For our honeymoon, we knew we wanted to go somewhere spectacular.
We had decided on a Kenyan safari followed by relaxation on the island of Zanzibar; and then we stumbled upon the Hideaway of Nungwi Resort and it sealed the deal! It is easily, and I mean easily, the most incredible hotel we've ever stayed in.
It's not difficult to see why it's one of top 100 hotels in the world.
Situated on sprawling grounds, Hideaway of Nungwi has perfectly manicured gardens and it's own private beach, which is undoubtably the most beautiful beach we've ever seen.
We were greeted at the hotel by friendly staff who took our bags from us and offered us a glass of ice cold watermelon juice as we took some shade from the baking African sun. Checking into the hotel we were like 2 kids on christmas morning, buzzing with excitement as a member of staff described to us all of the facilities we could enjoy during our stay.
We were then taken to our room by, get this, a golf buggy! Never in my life have I ever not had to walk from the reception desk to a room but it was a welcomed change! Our room itself was a junior suite which was simply stunning, the design of the room embodied the Arabic and African influences which are apparent throughout Zanzibar. It featured a free minibar, a huge four poster bed, a bathroom which I could have happily lived in and a balcony with stunning sea views.
The hotel is situated on Nungwi beach, on the very north of the island just over an hour from Stone Town. On it's own private beach, it is the epitome of serenity.
There isn't much to do around the hotel unless you book a day trip through the travel agents on site. You can walk along the pristine Nungwi beach, past local fisherman at work and local shops selling incredible pieces of art.
THE FACILITIES
David and I had never stayed at an all inclusive resort before; it had just never been something that had appealed to us before, however, Nungwi certainly changed our perspective on what a resort can offer. Due to its remote location; everything you could possibly need is provided by Hideaway of Nungwi.
To start, the hotel has 3 restaurants; Carnivorous, an African themed meat restaurant whose menu consists of exotic meat such as bore or impala cooked over an open flame. Isi-Teppanyaki, a Japanese inspired restaurant which has an open kitchen so you can watch the chefs prepare your meal. Then there is the Aqua Buffet restaurant which has an endless selection of different dishes that changes every night as well as two live cooking stations. David and I both love our food and a huge part of travelling for us is eating. This was another reason why we'd previously had reservations about going all inclusive, however, Hideaway of Nungwi has so many options, it feels like eating in a different place every night. The food was not only high quality but the variation available night after night meant you could never get bored. There are also two gala nights per week; one African inspired night down on the beach where all the food is cooked over a barbecue to order and a second night where dinner is served around the pool to candle light; this second night focuses on local seafood with some incredible produce available including lobster and crab. Every night there is also the option of traditional Tanzanian food so you can try the local cuisine too. And we ate so much while staying here!
Other facilities include a pool bar and beach bar with a huge cocktail menu that I highly recommend you work your way through! My favourite was the ginger mojito!
In addition the the stunning infinity pool and private beach, you can kayak, snorkel, scuba dive, wind surf or take a sunset catamaran ride. The hotel has a spa with a gym, jacuzzi and sauna/steam room and you book various treatments. There is also a cigar and seesha lounge as well as a games room. If you do fancy seeing something a bit different then the hotel tour agents can book various tours for you to explore more of Zanzibar or its neighbouring islands.
The only downside to the hotel is that there is only one pool which meant any children staying here used the same pool as adults, at times not the most ideal if you want to relax and read a book. However, other than that we really couldn't fault the facilities.
the honeymoon package
The thing that made Hideaway of Nungwi extra special for us was their Honeymoon Package which is available to all newly weds. Complimentary of the hotel we received;
- A room upgrade to a junior suite
- A candlelit meal for two on the beach
- A couples massage
- A bottle of champagne
These little touches really made Hideaway of Nungwi stand out above the rest. The candlelit meal on the beach was just incredible, the romantic setting coupled with the most delicious food. I had lobster while David opted for steak and both our meals were amazing.
Hideaway of Nungwi gave us a honeymoon to remember and the hotel surpassed our expectations. From the food, to the setting, to the facilities; everything really was 5 star.
It completely changed our opinion on what it means to go all inclusive and stay at a resort, and I can now appreciate the appeal of having everything taken care of and really being able to relax.