A thoughtful place to stay on the
remote southern coast of Zanzibar.
19 rooms  ·  Zanzibar, Tanzania  ·  Family-Owned & Run
Condé Nast Traveller Michelin Guide Wallpaper* Architectural Digest Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice
At a Glance

A design-led retreat shaped by architecture, landscape, and a deep respect for place.

19
Rooms
Coastal horizon
100%
Family-owned
1
Annual artist residency
2021
First artist residency
The Experience

A warm, human-to-human welcome rooted in Zanzibar.

kizikula is a family-owned and family-run hotel, and the warmth of our hospitality comes from our roots in Zanzibar. Guests are welcomed into a personal, intimate environment — not a traditional hotel setting. Each of the 19 rooms is inspired by a muse who has shaped the owners; unique individuals whose stories and spirits are woven into the spaces.

Our chefs prepare personalised, seasonal meals. Days are shaped by tides. Cliffside sunsets set the rhythm of life here. kizikula is a place where you are known by name, fed with intention, and left to move at your own pace.

Location

Remote, wild, and entirely its own world.

kizikula sits on the remote southern coast of Zanzibar — far from the well-trodden north, where the landscape is dramatic and largely untouched. Coral cliffs drop to tidal flats. The Indian Ocean stretches to the horizon. Coconut palms and tropical gardens surround the property on all sides.

Open-air living, ocean breezes, and vast coastal horizons encourage slowing down and listening. The rhythm here is set by the tides, not a schedule. This remoteness is not an inconvenience — it is the point.

The Spa

Perched directly on the Indian Ocean.

kizikula's new spa is built at the water's edge — a thatched structure open to the ocean breeze, with views that stretch to the horizon. Soak in a freestanding bath as the sun drops into the sea. Treatments are unhurried, the setting is unlike anywhere else.

Architecture & Design

Swahili coastal tradition, reinterpreted.

"Every space is intentional, serene, and connected to nature."

Designed by award-winning CASE Design and featured in Wallpaper*, Architectural Digest, and Condé Nast Traveller, kizikula reinterprets Swahili coastal building traditions through coral stone, handcrafted timber, and tropical modernism. The hotel is as much an aesthetic experience as a place to stay, complemented by a growing contemporary art collection displayed throughout the property.

Activities

Days shaped by the ocean, the land, and good neighbours.

Life at kizikula moves at the pace of the tides — but there is always something to do, or nothing at all. We offer a full range of experiences on and around the water, and have cultivated close relationships with the remarkable people and places that surround us.

Diving
Explore the reefs of the southern coast. PADI certification courses also available on site.
Dolphin Tours
Head out at dawn to swim with spinner dolphins in the open Indian Ocean.
Sandbank Trips & Sailing
Day trips to remote sandbanks, and sailing excursions along the coast.
Fishing
Traditional line fishing with local guides, or deep-sea excursions further offshore.
E-Mountain Bike Tours
Electric mountain bike tours through Zanzibar's villages and coastal trails.
Bicycles & Paddleboards
Complimentary bicycles and paddleboards for guests to explore at their own pace.
Art Gallery Tours
Guided visits to our neighbouring art gallery — a remarkable space just steps away.
Mtende Beach
One of Zanzibar's most beautiful and unspoilt beaches — a short drive from kizikula.
Our Neighbours

A community worth knowing.

kizikula sits within a small but extraordinary community on the southern coast. We are proud to collaborate with and support the people and places around us.

Education
Vassalam School
A non-profit school and community organisation rooted in the local village. kizikula actively supports their work and welcomes guests to visit.
Dining
Fahari Lifestyle
An extraordinary dining experience just moments away — a collaboration and neighbour we are proud to share with our guests.
Regenerative Practices

A living, breathing ecosystem.

kizikula is built around regenerative systems that guests experience directly — not as a concept, but as a way of life. The farm feeds the kitchen. The kitchen feeds the biogas. The land is cared for, not consumed.

Permaculture Farm

An onsite farm with goats and chickens produces food and contributes to the property's closed-loop ecosystem.

Blackwater Biogas

New-phase rooms process blackwater through biogas chambers that generate clean energy for the kitchen — waste becomes fuel.

Rainwater Harvesting

Captured rainwater reduces dependency on external water sources throughout the property.

Partial Solar Power

Solar energy supplements the property's electricity needs, reducing the carbon footprint.

Evapotranspiration Systems

New-phase rooms use evapotranspiration tanks and biogas chambers in place of conventional septic, eliminating groundwater contamination. First-phase rooms retain traditional systems.

Vernacular Materials

Coral stone, handcrafted timber, and local building traditions embedded in every structure.

As featured in.

Acknowledged by the world's most discerning tastemakers.

Condé Nast Traveller
Best Hotels in Zanzibar
2025
The Michelin Guide
Michelin Guide Hotel — Zanzibar
Selected Property
Tripadvisor
Travellers' Choice Award
Recognised Property
Booking.com
Traveller Review Award
2025
Wallpaper* Architectural Digest Condé Nast Traveller Monocle
The Property

The space.

A full press image library — including architecture, interiors, landscape, and lifestyle photography — is available for editorial use. Please contact us directly.

Artist Residency

A creative dimension, quietly woven in.

Each year kizikula hosts a small, curated residency — bringing together artists, writers, architects, and musicians whose work spans disciplines and geographies. Their presence shapes the property's growing art collection, and leaves something of themselves behind.

2022
Joni Murphy · Giulia Loli · Eduardo Cassina

For reservations, press enquiries, and trade partnerships.

Reservations

reservations@kizikula.com

Direct bookings and availability

Press & Media

press@kizikula.com

Image library, press visits, editorial enquiries

Trade & Agents

trade@kizikula.com

We Are Africa · specialist operators

Website

www.kizikula.com

Southern Coast, Zanzibar, Tanzania

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