Jun 28, 2022, 3:57 pm
Park Hyatt Zanzibar REVIEW - MASTER THREAD
Jan 7, 2017, 5:55 am
Jul 14, 2017, 3:59 pm
We had heard so much about Stone Town, and wanted to spend some time there before heading off to the more beautiful beaches around the island. The Park Hyatt Zanzibar seemed like a really cool property, and I found a decent points & cash rate for our five night stay. Hyatt is a transfer partner for Chase Ultimate Reward points.
Check In: We had arranged hotel transport to pick us up from the airport. They were waiting with a sign as we exited the airport, and the two guys who picked us up were friendly and knowledgeable and even gave us a brief history of Zanzibar as we drove, which proved invaluable as we orientated ourselves the next few days. After a twenty minute drive we arrived at the beautiful Park Hyatt. The white washed structure fit seamlessly into Stone Town's historic architecture. As you walk into the lobby, key hole doorways open up to a verandah overlooking a white sand beach. Broad vistas of turquoise ocean and slow majestic ships serve as a backdrop to the equally impressive interiors of the hotel itself. Check-in formalities were quick, and we were given a Park Deluxe Ocean View room in the newer "Zamani Residence" building. Breakfast was included in our rate and would be served between 6:30 AM and 11:00 AM.
The Room: Our room was beautifully furnished in a style true to Zanzibar - light wood tones, Persian lamps, a tropical ceiling fan along with curated photos from around the island. The room was spacious and had a large balcony overlooking the beach and port of Stone Town. It was easy to watch a whole day melt by sitting up there, from kids playing soccer in the sand to a local fisherman reeling in his catch. The bathroom was luxuriously appointed with a bathtub that opened up to the room, along with a rainfall shower and Inaya Zanzibar toiletries that were locally made and smelt like coconut and lime. As a cherry on top, the bathroom also had a personal TV which one could view sitting in the extra deep bath-tub. Another nice touch was three small jars with complimentary snacks (cookies, dates and cashews), along with a fruit plate that was replaced upon request.
The Property: The property is broken up into two main buildings - the Zamani Residence and Mambo Msilge. The design aesthetic and attention to detail of the hotel was impressive. We loved walking around the public spaces (specifically the library) and finding unique pieces like an antique brass water container, or the model ships throughout the hotel. The gym was quite small - it had a few treadmills and bikes along with a bench and some free weights - this was an area that could potentially be improved.
There is an infinity pool that looks out on the ocean elevated from the beach which was always the perfect place to cool down in the Zanzibari heat. As you walked past the pool there were plenty of tables and loungers to grab a sun downer along with the hotel bar called the "Living Room" which was buzzing on the weekends. Close to the bar was the "Dining Room" which is where breakfast was served everyday. While it wasn't on par with some of the epic breakfast buffets of Asia, it was a good variety of local foods(bananas in coconut milk, beans, cassava) and western dishes such as eggs and waffles, with a beautiful view of the Indian Ocean. The buffet did have fresh made juices, and both an egg and waffle/pancake stations. It was the perfect place to ease into the day in Stone Town.
The Service: Service throughout the hotel was really solid. It was the first time we had stayed in a Park Hyatt, and we got the impression that they wanted to provide great service without being too invasive or pushy which we appreciated. We had spoke with the concierge who made us reservations at the Tea House restaurant, and didn't realize someone from the hotel had to walk over to the restaurant in order to put down a deposit. We stayed at a different hotel for a night where this service certainly wasn't provided.
Using a points+cash rate, we spent 10,000 (worth $180 according to The Points Guy) World of Hyatt points along with $125 USD per night - effectively $305 a night. While this was quite splurge, it was still better value than booking with cash which was coming out to $380 with taxes. We loved our stay here - specifically the aesthetics of the entire property and the ability to walk anywhere in Stone Town. While we weren't "bored" by any means after 5 nights, 3 nights in Stone Town would probably be sufficient for those with time constraints.
Oct 2, 2017, 11:42 am
Jun 16, 2018, 5:28 am
Jun 16, 2018, 2:20 pm
Sep 19, 2018, 1:49 am
Sep 19, 2018, 11:25 am
Sep 19, 2018, 11:46 am
Park Hyatt Zanzibar
Shangani Street, Stone Town 4255, Tanzania , TZ
Park King Suite in Park Hyatt Zanzibar (15 Photos)
Park Hyatt Zanzibar
Park King Suite in Park Hyatt Zanzibar
The Park Hyatt Zanzibar is located in Stonetown, Zanzibar, and is a short, 20 min walk from the ferry terminal. The property consists of two main buildings, an old wing, and a new wing; linking the two wings is a courtyard with a huge mango tree that’s 400 years old. There’s also a third building with the gym and locker room.
The old wing used to be a palace, and has very beautiful architecture. There are also some rooms, although I didn’t ask to see if the rooms looked any different. I was assigned a room in the new wing, which also has their lounge and restaurant.
This beautiful, white property is located by the beach, with an infinity pool that creates the illusion that you’re adjacent to the ocean.
Check In
Pretty fast. The property manager came out to welcome elite guests.
Room
I was upgraded to a beautiful suite in the second level of the new building. The suite is one of the largest suites I’ve stayed in. Upon entry, there’s a guest bathroom to the right, and a long entryway with a work desk.
To the right, is the living room area, which has a console for coffee/tea. They supply an Illy machine, along with a mini-fridge. They also stock water in large glass bottles, which are replenished daily. The living room has an oversized sofa set, a small dining table, and a lounge chair. On the coffee table, there were a few jars of snacks (nuts, dates, cookies), and on the dining table, there was some fruit. During evening turndown service, a small slice of cheesecake was also left in the room.
The bedroom and bathroom are to the left. The bedroom features a large King-sized four-poster bed with a mosquito net. There’s also a small dining table and another lounge chair. There’s also a good-sized balcony with views of the sea, and a table and some chairs for sitting outside.
It’s actually hard to describe, a lot of Park Hyatt Zanzibar’s charm is in the details. For instance, the trunk by the bed had the most beautiful wood carving; the decorative lamps hanging in the bedroom were gorgeous, and the artwork was in the room was easy on the eyes.
The bathroom is open-concept, and features a single sink, bathtub; the toilet and rain shower are enclosed within the bathroom. It’s possible to open the wooden sliding doors of the bathroom, and soak in the tub while looking at the bedroom.
They stock Inaya Zanzibar toiletries in larger glass bottles. The bath products were excellent.
Dining
They have a couple of dining areas, one in the main (old) building, and two in the new building (living room and dining room). The former is more snack type, I didn't check out the later, but that's where breakfast is served.
Breakfast is complimentary for globalist guests, and is served from 6.30 – 10.30. The service was excellent, as was the food. There was a nice variety of high quality food, which rotated a little during my two-night stay here. Their juices were amazing. There’s also made-to-order eggs, waffles, and crepes.
. There’s also a special cocktail hour from 6-8 pm on Friday for “invited guests” (no idea what that means – I did get an invite), but I didn’t attend.
Service
Service was impeccable. In my experience, Park Hyatt service is based on anticipating needs, and personalized service. They started remembering my preferences by the second day.
Pool
There is a beautiful infinity pool that seems to meld into the sea. The temperature of the pool is also perfect. They also have poolside service.
Gym
The gym is on the small side of things, but 24hr using key card access, and has everything you might need for a work out.
The changing room was surprisingly ratty, though. I probably caught the cleaning staff in an off moment.
Overall
This hotel is an architectural stunner. The rooms are also beautiful with a certain understated elegance. The suite is one of the largest I’ve stayed in. Service was for the most part flawless. The Park Hyatt Zanzibar is definitely entering my books as one of my favorite hotels.
Sep 19, 2018, 1:06 pm
What is your oppinion on swimming in the sea, the beach in general. Did you try that out? I hear that the beaches to the north and east of the island are much nicer. Can you confirm this. Plus there seems to be a harbor near th PH.
Thanks
Sep 19, 2018, 1:11 pm
thank you for this review! Great information.
What is your oppinion on swimming in the sea, the beach in general. Did you try that out? I hear that the beaches to the north and east of the island are much nicer. Can you confirm this. Plus there seems to be a harbor near th PH.
Thanks
Sep 20, 2018, 1:02 am
Did you take the ferry or a flight over from DAR? How safe/reliable are the ferries? I guess this is more convenient - but not quite international standards?
Sep 20, 2018, 5:35 am
Did you take the ferry or a flight over from DAR? How safe/reliable are the ferries? I guess this is more convenient - but not quite international standards?
Just keep your wits about you on both ends of the ferry terminal - quite a lot of people eager to 'help' you for a fee.
Oct 15, 2018, 3:27 pm
Did you take the ferry or a flight over from DAR? How safe/reliable are the ferries? I guess this is more convenient - but not quite international standards?