The Mwendawima Villa is a cosy, elegant, local stile villa which offered us all the comfort we desired and more... We could not stop to get impressed with the superb scenery in particular from the vast upper floor terrace, where wherever you turn you see beauty - of the sea, beach, palm trees, even houses of native Jambianis who are near by and very friendly. We were stunned by the colors of the sea, constantly changing along with the tides, sun and a few clouds. Initially we thought of cooking some meals, going to the restaurants etc, but we immediately understood that this is not necessary. Every morning the house staff serves a superb breakfast with local fruit, juice, tea, ... You almost could skip a lunch, but cannot resist the offer of chef Mohammed who makes excellent lunches and surely unforgettable dinners, all cooked fresh in the kitchen and served with his utmost respectful and joyful staff. The lunches and evening meals were indeed first-class, prepared with passion and attention to details, ... a real treat, while at the same time we enjoyed watching from the dining table the light blue and green water slowly making its way towards the villa, or going away, with the tide. During our 16-day stay at the villa we never had a day where we ate the same meal twice.Moreover, we found Mohammeds connection to local fishermen very valuable for organizing local snorkeling or fishing trips that are just steps away from the villa. We also enjoyed exploring other parts of the island by a small van with Hatibu - the house manager.The atmosphere at Jambiani is very friendly and familiar, the beach is vast, and even that it was a high season there were not too many tourist. All over you feel the relaxed atmosphere and the joy of life, in particular from the local children and young men playing football or beach volleyball. As many other tourists, we spontaneously joined the locals almost every evening and played together with them on the beach. We felt completely safe, as well.Overall it has been a unique experience of having enjoyed top comfort which you normally get only in a high class hotels, but being immersed whenever we wanted with the locals and getting to know their way of life.We hope to one day come back to enjoy the people as well as the nature that makes Mwendawima Villa as well as Jambiani such a Paradise.

I stayed in the villa in February for 10 days and had the most fantastic experience. It was my first time in Africa and I love the fact that I threw myself straight into African village life! You just wont be able to forget swimming with the local kids, exchanging greeting with the women as they rest in the shade and you are more than welcome to play football with teenagers before sunset.The ocean is unbelievably beautiful. And the best thing about it is that is changes every day, throughout the day. Whether its at high tide or low tide, you can swim in the crystal clear waters, enjoy breathtaking walks on the white sand and watch locals harvest seaweed and go fishing. The beach is all yours!The house itself is a gem. Its decorated with amazing attention to detail and with respect to local architecture. The doors alone will tell you so much about history and local craftsmanship! The rooms are comfortable, the roof terrace gives the most incredible views over the ocean and complete privacy if you want to sunbathe. Its also perfect for watching the night sky, the moon and the stars. The garden is certainly worth mentioning as it is full of exotic plants and serves as another location for enjoying the sun but also for a romantic dinner underneath passion fruit trees.And of course, as everyone else has mentioned.. the chef is a star! I still dream about the culinary journey he took us on. His cooking is of exceptional quality and his genuine care and interest in your satisfaction is very touching. Do not eat anywhere else.I am planning my next trip;)

African ParadiseWe are so missing Mwendawima Villa! Back in the UK after 16 glorious days in Zanzibar and its all beginning to feel like a dream.Yes - a dream Holiday, the Villa is amazing the pictures do not do it justice, in the flesh it is even more spectacular. The rooms are well appointed and decorated, the roof terrace is delightful - we pretty much lived there for the holiday.The staff are friendly and incredibly helpful, the star of the team is chef Mohammedi.We werent sure about having our meals catered for us and went with the intention of just having a couple of meals in the villa and spending the rest of the time sampling the delights of the local cuisine; however, after the first meal we were hooked - every single meal we had was epic! we ate out a couple of times in places that were well regarded, but nothing was as good as anything we ate at the villa.We were tough customers, we never said, can you make us this, or we fancy that - we just said surprise us and Mohammedi constantly did. I have fond memories of the platter piled high with rock lobster (no extra charge), the octopus curry was amazing, the whole grouper could have eaten us rather than the other way round - we couldnt pick a favourite dish...Quick word about Jambiani, we hired a jeep for four days, did the island from top to bottom - nowhere is better than Jambiani, other places have beaches nearly as good, but theyre all hotel resorts. Jambiani is a village and you actually feel a part of it, lots of small scale accommodation, local shops and friendly laid back people.Q. Would we go again?A. In a heartbeat

We spent 12 days in the villa with our kids. It is definitely a very good place for a journey in Zanzibar.What we appreciated :- The charm of the house, the garden and the view : the house and the view are more beautiful than the photos !- The very helpful staff: Mohammed the Chef is just an incredible cordon-bleu (and my family is very demanding about food !) , Wakili and Kim who organised the tours for us and the kindness of the cleaners Na and Ni- The beach so beautiful- Jambiani which is still a typical villageWe highly recommend the villa and we will definitely come again !

Home for us for 11 days.Nice place, beautiful people.

Excellent staff, best food in Zanzibar and very comfortable place to relax.

Wonderful Place to Relax! Great staff!

Nice place and beach

Good place

Nice location

Nice place

There were 5 of us and spent 5 nights and 6 days in paradise!The manager, Hatibu was super responsive, super helpful in helping us and giving us tips and very friendly.The chef regaled us with divine fish and lobster dishes, the team was on top, cleaning is required every day and laundry included in the price.The private, super-maintained garden, the brilliant roof top terrace, the rooms with air conditioning and fan, the beautiful bathroom, in short, absolutely fabulous.We loved it and frankly it was awesome and second to none for Zanzibar. Thanks to the whole team !The owner, Raphaël also super responsive, well done and thank you

We had a wonderful stay in this villa by the sea. The house staff as well as Hatibu are super professional and genuinely kind. The house was sparkling, the service impeccable and the food above our expectations: a delight for the taste buds. We had a great time at all the lunches at the house! The chef and his cooks are exceptional. As for the place, Jambiani beach visible from the rooftop is pleasant. The house is beautiful with spacious, clean bedrooms and beautiful, largely private bathrooms. The spaces for resting, eating and having a good time are pleasant. The environment of the house is peaceful, a guard secures the place in the evening to feel good there. I recommend that you rent this house where you will feel at home. The services are worthy of a 5* hotel.

We stayed here for 14 days in August with 7 people and a small child. It was just a dream!The first time in Africa, full of worries about the food and the mosquitoes .. We were able to leave all worries behind us immediately!We all felt right at home and very welcome!The sea and the beach are simply indescribable!For kitesurfing it is paradise on earth!The people in Jambiani are very friendly and open. The children are happy when you play with them.The house is well equipped, the roof terrace is fantastic!But the very best thing about the house is the crew!Mohammed the cook, priceless! He conjured up great dishes for us every day, from snapper to lobster toBeef fillet, it was all very, very delicious!And the breakfast was also great, pure vitamins!Tip: only eat with mohammed! We were at the Rock one evening and were mercilessly disappointed. Much too small portions for way too much money ..The friendliness of Mohamed, Said and the ladies is unsurpassable! Every wish was read from our lips!We will come back in any case!Thank you for 2 wonderful weeks!

Excellent vacation, the beaches of Jambiani are beautiful, the colors are incredible, and different every hour of the day. From the large terrace of the house, we can observe this breathtaking spectacle.The house is spacious, with different atmospheres to choose from according to the mood of the moment (aperitif bar on the terrace, breakfast with a view of the sea, barbecue dinner in the garden between palm and banana trees, sports session under the bougainvillea, nap in the garden under the exotic parasol…). The rooms are very comfortable, you sleep lulled by the sound of the waves, and you wake up to the smell of the wood fire signaling the start of activity in the neighboring village.The staff is super nice, the decorations on the beds of the rooms are different every day. The chef prepares meals worthy of excellent restaurants (starter, main course and desert) with fresh fish from the days catch. The manager takes you to places not to be missed and negotiates the prices for you (outrigger canoe tour, swimming with dolphins, walk in the Jozani forest to see the red Colobus monkey, visit of the spice farm).A place to recommend for those looking for a real unforgettable vacation, from the first hour.

We had a pleasant stay in this magnificent house where everything is planned for your well-being.We never tire of the view from the terrace with the beach and the sea on one side and an authentic fishing village on the other. The house is very pleasant with its patios and its flower garden, the bedroomsare comfortable, the service is perfect and the staff friendly. The chef cooked us typical dishes, different every day and we really enjoyed the local cuisine(octopus, calamari ... The location is ideal for taking long walks on the white sand beach and swimming in the lagoon at low tide, or near the house at high tide in water at 35 °. We rubbed shoulders with them. jardinières de la mer which cultivate and collect algae. The proximity of the village allowed us to discover warm and welcoming people. We tasted sea cicadas in a typical restaurant.We highly recommend this villa and hope to return in the near future.