Top Hotels in Mafia Island
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The 10 best hotels in Mafia Island, Tanzania
Discover the best hotels in Mafia Island, Pwani Region including Meremeta Lodge, Ibizza Inn, Mgeni Homestay, Chole Foxes Lodge, Juani Beach Bungalows, Mafia Island Lodge, Mafia Beach Bungalows, Butiama Beach Lodge, Kinasi Lodge, Big Blu Mafia Island Diving Resort.
Things to do in Mafia Island
1. Meremeta Lodge
Overall Ratings
5 based on 175 reviews
A great short break
Reviewed By kausereA privately owned property. Lodges were very clean and comfortable. The owner known as Mr Meremeta was very nice and extremely helpful who sorted our everything from pick up to excursions and drop off for us,a party of 6. Food was freshly cooked and very nice. The dining/ sitting area was very airy and gardens were well maintained. Snorkelling was amazing with a huge variety of fish and beautiful corals.
2. Ibizza Inn
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 33 reviews
Ibizza Inn is the perfect place for any traveller who wants comfort but at an affordable price. Because we are based in Killindoni, you will not have to pay the daily marine park fees. All our en-suite rooms come with air conditioning, a large bed and mosquito net. We have a lively treetop bar where you can spot all sorts of wildlife including bushbabies, bats, monitor lizards and even monkeys. Based in the centre of town Ibizza Inn is less than 10 minutes walk from the market, the airport, the jetty and the beach. Mafia Island has everything you need for a fun and relaxing holiday on a hot, tropical Island. Although many people come here to swim with our resident whale sharks, the island has a lot more on offer including snorkelling, diving, pristine beaches and even hippos!
Best budget rooms on the island.
Reviewed By Alice SWe booked this inn via booking.com. One of the few budget hotels with aircon on Mafia island. The room was decent. Enough space for the two of us. One small desk with one chair. Thr aircon worked most often but at times when the electricity was ubstable the aircon did not work. The bed was comfy. The hot water shower worked like a charm. The bathroom toilet ring was broken in 3 places which made it quite uncomfortable to sit on. The breakfast includes egg, two pancakes and some fruits served with tea or coffee. The restaurant and the outdoors area has a view over some palm trees and could have been really nice if not for all the trash lying around on the hill. Also tons of small insects that bite you during dusk, evening and dawn. The restaurant was okey. More pricey than right outside the hotel. Tastes alright. They usually show football and play music quite loud and it seems to be a hangout for locals some evenings. We went away to another part of the island for one night and asked them to hold a room for us when we arrived the day after, but unfortunately there had been some kind of mixup so when we arrived the evening after quite late, there were no room available for us, causing us to have to pay double price for a worse room since most accomodation was sold out. We checked in again the day after at Ibizza inn but unfortunately there was a citywide electricity breakdown but it started working again late evening. They were very helpful with assisting us in booking the covid test and one of the girls from the reception went with us to make sure everything went smoothly! The english level of the receptionists varies alot and it makes planning very difficult sometimes. The manager was very helpful. All in all, we had a good stay and would recommend it with the little observation for that the electricity might be a bit uneven this includes the wifi which is not always working, and when it's working is not the fastest. But it is the best budget accomodation on the island.
3. Mgeni Homestay
Overall Ratings
5 based on 2 reviews
Great Budget Room
Reviewed By Jason PAfter the most adventurous trip getting to Mafia Island via the ferry, which I do not recommend, we stayed here. It is basic but clean and friendly with very reasonable prices for food, which are generous. Big plus is you dont have to pay the stupid Marine Park tax of $24 US pppd which is expected in most places wether you go in the water or not.
4. Chole Foxes Lodge
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 41 reviews
Welcome to Chole Foxes Lodge. Situated on the beautiful island of Chole, this is the only place in the Mafia Island Marine Park where you can enjoy a relaxing holiday at a reasonable price. All our rooms are self contained, with twin beds,showers and toilet. Situated on an unmodified beach, nestled amongst the mangroves, this is a fabulous place to relax and watch the sun set over neighbouring Mafia Island.
SUPER!
Reviewed By MarianneAndersenDKThank you Chole Foxes Lodge Team for a wonderful stay with you! We came for one night, but ended up staying three nights because it was so great - the company, the tasty food, the silence, the sunset, the charming nature with fireflies and hummingbirds and the view. We will surely get back! See you, Moses, Mossa, Ali and the rest of you!
5. Juani Beach Bungalows
Overall Ratings
4 based on 16 reviews
Very basic! You pay for location on the beach, not comfort.
Reviewed By Alice SI wish I could give this place a better review but I cannot. I really like the guys we talked to and there is no question about their helpfulness or kindness. We ate dinner here one of our first nights on the island. It was good but too small fish portions for the price we payed. Then there was a confusion with our hotel and we lacked a place to stay and all the budget options on the island outside the marine park was booked. After many ifs and buts it turned out that one of juanis guests cancelled so we could get their room. Arriving with no choice really we got their last room. They said the price were 60 usd / night but we got a 'special price' 50 usd. The next day I saw that booking.com had 50 usd as normal price for the same kind of room. The bathroom stank awfully. I haven't smelled such a smell before, so I don't know if it was sewage or mold, but it was deeply unpleasant. The bed was rock hard and very difficult to sleep on. The fan hardly worked and didn't really help with the heat. The breakfast was ok. The same as everywhere else. Fruit, pancakes and eggs with tea or coffee. Also we had left our divelogs in Utende for our dive company to sign and stamp and they were to leave them at the hotel at 08.30 the day after (that turned out to be full even though we had booked) so we arranged with juani's to have a driver pick them up and get them for us. We asked all morning and the information was, no dive logs. After 2 hours and 5000 tanzanian shilling later, we walked to the hotel ourselves and found that they were there and had been since 08.30. I don't know what we payed the 5000 shilling for. We ended up going back to the hotel, that had made a mistake, the day after, getting a much better room, without unpleasant smells, for halfthe price compared to juani, with aircon but not on the beach. For us, bad value for money and a room that we slept horribly in due to odour, a rock hard bed and a barely working fan. If you book here 99% of the price is for the beach location and not any comfort.
6. Mafia Island Lodge
Overall Ratings
4 based on 310 reviews
The Mafia Island Lodge stands amidst tall palms on a sandy beach in Chole Bay, in the heart of the marine park near Utende village on South coast of Mafia. 14 superior rooms, 18 standard rooms and 2 family rooms are set among the coconut palms with their own veranda overlooking the bay. They are all self-contained with air conditioning. Twin and double beds are available. Among the 34 rooms there are 2 family suites, which are made out of 2 comfortable connecting rooms with one sharing bathroom, each one with its own veranda overlooking garden and sea. They may comfortably accommodate a max of 5 guests. All our rooms have garden and sea view. Hot and cold water is available 24 hours a day. The main lodge has a relaxing atmosphere with a large open restaurant, bar and lounge area. Board games, table tennis and volleyball are also available. Other facilities include a gift shop, laundry service, excursions, snorkelling, sailing and scuba diving. The cuisine is continental with an emphasis on seafood. Snacks, sandwiches and bitings are also available. Located on our beautiful beach - the only one in Chole Bay unaffected by tide - our Beach Bar offers light lunches and early afternoon fare such as salads, sandwiches and freshly caught fish, complemented by a fully-stocked bar.
Wonderful place with outstanding service
Reviewed By Tomasz MWe spent a fantastic 11 days here. Each day was amazing. Located at the beach with beautiful garden and just a few meters from diving center. Incredible Staff and kitchen. I can only say that Mafia Island Lodge Team with Iris is a symbol of kindness and helpfulness.
7. Mafia Beach Bungalows
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 75 reviews
Mafia Beach Bungalows is a low cost budget accommodation situated in Chole Bay in the Marine Park.We offer Diving,snorkeling,Game fishing,swimming with whale sharks and local tours.We can provide a complete diving holiday package including all your scuba diving and snorkeling needs. Local sites are suitable for all levels of experience from beginner to advanced; you can dive inside the Bay as well as outside. Soft and hard corals, sponges and anemones abound can be seen on the untouched reef, and whether you are a total novice, snorkeler or keen diver, you will be amazed.....Mafia Waters offer some of the best deep sea fishing and holder of many world records.General informationThe Mafia archipelago consists of one large island (394 km²) and several smaller ones. Some of these are inhabited, such as Chole Island (2 km²), with a population of 800. Chole Bay, Mafia's protected deep-water anchorage and original harbor, is studded with islands, sandbanks and beaches. The main town is Kilindoni. The stretch of water between the deltas of the Rufiji River and the island is called Mafia Channel..
Lovely location and well maintaned.
Reviewed By Alice SLovely lovely lovely location right at the beach with cosy little bungalows along the hill. Only a fan in the room but it worked just fine. The beds were comfortable and the mosquitonet was whole. Nice private balconies and the facilities felt fresh. We ate at the restaurant and it was good even though my fish was too small for the price payed. The Sahidi was very friendly and helpful with everything. Breakfast was good and the same as everywhere in tanzania, pancakes, fruit, toast and eggs served with tea or coffee. What made it great is the location and that it feels well taken care of. What makes it difficult to stay longer is the Marine Park Fee which adds another 23 usd / person / night.
8. Butiama Beach Lodge
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 333 reviews
Come and experience true relaxation with us at Butiama Beach. Our unspoiled location in a tropical palm grove on the beach has everything you need to unwind, let go, and be yourself. Watch the whale sharks come to feed as the morning sun glints on the turquoise surface of the Indian Ocean. Sail to a pristine sandbank in a traditional dhow, snorkel and dive at some of the richest reefs in the world.
Great place to chill out
Reviewed By jmvetsWe spent a week at Butiama after a ten day safari. We are not swimming or diving enthusiasts but just enjoyed the atmosphere surrounding Butiama. The Manager, William, was excellent and this appeared to rub off on the staff who were friendly and efficient. The accommodation and food were excellent. We enjoyed beach walks and watching the daily rhythm of the nearby fishing village.
9. Kinasi Lodge
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 217 reviews
Kinasi Lodge is a boutique hotel on Mafia Island, approximately 100 km south of Dar es Salaam. A short ride across the island from the airport and the main town of Kilindoni, the lodge overlooks Chole Bay in Mafia Island Marine Park. This intimate and lovely resort, situated in an old cashew and coconut plantation, provides a luxury stay amidst stylish décor and magnificent natural surroundings of the protected marine park. The swimming pool is surrounded by verdant gardens with sunbeds and alfresco lunchtime seating on the pool terrace. To add refinement there is a wine cellar with a signature wine list and an outdoor pergola cocktail bar, a spa with expert Thai personnel providing aromatherapy, Thai massage and hydrotherapy and a host of leisure time options for those after-work periods. Everything about this elegant hotel - from design and furnishing to our food & beverage and staff service - is done with a passion for perfection.
Prison in Paradise
Reviewed By lolahO414KWIt has taken me a while to consider how to put into words our feelings about our stay here. The Staff are incredible, each and every one of them. I cannot praise them enough. Especially as they are terrified of the owner Peter who publicly disrespects them and constantly shout at them for anything they do, even be it something to please a guest that contradicts his reigime. He also is very happy to be just as rude and disrespectful to the the hotel guests which we all experienced and so did the other guests. On an island as small and beautiful as Mafia it's heartbreaking to come across characters that have no care or interest in supporting the local people. I can only emphasise this as he called the police to complain about the music in the village which is part of their own culture and whilst we were checking out in the office was happily forming a spread sheet of his competitors and enemies on the island whilst saying he cares not about reputation just about cash. We felt and were very honest with the lodge that we wanted to go local before checking in, it was important to our values and experience on the island. We already had friends there and wanted to share our time with them without the restrictions of the hotel, we were not informed that we would be locked in every night. This along with the no flexibility in timings made us feel very oppressed, not a feeling you want when you are on holiday. If you miss a meal you pay for it no matter what. When the owner found out we had been going else where on the island to enjoy our actives (as is our right to choose) he instructed the staff to find out where we had been going and essentially spy on us! (may I add he was not discrete at all about instruction as he told them behind our backs as we ate lunch, having just upset another guest by snapping at her) There is nothing wrong with us wishing to go local, we do not wish to be spied on by the owner of the hotel when we are paying a lot of money to stay at! If you wish to know our whereabouts ask us politely, although it is our right to PRIVACY and with respect as paying guests and not as a bank note. I cannot emphasis enough how INCREDIBLE the STAFF are, especially having to tolerate this tyrant constantly. The food and service was great, BUT when we asked to see the chef to share our gratitude he was not aloud to come out!! and the staff were too scared to even ask! Im surprised that someone has even commented on him being helpful with covid requirements, in my personal experience he spoke to me like a bratty school kid and told me to go and do my own research. You can sense the atmosphere in the place, although beautiful and tranquil none of the guests hang around at the bar or engage with each other. We had friends arriving at the island as we left, we would have loved to have had good words to say about Kinasi Lodge and suggest that they also stayed there but we had to warn them away. The island seems to have suffered with his presence, and somewhere so small and beautiful, especially with marine park fees you would really expect an owner to care about his customers and his staff's wellbeing. That supporting local community and its economy is an important cultural experience/knowledge for many guests that is an ASSET, NOT to be shamed, shouted at or spied upon. When we return to Mafia, we will avoid it at all costs and his other property in Zanzibar. We advise any other travellers who value the same things as us to also be incredibly wary of choosing to support and stay here. You might be lucky and stay whilst the owners are away, but if like us he is there. Welcome to Prison in Paradise.
10. Big Blu Mafia Island Diving Resort
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 38 reviews
Butiama Marine Camp is located at Big Blu Mafia Island Dive Centre and is on Utende Beach inside the Mafia Island Marine Park. With a prime beachfront location, we offer guests different accommodations to suit different budgets, a restaurant and bar overlooking the sea and a variety of excursions on land and sea. Our fully equipped diving centre offers the full range of PADI courses from beginner to the first professional levels, as well as snorkelling trips, island tours, sandbank picnics as well as many more. Guides and Instructors speak English, Italian, Spanish and Swahili. Karibuni sana :-)
Go for the welcome coconut
Reviewed By PCPepperWhat great service here at Big Blu, every one of the staff is lovely. Baker and Suleiman at the bar are so kind and one night set up a table with flowers and candles right on the beach for me and some other guests I met which was quite special, hearing the waves and the wind under the stars. M and Ashraf literally held my hand throughout the dives. I'm a certified diver but I go so infrequently I feel rusty every time so they really helped me feel comfortable and showed us some really great ocean life in the beautiful reefs. I had some concerns after reading a review here that a girl paid more than she was told,I can tell you they have the prices clearly written out. The only surprises I'd say regarding price were probably my fault for not reading fine print, but there's a daily fee (about $30 USD a day) you have to pay before you even get there to enter the marine park. Also diving equipment is not included in the package. The one complaint I would have (and two separate guests had the same complaint) is that the linens while clean should probably be retired as they had discolouration on a lot of it and very stained mosquito nets. I found that disturbing but on the while rooms were beautiful and clean and thank goodness had air conditioning. I loved my stay and wanted to steal the one dog. Highly recommended as a place to put your feet up and relax
