Matemwe Retreat

a lovely option for honeymooners

Matemwe Retreat is located in the Matemwe area of Zanzibar Island.

This property is owned and operated by Attitude Hotels, a company which owns a large portfolio of properties in Mauritius.

The lodge is in an absolutely stunning position on a very large plot, with almost 200 metres of ocean, above the incredible turquoise lagoon at the northern end of a 17 km long white-sand beach. It looks directly out over Mnemba Atoll, location for the best diving and snorkelling in Zanzibar.

Immediately to the south is Matemwe Lodge, one of the oldest and best properties on the island, to which this is an even more upmarket annex. To the north of the property, there is a large private villa, which is also very quiet. It is very unusual to have this level of insulation and exclusivity on the island these days.

Approaching from the small dirt road that leads up through the village, we pass through the entrance gates and descend down to the simple reception building.

Rooms

Matemwe Retreat consists of just four independent suites, widely spaced amongst natural vegetation.

Each suite features a gorgeous lower terrace with lounge and dining areas, plus a small bar made out of half a ngalawa canoe. On the ground floor there is a romantic master bedroom with a large bed and a built-in corner sofa which can be converted into a child bed. Beyond is an extensive bathroom.

Saving the best for last, a small flight of spiral stairs leads up to a sundeck with a lovely lounge area and a private plunge pool. The views of the lagoon from here are incredible.

Below the suites there is a small cove which contains a modest but virtually private white-sand beach from where it is possible to swim at high tide.

Each suite comes with a private butler and meals are usually served to you.

As well as enjoying the complete privacy of one of these suites, guests are also welcome to use the facilities down at the adjacent lodge, the restaurant, bar, pools, spa and watersports centre.

Activities

Matemwe Retreat provides access to the following activities, not all of which are necessarily included in the usual room rate …

• Snorkelling
• Diving
• Kite-surfing
• Sailing
• Kayaking
• Reef-walking
• Village walks
• Cultural interaction
• Island tours
• Spa treatments

Of all the diverse beach locations that can be added to a safari in East Africa, Zanzibar is by far the most popular and therefore tends to feature in a high proportion of trips.
The usual stay duration is 3-7 nights.

Seasonality

The climate on Zanzibar Island is tropical, with predominantly hot, humid and sunny conditions.

There is rain on most days of the year, usually taking the form of light showers. During the Nov-Dec and Mar-May rainy seasons these can turn into heavy and persistent downpours.

There can also be very strong winds during the May-Jun early dry season period.

The best times down on the coast are therefore considered to be Jul-Oct and Jan-Mar, when there is usually slightly less rain and wind.

Unfortunately these best periods happen to coincide with the two peak seasons for visitor traffic

Getting around

The majority of visitors to Zanzibar Island arrive via the international airport just southeast of Stone Town.

People including Zanzibar at the front end of their trip may arrive into Dar es Salaam over on the mainland, from where it is a short hop by light aircraft to the island.

Once on the island it is usual to travel around by guided overland transfers. Self-drive is most definitely not recommended.

by far the most popular beach location in East Africa