other world-class resorts with which it might be compared, the rooms are quite outdoorsy and there are relatively few facilities. The lodge is too remote for some excursions around the island and the diving is not the strongest on Zanzibar.

Read more about the downsides for this lodge …

When to visit …

When it comes to deciding when to visit, the best times down on the coast are generally considered to be Jul/Oct and Dec/Mar, when there is usually slightly less rain and wind.

Kilindi Zanzibar is one of the most innovative lodges on Zanzibar, a really strong concept which was built on a lovely large plot above a stunning beach. It is surprisingly small and simple in many ways, but with a fair dose of elegance in the presentation and service. The place has hints of the Greek islands mixed in with the exoticism of Zanzibar. We particularly like the sense of space and the elegance of the suites themselves. It is perhaps best suited to honeymooners and other couples who are happy to spend lots of time alone together in their large private suite, being attended to by a private butler.

It has to be said that we have found ourselves recommending the lodge relatively rarely since it rose to these elevated price levels. If you are after this kind of small, high-end beach property then it might also be worth considering Matemwe Retreat or the lower cost Matemwe Lodge over on the northeast coast.

For something more remote you could look at Fundu Lagoon over on Pemba Island, or even the much simpler but more remote Fanjove Island.

For a top-end resort with all the facilities, then Baraza over on the southeast coast is the best option in this price range.

The majority of visitors stay here in this Kendwa area for 3 to 7 nights, often in combination with other parts of the island such as Matemwe, Bwejuu, Jambiani and Stonetown or the islands of Pemba, Mafia or Fanjove.

These beach areas are commonly combined with safari areas such as Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Ruaha and Selous, as well as treks on Mount Kilimanjaro, usually in trips of 10 to 21 nights.