Service and facility is good but have to increase the number of carts that drive people around .

Excellent hotel and service. Food was very good as well, with the caveat that the buffet was not always available (some nights were a la carte only). Limited entertainment, but it was enjoyable when there was some. I would choose this hotel again regardless of those two things, overall it was a wonderful experience

Really a paradise!

The staff was overly friendly, very accommodating and kind. I really enjoyed the staff there. The amenities were great. The performances were awesome. Jambo was also a nice get away. I love the access to both resorts.

What a great experience! Everyone at this hotel was super nice and attentive. The food options were good as well. If you like to party, this is not the resort for you. There are not a lot of options for that at all. There is a sister property though that does have a nightlife. Overall I had a good time.

Hotels.com worst experience over the years

I was disappointed that we had to pay more money to upgrade to actually get what we thought we booked on Hoyels.com site. The hotel staff reckon categorisation from hotels.com that they may have used for us is not actually what they booked with them. I paid additional money to ocean blue. Room I originally booked was supposed to have a bedroom and a separate living area but we got an open plan which was not suitable. My worst experience with hotels.com over the years I have used them. Dinner in ai and a second restaurant which is not the main one was really poor for the two nights. Staff were friendly and helpful and other amenities were top notch.

Amazing staff… very helpful and genuine… everyone was extraordinary and food was out of this world… not easy to cook such a variety of food in that quantity and on daily base… but the chef was very creative and everything tasted good… only staff at the reception was under par… everyone else did a terrific job

Highly recommend

Very nice accommodation, everything in walking distance. Beautiful beach below the restaurant. Food excellent.Had a problem with the air con but was upgraded. Hotel uses European electric sockets, not Tanzanian sockets. Can get adaptors from Reception. But bring European adaptors.

What an incredible holiday! The staff really make this place and are always so friendly and welcoming. We had the most amazing upgrade from the one of the female managers at reception. Thank you so much. This made what was already going to be a wonderful holiday into something unforgettable. I can not recommend this place more highly! The food variety is great and you can book excursions through a tour provider at the hotel. Everything was seamless and easy to navigate. Also a very special thank you to Neema who cleaned our room everyday to perfection!

First off: ALL the staff are incrediblly helpful, friendly, polite and attentive, including reception, restaurant waiters and food servers, pool staff and entertainment, cleaners, gardeners, management and even the guy in the Suntours office. Food and drink: Breakfasts, coffee and breakfast all very good and varied - easily have a different style breakfast every day. Main pool handily sited next to main ginger bar with wide range of alcoholic /non-alcoholic cocktails, beer, wine. Informal swim up option or drinks brought to lounger, as you prefer. Loved the option for afternoon tea /coffee with cakes or sandwiches, in the shade. We loved the buffet lunches and dinners, with choice of where to sit (sun/ cool/ shade/ breeze etc, depending on daily whim) and the ongoing jackdaws vs. bamboo sticks entertainment. The "happy birthday" waiting staff harmonies were great. Loved the cool dude on electric piano with his reggae/ zydeco / blues fusion vibes in the main restaurant in the evenings. We managed 3 trips to the Krystal fusion restaurant (excellent, our fave) and one to the steak. The evening entertainment was very good, although we preferred the bands and musicians to the rap/breakdancing. But very varied and aomething for everyone. They even ran the odd game of bingo. The beach, the sea and the views were just wonderful. The beach sellers were not overly intrusive and actually quite friendly. Very easy to get a kayak or paddleboard, etc.

Great place for vacation

Absolutely amazing. 5+ stars Excellent friendly service. You become family. Excellent food, drinks. Spectacular location on breathtaking beach. I will definitely be back and highly recommend!

Very disappointed that smoking was permitted in all the restaurants inside and out.

Great stay

Amazing hotel with super welcoming staff. Lots of activity and incredible variety of food. Able to use facilities of other hotel next door but not other way round.

Beautiful hotel and wonderful hospitality. We will come back to a Riu hotel for sure on our next vacation. Possibly Caribbean! Thank you Riu Palace Zanzibar team.

Facilities and layout of the property is excellent.

Great vacation. The upgraded dining options are a must. Try the Romantic Dinner. Highly recommend.

Loved the breathtaking views, service, room…The experience was everything to be desired except: - the vegan options were limited, however, upon request, we were granted. Also, they labelled items as vegan but they were made with milk. - I didn’t like that the cleaning trolly was parked outside my door for the duration of the stay. - I also didn’t like that in between the tiles in the infinity swimming pool was mouldy.

Lovely place. Good food and friendly, helpful staff - we even got a word of the day from Fatma. Can highly recommend.

Beautiful

Full board was underwhelming, and trying to get expanded options was near impossible because the app did not allow me to request. Asking the front desk for anything felt like an inconvenience. Beautiful landscape and beach, but you can find that elsewhere.

Great hotel and attentions

I was in room 345 and it smelled like a wet basement. I smelled it when I walked in initially but I decided to let it go and not make a big deal for the workers. I am home now and all of my clothes have this dirty wet smell like a wet basement. ( if you know, you know.) overall the service was good the workers were all friendly and welcoming. Also my balcony door was falling off and I mentioned it up one first entry. Two workers were sent to fix it but it was never fixed. It kept falling off. I wish I had complained because this smell is terrible.

It was a great experience 👍 food was good alot of variety 😋 staff very friendly loved my stay ❤️ 💕

The staff are excellent! Hotel is a bit dated but the beach and water are so worth it! Great variety of food. Strongly recommend booking your dinner bookings the minute you check in!

The property is beautiful and the food variety and presentation excellent. Be careful of the room selection, they are limited in number of rooms with double beds.

My husband and I enjoyed ourselves celebrating our 5th anniversary here at the Riu Zanzibar. Excellent food, hospitality, and services! If you are traveling to Zanzibar, this is the place to stay. You will not be disappointed!!!

Amazing service and good food

The hotel is beautiful and the service is outstanding and caring, smiling and helpful. The food is also great. There were a few small things like the smell in the bathroom and also they provided very basic toiletries, not vanity set, or bathrobes or slippers that I use to get in more basic hotels. Also for some reason there is no blanket just a sheet to cover and I had to ask a few time to bring me something thicker

Fantastic holiday

The ambiance, service, food, and even the weather were exceptional! I want to thank everyone who helped keep my room sparkling clean and cozy, prepared delicious food and drinks, and maintained the unique ambiance at the restaurants, reception, beach, and pools. I also want to thank Veronica, the bartender at the small bar located just after the main swimming pool on the way to the beach.

Staying at Riu Palace hotel

No doubt this is an extraordinary resort, though there were some small issues that spoiled a little bit the perfect experience. 1. There was a plugg in the sink. 2. The mosquito net to the balcony was off track. 3. We were mislead by the reception for the stable which we have booked for riding. Beside that everything was just perfect

Great 5 Night Stay

The hotel is beautiful, clean, and large. All of the staff are incredibly friendly and helpful. Spa and excursion desk were both great. Only recommendation is booking dinner reservations immediately at check in. They are hard to get and the food is considerably better at sit down restaurants than buffet, which is still good. We’d definitely return on a future visit to Zanzibar!

The restaurants and food were excellent; never had one bad meal experience. Needs to provide more music entertainment and the room furnishings need serious upgrades.

Staff was welcoming upon arrival. The property was very big and limited transportation to get around. I reserved the steak house for the lastnight for dinner and the manager was nasty!!! I told him i was celebrating my birthday and he told me he looked up my reservations and I arrived 6/27 ( my hirthday was 6/25) then stared at me...his attitude made my whole dining experience unbearable.. he even proceeded to stand up and look at me. I never got a happy birthday..the desert was thrown on the plate so i left without even having it.by the time i walked back to the main dining area. The food was finished so i didn't get to eat. The pool staff and bar staff was really nice. I wouldn't return to this facility because its a waste of money..no food available after 9:30pm...the resort gets really dark and no transportation available..no real night entertainment

Amazing hotel, staff, food, entertainment. Everything was perfect. I would highly recommend.

I had an exceptional experience at RIU Palace Zanzibar, largely thanks to the outstanding management by Diana. From the moment I arrived, their warm greeting and attentiveness set the tone for a memorable stay. The hotel itself was immaculate, with beautifully appointed rooms and excellent amenities. In what truly set this stay apart was the exceptional service provided by the Assistant General Manager, Dijana. Her dedication to ensuring every guest had a remarkable experience was evident in every interaction. Dijana went above and beyond to accommodate my requests. Her genuine care and attention to detail made a significant impact on my overall experience. In conclusion, my stay at RIU Palace Zanzibar was outstanding in every aspect. The luxurious accommodations, exquisite dining, and superb amenities were all enhanced by the impeccable service, particularly from the Assistant General Manager Dijana, bar staff Yusuf, Rukiya, Rashid, restaurant staff Gabriel, Mohamed, entertainment Roni, ccccc Their professionalism, warmth, and dedication to excellence ensured that my stay was unforgettable. I highly recommend RIU Palace Zanzibar to anyone seeking a truly exceptional hotel experience. Edita

Such a beautiful place for rest!!!

Very nice property.

Excellent stay! Beautiful property and the friendliest staff! I hope to visit again in the future.

Jacuzzi Suite not fit for purpose.

Booked a Jacuzzi Suite. THe Jacuzzi was not usable. Discoloured water and ripped cover with wildlife coming out of it. They offered another room without a Jacuzzi and no view. Was told had to claim back on hotels. com for partial refund but now they say will not do partial refund because they gave a $10 bottle of cheap plonk. Black sunbeds. impossible to lie on without getting burnt with the small beach towels provided. Specialist restaurants are not worth going to in the Jambo next door . Because you only get the 4Star drinks that no-one as ever heard of. Entertainment in the hotel at night is on par with a holiday camp from the 70's. Good points.. Stunning beach and sunsets. Really friendly staff . JUst arrived back and because of the above cancelling booking for Riu we have later in the year.

The area leading to the property isnt great. But once you entre the resort, its a different ball game. No complaints about the beach, Staff and restaurants. These were all great. However, certain things for a 5 star resort just were not upto standard. -electrics kept going off on our side of the hotel. They kept blaming this on the electricty in zanzibar, but it seemed like a faulty electrics in the hotel. Ive asked for a partial refund for this. But not heard anything. - not enough buggies around the premises -no beach bag/in room slippers -i asked for room decorations/cake for my wifes birthday. Asked twice but nothing was done. Ive never had this issue before. Even with 4/3 stat hotels.

Incredible views, good food options and friendly staff. Some areas for improvement including (1) having better signage - it's a huge site and many people were getting lost (2) improving the buggy service - we requested buggies to collect us and despite calling in advance they were delayed/didn't turn up...

This was our first time in a Riu hotel and we loved it very much. The food, staff, room and beach were very good and we had a lovely time. Hopefully, we will be able to come back and enjoy the sun in this small part of heaven.

There was a guy name Allen that helped us and he was soooo professional!! He helped make our stay enjoyable.. This is by far one of the best resorts i've ever stayed in.. I'm not a buffet food eater however the buffet food was amazingly good.. Thank you

We had an amazing stay here. The staff were very friendly and welcoming. We got our room upgraded and it was beautiful. We were also celebrating a birthday while there, and the staff went above and beyond. The beach the gorgeous. Food was amazing everywhere. I would recommend the property to everyone!

nothing

Beautiful modern room set In beautiful manicured gardens. Staff are so friendly and warm, Zanzibar is a lovely island with plenty of sites to visit

Everything is top tier, the staff made the whole experience AMAZING!!!! Rachel, Rashid, Abdul. Jk,Pepo, Remi,Meshack,Mussa,Martha, Anna,Samson,John,Brenda,Amina,Frank,Nestory.,.on and on and on…..thank you from the bottom of my heart-Sukari

Highly recommend this property!

Nice hotel in beautiful beach

Beautiful hotel in a wonderful location. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful. Food and drinks were average; definitely not 5 stars. The hotel is designed to stay inside the premises as there is nowhere to go nearby.

Lovely beach, the best

Very nice property. However, if you are planning for evening activities like dancing , I would recommend you go to RUI Jambo next door. There are very lively and entertaining.

Lovely

Room smelled of smoke

It was excellent

All staff including catering, reception, security, gardening team, cleaners etc always greeted you and had big smiles. The hotel was lovely however we did have some issues with our room. The door pass failed twice and needed the batteries replaced and the power kept going out all the time which was inconvenient. Overall experience 8/10

We loved the cleanliness and safety! I wish it wasn’t as much on a hill but it was a great time.

Amazing stay and all around services

It was great place

There are 4 specialty restaurants on the property. We were not told by anyone or on the website that in order to secure a restaurant reservation one has to do it well head of your stay. We arrived and were told by the front desk about the various options to the buffet style "main" dining room. We called each shortly after arrival, and nothing was available during our 3 night stay. Rather disappointing. The buffet had many choices and the quality acceptable, but it would have been nice to have gone to a steak or fish house with a menu. Otherwise, the various bars and help available at the beach was good. Property clean and well appointed and the staff was very friendly.

Great had. Everything was impeccable, just like it’s always been with all Riu’s that we stayed at. We’ll come back for sure!

We enjoyed this resort so much!!! Food was 10/10. Cleanliness was 10/10 and the people were super friendly 10/10.. the only complaint would be that night time after the performance was boring. We would like to thank Rashid 😊 we absolutely loved him! He was definitely the life of the party. We would also like to thank Meshack super friendly and made great drinks!! Thank you Riu Palace !!!

Amazing resort with great staff

I recently spent five nights in the beautiful Riu Palace Zanzibar all-inclusive hotel, and it was an unforgettable experience. From the moment I arrived, I was greeted with warm hospitality and made to feel at home in this luxurious oasis. The first thing that struck me was the stunning location on the white sand beach with crystal clear waters. Every amenity is truly amazing, from the beautifully designed infinity pool to all of the water sports offered, including kayaking and snorkelling, it was all sensational. The room I stayed in was stylish, elegant and beautifully furnished with everything I could need. The attention to detail was exceptional, with high-quality bedding and decor. The room was impeccably clean and comfortable, a good place to rest for the night. The food was fantastic and of excellent quality, with an incredible variety of international dishes and local specialties. There are three restaurants and five bars, making it easy to sample different cuisines in one location. What sets Riu Palace Zanzibar apart is the level of service and attention to detail that the staff provides. Everyone, from the front desk, room service, wait staff, bartenders, and housekeeping, was always friendly, accommodating, and willing to go above and beyond. Overall, staying at Riu Palace Zanzibar all-inclusive hotel was a luxurious and delightful experience that I highly recommend. I can't wait to visit again and experience it all over again.

Service is top , amazing beach , food excellent, entertainment, staff super friendly

Big Resort

The Riu Palace is perfect if you like big, all exclusive resorts where you have to wear a plastic wristband at all times. Our suite was spacious but not beach front actually, it was on the third level several hundred metres from the ocean and unfortunately much closer to the disco at the neighboring hotel. The hotel caters for the all you can eat and all you can drink clientele. Beautiful gardens and charming staff were the best features.

Beautiful ground on a clear water beach with excellent staff and restaurants. Love it is a only adults all inclusive resort.

Very good

I almost want to say bad things to keep this paradise a secret. But I cant. I would say firstly the staff are sensational. Sakina on entrance to the buffet made us feel welcomed and wanted,even though i was eating thousands of Mandazi. Also, Nasra stole our hearts at dinner time, she along with essentially every member of staff made us feel at home. The staff are what make Riu Palace Zanzibar a really special place. The hotel is amazing. The rooms perfect and large. The site,although big,feels intimate and private. The food was perfect. The pool and beach was unreal. We have never stayed at an all inclusive, but this was a real treat. We absolutely will be returning. If you're unsure...go. you will not regret it.

We had a great time at the Riu Palace Zanzibar. Our first night was a little hot but Kasun fixed all of our issues and then some. The food was good, the room was comfortable and the service was excellent. What more can you ask for.

Amazing food! Location

Beautiful gardens. Accommodations were great. Big villas,but far from the beach area. There are golf carts available.

A fantastic time!

It was a fantastic day, everything we had hoped for. Thank you

After multiple complaints to the front desk our AC was not fixed for the 3 days we stayed there. It made for a terrible room experience,,

Beautiful resort! The staff were friendly and very attentive at all times. Our Junior Suite with hot tub was fantastic. 3 suggestions: Should give out bottled water at the pool rather than in a cup Should not have smoking section at main restaurant right across from the opening to the buffet and food Should have bath tubs in the more expensive rooms along with a shower Overall a wonderful experience and would recommend! 😍

Low rise buildings, with high spec accomodation made for very pleasant ocean view settings, with pleasant ambience and tasteful decor.The staff were delightful, welcoming and helpful.

Superb Stay at Riu Palace Zanzibar

Truely wonderful two day stay. Excellent food...good wine....wow a super beach and friendly and welcoming people. Lovely taxi ride to and from Zanzibar's north cost. I highly recommend it. Oh that floating set of restaurants and bar providing a picturetheque sunset. Great place indeed.

World class service

If you’re looking for world class service with endless fun and facilities then look no further than Riu Palace. I am a frequent traveler around the world and by far this has been the best experience. The facilities at the hotel were brilliant, everything you wanted everything you needed was there and available. But by far the what made this hotel so amazing was the staff. They were second to none and absolutely remarkable with their attitude and helpfulness. The people of Zanzibar were so amazing and always willing to help. Across the hotel from every department they were world class. To name a few a massive thank you for making my experience so unforgettable; Mussa, Rasheed, Nana, Jamal, Masood, Oscar, Husna, Friwada, Abuu, Abdul, Ibrahim, Omar, Frank, Joyce. Guys thank you all. What a pleasure it was to be there!!

Fantastic service, amazing friendly staff, wonderful food

A true 5 star experience

As a repeat guest I am treated in an extremely welcoming manner making this a dream destination for me

Service and beach activities

Very nice hotel to stay and enjoy.

Unforgettable couple stay in paradise

Incredible time in Zanzibar with my wife at Riu Palace! the spot of this hotel and the restaurants' location in the sea is just mind-blowing! The only recommendation at least for the Junior Suites is that the mattress and pillows could be more comfortable as these were on the hard side, apart from that, I would recommend this all-inclusive 100% for couples!

Hotel is wonderful food and staff is wonderful all inclusive Is not an option it must Becuase there is no food in neighborhood

Riu exceeded my expectations in all aspects. Everything was great-from check in to check out. Safety is their number one priority- guests safety. There are security guards on duty 24/7- main entrance, beach access where locals can easily get an access to Riu property if not monitored. I liked the system when you sign up for a tour and your tourist guide picks you up at the lobby, the security guard gathers the info of your tour (the tour, vehicle plate number, driver’s name/tourist guide name) and that is very crucial. As for the hotel amenities, everything was great- infinity pool, sunset in front of the lobby and pool, food varieties, entertainment, hotel services, and the staff. The staff makes Riu a five star, everyone has a smile on their face, everyone greets you Jambo, everyone offers help, everyone checks in on you, and everyone is friendly. The restaurant manager Randy is awesome. He always makes sure that guests are satisfied and well taken care of. He goes around to check in on his guests. The bartenders, servers esp at promenade, housekeepers especially Rose, lobby staff, Lucy from Ia restaurant, the guards at the beach day and night, and every worker at Riu gained my respect because all of them are exceptionally good. Ty Riu! Will definitely go back. It is worth it. Hakuna Matata😍

Almost real 5*

Food very very good 5*, room beautifull 5*, bed sorry too hard 3*, airco too noisy at night 3*, ressort very good maintained 5*, service great 5*, beach was too small (almost no beach) and difficult too reach you need to walk through ocean to get there. Clean 5*

Staff are all very welcoming and friendly, going out of their way to help. The restaurants are lovely, along with the buffet serving a wide range of options. Enjoyed using the included water sports, as well as making use of each of the pools. Asante for a fabulous holiday!

Perfect place for a vacation!!

We had spent amazing 5 days there , the staff are friendly , everything was perfect except insects and lizards which is normal in zanzibar

One of the best hotels in Zanzibar,with beautiful beach, friendly personnel, great catering and fantastic views and sea. Loved every day of my stay.

Nice hotel, horrible clientele

This hotel was the nicest out of 4 we stayed at in Zanzibar. Beautiful beach, water was amazing and room super nice too. However.. unless you’re a family who enjoys evening shows, line dancing, Thompson tour style holidays and thousands of kids around, maybe go somewhere else. The pool was impossible to use for kids, the buffet was ridiculously loud from screaming kids. We had booked this hotel as it had several restaurants but they proved impossible to book, even 3 days in advance, which we found just ridiculous. Wouldn’t stay again.

I really had a wonderful time at the property and will be sure to be back. The staff were the highlight of my experience - welcoming, helpful and kind. They really make it easy to ask questions and for assistance. The room we had was great as well. There were so many water activities to choose from and the spa was great as well.

The hotel itself was perfect. Super place, staff and amenities. The only problem was astronomical taxi fares from around the hotel. We were charges 20USD to go to an ATM 2 minutes away and 33USD to the airport 1hr 30 away. Aside from that, PERFECT, PERFECT, PERFECT.

Find somewhere else to stay

It takes a lot for me to write a bad review, but this place inspires me. First we were told we didnt have a reservation (but were on the security list at the gate), and then were put in a room with 2 twin beds because ‘it is all we have left.’ We asked to be moved as soon as a room with a queen became available and received repeated calls starting at 9am asking us to leave our room early to ‘help them out’ while we had to wait until 3pm for a new room. We picked this resort bc it has multiple restaurants - but every one was fully booked when we arrived. We paid close to $500/night to eat in a slightly upgraded cafeteria. The pools were overtaken by little kids. We were told there was no room service but when we fell sick (not the RIU’s fault) i couldn’t bring rolls and butter from the buffet back to my boyfriend because I should have called room service. When we checked out, the desk clerk asked how our stay was. “Not so great,” I said. “Thank you, glad to hear it.” she replied. This is basically how the communication felt with any manager we encountered.

A very special establishment

My third trip to this lovely resort and nothing disappointed me. I massively appreciate the level of service provided in the Riu Palace - everyone is made to feel very welcome. There are too many individuals to list who were instrumental in making my stay special bot Gosh and Dijana deserve special mention

Nice resort Nice beach Good rooms Great staff

Fantastic!!

I had an amazing birthday stay for 10 days. The pools were great in each section of the resort. The beach was relaxing except when there was high tide. Alot of sea weed washed up. The staff was really nice and attentive. The food in each restaurant was fabulous. I'd definitely return!!!

Good All inclusive Hotel

Everything was excellent!

I was extremely happy with the Riu! The room was clean and looked new. The property was absolutely beautiful!! Everyone was pleasant and willing to help. The buffet had good food with plenty of selection. The bar even carried Angostura (a personal favorite that is not usually in an all inclusive)

Never again, did not enjoy the stay, was there for little over 3 hrs only after check in, even when xhecked out early none seems to be bothered or cared cor the early check out... go somewhere where you feel appreciated