Diamonds Mapenzi Beach
Our verdict
Diamonds Mapenzi is the all-inclusive we suggest most often for a Zanzibar honeymoon. It's a resort of about 100 rooms and bungalows in 13 hectares of gardens on Kiwengwa beach, on the north-east coast, about 45 minutes from the airport. The all-inclusive is clear and published, from the buffet and beach pizza to cocktails and selected spirits until midnight, and a minibar refilled daily. For a splurge there are six seafront villas and suites with their own pools, where breakfast can be served floating in your pool. We've arranged more than 100 holidays here since 2007, and about 1 in 4 were honeymoons. The trade-offs: the standard rooms are small (18 to 25 m²), there's no kids club, à la carte dinner costs extra, and on this coast the sea goes out a long way at low tide. For a bigger room and a golf course, Sea Cliff. For a five-star all-inclusive in the north, where the tide matters least, Riu Palace Zanzibar in Nungwi.
Best for
- honeymoons: about 1 in 4 of our Diamonds Mapenzi holidays were honeymoons, and the hotel adds honeymoon extras
- a clear all-inclusive, with cocktails and selected spirits at the pool bar until midnight
- a private pool on the beach: 4 seafront villas and 2 suites have their own
- a smaller resort (about 100 rooms) with space: 13 hectares of gardens
- divers: a PADI dive centre on site
At a glance
| Location | Kiwengwa beach, north-east coast |
|---|---|
| Airport transfer | About 45 minutes by road |
| Managed by | Diamonds (Planhotel Hospitality Group); sold as "ananea Diamonds Mapenzi Beach" |
| Rooms | 105: Garden, Superior and Family rooms, Beach Villas and Sea Front Beach Villas, and 6 with a private pool |
| Meal plan | All-inclusive (a Premium All Inclusive is sold only on the hotel's own site) |
| Restaurants | The Palms (buffet), ONDA (beach restaurant), Blue Rhino café; private dinners on the sand at Suli Suli |
| Bars | Hibiscus Pool Bar, Onda Beach Bar |
| Pools | Three: the main pool, an infinity pool and a children's pool |
| Spa | Zuri Rituals Spa, on the beach (paid) |
| Also on site | PADI dive centre, non-motorised water sports, tennis, 24-hour gym, doctor on call |
Which room to book
- Couples on a budget: a Superior Room (23 m², 33 of them), on the ground floor with a garden view. A Garden Room (18 m², 36 of them, ground or first floor) is smaller.
- Honeymoons: a Sea Front Beach Villa (25 m², 17 of them), in the first row on the beach with a sea view. A Beach Villa (22 m², 7 of them) is on the beach with a partial sea view.
- The splurge: a Sea Front Beach Villa with private pool (25 m², 4) or a Sea Front Suite with private pool (32 m², 2, with a separate living area). Both come with an espresso machine, and breakfast can be served floating in your pool.
- Families: a Superior Family Room (25 m², 6 of them) has a large bedroom and a separate sleeping area for the children. With only six, book early.
Children
- No kids club. The hotel doesn't list one.
- What there is: a children's pool, six family rooms, cots and high chairs, and a babysitter on request.
- Our view: Diamonds Mapenzi suits couples best: about 7 in 10 of our bookings here were couples and about 1 in 8 families. With children aged 4 to 12, choose Riu Jambo (RIU Land) or The Mora (kids club from 3).
Meal plans
Diamonds Mapenzi is sold all-inclusive, and the hotel publishes what that covers:
- Meals: buffet breakfast (07:30 to 10:00), lunch (13:00 to 15:00) and dinner (19:30 to 22:00) at The Palms, with live cooking and themed nights; a set lunch at ONDA on the beach (book ahead) and pizza there from 12:30 to 17:00; pastries, snacks, juices and smoothies at the Blue Rhino café, 11:00 to 19:00.
- Drinks: soft drinks, juices, water, tea and coffee, local beer, house wine, cocktails and selected spirits at the Hibiscus Pool Bar (10:00 to midnight; spirits from 12:00) and the Onda Beach Bar (10:00 to 18:30), and a minibar refilled daily.
- Activities: the 24-hour gym, aqua fitness, canoes, stand-up paddleboards, tennis, beach volleyball and soccer, table tennis, darts and billiards, plus daytime activities and cultural shows in the evening.
Paid: premium-brand spirits, the à la carte dinner, seafood and special cuts at ONDA, a private dinner at Suli Suli, the spa and diving. The hotel's Premium All Inclusive covers some of these, but it's sold only on its own website.
Restaurants
- The Palms: the main restaurant, an open-air buffet under a big thatched roof, with live cooking, fresh bread and the day's catch.
- ONDA: on the beach. Set lunches and wood-fired pizza by day (included), à la carte dinner by candlelight (paid).
- Suli Suli: a private table for two on the sand, with a set menu (paid). The one to book for a proposal or an anniversary.
- Blue Rhino café: pastries, light snacks and cold-pressed juices through the day.
- Bars: the Hibiscus Pool Bar from morning coffee to midnight, and the Onda Beach Bar on the sand.
Honest downsides
- Small standard rooms: 18 m² for a Garden Room and 23 m² for a Superior, against 31 m² or more at Sea Cliff.
- No kids club.
- À la carte dinner and premium drinks cost extra. The all-inclusive covers the buffet, the beach lunch and pizza, and house drinks.
- The tide. On the north-east coast the sea goes out a long way at low tide, so you swim at high tide or in the pools. For swimming at any hour, choose the north: Riu Jambo or Riu Palace Zanzibar.
- The best package is sold elsewhere. The Premium All Inclusive is only on the hotel's own website, so we quote the standard all-inclusive.
Diamonds Mapenzi Beach holiday packages
Packages from R24,330 per person, including flights from Johannesburg (prices checked 15 Nov 2026).
R500 off your holiday when you book with us by 31 December 2026.
-
Diamonds Mapenzi Beach Resort, Zanzibar: 5 nights with flights from Johannesburg, from R24,330 pps
From R24,330 per person - 5 nights, in Zanzibar, flights included & transfers included.
-
Diamonds Mapenzi Beach, Zanzibar: 5 nights with flights from Johannesburg, from R25,321 pps
From R25,321 per person - 5 nights, in Zanzibar, flights included & transfers included.
Frequently asked questions
Is Diamonds Mapenzi Beach good for a honeymoon?
It's our most-suggested Zanzibar all-inclusive for honeymoons: about 1 in 4 of our holidays there were honeymoons. The hotel gives honeymooners a gift, flowers, and a romantic dinner by the pool or beach once per stay, if you show your marriage certificate (within a year of the wedding).
What does the all-inclusive include at Diamonds Mapenzi?
Buffet meals at The Palms, a set lunch and pizza at ONDA on the beach, snacks at the Blue Rhino café, soft drinks, local beer, house wine, cocktails and selected spirits (pool bar until midnight), a minibar refilled daily, and non-motorised sports. À la carte dinner, premium spirits, the spa and diving are extra.
Does Diamonds Mapenzi have rooms with a private pool?
Yes, six: four Sea Front Beach Villas and two Sea Front Suites, all in the first row on the beach. Breakfast can be served floating in your pool.
Where is Diamonds Mapenzi Beach?
On Kiwengwa beach, on Zanzibar's north-east coast, about 45 minutes by road from the airport.
Is Diamonds Mapenzi good for families?
It's better for couples. There's no kids club, but there's a children's pool, six family rooms and a babysitter on request. For a kids club, we'd suggest Riu Jambo or The Mora.
Is Diamonds Mapenzi the old Mapenzi Beach Club?
Yes. We've sold it since 2007, under its earlier names, Mapenzi Beach Club and Sandies Mapenzi Beach Club. Today it's managed by Diamonds and sold as ananea Diamonds Mapenzi Beach.
How much does a Diamonds Mapenzi holiday cost from South Africa?
Packages from R24,330 per person, including flights from Johannesburg (prices checked 15 Nov 2026). We quote flights from Johannesburg, Cape Town or Durban, transfers, your room and meal plan in one price.
From our clients
Exotic Vacations clients have booked Diamonds Mapenzi Beach more than 100 times since 2007. Of those trips, 10% were families with children and 70% were couples. About 25% were honeymoons. The typical stay was 7 nights, and the most popular months were February, December and September.
★★★★★
Hi
Just a quick word to convey my experience in Zanzibar.
We had a great time. Weather was perfect and it didn’t hurt that we had 2 extra night s for “mahala”.
The hotel itself was good. Great food and entertainment. Rooms need a little work but we spent very little time there. I would recommend this hotel to friends.And a big thank you to you for your great service.
We will definitely do business again.Regards,P Costa
Paulo C., March 2018, Diamonds Mapenzi Beach Club
★★★★★
Hi Salome, of sal ek eerder se "Jambo"!?!
Wow, wow, wow en sommer nog 'n hele paar keer WOW!! Wat 'n vakansie!
Dit is so moeilik om te beskryf hoe baie ons Sandies, die mense, land, sand, son, see, etes, tyd af . . . ag sommer alles, geniet het. Van die woord "go" was dit een fees todat ons eer-gister aand weer veilig by ons eie huis kon aankom!
Ons was so beindruk met jou reelings. Ons het in hierdie paar dae eintlik 'n leeftyd geleef, omdat 'n mens nie vir iemand kan verduidelik hoe die klein goedjies 'n mens beindruk nie. Dis moeilik om te beskryf hoe dit voel om op 'n vreemde lughawe in 'n vreemde land jou naam netjies op 'n bordjie uitgetik te sien. Dit begin 'n borrel in 'n mens wat ouens wat dit nog nie beleef het nie, nie kan verstaan nie.
Ons het so lekker gekuier! Vandat Jefferson ons op die lughawe ontmoet het todat ons weer terug was daar, is verseker 'n ondervinding wat vir ewig by ons sal bly. Die reuke, smake, gevoel, hoe vol 'n mens se gemoed soms skiet wanneer jy deur die villages ry, ALLES, was verseker die geld werd!
Die hotel is uitstekend, die personeel vriendelik en die etes op die strand onvergeetlik! Ons kan nie genoeg praat oor hoeveel moeite hulle gedoen het om ons welkom te laat voel nie. Ek moet jou dit vertel... Elke oggend voordat ons ontbyt gaan eet het, het die tuinier vir my 'n pragtige ruiker gebring, dit het my regtig bederf laat voel!! En vir die 10 dae wat ons met vakansie was, was ons bed nie een dag op dieselfde manier opgemaak nie. Ons kon in die middae nie wag om by die kamer te kom om te sien watter verassing "Joyce" vandag op die bed gelos het nie!
Vir my was die hoogtepunt van die vakansie verseker die dag toe ek Salum ontmoet het. Jefferson het hom gevra om ons gids te wees vir StoneTown. Jinne, hierdie man is 'n inspirasie vir enige mens! Ek het sommer in 'n kort tyd bitter vinnig lief geraak vir iemand wat so 'n lus vir die lewe het! Hy het verseker 'n blywende indruk op my gemaak. Hy het my net weer laat besef dat al die dinge wat 'n mens altyd dink jy is, of wil wees, binne in jouself le. Die lewe is 'n keuse en 'n mens kan uitstyg bo enige omstandigheid wanneer jy positief aan jou eie lewe en toekoms werk. Jy weet, soms lees mens 'n oulike "quote" op Pinterest raak of jy sien iemand se status en dink, sjoe, dis nou raak gepraat? Wel Salum is een van daardie mense waaroor die quotes geskryf word.
Ek kan jou nou vir ure besig hou, maar weet jy hoor al hierdie dinge seker op 'n daaglikse basis. Al wat ons eintlik wil se is "BAIE, BAIE DANKIE".
Dis 'n klein woord vir my nou nog groter hart, so weet verseker ons het Zanzibar en alles wat jy vir ons gereel het geniet en waardeer!
Dit was regtig 'n plesier om met jou te werk. Jy en jou maatskappy kom hoogs aanbeveel deur ons! Al ons vriende en familie weet nou al teen die tyd, daar is geen beter destination agent as Exotic Vacations nie.
Geniet jou naweek en ek vertrou ons gesels weer in die toekoms. Daar is nog BAIE dinge wat ons wil sien en doen...
Groetnis van ons al 2
Nico en Ronel
Nico P., October 2014, Diamonds Mapenzi Beach Club
★★★★★
Hello
DIT WAS AMAZING
Die diens was uitstekend van alle kante af.
Dis pragtig pragtig pragtig!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Corrie R., April 2014, Diamonds Mapenzi Beach Club
★★★★☆
Hello Salome,
Just to let you know that we had a good holiday at MAPENZI BEACH CLUB RESORT.
We have some suggestions for you to pass onto Mapenzi.1..... The climbing of all those steps to the dining hall can be a hugh problem if someone has medical problems. I found them tiresome climbing as I have sore knees. There must be 100 steps all over.
When you book someone in at Mapenzi, warn them about the steps.
2..... We never saw management around anywhere asking if we were okay, etc...
3..... Luckily our Doctor told us about the GASTRO problems in Zanzibar and gave us medicine to take when we would need it. We all did get severe gastro. Other guests there also had severe gastro.
4..... At OR Tambo airport we wrapped our lugguage and they broke open my son's suitcase and stole his video camera and 2 cartons ciggarettes, etc.
5..... On the beach at Mapenzi, my daughter's underwater camera was stolen.
We love and understand how AFRICA works. It is part of the charm. We think Mapenzi could have a problem with their
water that they wash the vegetables, fruit, etc. in. I'm sure the whole of Zanzibar has a clean water problem.
The food, local drinks, etc. at Mapenzi was outstanding. We really enjoyed the food and drinks. The everyday staff in the dining hall and bar are exceptional and friendly.
We definitely will recommend Mapenzi to our friends. Hope they eventually sort out the Gastro problem soon.
Thank you for booking Mapenzi for us.
We had a great family holiday, sightseeing and outing to another Island, snorkelling, spice farm, Stone town, prison Island, etc
You are sure to hear from us again when we want to book our next family holiday.
Thank you
Helen H.
Helen H., November 2013, Diamonds Mapenzi Beach Club
★★★★☆
We had a magical, romantic getaway -no cellphone for a week. beautiful blue warm beaches to swim in - Zanzibar should be on everyone's bucket list
Lynda S., January 2013, Diamonds Mapenzi Beach Club
More reviews (14)
★★★★★
Zanzibar was really an awesome island beach holiday! I highly recommend doing the private tours to Stone Town, the Spice tour and the Blue Safari or Dolphin Tours. We had a lovely stay at Sandies Mapenzi Beach Club and with such friendly staff our holiday was made even more special. I would highly recommend the full board package then you don't need to worry about a thing. Thanks Salome at Exotic Vacations for your excellent assistance!
Chanel K., November 2012, Diamonds Mapenzi Beach Club
★★★★★
Hi Salome
I would like to thank you for a fabulous vacation my wife and I had recently. I will certainly consider Exotic Vacations for future holidays. We went on a spice tour; Stone town and took a ferry to Dar Es Salaam for a day’s visit, what an experience that was. We had a good time at the Sandies Mapenzi, thanks to the staff and the chef.
Kind regards,
Karabo & Inno
Karabo M., October 2012, Diamonds Mapenzi Beach Club
★★★★★
Hi Salome
I would like to thank you for a fabulous vacation my wife and I had recently. I will certainly consider Exotic Vacations for future holidays. We went on a spice tour; Stone town and took a ferry to Dar Es Salam for a day’s visit, what an experience that was. We had a good time at the Sandies Mapenzi, thanks to the staff and the chef.
Kind regards,
Karabo & Inno
Karabo M., October 2012, Diamonds Mapenzi Beach Club
★★★★☆
Hi Salome,
Dit was baie lekker gewees dankie!
Mapenzi is redelik gewild onder die Italianers en daar was baie van hulle, maar geen probleme rerig nie. Die diens is nie te goed nie ongelukkig, en ek sou voorstel dat hulle meer staf aanstel om met die getalle gaste te werk. Nog ‚n negatief was dat Estee se beach bag met haar kamera in gesteel is een aand langs die swembad. Ons het dit aangemeld, maar niemand kon dit opspoor nie.
Maar verder was Mepenzi GREAT gewees. Ek dink al ons gaste het dit baie geniet en die troue op die strand was awesome en baie mooi. Ek moet se die bestuur, Zuleka, Luca en ander ou wat die wedding ge reel het (kan nie sy naam nou onthou nie) was uitstekend en baie hulpvaardig en het na al die fynere details vir ons omgesien. Die hele 4 dae was groot sukses!
Sea cliff is in ‚n klas van sy eie. Definitief trappie hoor as Mapenzi en die diens uitstekend. Ons was rerig waar soos royalty behandel. Hy is glad nie so „lively“ soos Mapenzi nie en baie rustiger en net reg vir lekker honeymoon. Dus was Mapenzi great vir ons groep, en Seacliff lekker net vir ons 2. Die watersoprt was lekker, mense van SA wat dit hanteer. Die kos was meer om van te kies. Ek het rerig niks negatief om van hulle te se nie.
All in all was dit baie lekker gewees en ons is goed uitgerus.
Baie dankie vir al jou moeite die afgelope jaar! Dit is rerig waar great om met iemand Afrikaans en so hulpvaardig te kon werk. Ek weet ons was seker nie altyd die maklikste kliente nie, dankie dat jy so geduldig was, ons waardeer dit opreg!
Groete,
Cornelius d.V.
Cornelius d.V., May 2012, Diamonds Mapenzi Beach Club
★★★★★
Hallo Esme
Ons is terug na ‘n wonderlike vakansie. Alles het 100% gewerk, danksy julle uitstekende reelings.
Groete en nogmaals dankie
Elsabe
Elsabe C., November 2011, Diamonds Mapenzi Beach Club
★★★★★
I wish I was clever enough to download photos!!
We had a really wonderful time and it is somewhere that I would recommend to any one who needs r & r.
Points
1. Try and talk your clients into the front rooms like we had. It really is worth much more than the R1000 extra.The others are such a schlepp to the beach and to the action.
2. There are 78 steps from the room to the dining room. Something to take into consideration for wheelchairs,pushchairs and the infirm.
3. Jefferson and Sulman our transfer drivers were absolutely wonderful.They really do need special mention. Caring,informative,good command of the English language and knowledgeable.Good clean cars as well.
4. The food was fresh and well presented but rather boring. There could be a bit of variety in this regard and there is no sea food on offer at all. There was fresh fish every meal.
5. The rooms,whilst not luxurious,were more than adequate and re stocked daily (including the very necessary bar fridge for ice cold water)
6. The staff are more than pleasant! Helpful and friendly.
We had a wonderful time and I didnt hear any complaints from anyone.
Kind regards,
Nick and Deane N.
Deane N., November 2011, Diamonds Mapenzi Beach Club
★★★★★
It was by far the greatest holiday(It was actually our Honeymoon) EVER....
Firstly Heidi was very helpful and professional, even when I sent a E-mail on a Saturday I got a reply the same day. The booking was a easy and painless process. Really good job...
The Mapenzi Beach Resort in Zanzibar is just awesome, white sands, blue oceans, Palm Trees and Cocktails. The staff was very nice, I learned quite a bit of swahili. Archery, windsurfing and other beach activities are free.
All and all Excellent.
Gillis T., October 2011, Diamonds Mapenzi Beach Club
★★★★★
Dear Heidi,
Thank you so much for the wonderful holiday package we booked through Exotic Vacations! This holiday exceeded all expectations and it was an exotic vacation indeed.... We spent the days relaxing in the warm sun and swimming in cool blue waters. We went kayaking and did two trips on the catamaran. On my birthday, we went for a Blue Safari, what a blessing! Mapenzi is a wonderful place and the staff are so friendly and helpful, (and we made a few Italian friends as well). Mapenzi really does a lot of effort with the quality of food, every lunch was packed with fresh ingredients and tasty seafood dishes and fish, and dinners were colourful and exciting (once at the swimming pool, another on the beach, and at the restaurant). On the evening of my birthday, they brought me a birthday cake (with a candle!) while dancing and singing Hakuna Matata, I was overwhelmed and enjoyed every second of it! My husband and I had one of the best holidays of our lives, thank you so much for being a part of it. (Ps: The value for money for this package was absolutely worth every cent, and we will definitely recommend it to all our friends and family...and we will be in touch again soon!)
Asante Sana!
Ps: Attached a few photographs for your perusal...
Thanks again,
Kind regards,
Marike d.K.
Cj K., September 2011, Diamonds Mapenzi Beach Club
★★★★★
Dear Heidi
We had a great time at Sandies Mapenzi. The staff were charming, friendly and helpful. The food was good. Rooms nicely furnished ( Zanzibar style!) and comfortable. Our highlight was the blue safari trip on a dhow, snorkeling and lunching on an island.
The traders on the beach could be annoyingly persistent, but the hotel guards did keep a watch. We were not pestered on the elevated section above the beach, only on it.
We do feel we could have had extra time in Stone Town. Due to the very early start, getting to the airport at 445 am for the flight, we were really tired when we got to the hotel at 130 pm.We felt compelled to rush out and sightsee as much as we could, as we only had that afternoon. Stone Town is very interesting and has so much history, it would have been better to have had more time there.
Otherwise it was lovely. Thank you very much for your input in the booking.
Regards
Jenny T.
Jennifer T., August 2011, Diamonds Mapenzi Beach Club
★★★★★
Best Wedding & Birthday Ever!!!
First of we would like to thank Stephnie for all the arrangements she had done for us, as we were a big group and bookings were done from all over. And besides all the bookings, she still managed to get all my wedding details through to Mapenzi, so that we could have our DREAM WEDDING!!!
From day one as we arrived I had a personel assistant named Sarah. She was informed about all my requests I wanted for the wedding and immediately I felt calm and knew I could enjoy my holiday and not be “Bridezilla” for the remaining days till our wedding.
We had such a great time, and all the staff from Mapenzi was so friendly. The rooms, service, food and Cocktails were excellent! I would recommend it to anybody.We would have our wedding there again & again.... Sarah was amazing with all her planning and creating the most beautifull venue for us. Even the barmen, Chef’s and outside workers, they all got involved and really went out of their way to make the day a very special one! Thanks GUYS!!!
We would like to thank all the people from Mapenzi who helped make this day so special and also all our guests that attended. I am sure everyone would go back in a heartbeat!
A few tips I would recommend to any one that wants to visit in future or have a wedding:
1: Do remember to take a hat and sun block as it is very HOT!
2: Safari Blue is a MUST!!! (Best coral & Seafood Lunch ever)
3: Have a rehearsal with the commissioner before the wedding!
4: Remember to take medication in case you fall sick or something happens.
5: If you like to social and party go to Paje for a day!Warm thanks from Claudia & Eddie
Claudia S., February 2011, Diamonds Mapenzi Beach Club
★★★☆☆
Well done to Stephnie R. on the excellent service which was a complicated booking due to our family departing from various points in SA.
Peter H., January 2011, Diamonds Mapenzi Beach Club
★★★★★
It was the most amazing holiday ever!!
Mapenzi is absolute great in every way! Would surely recommend it to my friends any day!!
Please keep me posted on your holiday specials throughout the year.
Maldives will be our next destination.Thank you!!!
Ruanda d.W.
Ruanda W., January 2010, Diamonds Mapenzi Beach Club
★★★★★
We really had a great time!
Thank you so much for the good service and arrangements.
The people in Zanzibar is so friendly, and everything is done with a smile. Our expectations were exceeded on every aspect. Even when we were taken to the lodge from the airport, we were surprised to realise that each couple gets its own mini-bus charter to the lodge. Small things like that was the order of the day for the week that we were there.
The lodge itself is really nice and relaxing, with great environment to rest and relax.
Furthermore, were the snorkeling and swimming with the dolphins spectacular and will really recommend this stay to anyone.
Thank you for making our time so special.
Kind regards
Driaan & Carolina!
Driaan R., December 2009, Diamonds Mapenzi Beach Club
★★★★☆
Very good, we had fun. it was worth every cent!!! thank you
Rebeccah M., December 2009, Diamonds Mapenzi Beach Club
Reviewed by Marthinus Strydom, CEO, Exotic Vacations, 14 Nov 2026.