Spice
A new resort in Zanzibar encourages clients to forge local connections, writes Alice Barnes-Brown
y 40
ou could set your watch by the flotilla of fishing boats that sails south through Zanzibar’s Matemwe lagoon each day at
1.30pm. As I tuck into my lunchtime feast of green-chilli-sprinkled paneer curry
at the new Matemwe Attitude resort, I count a rainbow of 15 dinghies taking advantage of the low tide. Seeing local life up-close can be difficult when staying in an all-inclusive resort, but here, I’m at the heart of the action.
RESORT LIFE When this 74-villa, adult-only resort opened last November, it was Attitude’s first property outside Mauritius, though it has quickly become Kuoni’s top-performing resort in Tanzania. Some facilities were yet to open when I arrived, but I was able to try the tasty buffets at main Chakula Chakula restaurant, à la carte dining on the beach, cocktails at the two bars plus plenty of chill time at the two pools.
Matemwe is Zanzibar’s longest beach, so there’s
plenty of space to spread out on the cornflour-fine sand. Active clients keen to explore can join staff on a 5km power walk, passing herds of resting cows and swaying coconut trees before dunking into the shallow sea. If clients are worried about hawkers at the beach, there’s no need – Maasai security guards from the mainland keep a careful watch. The resort is well and truly rooted in the region’s
culture. As I opened the solid wooden door to my Deluxe Villa, I spotted the Swahili touches immediately, from the distinctive makuti thatched roof to handcrafted towel hooks carved with flowers. In fact, nearly half of the furniture in each room is produced in Zanzibar, and many other pieces are made on the Tanzanian mainland. However, Matemwe Attitude’s remote location
on Zanzibar has its challenges: power cuts can happen throughout the day, and there are sometimes shortages of imported foods.
² 11 JUNE 2026
Matemwe Attitude resort, Zanzibar
travelweekly.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
