Ocean Paradise Resort & Spa Zanzibar

“A perfect base for adventures on Zanzibar, or just to relax”

Arriving tired but exhilarated after a week's safari in mainland Tanzania, it was wonderful to be able to unwind at the gorgeous Ocean Paradise on the north east coast of Zanzibar. Our family of five - Mum, Dad and three grown-up (kind of) children - occupied two adjacent standard rooms (upgrades … lisää

Arriving tired but exhilarated after a week's safari in mainland Tanzania, it was wonderful to be able to unwind at the gorgeous Ocean Paradise on the north east coast of Zanzibar. Our family of five - Mum, Dad and three grown-up (kind of) children - occupied two adjacent standard rooms (upgrades are available). The rooms were comfortable, air conditioned and very clean, each with its own outside terrace/balcony looking towards the sea. The hotel grounds are immaculately maintained and provide an oasis of peace and calm. The focal point is the pool with bar and outdoor restaurant where lunch and dinner are served (depending on whether you're half or full board). We were half board, as we planned to take day-long excursions on some of the days. On days when we stayed in, we had lunch by the pool. Two things stand out for us: the friendliness of the staff and the high quality and variety of the food. Without exception, the staff were very friendly and welcoming - from reception to waiting staff, room cleaning, poolside and ground staff. Inevitably, the people you see the most are those involved in serving food and drinks. Led by food and beverages manager Scott, a gregarious, energetic and extraordinarily hard working Glaswegian, who has built and runs an amazing team of chefs and restaurant and bar staff, they are a big part of the wonderful Ocean Paradise experience. We are particularly indebted to Scott for ensuring that Mum's special dietary requirements were met and for getting the chef to provide some off-menu chicken broth when she was struck by a short-term tummy bug. He has this ability to be everywhere at once, and we have no doubt that the many other guests also felt as though they were getting special treatment, just as we did. The food is fantastic, from the impressive breakfast, through the wide ranging pool bar menu to the spectacular dinner buffets in the evening. Dinners have a different theme every night, but there is always rotisserie chicken and chips and a pasta bar for those who don't fancy anything more exotic on a given day. We were particularly pleased that one evening was Swahili night, including the local staple ugali (maize meal - think a kind of polenta). All in all, we would highly recommend the Ocean Paradise to anyone looking for a very comfortable base on Zanzibar.

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