Nungwi Dreams by Mantis

Building site- building work is happening 9-5pm we were not advised, hammering and drilling all day and you can hear it all around the resort and pool area!!! We are trying to move hotels. When we complained to the member of staff that shown us to our room he was very dismissive! So disappointed

Beautiful hotel.Very lovely and friendly staff.The rooms,sorrounding was clean.The beach was not that nice for swimming[ROCKY BEACH]The food was very delicious.For good service i highly recommend it.You can still walk on the beach when the tide is low.

There is almost nothing bad to note of the stay. The people working there were welcoming and kind, with great service. The room was splendid, and the food great. The only thing to note was how we had bad internet connection in our room, but which worked better in other areas of the resort. The drinks containing alcohol were also too strong, only tasting of alcohol. But that was no problem as we drank sodas and mocktails instead.

To put this review in context, we are a retired couple who have travelled extensively and are pretty fit for our ages. Enjoy sunny climes, long walks and decent food. We stayed in Zanzibar for a month in 4 different hotels - in Stone Town, Nungwi, Kiwengwa and Pwani Mchangani. If this is your first visit and you are arriving at Kisauni airport, I strongly advise you to stay in Stone Town in the south at the front (or back end) of your trip for a couple of days. In the case of the former, should you have gone North as soon as you arrive, it does not make sense to do a Stone Town trip south from your hotel, taking 3 hours (minimal travel time to go South and back) out of your day. This is not a comparative review of the places in which we stayed. It is a review based on what we found at each specific location. Dreams, 56 kms from the airport and located in Nungwi in the north of the island. If the definition of a boutique hotel is compact, quiet and small, then Dreams certainly fits the bill. You can walk from A to B in any direction in about 4 minutes and it feels a bit cramped. Despite the presence of management throughout the day (good job, Mark) Dreams is not a 5-star resort (sorry, Mark). The following seeks to confirm this view. Accommodation: we had a beach front room with good views to a picturesque reef and access to the (small) beach. Although of good size, it was pretty bare by 5-star standards. Everything seemed a little dated with not much storage space. The bed and the pillows, however, were comfortable and the room was thoroughly cleaned every day. Beach: there was a small beach but it was difficult to go for a walk to beaches that could be seen both left and right as it was rocky, with an abundance of sea urchins. Swimming was difficult. Gardens: the garden areas were well-maintained. Pools: there are 2 infinity pools, one quieter than the other. Whilst piped music can be heard throughout the day, it is relaxing and low-key music and does not make you feel that you are at a rapper’s party. There were ample recliners and umbrellas during our visit. Gym: for a couple who use a gym to walk and do weights, this was a sorry affair and a bit disappointing. Couple of walking machines and some weights in a relatively small area that could do with a bit of TLC. Whilst use of the gym would be dependent on client requirements, you came away with the opinion that it was probably not used very much (our visit was late January/early February). Spa: not used. Other facilities: pool bar. Entertainment: on alternate nights at the pool bar area. This was, surprisingly, pretty good – dancers, acrobats and singers. Food: Breakfast was fine and served in the main restaurant. Dinner was served either in the main restaurant (a la carte) or, on the alternate days, in the pool bar area as a buffet (with the entertainment). Decent variety offered – perhaps a few more options would be good. However, the seafood buffet was not what I would call lavish and bountiful – more scanty and meager! The steak in the main restaurant was excellent. Wine was OK. WiFi : intermittent probably the best description. TV reception: all we wanted from the TV was occasional watching of the news but the reception was terrible. Having said all that, the real hilite is the staff. Very friendly without getting in your face. Polite and courteous with a focus on excellent customer service.

Good