Beautiful packaging with disappointing contents: why Sansi Kendwa Beach Resort (Zanzibar) does not deserve 4 stars
Sansi Kendwa Beach Resort is a hotel that looks attractive on photo and in reviews, but in reality disappoints with its lack of service and complete disregard for safety issues. If you are used to European 4-star standards, this hotel is definitely not for you. We were on vacation during the last days of December - early January.
Pros (what we liked):
• Territory: The hotel is small (only 30 rooms), very cozy and well-maintained. Visually, everything looks nice.
• Location: Proximity to the ocean is a definite plus.
• Staff: Generally friendly people, although sometimes their hospitality becomes intrusive and intrusive.
• Care upon arrival: We were pleasantly surprised to find a modest dinner waiting for us in our room when we checked in at night. Bottled drinking water was provided in the room every day.
Cons (expectations vs. reality):
1. Location and beach: The hotel is located on the very border with a local village. As a result, there is trash and noise right outside the fence. There is no private beach in the usual sense: sun loungers are set up at the boat station. It is impossible to swim there because of the dirt, the smell of fuel, and the mooring ropes.
2. Food and service: The cuisine is extremely poor. Lunch and dinner are constantly delayed. Beach towels may be in short supply because they were not delivered in advance after washing. The price of the hotel is clearly geared towards the European market, but the level of service does not match this.
Critical infrastructure situation:
The main disappointment was the lack of electricity. The administration does not warn about problems, but in fact, we spent a significant part of our vacation without electricity, internet, water, and air conditioning. The generator was turned off at the peak of the heat to save money, without informing us when it would be turned back on. Nights without cooling in such a climate are a dubious pleasure. Instead of relaxing, we spent our time in endless discussions with the administration about “when the power would be turned on.”
Safety (or rather, the lack thereof):
Drones constantly fly over the heads of tourists on the beach (at a height of 10-20 meters). This is a gross violation of operating rules and poses a real threat. The hotel management completely ignored our complaints about this.
Conclusion:
Sansi Kendwa Beach Resort is an example of a business that is ruined by a lack of quality control. The manager, Paul Lemaire, is clearly not up to the task. I was also extremely disappointed with the work of the Itaka agency: there was no response to specific complaints, and the situation at the hotel remains unchanged, because it has “good reviews” according to the agency.
Verdict:
I do not recommend it if you value your comfort, time, and safety. For this money, you can find much better options in Zanzibar, and it is better to book a tour with an agency that cares more about its reputation. And that is definitely not Itaka.