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Lemala Safaris: honey badger crossing golden hills
The beach in front of the Zanzibar Serena Inn, with an outrigger boat pulled up on the sand beneath palms

Ridge collection · Zanzibar

Zanzibar Serena

A Serena hotel on Zanzibar Island with beach days after the bush

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Collection
Ridge · Mid-range to upper mid-range
Destination
Zanzibar
Area
Zanzibar Island
Style
Beachfront resort hotel
Best months
Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Dec, Jan

About Zanzibar Serena

Zanzibar Serena is a Serena property on Zanzibar Island, and it works as the natural exhale after a safari, a place to unwind. Bush mornings give way to warm sea air, and the schedule opens up into days with no particular plan beyond the beach and the pool.

The hotel offers a swimming pool, beachfront access and a full-service restaurant, which covers the essentials of a relaxed coastal stay. Photography is still pending, so we describe it in broad terms and ask you to check with us for the latest on rooms and grounds.

The island has plenty to fill a few days if you want it to, from spice plantations to coral reefs and a UNESCO-listed old town, but it also rewards doing very little. Lemala can help you decide how much of each to include in your stay.

  • A Serena hotel on the island of Zanzibar
  • Beachfront location for easy sea swims and walks
  • Swimming pool for long, lazy afternoons after safari
  • Full-service restaurant at the hotel for every meal
  • Easy base for spice tours and snorkelling
  • Relaxed ending to a northern Tanzania safari

Setting

Zanzibar is an island of white sand, warm Indian Ocean water and coral reefs, and the hotel sits on its shore. Expect sea views, palm-lined grounds and the unhurried pace of the coast. From here, outings to Stone Town, spice plantations and snorkelling sites can usually be arranged, so you can choose between adventure and rest.

Rooms and tents

As photography is still pending, we will not guess at room design. A Serena hotel typically offers comfortable, well-appointed rooms with a coastal feel, and a beachfront property usually includes options with sea or garden outlooks. Ask us to confirm the room categories available, bed configurations and any family arrangements, and we will find the best fit for your party.

Dining

The hotel has a full-service restaurant, so breakfast, lunch and dinner can be taken on site. Zanzibar's cooking draws on Swahili, Indian and Arab influences, and guests often enjoy seafood and spice-led dishes while on the island. Tell us about any dietary needs before you arrive, and ask us about dining out options elsewhere on the island.

Things to do from here

  • Swimming and sunbathing on the beach
  • Snorkelling or diving over coral reefs
  • Stone Town walking tour, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
  • Spice plantation walk among cloves and nutmeg
  • Dolphin or turtle excursions, subject to conditions

When to stay

Zanzibar is usually most pleasant from June to September, when the weather is drier and cooler, and again in December and January, when it is warm and sunny. The long rains typically fall from March to May, bringing heavy showers and a quieter island, while the short rains in November are usually lighter. Humpback whales may be seen offshore in season.

Good to know

  • Photography is pending, so ask us for the latest details on rooms, grounds and facilities.
  • Sea conditions and tides vary along Zanzibar's coast, so ask us whether swimming is possible at your dates.
  • Ask us to confirm child policies and family room options if you are travelling with younger guests.
  • Flights and transfers to and from the island are arranged by Lemala as part of your itinerary.

Gallery

Inside Zanzibar Serena

These photographs show the views from the lodge on the Stone Town seafront. We are gathering photographs of the rooms.

Photos by Harvey Barrison from Massapequa, NY, USA, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

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