Zanzibar beach accommodation, Matemwe
| country: | Tanzania, Zanzibar | ||||
| location: | Matemwe, Unguja | ||||
| price: | From US $3,561 - US $4,094 per room per week full board for the lodge
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| more info: | Price excludes flights. We can book flights from the UK Further price information | ||||
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
description
| Matemwe and the small, luxury extension Matemwe Retreat boast the most idyllic beaches of Zanzibar and offer spectacular diving and snorkeling in the nearby Mnemba Atoll Marine Park. Matemwe embodies the quintessential beach experience: a relaxing atmosphere, friendly and personable staff, massages, cocktails, swimming pools, lush tropical gardens and sumptuous cuisine - fresh seafood being the specialty. Diving and snorkeling are done by most, Spice Tours and historic Stone Town visits by the active beach goers. Each of the twelve spacious rooms (main lodge) and three luxury villas (Retreat) feature large verandas overlooking the Indian Ocean. The main lodge has swimming pools, and the Retreat villas have private plunge pools. The Lodge: Matemwe lies perched on a coral rock, surrounded by the best beaches and right opposite the Mnemba Atoll, which offers spectacular diving and snorkeling. The friendly staff, relaxed atmosphere, lush tropical gardens, fine white sand, intimate swimming pools, massages, and magnificent food specializing in fresh seafood make Matemwe the ultimate tropical paradise on the intriguing island of Zanzibar. The Retreat: The Retreat is built by local craftsmen, and where possible from local materials. Walls are of local stone and roofs are made of makuti (woven palm leaves). Most of the furniture is made from locally produced coconut wood. Soft furnishings are produced by Zanzibari women and the matting by the blind association in Stone Town. The sun, through our solar system, supplies hot water to the lodge. |   |
special things to do and see here
| Matemwe is a perfect place for relaxation as well as water activities. When staying here, ocean trips with snorkeling equipment can be easily arranged for you. You can sail or motor out to the local reef and discover the little island of Mnemba Atoll- right opposite Matemwe. Diving trips can also be organized for you with a professional diving center and you can discover the breathtaking underwater world of the Indian Ocean. You can also snorkel straight from the beach or during reef walks. Kayaks are available to explore the crystal clear sea. Local snorkeling/diving sites are suitable for all levels of experience, from beginners to experienced divers. Variety is the key word on the reefs around Matemwe: soft and hard corals, sponges and anemones abound, and you will be amazed by the sheer range of fish species in these waters. You might find dolphins in the water that come close to your boat to show off or - for the lucky ones - even spot a whale passing by the reef (best chance for whales in the period August - October). Visits to the neighboring village can be arranged for those who want to explore the local Zanzibar culture and village life and for those who wish to learn about the community projects that Matemwe is involved in. From Matemwe, day-trips can be arranged to the historic centre of Stone Town, Jozani Forest or Prison Island. We can also organize a Spice Tour for you, a highly interesting way to learn about the great variety of spices that the island is famous for - and who knows: maybe you will be inspired to cook some Zanzibari dishes yourself when you get home! |   |
rooms, food and facilities
| The Lodge: The lodge consists of 12 beautiful bungalows, built from local materials and surrounded by beautiful garden. Each suite has a private veranda with hammocks and couches overlooking the Indian Ocean. Inside the room, you'll find a grand, king-size bed, an extra single bed, plenty of space and personal touches. The bathrooms are large and have deep bathtubs and walk-in showers. Although mosquitoes are rare in Matemwe, all rooms are equipped with a large mosquito net. The open-air restaurant overlooks the ocean and has a tranquil area to lounge in as well. Seafood is the specialty of the house, with all produce bought daily from the local markets. Lunch is a buffet offering a delicious mix of African and European flavors. Dinner offers a choice of main courses with fish, meat and vegetarian options. Matemwe has a multi-level swimming pool surrounded with lounge chairs overlooking the ocean. Freshly mixed cocktails are served at the poolside bar. Ngalawas, fleets of traditional wooden sailing boats, pass by Matemwe - delivering a dream for any photographer - and the lodge is a daily stop for the fishermen who sell fresh crab, lobster and fish to Matemwe for lunches and dinners. Enjoy this sight at early morning, when fresh coffee and delicious cookies are served at your veranda. In the evening, the full moon rising out of the sea is a wonderfully romantic experience. For those who need to make contact with the outside world, we offer internet and telephone/fax facilities; television still hasn't made it to paradise. The Retreat: The Retreat consists of 3 fabulous, separate villas, full of atmosphere, inspiration and personal touches. Each ground floor of each villa (150 m2 including verandahs) features a private cocktail bar, an air-conditioned bedroom, a bathroom with double basins, shower, and large romantic bathtub overlooking the Indian Ocean. The best part of each villa is the plunge pool on the private roof terrace (60 m2), complete with sun and shade decks. And if this is not enough to make you want to stay there right now - each villa has its own small beach right in front of it. The service in the Retreat is our pride: breakfast served on the private veranda of your room, so as not to disturb you. Each day the manager or chef will stop by to discuss lunch and dinner preferences: the catch of the day served in the privacy of your garden or roof terrace or a dinner at Matemwe's main lodge, where you can enjoy the company of other guests. Drinks are served in the room or on the beach and you can have massages and beauty treatments in the comfort of your roof terrace, overlooking the Indian Ocean. |     |
how to find us
The nearest airport is Stone Town, Zanzibar International Airport further price information
| Price per week FB | Low seaon | High season |
| The Lodge | US $3,561 | US $4,094 |
| The Retreat | US $5,522 | US $6,697 |
Price includes full board accommodation, coffee & tea, water during meals, guided reef and village walks and kayaking. Single supplements and triple rates are also available. The GBP price shown is based on today's exchange rate. Your holiday will be charged in GBP at the rate applicable when you make any payment. Pricing correct at time of website publication and are subject to change.
Low season is 6th January - 31st March, 1st June - 30th June, 1st November - 19th December. High season is 1st January - 5th January, 1st July - 31st October, 20th December - 31st December. Matemwe is closed in April and May.
flight arrangements
We are able to help you with any flight arrangements from the UK. Please indicate if you wish us to quote also for flights when you make your enquiry and we will strive to get you the best flights and rates possible. how this holiday makes a difference
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Matemwe ML&R is part of Asilia Lodges & Camps- a company with its very own charity- the Honeyguide Foundation - a grassroots organization dedicated to community support and to the conservation of wildlife. This is being achieved through long-term community partnerships. Established in 2006 by the Asilia Group, the Foundation is an independent entity that supports specific projects in the areas where the Group has a presence.
The Foundation is trying to cover a wide range of different projects. These projects include education, supporting small local, eco-friendly businesses and initiating land use plans. Other initiatives being undertaken are - Environmental initiatives that aim to conserve community resources, community health care and conservation awareness. With more than a decade's experience in Tanzania, we believe the most successful projects are those initiated from within a community - rather than those imposed from outside. A selected community must be able to articulate its issues, needs and vision to the Foundation, rather than simply being handed a solution. By encouraging self-awareness and good leadership at a focused, grass-roots level, the Foundation envisions that our partner communities will pull themselves out of poverty. This will therefore achieve sustainability for the projects and at the same time, the communities will become stable, imaginative and progressive contributors to the preservation of the country's wildlife and wild places. Environment The Honeyguide foundation contributes to the village's sea turtle protection programme, Villagers employ guards to protect the crucial Hawksbill Turtle nesting ground. The Matemwe Turtle Project had their annual turtle hatching event where over 100 young turtles hatched from their eggs and dug their way out of the hole to leave Matemwe beach and swim out to sea. By minimising waste, reducing electricity consumption and water usage by recommending using towels more than once and switching off the electricity during the day, Matemwe ML&R tries its best to minimise environmental impacts. Matemwe ML&R aims at being a Robinson Crusoe paradise at one of the world’s most stunning beaches and offering a very beautiful and natural setting- there is no active pool entertainment, TV’s in room etc – the Matemwe experience is real! The beaches have not been touched - and the sea life is unharmed and preserved through tourist education. The diving excursions are carried out by authentic dhow boats rather than diesel-driven power boats. All material used to build the lodge and Retreats are local traditional Zanzibari – that way supporting local craftsmen- and it’s all natural! Did you know that coconut tree wood is ant-resistant? That means we don’t need any pesticides! A stay at Matemwe ML&R is so powerful and relaxing that most people just want to take off their shoes and stay- throw away the laptop and instead help the local fishermen fish some fresh crab, lobster and fish! Matemwe ML&R educates every guest about the sensitivity of the coast and its wildlife and the impact every guest can have on the environment and how to keep this at minimal level. Community Matemwe ML&R (comprising of the main lodge and the Retreats) has a 90% local staff policy- preferably from the very local village of Matemwe- and with the aim of working for Matemwe ML&R on a long term basis and actually – with in-house training- climbing up the career ladder within Matemwe ML&R. Matemwe ML&R’s stunning white beach is used by the local fishermen in the early morning to provide the fresh seafood the lodge serves during the day. The local ladies collect seaweed from Matemwe ML&R’s beach to sell on to make their living. Matemwe ML&R has built the local school and library which can be visited by guests if they are interested and is very active in different educational projects to help Matemwe village. The biggest change for the village is the desire for education; the Honeyguide Foundation assists the community to complete the primary school building. Providing school materials like books, chairs, desks and blackboards. Now more than ever, the villagers understand the need for good schooling for their children. Malaria, the biggest killer in the world and its carrier, the mosquito regularly visit the nearby village. HGF have a plan: the mosquito net is going to be introduced to every household near Matemwe. We will work together with all the hotels and lodges and provide a means for any guest staying in the lodge to donate a mosquito net to a family. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |
