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The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar

4.0 star property
VIP Access

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Photo gallery for The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar

On the beach, sun loungers, beach umbrellas, beach towels
Front of property - evening/night
Garden
Outdoor pool, sun loungers
Standard Bungalow | Beach | On the beach, sun loungers, beach umbrellas, beach towels

Reviews

9.4 out of 10
Exceptional

Popular amenities

  • Pool
  • Spa
  • Parking included
  • Restaurant
  • Air conditioning

Explore the area

View in a map
Dongwe Beach, Pingwe, Dongwe
  • Place, Dongwe Beach
    ‪1 min walk‬
  • Place, Paje Beach
    ‪12 min drive‬
  • Place, Kite Centre Zanzibar
    ‪13 min drive‬
  • Airport, Zanzibar (ZNZ-Zanzibar Intl.)
    ‪68 min drive‬
VIP Access
Curated for quality and service, VIP Access stays consistently receive our highest guest ratings.
  • Expect exceptional service
  • Extra savings and perks for Rewards members
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Room options

View all photos for Standard Bungalow

Standard Bungalow | Egyptian cotton sheets, minibar, in-room safe, blackout drapes

Standard Bungalow

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(3 reviews)
  • Garden view
  • 355 sq ft
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

View all photos for Luxury Villa, 2 Bedrooms, Private Pool

Luxury Villa, 2 Bedrooms, Private Pool | Egyptian cotton sheets, minibar, in-room safe, blackout drapes

Luxury Villa, 2 Bedrooms, Private Pool

  • Garden view
  • 2152 sq ft
  • 2 bedrooms
  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 Queen Bed and 1 Twin Bed

View all photos for Luxury Villa, 1 Bedroom, Sea View

Egyptian cotton sheets, minibar, in-room safe, blackout drapes

Luxury Villa, 1 Bedroom, Sea View

8.8 out of 10
Excellent
(3 reviews)
  • Sea view
  • 1507 sq ft
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for Family Villa, Multiple Beds

Family Villa, Multiple Beds | Egyptian cotton sheets, minibar, in-room safe, blackout drapes

Family Villa, Multiple Beds

  • Garden view
  • 1506 sq ft
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 King Bed and 2 Twin Beds

Standard Twin Room

  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Twin Beds

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About the neighborhood

Dongwe

The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar places you next to Dongwe Beach and within a 3 miles (5 km) of Bwejuu Beach. This 4-star hotel has 20 guestrooms and offers a full-service spa, an outdoor pool, and free self parking.

What's nearby

  • Dongwe Beach - 1 min walk - 0.1 miles
  • Pingwe Beach - 5 min drive - 3.0 miles
  • Paje Beach - 12 min drive - 7.2 miles
  • Kite Centre Zanzibar - 13 min drive - 8.3 miles
  • Jambiani Beach - 13 min drive - 8.8 miles

Getting around

  • Zanzibar Intl. Airport (ZNZ) - 97 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Mapacha - ‬10 min drive
  • ‪Shanga Paje - ‬10 min drive
  • ‪Corner, Cafe And Bbq - ‬10 min drive
  • ‪Baladin - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪Flow Beach - ‬10 min drive

About this property

The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar

Guests staying at The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar enjoy access to a full-service spa, an outdoor pool, and free WiFi in public areas. You can take advantage of free parking, along with an airport shuttle (available 24 hours) for USD 60 per vehicle one-way. The 24-hour front desk has staff standing by to help with tours or tickets, luggage storage, and dry cleaning/laundry. Other amenities at this beach hotel include a library, a terrace, and laundry facilities.
Beds are dressed in Egyptian cotton sheets and bathrooms offer hair dryers and free toiletries. Other standard amenities include balconies or patios, minibars, and electric kettles.
Recreational amenities at the hotel include an outdoor pool.

The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.

Guests can pamper themselves with a trip to the onsite spa, which has 1 treatment room. Services include facials, body scrubs, and manicures and pedicures. The spa is open daily.

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Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • 24-hour roundtrip airport shuttle on request for a surcharge
  • Free self parking on site

Food and drink

  • Free buffet breakfast available daily 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM
  • 2 bars/lounges
  • A restaurant
  • Snack bar/deli

Things to do

  • Full-service spa
  • Library
  • Outdoor pool
  • Scuba diving

Family friendly

  • Laundry facilities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Separate bedroom
  • Snack bar/deli

Conveniences

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

Guest services

  • Concierge services
  • Dry cleaning/laundry service
  • Housekeeping (daily)
  • Tour and ticket assistance
  • Turndown service

Outdoors

  • Barbecue grill
  • Beach loungers
  • Beach towels
  • Beach umbrellas
  • Garden
  • On the beach
  • Pool loungers
  • Terrace

Full-service spa

  • Body scrubs
  • Facials
  • In-room massages
  • Manicures/pedicures
  • Spa open daily
  • Treatment room

Accessibility

  • No elevator

More

  • Designated smoking areas
  • Mosquito nets

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Blackout drapes
  • Egyptian cotton sheets

Bathroom

  • Bidet
  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer
  • Shampoo
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided

Food and drink

  • Electric kettle
  • Free bottled water
  • Limited room service
  • Minibar

More

  • Air conditioning
  • Ceiling fan
  • Safe

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; Check-in end time: anytime

Early check-in subject to availability

Minimum check-in age: 15

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM

Contactless check-out available

Late check-out subject to availability

Late check-out fee: USD 50

Special check-in instructions

This property offers transfers from the airport (surcharges may apply); to arrange pick-up, guests must contact the property 48 hours prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation

The property charges 3 percent for credit card payments

Guests must contact the property in advance for check-in instructions; front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property

To make arrangements for check-in please contact the property at least 24 hours before arrival using the information on the booking confirmation

The credit card used to book the reservation must be presented by the cardholder at check-in along with matching photo identification, and other arrangements must be coordinated with the property prior to arrival

Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Access methods

Staffed front desk

Pets

  • This property doesn't allow pets

Children and extra beds

  • Rollaway/extra beds are available for USD 80.00 per night

Property payment types

Important information

Fees

You'll be asked to pay these charges at the property:

  • A tax is imposed by the city: USD 5.00 per person, per night
  • An effective city/local tax rate of 12.00 percent will be charged

These are all of the charges provided to us by the property.

Optional extras

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

  • Airport shuttle fee: USD 60 per vehicle (one-way, maximum occupancy 5)
  • Late check-out fee: USD 50 (subject to availability)
  • Rollaway bed fee: USD 80.00 per night
  • Credit card charges are subject to a surcharge of 3 percent

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

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
The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation
This property accepts credit cards and cash
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a security system, and a first aid kit
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios, terraces which may not be suitable for children; if you have concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm they can accommodate you in a suitable room
  • Check-in: 2:00 PM
  • Check-out: 11:00 AM
  • Minimum check-in age: 15
The front desk is open 24 hours a day. For convenient arrivals and departures, you can take advantage of the airport shuttle (available 24 hours), which is offered for a fee. Driving? This property offers free parking.

We should mention

Details about charges, deposits, or other important information:

  • 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, terraces which may not be suitable for children. If you have concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm they can accommodate you in a suitable room.
  • Charges for extra guests may apply and vary depending on the property's policy.
  • A cash deposit, credit card, or debit card for incidental charges, as well as a government-issued photo ID, may be required at check-in.
  • Special requests are subject to availability at the time of check-in and can't be guaranteed. Certain requests may come with additional charges.
  • This property accepts credit cards and cash.
  • The credit card used at check-in for incidentals must be in the name of the primary guest who made the reservation.
  • Onsite safety features include a fire extinguisher, a security system, and a first aid kit.

Additional information about polices, regulations, and more:

  • There are no elevators.
  • No cribs or infant beds are available.

Property is also known as

Dongwe Beach Bungalows Hotel Bwejuu

Dongwe Beach Bungalows Hotel

The Sands Zanzibar Dongwe

The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar Hotel

The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar Dongwe

The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar Hotel Dongwe

Frequently asked questions

Are free cancellation options available at The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar?

The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar offers free cancellation on select room rates. For more details, look at the cancellation policy on Orbitz.

How much does it cost to stay at The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar?

As of May 19, 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar on Jun 1, 2026 start from $186, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.

What can I see near The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar?

This hotel is located in Dongwe, just steps from Dongwe Beach. You'll also find Pingwe Beach and Bwejuu Beach within a short drive.

Will I be able to park at The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar?

Yes, self parking is offered for free at the hotel.

Is a spa located at The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar?

There is a full-service spa available for guests to enjoy and services include massages, facials, mani/pedis, and body scrubs.

Does The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar include a casino at the property?

No, The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar doesn't have a casino.

Is there an indoor pool at The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar?

No, this hotel doesn't have an indoor pool; however, there is an outdoor pool.

Is The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar good for couples?

This beachfront hotel offers many amenities for couples, including in-room massages as well as a restaurant and an outdoor pool.

Does The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar have a hot tub?

No, there isn't a spa tub at this hotel.

Does The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar feature a restaurant that includes a breakfast menu?

Yes, The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar serves free buffet breakfast each morning from its restaurant.

Does The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar allow pets to stay for free?

No, pets aren't allowed at The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar.

Does The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar have connecting rooms available?

No, there aren't connecting guestrooms at this hotel.

Where is the closest airport to The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar?

The closest major airport to The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar is Zanzibar Intl. Airport (ZNZ), which is about 21.5 mi away.

Can I book a room with a balcony at The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar?

Yes, every guestroom at The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar comes with a balcony/patio and some offer sea and garden views.

The Sands Beach Resort Zanzibar Reviews

Reviews

9.4

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 93 out of 124 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 26 out of 124 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 3 out of 124 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 124 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 124 reviews

9.6/10

Cleanliness

9.8/10

Staff & service

9.2/10

Amenities

9.2/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Toralf

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Very pleasant stay. Room was cleaned twice a day and fulfilled our expectation. Very nice area and extremely service minded personnel. Food had a high quality with a wide variation of menues every day. Be aware of the tide on that side of the island, some day you had to walk several hundred meters for having a bath.
Stayed 8 nights in Feb 2026

10/10 Excellent

Shaun

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Love the hotel and staff, great location with superb food cooked fresh! Highly recommended
Stayed 13 nights in Jan 2026

10/10 Excellent

Natalia

Stayed 1 night in Jan 2026

6/10 Okay

Arshad

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
for the price charged the stay was considered okay as far as F&B was concerned. Food menu was fixed and basic with no nothing remarkable for both breakfast and dinner. rooms were decent and resort was nice otherwise. staff were also polite but language understanding needs more training.
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2025

10/10 Excellent

Amy

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
You will be treated with warm, welcoming service from the moment you arrive and throughout your stay. The food included with the half board is very good with quite a few made to order items including omelets, waffles, and crepes at breakfast and fresh catch of the day fish and pasta at dinner. The rooms are glorious! We had the ocean view villa and it was HUGE!!! It was easy to find lounge chairs by the beach, and they all have shade umbrellas. It was so peaceful and beautiful out there. Warning: I did get sunburned even in the shade on the last day!! The beach does have a pretty varied tide, and the hotel provides reef shoes for low tide, which I recommend because there are sea urchins. There is also seaweed in the water near the shore. You will be provided with 2.5 liters of purified water in your room each day, and water is included at breakfast and dinner. Outlets are all British style 3 prongs, no USB. Power did go out intermittently but never interfered with anything. WiFi is good out at the beach, pool, and lobby but was spotty in the room. This is a quiet area north of Paje, so no other restaurants other than the resort. It was more reasonably priced than our American resorts with $15 pool drinks. They do use purified water for the ice in the drinks and the ChatGPT says they use purified water for all food prep too.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Pat

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Quiet and relaxing
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Cassandra

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Overall this is the perfect getaway! No distractions just the sounds of the ocean and the amazing staff! This is perfect if you want to getaway and truly relax! Options to explore are available. The pool is large and clean. The rooms get serviced twice a day. The bar was definitely my favorite spot!
Beach bar
Outside of room
Beach
Stayed 10 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Omar

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
This is by far the best hotel we've stayed in in a long time, probably best ever. The rooms are spacious and spotless clean. Every little detail is thought of. The beds are very comfortable and room service pass by twice a day to clean the room and for turn down. The staff were all very friendly and helpful. Especially Khamis and John who went our of their way to make sure we are comfortable. Food at the restaurant was also lovely and service there amazing. Staff are constantly keeping an eye on the tables, plates are removed the second they're empty, water refilled immediately after drinking etc. Downside here was the entertainment on the Swahili night, the guys were playing more western music. The beach is very pretty, even at low tide which didn't impact our stay much. We swam 2 or 3 times in the ocean. Its not crystal clear water though, expect some sea weed. We weren't disturbed by any beach sellers like we saw on some of the other beaches. Only slight down side is that there isn't much to do nearby at night. We drove one day to Paje and that was fun.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Janet

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Fabulous stay at this very quiet, clean, secure resort. Very comfortable room. Staff are very attentive. Beautiful beach. Highly relaxing! Really enjoyed the Swahili buffet and music!
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Wynnjones

Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Ferit

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 5 nights in Jan 2025

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

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

Perfect place to relax

Our villa was super spacious, it was cleaned regularly, and it was nice to wake up in that beautiful garden. Service was very good, Mr. Ally and the team made us feel welcome and helped us with the early check out and late check out because of our flight times.
Stayed 8 nights in Jan 2025

8/10 Good

Jermaine

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great hotel to stay to escape the busy hustle and bustle lifestyle. It is beautiful and quiet. Food is great. The only crtique i have is there are frequent power outages in the evening. Overall I would visit again.
Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2024

8/10 Good

Oliver

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

Nice big villa

We did book a villa with an ocean view. And we got a very nice villa, clean and very comfortable. I would say it’s a bit of wasted money for the ocean view, because the villas are a bit behind the palm trees. But in general very beautiful and nice. Staff is very polite and friendly. Was a good experience.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jenny

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We really enjoyed our stay at the Sands Resort. Each suite is actually a separate bungalow with large, comfortable rooms and wonderful AC. There is an onsite restaurant that serves all day as well as a beach bar that serves snacks/meals during the daytime. It was very relaxing to be able to have all of our meals on the property. The staff were all very friendly and professional. Everything about the staff and property was wonderful. The hotel also offers excursions. The nice thing is that they are private which entailed having a driver and tours that were just for our party. However, I would not recommend doing the "swim with dolphins" excursion because there are too many other boats doing the same thing, and we didn't feel safe going in the water with so many boats moving around quickly to try to bring their passengers close to the dolphins. So, we stayed in the boat. Also, there were no life jackets available, and it was unclear how we would get in/out of the boat without a ladder or rope; the snorkel and other equipment was old, and we didn't get a chance to try the snorkel/mask before going on the water. We also did the Jozani Forest/Butterfly excursion, which was interesting to do to see the monkeys, mangroves, and butterflies, but the price the hotel charged seemed disproportionately higher than the experience merited; please note that I say this without knowing how much the hotel paid the driver to stay with us for several hours and for the forest guide.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Elias

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We had such a Wonderful stay at the Sands. Great service and premises!
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Artur, Ridgewood

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The staff at this hotel were incredibly welcoming and helpful throughout our stay. The rooms were immaculate and very comfortable. We also enjoyed the delicious dinner every night.
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2024

8/10 Good

antonio

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Relaxing on the beach

Quite good stay Excellent food and location on the ocean side Optimum service and very kind personnel
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Edward

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very nice, quiet place with a lovely beach and excellent staff. Very good food, too.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Cinzia

Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2024

6/10 Okay

Kelly A, Lancy

Stayed 9 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kara

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Absolutely stunning. Service beyond amazing. Quiet with gorgeous gardens and beach. Easy access for SCuBA diving. Incredibly friendly staff and felt completely safe with masai warriors guarding the hotel. Food was phenomenal Would absolutely go back.
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Ahmed, aaaaa

Stayed 6 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Shari

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The service was excellent. Everyone was very friendly and courteous. We really enjoyed our stay here
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Mark

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Location was tranquil and just what we were looking for at the start of our Zanzibar holiday. All the staff were amazingly welcoming and friendly. The team led by Ally are a credit to the hotel. The dining experience was quite special and we very much enjoyed the fresh barbecued fish at night, especially the huge tuna that a slice and thickness of your liking was cooked there and then and served to your table….in fact the staff even do your toast for you in the morning ! Overall hotel was perfect for our family of 4 including teenagers - if staying I would recommend a rental car to explore the local area, good deals can be found on arrival at the airport, we paid $30 USD a day and rental car company collected from hotel anywhere on the island for $20 USD.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2024

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