Infinity pool hotels in Zanzibar

Kilindi Zanzibar is a boutique hotel of 15 white-domed pavilions set in tropical gardens at Kendwa, on the north-west coast of Zanzibar. Its 25 meter (82 foot) infinity pool is shared by all guests: it lies below the hotel's waterfall bar and looks out over the Indian Ocean. The hotel is adults-only, for guests aged 18 and over. Day visitors can also book a day pass that includes the pool, the restaurant and the bar.

The hotel was originally designed for Benny Andersson of ABBA, and its architecture combines Scandinavian minimalism with Middle Eastern forms. In each pavilion, wooden shutters frame wide arched windows that let the ocean breeze into the rooms. Every villa comes with a private plunge pool and a dedicated butler, and the Two Bedroom Garden View Villa has two private pools.

Stays are all-inclusive, with three meals, drinks, sundowners, paddle boarding, kayaking and laundry in the rate. Meals are served on the terrace or along the white sand beach, which runs the length of the property, and the spa sits in a quiet corner of the gardens. Best for: couples who want a secluded all-inclusive stay with a private plunge pool.

Park Hyatt Zanzibar sits on the beachfront of Stone Town, Zanzibar's old town and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its 18 meter (59 foot) infinity pool is open to all hotel guests. The pool faces the Indian Ocean and overlooks the local beach, with lounge chairs all around and views of the dhow harbor. The Pool Lounge serves light lunches and drinks at the poolside.

The hotel occupies two connected buildings. One is Mambo Msiige, a Zanzibari mansion with roots in the 17th century, built around a peaceful courtyard and known for its intricate carvings. The other is the newer Zamani Residence on the waterfront, with the Dining Room and a library with a veranda. The 67 rooms include 11 suites, many with Indian Ocean views, and the Park Deluxe Balcony rooms add a private balcony or terrace on the ocean side.

The beach in front of the pool is Stone Town's local beach, so the view is of town life and passing boats rather than a secluded resort shore. Families are welcome, with cribs, high chairs and children's menus, and the spa has three treatment suites, one of them for couples. Best for: couples and culture-minded travelers who want an oceanfront pool in the old town.

On the quiet southwest coast near Kizimkazi, The Residence Zanzibar spreads across a forested estate of 32 hectares (about 80 acres), where tropical gardens meet a long white-sand beach. Its Beachfront Infinity Pool is open to all guests: a 45 meter (148 foot) pool with glass walls, set just behind the sand, with its far edge facing the Indian Ocean and shaded loungers and daybeds along the deck.

This is a villa-only resort. All 66 villas, with one or two bedrooms, have a lounge deck and a private plunge pool, with garden or ocean views, and guests get around the grounds on foot or by bicycle. The Spa has six treatment pavilions in its own gardens, and a Kids Club looks after younger children.

The southwest coast is tidal. Low tide uncovers the sea flats and high tide is the best time to swim in the sea, so the pool is the easier swim at low tide; water sports from the jetty also depend on the tide. In the evening the jetty, which reaches out over the sea, turns into a lounge bar facing the sunset.

Best for: couples and honeymooners who want a villa with its own pool on a quiet beach.

On the Michamvi Peninsula, on Zanzibar's southeast coast, Zawadi Hotel is an all-inclusive retreat of twelve villas set on a low cliff above a white-sand beach. Its infinity pool, shared by all guests, sits on a lawn above the sand, and its seaward edge faces the turquoise lagoon and the coral reef. Zawadi is adults-only, for guests aged 16 and over.

All twelve Ocean Front Villas look out over the Indian Ocean, each with a large terrace and a private plunge pool. The bathrooms have a freestanding bathtub and a separate shower. The all-inclusive plan covers every meal and the house drinks, with or without alcohol. The kitchen cooks a spiced Swahili menu with produce from the hotel's own farm and organic garden, which also supply the eggs.

The beach is tidal, like most of this coast, and the tide times change with the season. At low tide the sea pulls back across the reef, which guests can explore on a guided walk; at those hours the pool is the easier place to swim.

Best for: couples who want a twelve-villa stay on a reef coast, with every meal included.

Facing Mnemba Island across the water, The Mora Zanzibar is a large all-inclusive resort on Muyuni Beach in Matemwe, on Zanzibar's northeast coast. Its infinity pool is shared by all guests and sits on a wide deck just behind the sand, with a seaward edge that seems to merge with the ocean. Guests of all ages are welcome.

The infinity pool is one of several on the estate, alongside a garden pool under tall trees, shallow water for children and a spa pool. Matemwe lies on the tidal east coast, so the pools are the easier swim for much of the day. The reefs around Mnemba Island are a well-known area for diving and snorkeling.

All 250 suites have a private terrace or balcony. The Executive Suites and the two-bedroom Presidential Suite add a private plunge pool with ocean views. Dining is all-inclusive across four restaurants, with food available around the clock, and the Outliners Club looks after children aged 3 to 12.

Best for: families who want an all-inclusive beach stay, and snorkelers or divers drawn to Mnemba Island.

Riu Palace Swahili is an adults-only resort for guests aged 18 and over, on Nungwi Beach at the northern tip of Zanzibar. Its infinity pool with the Madafu swim-up bar is open to all guests: it sits in the garden above the beach and opens toward the Indian Ocean. A staircase leads down to the sand, where sun loungers and umbrellas are free. This north-west coast is less exposed to the tides than the east of the island.

The resort opened in 2026 and has about 500 rooms, so it is a large property. The rooms are junior suites with a balcony or terrace and a garden or sea view. Only the Jr. Suite Swim Up with ocean view - Elite Club category has a private plunge pool on the terrace. Elite Club guests also get reserved beach and pool areas, with Balinese beds by the pool, a private lounge and their own restaurant.

Meals and drinks run on a 24-hour all-inclusive plan, with a main buffet, themed restaurants, a poolside bar and a terrace stage for evening shows and live music. The spa has a thermal water circuit with heated pools and a steam bath.

Best for: couples and honeymooners who want an adults-only, all-inclusive beach stay.

Meliá Zanzibar stands at Kiwengwa on the northeast coast of the island, on 16 hectares (about 40 acres) of palm gardens beside a white sand beach and a natural coral reef. Its main pool is a large infinity pool in the gardens just behind the beach, open to all guests, with long edges that face the Indian Ocean. Several other infinity pools are spread around the grounds.

Private infinity pools come only with The Level villas, from the 1 Bedroom Garden Villa to the Royal 3 Bedroom Ocean Villa. The Level is the resort's upgraded service tier, with a lounge and a private beach area. The entry rooms open onto the tropical gardens or a balcony with partial ocean views, and each has a semi-outdoor shower.

The resort has six restaurants and five bars, including a bar and restaurant at the end of a jetty over the sea and Gabi Beach, a beach club with grilled seafood and wood-fired pizzas. An all-inclusive package is available. This coast is tidal, so at low tide the sea pulls back and the pools are the easier swim for much of the day.

Best for: couples planning a villa stay with a private pool, and families who want a large beach resort with a children's area.

Pemba Island, the quieter northern neighbor of Unguja in the Zanzibar archipelago, is home to Fundu Lagoon, a small resort on a mangrove-fringed beach on the island's southwest shore. Its softly curved infinity pool sits on the hillside above the hotel and is shared by all guests. Framed by forest, it looks out over the treetops to the Indian Ocean, and the poolside bar serves drinks and light snacks through the day. The resort welcomes guests aged 12 and over.

The tented rooms sit under thatched roofs along the line where the jungle hillside meets the shore. Hillside rooms catch the sea breeze, while beachfront rooms open straight onto the sand. Every room has an ocean view and a terrace with sun loungers; the Suites and the two Superior Suites add a private plunge pool and a wide deck.

The resort runs its own PADI 5 Star Dive Resort near the jetty, with dives on the coral walls around Pemba and Misali Island. The spa is next to the pool, and Wi-Fi is available in the main reception area. Fundu Lagoon welcomed its first guests in 1999 and was built with local materials and craftsmen.

Best for: divers and couples who want a quiet, remote island stay.

Next to The Rock, the restaurant built on a rock in the sea, Baladin Zanzibar Beach Hotel occupies a private stretch of white sand in Michamvi, on Zanzibar's southeast coast. All guests can use its infinity pool, which lies right on the beach and looks out over the turquoise lagoon of the Indian Ocean. A thatched gazebo rises from the middle of the water, and the pool bar serves drinks from sunrise to sundown. At night the pool stays softly lit for a late swim.

The hotel is small and family-run, with 12 rooms and rustic wooden decor, and it describes its style as simple rather than luxurious. The Bungalows with Seaview have a double bed on the upper floor, two single beds below and an open-air bathroom with a shower. The Suites with Seaview sleep up to three and have a bathtub. Stays are bed and breakfast, children of all ages are welcome, and the hotel closes every May for its annual holidays.

The beach restaurant, at the edge of the sand, serves Italian dishes such as homemade pizza and pasta alongside local seafood, and the bar pours the hotel's own Baladin craft beers, brewed in Italy. This coast is tidal: at low tide the sea uncovers a wide stretch of sand, so the pool is often the easier swim.

Best for: couples and friends who want a small, quiet beach hotel.

The Z Hotel bills itself as the original boutique hotel on Zanzibar. It stands in a tropical garden on Nungwi Beach, in the far north of the island. Its oceanfront infinity pool is shared by all guests, and Sexy Fish, a seafood restaurant, is built on a deck over the beach. The hotel is adults-only, for guests aged 16 and over.

The design mixes contemporary, London-inspired furniture and lighting with Zanzibari features, including pieces made from local coconut wood, and every room opens onto a balcony. Rooftop Suites on the top floor add a wrap-around private terrace, while two Ocean Front Cottages stand apart from the main building, with decks over the sea. Not every Sea View room faces the sea directly: some look out from the side or through palm trees.

On this stretch of coast the tide never goes out very far, so swimming in the sea is possible at low tide too. The Rooftops bar is the place for sunset drinks over the ocean. Z2, a newer sister hotel just behind, has its own black-stone jungle pool and an Indian restaurant, The Marigold.

Best for: couples who want a design-led beach hotel with sunset views and a sea that is little affected by the tides.

Thatched makuti roofs and Arabic-style towers mark Sea Cliff Resort & Spa, which stands on a cliff above the Indian Ocean at Mangapwani, on Zanzibar's west coast. Its two infinity pools are open to all guests. One lies next to the Mangapwani Restaurant, which looks out over the ocean; the other is the Kobe pool, where the Kobe Restaurant serves light lunches such as wraps and pizzas. Children have their own separate pool.

For the sea view, book a superior or deluxe room. Every superior room has ocean views from the bedroom and the balcony, and the 16 deluxe rooms add a free-standing Jacuzzi spa bath with ocean views. The 24 garden rooms open onto the tropical gardens, a short walk from the pools, and interconnecting family rooms can be requested.

Beyond the pools, the resort bills itself as home to the only golf course on Zanzibar: a 9-hole course designed to play like 18, with two of the last holes along the Indian Ocean. A riding stable with a qualified instructor and a supervised Kids Club widen the choice, and the Jetty Bar at the end of the jetty serves cocktails at sunset. Best for: families and golfers who want ocean views and plenty to do on site.

The long infinity pool at Nungwi Dreams by Mantis sits just behind the beach, and its seaward end opens onto the Indian Ocean. It is shared by all guests of this boutique resort on the northern tip of Nungwi, which also has a second pool. Up on the roof, the SkyBar is the place for a morning coffee or a sunset drink, with views over the ocean and the island.

The buildings pair contemporary architecture with Swahili and Arabic details. Every Beach Front Room faces the beach and has a private balcony, while Sea View Rooms come with a walkout terrace on the ground floor or a balcony upstairs. Standard Rooms look over the gardens, so travelers who want a sea view should book a Beach Front Room or a Sea View Room. The four-bedroom Presidential Villa, made for small groups, has a private plunge pool on its terrace and a private rooftop lounge facing the ocean.

Ocean View & Basil, the main restaurant, serves Zanzibar fusion dishes on a five-course menu that changes daily, and it also has a kids menu. For wellness there is a spa and a gym, plus yoga classes once a week.

Best for: couples who want a smaller resort on the beach, and groups of friends sharing the Presidential Villa.