My husband and I travel a lot. We’ve stayed in all kinds of hotels, from hostels, all the way up to 6*. And Boy were we seduced by this concept! Exceptional service from the moment we stepped in. I loved the vibe in the lobby from the moment we checked-in and I knew our stay was going to be great! Every staff member was proactive and always ready to help. Communication with the front-desk is possible via WhatsApp, and all requests were answered in less than 5 min. The hotel’s location is good. Not on the busy beach of Paje, but the shuttle service was great, we never had to wait, and the hotel provides beach towels. After a 5 min ride, you’re on a pristine beach. We walked back from the beach once to get our steps in, it’s a 10min easy walk. Our room (big studio) was a spacious and elegant sanctuary with top-notch amenities, including a luxurious king-size bed, an outdoor shower, separated toilets, double sinks, plenty of storage space and a private balcony. Sandals, bathrobe, yoga equipment, you name it! AC/fan worked great. Unfortunately, there was some construction behind the hotel, so the view was not ideal, but there was no noise at all. Breakfast was delicious! Healthy, yet very filling options on the menu. Trying the beef bacon is a must (well… everything really. Just try it all). The pool area and rooftop were nice to hang out. Lots of restaurants, bars, stores within walking distance. Both on the beach, and in town. Bento food court is about 10min away by foot. What a pleasant stay! Small hotel, real “boutique” vibe, dedicated staff. We couldn’t have asked for more! Perfect blend of comfort and luxury. Don’t even think twice, book Samawa!

Our stay was too short

Id Like to thank all the staff for an absolutely memorable stay :) Amani,Abdullah, Mushraf and Israel were providing top tier service during the stay. They deserve a big pay rise and they are an asset to the team. Also would like to thank the ladies. Khadogo for the kindness she showed us aswell as Baby, Asha and Katherine. Absolutely amazing people. Take care of them ! The resort is 10/10. Been all over Europe and Arabia but this one felt special. Everything you need the team are more than happy to accommodate your needs. The pool area is great for relaxing. They are always happy to take you to the beach with the buggy (alternatively you can walk five minutes). The food is unreal. The breakfast is very tasty and so fresh ! The lunch and dinner menu is amazing too. The Grilled Chicken was 10/10. The chef came out and introduced herself to us. I forgot her name. Please forgive me. Amazing food Our room was clean, spacious and comfortable. The outdoor shower was a vibe and a very cool feature. 24/7 Security so you felt safe all the time. Convenience store across the road. Currency exchange down the road. Highly Recommend Samawa Living. Not going to get this quality in many places these days.

The Beach Boys on the beach. But they are all over Zanzibar

Location: Brand new boutique hotel very well located 3 min walk to the beach. And if u cross the road from other side u have one of the main tourist attractions caves. Cleaniness: Everything was tidy clean and cozy. the room, pool, tables, chairs, lavatories… I’m very meticulous about cleaning and I can tell you SAMAWA living is emasculatory clean. Comfort: very comfortable beds (which is rare to find in the island) strong air conditioning ( trust me u need it ).very calm and noise free ( u can have good night sleep and recharge your energy for next day activities) Amenities: Very good WiFi, big Pool , nice Gym with high quality equipment Staff and Service: I would like to take this opportunity and thank every single one of the team for their hospitality , dedication and attentiveness. They made our stay memorable . You guys were awesome. Food&Beverages: if it’s ur first time to Zanzibar you should know that food is challenging and u can’t find good food everywhere but I can assure you the food is this place is AMAZINGGGGG. I’ll be back soon 🥰😘

Hotel looked amazing, so clean also, location is extremely underrated, I think paje is one of the best locations to stay in Zanzibar and having a free buggy which the hotel provides to go to paje beach is great! I loved the design of the hotel and the style also, overall it’s a near to perfection hotel with amazing amazing staff service, the staff service was superb! The staff were so so helpful and so kind and generous with their time and patience.

Only thing I would recommend to improve on is the food and the options provided, it wasn’t bad, but I think the food could be much better with much better options. Two items which were absolute amazing, was the shakshuka which was a special for a breakfast and the burger which I had for dinner one evening, but apart from that, the options were very limited. More options and more quality of food will push this already amazing hotel to being the best in Zanzibar.

Stayed at two hotels and Samawa though it lacked the beach view which I was aware of, it was still my favourite. Staff were so friendly having conversations that show they do pay attention, hotel and rooms were beautiful, inclusive breakfasts were nice, they had a golf cart inclusive to take you to the beach and back. The area has a lot around it and is very close to bento food court. Cleanliness was amazing and even bug free which I was worried about since they have a lovely outdoor shower. And they were stocked with every random thing you would need. Special shoutout to the all the reception staff and Edsoni for being so attentive. Loved it!

I guest just the fact it wasn’t sea/beach views

The room was comfortable and very clean. The amenities around the area were convenient and easy to access. The staff was friendly and welcoming, which made the stay even more pleasant. Buggy service to go on beach and supermarket nearby.

The restaurant service was sometimes very slow — on several occasions, we had to wait over 30 minutes just for a starter, which was a bit frustrating. Additionally, the breakfast menu was quite limited, with very few options to choose from. A bit more variety in the morning offerings would have made the experience much better.

Simply put, the easiest 10/10 rating. Can’t recommend this place enough! We spent two weeks at Samawa Living for our honeymoon, and it was absolutely amazing. I have been to hotels all over the world, but Samawa is my favorite hotel experience! Everything was just perfect. Hotel rooms were large, super nice and really well equipped (even yoga mats and beach bag). They also keep them very clean. We really enjoyed chilling on the sunbeds in a quiet pool area, working out in the gym and in yoga classes. As well as the general vibe of the place, which is in large part due to the most friendly and helpful staff I have met! I also have to mention that the a la carte breakfast was a whole other level compared to regular hotel breakfast buffets (freshly made passion fruit juice is the best juice ever!). The food in general was by far the best we had in Zanzibar. Even though we had lunch and dinner other places in Paje and Jambiani, and normally don’t eat much at hotel restaurants, we ended up eating much more at the hotel than we had planned for. Big qudos to the chefs! It is not a large and overcrowded hotel, which allows for a much more pleasant stay than big hotels or resorts. Even though it’s not located on the beach, the beach is just a very short walk (or complimentary buggy ride) away - and we enjoyed the option of hanging out at a place with more peace and quiet than right on the beach itself. While we were there, they put on live music nights, movie nights and helped us with recommendations and bookings for tours and experiences. All in all, if you are going to Zanzibar, do yourself a favor and stay at Samawa! Thank you for so much for making our honeymoon perfect! Asante sana!

Really nice rooms, very comfy bed. Nice pool, gym, rooftop restaurant. But also the details: yoga mats in the room, outdoor shower, always new drinking water in the room, drinking water available at the pool, beach shuttle service (although you can perfectly walk it as well) etc. I was very happy to stay here. If i go back to Paje, i will book the same place again.

The breakfast was good, but it would be nice if they make it partly "a la carte", partly buffet. For example, fruits, juice, yoghurt, make it buffet. So you can make your own selection.

I absolutely loved my stay at Samawa Living! The place is beautiful — the rooms are spacious, stylish, and really comfortable. It is a beautiful modern hotel that has a peaceful vibe that instantly makes you feel at home. The staff were super friendly and helpful throughout my stay. I especially appreciated the small touches, like the complimentary transport they provide to the beach — such a thoughtful detail that made exploring Paje so easy and stress-free. If you're looking for a relaxed, sustainable, and welcoming place to stay in Paje, I highly recommend Samawa Living. I’d definitely return!

I wish there was an option of indoor and outdoor shower...

What a simply delightful oasis in the Paje region of Zanzibar. The staff, in particular the attendants at the front desk, are so courteous and welcoming. Israel, Amani, Kadogo, Abdullah, Edwina, the list goes (sure there are several others I’m missing); plus the wait/cleaning staff and Chef at the onsite restaurant, were all brilliant. The property itself is also quite appealing. It’s a beautifully designed space that I found to be quite tranquil and relaxing. In addition, I appreciated the generously sized rooms (more than adequate for 2), dual sinks, indoor/outdoor shower, and the expertly orchestrated turndown service. Shout out to the cleaning staff. Well done.

Not much though I’d encourage the establishment to offer more plant-based choices on the restaurant menu and perhaps, for convenience, include food/beverage menus poolside.