Zanzibar, TanzaniaMatemwe
andBeyond Mnemba Island
Barefoot coral lodge
Matemwe Zanzibar, Tanzania
Renovated
2024
Price
$$$$
Rated for
Design Luxe ResortOutside the door
The house
&BeyondBarefoot coral lodge
Guests wade ashore into the surf and shed their shoes, spending days between house-reef dives and torch-lit beach dinners.
“Ten high-ceilinged, thatched bandas are footsteps from a flour-fine sand beach and are romantically furnished with elaborately carved wooden beds.”
What it’s good at
Remarkable
Nautilus-shell bandas built from woven palm thatch, coral stone, and creamy tadelakt.
Notable
Private island shores with house-reef scuba diving, sea kayaking, and coral restoration.
What they say
Also in Condé Nast Traveler and AFAR.
the shell-shaped rooms blend into the environment: all creams, woods, rattans and sisal, with pale accents of coral.
Tucked away
A place apart: the property is the destination.
On a private coral island off Zanzibar, reached by boat with white-sand beaches outside each banda.
The rooms
Bandas sit among the casuarina trees, opening through wooden louvres to shaded verandas and private lounges set right on the sand.
The spa
Treatment rooms open directly to the casuarina forest for singing bowl sound baths and Healing Earth massages.
At the table
Evenings begin at the curved stone bar, and dinner brings fresh seafood and Zanzibari spices to lantern-lit tables on the sand.
How it began
Operator andBeyond secured the island lease in 1997, protecting surrounding reefs and breeding endangered Ader's duiker antelopes beneath the trees.
Zanzibar
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The app
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.