AHG Hisia Nungwi Experience (ex. Zanzibar Star Resort)

Matthew Graves1/5 · 2025-09

Glorified Hostel Don’t be fooled by the glossy, over-saturated, and deceptively curated photography on the website promising unparalleled luxury in an idyllic four-star resort. Upon my arrival at the AHG Hisia Nungwi Experience Hotel on 15 September 2025–after nearly 24 hours of grueling travel–my companions and I were greeted with a musty room with not a single bath towel and a completely barren minibar… not even a bottle of water to rehydrate after our journey, let alone the fully stocked spread that was promised. Having planned to spend the vast majority of our time exploring or lounging by the water, I opted for the more economic route of sharing a “junior suite.” To our great disappointment, this room bore no resemblance to just about any standardly accepted definition of a suite. Instead, it contained two coil-spring mattresses that had long passed their expiration dates. Further, we were offered only one room key, forcing us to frustratingly choreograph room access whenever venturing out separately. Although we’d paid approximately $3000 USD for our seven-night stay, we took no advantage of the exaggerated “amenities” at the facilities, as the state of the property was absolutely abysmal and subject to the incessant cacophony of surrounding construction paired with the blaring music of the youth hostels that surrounded the property on every side. As our stay was prepaid with an international bank transfer, I imagine we would have little–if any–legal recourse to dispute the questionably scrupulous (and arguably-fraudulent) transaction. When commenting to the General Manager that the AGH was not a four-star resort by any delusional stretch of the imagination, his response was quite simply that the concept of “four stars” was different in Zanzibar. The nonchalant reaction to our concerns was not only unprofessional… it was absolutely infuriating. (I must say, however, that the rest of the hotel staff was quite friendly and pleasant). A few other caveats for those considering a stay here: - There are no phones in the rooms, and therefore no way to communicate with staff outside of visiting reception. - Some basic amenities like irons, hair dryers, and armoires/closets are non-existent. - There is no “do not disturb” door hanger provided, so expect to be awoken by housekeeping (if you manage to sleep through the construction noise). - Do not expect an exceptional “culinary journey” as promoted on the website. Daily breakfast will be the same selection of bland starches, with chopped fruit being the only real saving grace. You’ll also be required to choose your day’s dinner while at breakfast, which is quite frustrating for the culinarily adventurous. - While they don’t specifically advertise a bar, it’s worth mentioning that you’ll be left to your own devices if you enjoy the occasional adult beverage while on vacation. - During my stay, the wifi did not function. So with all of that said… buyer beware! Do not fall for this blatantly misleading advertising. Zanzibar is indeed a lovely destination, but do yourself a favor and avoid this so-called resort at all costs.

Marina de las Nieves Oliva Pérez4/5 · 2026-07

Es un hotel pequeño y familiar con mucho encanto. Está a escasos 5 minutos de la playa así que la ubicación bastante bien aunque no tengas vistas al mar. La comida está bastante bien: me faltó un poco de variedad en el desayuno pero había mucha calidad Hay que destacar por encima de todo el personal que es amabilísimo y siempre dispuesto a ayudar. Llegamos con casi 4 horas de retraso a las 2 de la madrugada y nos habían guardado la cena. El hotel en sí le falta alguna reforma: a las habitaciones les falta algo de modernizarse pero por lo general todo positivo

Chriss voillot1/5 · 2026-02

nous avons séjourné 15 jours dans cet hôtel qui ne mérite absolument pas c est 4 étoiles.point possitif personnel sur accueillant hôtel propre.points négatif le patron aucune considération pour les clients et sont personnels . groupe électrogène en fonction le matin et soir bruit de fou nous étions chambre 11 le groupe ce situe juste a coté de la chambre.premiere semaine calme mais deuxième infernal il y a des travaux du matin au soir impossible d avoir un moment de calme, le patron ne fait aucun geste commercial.la journée de notre départ il a fallu quité la chambre a 10h sachant que nous devions avoir le transfert a 18h45 .on nous propose la douche de la piscine ou la douche qui ce trouve dans les toilettes homme.pour avoir une boisson on doit payer sachant que nous étions en tout inclus. les expresso sont payant .

Bianca Leonte5/5 · 2026-01

Hotel molto carino e semplice! Mi sono trovata molto bene in questo hotel. La camera era semplice e con il necessario per poter trascorrere una vacanza piacevole. La piscina è molto bella, immersa nel verde. La cucina è buona e si trova sempre qualcosa che soddisfi i propri gusti. Spero di tornarci molto presto e magari di soggiornare anche per più giorni!

Piątek Teresa5/5 · 2026-01

Jak wszędzie są pewne niedociągnięcia, ale chciałabym się skupić na pozytywach. Przede wszystkim nietypowa formuła all inclusive jest rewelacyjna. Posiłki są serwowane do numerowanych stolików, czterodaniowe lunche i kolacje są zamawiane z bieżącego menu w trakcie śniadania. Jedzenie jest doskonale przyrządzone, pięknie podane jak w eleganckiej restauracjii i zróżnicowanie oferty pozwala na satysfakcjonujące doświadczenia kulinarne. Menager hotelu, Włoch zaadaprował śródziemnomorskie smaki do realiów afrykańskich i w efekcie goście mogą się delektować ciekawym fushion cooking. Wspaniałe owoce morza, doskonałe makarony i idealnie przyrządzona wołowina to będxie numer jeden na liście moich kulinarnych wspomnień. Taka formuła all inclusive wymaga bardzo dużo pracy i idealnej koordynacji, ale też pozwala na realizowanie polityki no waste, a goście dostają świeżutkie, przygotowywane na bieżąco wykwintne dania. Hotel jest bardzo kameralny. Pełne obłożenie nie przekracza 50 osób. Otoczenie jest piękne. Zadbany egzotyczny ogród z 2 basenami i bujną roślinnością. Bardzo przypadł mi do gustu dzień afrykański. Obiad złożony z lokalnych dań... no pozwalał docenić wykwintność poprzednich dni. Ale niekwesrionowaną atrakcją wieczoru był występ Masajów, którzy dali naprawdę super show. Generalnie hotel godny polecenia

Arturas Savickas4/5 · 2026-01

Me and my wife stayed here for 5 nights in mid-December, after spending 4 nights in Paje. The difference between the two areas is noticeable — Nungwi is much more touristy and feels far less African than Paje. Like in many parts of Zanzibar, there is the ongoing issue of beach boys and street vendors. Everywhere you go, someone wants something from you. This has nothing to do with the hotel itself, but it was a big put-off for us and is worth mentioning for future visitors to the island. The hotel’s location is very good. It’s less than a 5-minute walk to the beautiful (and busy) Nungwi Beach. It’s also close to everything you might need — tours, ATMs, restaurants, takeaways, a pharmacy, grocery and liquor stores, and souvenir shops — all within easy walking distance. When we arrived a couple of hours before check-in, we weren’t allowed access to our room without paying an early check-in fee. This is understandable, but it’s useful information to be aware of if you’re planning to arrive early. The rooms were okay and decent — fairly large and clean — although some of the furniture felt a bit outdated. The bathrooms, however, were very nice and felt like a big contrast compared to the bedroom. There was a free safe in the room, which was handy, and used it daily, although we personally didn’t experience or hear about any theft issues. The hotel is also guarded by a Maasai warrior who opens the gate as you come and go, which adds an extra level of security and reassurance. One highlight was the pool near the reception and entrance gate. Because it stays in the shade for most of the day, the water remains cool all day, which was perfect and very refreshing during the very hot days. Next to the pool there’s also a small parking area, which is great as the car doesn’t sit in the sun (if you’re renting — we did). Breakfast was buffet-style but honestly quite weak. While at first glance there seemed to be a reasonable amount of food choices available, there wasn’t much real choice, and the breakfast stayed exactly the same throughout our stay and we ended up eating eggs the every time. Dinner, however, was much better — served à la carte, changing every evening, and the food was consistently very good. It’s also worth mentioning that Zanzibar does experience power cuts, and parts of the island can be without electricity for several hours. Most hotels, including this one, have generators, so the impact at the hotel is minimal — power usually comes back within minutes. However, the surrounding town will still be without electricity. While inconvenient, it’s quite an experience in itself to walk to a local grocery store and choose and pay for products by torchlight. The Wi-Fi was quite slow, but this seemed to be standard across the island rather than a hotel-specific issue. Overall, we would recommend AHG Hisia Nungwi Experience. It’s a very decent hotel in a very good location, with helpful staff and some strong points — especially the pool, security, and dinners — even if there are a few areas that could be improved. Hopefully this feedback reaches the people in charge and is taken in a positive way, so the small points mentioned can be worked on and the place made even better.