Sunshine Marine Lodge offers the ultimate tropical getaway. Unwind by the poolside bar, relax at the spa with a body treatment, or enjoy scuba diving and snorkeling activities. With 3 outdoor pools, a garden library and free in-room WiFi you'll feel right at home.
At Sunshine Marine Lodge, you'll have access to onsite scuba diving and snorkeling. 3 outdoor pools provide fun for everyone, while guests in the mood for pampering can indulge in deep-tissue massages, aromatherapy, and mani/pedis. The coffee shop/cafe is a great spot for a bite to eat and cold drinks are served at the bar/lounge. A poolside bar, a children's pool, and a beach shuttle are other highlights.
At a glance
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Hotel size
28 rooms
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Arriving/Leaving
Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; Check-in end time: 10:00 PM
Early check-in subject to availability
Late check-in subject to availability
Check-out time is 10 AM
Late check-out subject to availability
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Special check-in instructions
This property offers transfers from the airport (surcharges may apply); to arrange pick-up, guests must contact the property 48 hours prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation
The property charges 5 percent for credit card payments
The front desk is open daily from 7:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Guests must contact the property in advance for check-in instructions; front desk staffed during limited hours
To make arrangements for check-in please contact the property at least 24 hours before arrival using the information on the booking confirmation
Guests should be aware that 3 cats and 1 dog reside at this property
For any questions, please contact the property using the information on the booking confirmation
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools
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Required at check-in
Credit card, debit card, or cash deposit required for incidental charges
Government-issued photo ID may be required
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Pets
Pets not allowed
WIFI
Internet
Free WiFi in public areas
Free WiFi in rooms
LOCAL_PARKING
Parking
Free onsite self parking
Free onsite extended parking
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Transfers
Airport shuttle on request (available 24 hours)*
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Offsite
Free beach shuttle
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Other information
Smoke-free property
Property amenities
Food and drink
Free buffet breakfast each morning 7:30 AM–10:30 AM
Restaurant
Bar/lounge
Poolside bar
Coffee shop
Coffee/tea in a common area
Barbecue grills
Private dining
Free daily reception
Traveling with children
Children's pool
What to do
Free beach shuttle
Boat tours
Scuba diving
Snorkeling
Beach nearby
Ecotours nearby
Water skiing nearby
Services
Front desk (limited hours)
Tour/ticket assistance
Laundry facilities
Luggage storage
Wedding services
Multilingual staff
Porter/bellhop
Free beach shuttle
Beach towels
Pool loungers
Pool umbrellas
Romance packages
Facilities
7 buildings/towers
Built in 2013
Safe-deposit box at front desk
Garden
Terrace
Library
Mosquito nets
3 outdoor pools
Bicycle parking
Spa services
Massage/treatment rooms
Locally sourced food is prioritized
At least 80% organic food
Vegan dining options
Vegetarian dining options
Humane treatment of captive wild animals
Locally-owned & organized tours & activities
Comprehensive food waste policy
Waste recycling policy
No plastic drinking straws
Traditional architecture
Room amenities
Home comfort
Air conditioning
Ceiling fan
Minibar
Coffee/tea maker
Electric kettle
Sleep well
Down comforter
Bed sheets provided
What to enjoy
Balcony or patio
Freshen up
Private bathroom
Rainfall showerhead
Shower only
Free toiletries
Towels
Stay connected
Desk
Free WiFi
Food and drink
Free bottled water
More
Daily housekeeping
In-room safe
Uses some LED lighting
Water-efficient showers only
Special features
Spa
Guests can pamper themselves by indulging in the onsite spa services. There are massage/treatment rooms available. Services include deep-tissue massages, Swedish massages, facials, and body scrubs. A variety of treatment therapies are provided, including aromatherapy.
Fees & policies
Mandatory fees
You'll be asked to pay the following charges by the property at check-in or check-out. Fees may include applicable taxes:
A tax is imposed by the city: USD 4.00 per person, per night
An effective city/local tax rate of 12.00 percent will be charged
Christmas Eve (December 24) Gala Dinner per adult: USD 80
Christmas Eve (December 24) Gala Dinner per child: USD 40 (from 2 to 11 years old)
New Year's Eve (December 31) Gala Dinner per adult: USD 80
New Year's Eve (December 31) Gala Dinner per child: USD 40 (from 2 to 11 years old)
Optional extras
Airport shuttle service is offered for an extra charge of USD 60 per vehicle (one-way, maximum occupancy 4)
Early check-in can be arranged for an extra charge of 60 percent of room rate (subject to availability)
Late check-out can be arranged for an extra charge (subject to availability)
Credit card charges are subject to an extra charge of 5 percent
Children & extra beds
Airport shuttle service for children up to age 12 costs USD 60 (one-way)
Guests must contact this property in advance to reserve cribs/infant beds and rollaway/extra beds
Pool, spa, & gym (if applicable)
Children under 12 years old are not allowed in the swimming pool without adult supervision
Reservations are required for massage services and spa treatments and can be made by contacting the property before arrival at the number on the booking confirmation
Policies
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios, terraces which may not be suitable for children. If you have concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm they can accommodate you in a suitable room.
Noise-free guestrooms cannot be guaranteed.
This property does not have elevators.
Guests can rest easy knowing there's a fire extinguisher, a security system, and a first aid kit on site.
The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation.
This property accepts credit cards and cash.
Credit cards accepted: Visa, Mastercard
Cashless transactions are available.
Also known as
Sunshine Marine
Sunshine Marine Lodge
Sunshine Marine Lodge Matemwe
Sunshine Marine Matemwe
Sunshine Marine Lodge Matemwe, Zanzibar
Sunshine Marine Lodge Hotel
Sunshine Marine Lodge Matemwe
Sunshine Marine Lodge Hotel Matemwe
Frequently asked questions
Is there a pool at Sunshine Marine Lodge?
Yes, there are 3 outdoor pools and a children's pool.
Are pets allowed at Sunshine Marine Lodge?
Sorry, pets aren't allowed.
Is parking offered on site at Sunshine Marine Lodge?
Yes, there's free self and extended parking.
Is airport shuttle service offered by Sunshine Marine Lodge?
Yes, an airport shuttle is available. The charge is USD 60 per vehicle one-way.
What are the check-in and check-out times at Sunshine Marine Lodge?
Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; Check-in end time: 10:00 PM. There's a 60% charge for early check-in (subject to availability). Check-out time is 10 AM. Late check-out is available for a charge (subject to availability).
What is there to do at Sunshine Marine Lodge and nearby?
Have fun with onsite activities like snorkeling, scuba diving, and boat tours. Additional recreation nearby includes ecotours. Enjoy a swim in one of the 3 outdoor swimming pools or use the hotel's other amenities, which include spa services and a garden.
Are there restaurants at or near Sunshine Marine Lodge?
Yes, there's an onsite restaurant.
Does Sunshine Marine Lodge have any outdoor private spaces?
Yes, every room features a balcony or patio.
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Reviews
Sunshine Marine Lodge Reviews
9.2
Wonderful
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travelers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
9.8
Cleanliness
8.8
Location
9.6
Staff & service
9.6
Property conditions & facilities
Reviews
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Oct 12, 2025
Lovely stay- great quiet spot with amazing views and friendly and attentive staff. Great scuba diving!
Erica
Erica, 6-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Mar 2, 2026
Fantastic stay in this beautiful boutique hotel in Matemwe!
Plus: Amazing ocean view room, great food, amazing staff (everyone is so kind and so nice!), fantastic diving team (be aware that Zanzibar doesn't have big sealife, but the small ones and the sites are beautiful), very relaxing stay, great service overall
Cons: the only cons (but I knew that already and this was part of the reasons why I chose this hotel!) is that the hotel is very isolated so if you are looking for a lot to do, this is not the place for you!
Carolina
Carolina, 7-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Jun 30, 2025
Peaceful oasis
We had an amazing stay at Sunshine Marine Lodge. The staff were all incredibly helpful and friendly. The reception team helped with arranging tours and activities - we especially loved the tour of Stone Town! The hotel also offers transfer services from the airport, which was really convenient. The resort itself is beautiful and peaceful. The food was also great, especially the fresh fruit at breakfast and the daily specials for lunch and dinner. Cannot recommend this stay enough!
Dina
Dina, 4-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Apr 22, 2025
Perfect relaxing holiday
Relaxing holiday. All staff smiling, very friendly and service minded. Excellent team. The food was excellent, perhaps a bit expensive, but very tasty and beautifully served. Special thanks to the waiter Daniel who was really making a difference. We tried yoga and the yoga instructor Anna was really good, Stayed in the ocean view bungalow. The only thing which I recommend is a new madras as it was a bit used.
Dorte
Dorte, 7-night trip
Verified
8/10 Very good
Apr 29, 2024
The propertynwas beautiful, the room was spacioua and incredible balcony. The distance from town and expense to get there and back ( over an hour $160 rtn)was the only drawback.
George
George, 4-night trip
Verified
8/10 Very good
May 6, 2024
Extremly isolated. No possibility to eat outside (without Taxi).
Daily power cuts, some of which lasted a long time. No air conditioning and no WLAN during this time. Bar and restaurant also affected.
The staff are very keen to maintain European standards, but are overzealous. Every plate is cleared away in a hurry, regardless of whether your partner is still eating or whether you want to keep your plate to have a snack.
Hotel pool was not cleaned separately in the morning. As a result, there were lots of dead insects floating in the pool.
Uta
Uta, 5-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Sep 10, 2023
The staff at Sunshine went above and beyond the call of duty to make our stay there wonderful. We especially would like to acknowledge Hamida, Rosemary and Daniel. Everyone there was great and always had a smile waiting for you. Service was top notch and their restaurant deserves a michelin star.
Robert
Robert, 4-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Apr 27, 2026
The first hotel we stayed at upon arriving in Zanzibar. We received a very warm welcome and felt safe throughout our stay. The food was good, the staff were friendly, and overall we were very satisfied. The rooms were clean, and the service was excellent. The area was peaceful and pleasant.
Vanja
Vanja, 3-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Jan 22, 2026
We enjoyed all in this property. Thank You and see You again!
Kamil
Kamil, 2-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Feb 21, 2026
We had a gorgeous sea view room for our 2 night stay. Bed is comfortable, balcony seats very comfortable: good shower etc. place is spotless with attentive housekeeping. Great stay if you’re looking to dive around Mnemba as the diving centre with lovely staff is in the resort. Menu is a bit limited for vegetarians and they ran out of quite a few ingredients (avocado, limes) so it wasn’t the best food we had and the area around the hotel is pretty quiet.
Samantha
Samantha, 2-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Dec 9, 2025
Great
james
james, 2-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Oct 18, 2024
Awesome quiet place!
Leon
Leon, 4-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Jul 11, 2022
The place is very nice Food is Amazing great for a cupples retret! You will anjoy your stay if its a relaxing mode!
Ada
Ada, 1-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Jul 30, 2022
Peaceful location
Beautiful and very peaceful stay. Friendly staff. Snorkeling trips organized every day. Bus to small nearby beach several times a day. Nice variety in food menu that changes every day. Would definitely stay here again.
Mette
Mette, 3-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Sep 10, 2022
Honeymoon
Awesome time at the Sunshine!
Great food, impecable service, a peaceful place to enjoy Zanzibar. The hotel is beautiful and offers many services (spa, free yoga classes, diving school inside the hotel). We had an amazing time and we wished to have stayed longer. Everyone at the Sunshine helped us to enjoy this moment so Kudos to everyone!!
Julie
Julie, 4-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Jul 25, 2023
The best part of the hotel is the staff—warm, friendly, wonderful and willing to go ABOVE AND BEYOND to make our stay wonderful. The location is far away from hustle and bustle of beaches like Nungwi. No one is trying to sell you anything here. The view from the pools is lovely and the dramatic rise and fall of the tide made for fun little adventures. The dive shop was handy and lovely. The snorkeling and diving at Mnemba were just 20 minute away and great. To note: there isn’t a swimmable beach in front of the hotel. For this, you wait until low tide and walk north to Muyuni or bike there…well worth it for the sandbar, starfish, and swimming. We are so thankful to Sunshine Marine Lodge team for sharing their beautiful space and smiles with us!
sarah
sarah, 4-night trip
Verified
4/10 Fair
Jan 7, 2024
Would never choose again
At first glance it looks as if this hotel is a quite calm luxurious hotel. But after staying here for 5days I would not say that luxury is the correct word. All in all we had 5 cockroaches (apart from other critters) in our room at different times. After the first night we told the reception and got the reply that they would try to fix it but that they really can’t because the hotel is located in a very green area. They sprayed a lot of bug spray in our room hoping that it would solve the issue at hand. Well, it didn’t. The door to the room had a glitch of maybe 3-4 cm at the bottom, that was the critter highway 1 to our room, the doors to the terrace where the same, a huge whole that just was another entrance for bugs of all sorts to enter our room. The room also had the bathroom window (not really a window, patterned holes in the wall with insect nets for coverage.) that was straight towards the stairs that other guest used to get to their rooms. So whenever you needed to go, you had to check so there wasn’t anyone outside that could peek in or just hear the sounds that can happen during a visit to the restroom.
Furthermore the hotel did not comunicate well, as an example, we were away on a trip all morning and back at the hotel at 12:30, a lot of time for the staff to clean. But they came and wanted to clean the room exactly when we got back and needed to change clothes. They had so much time to do this, but chose the worst possible time.
Fantastiske og autentiske omgivelser.
Hyggelig pool område med bar og restaurant lige ved siden af.
Vi fik et hyggeligt og flot værelse med altan ud til vandet.
Personalet var yderst høflige og søde.
Desværre havde de ikke altid det hele på lager som de viste på deres menukort men vi blev mætte hver dag med godt og tilberedt mad.
Kan klart anbefalde stedet for dem som bare har brug for at koble af og slappe af i autentiske omgivelser.
Kasper
Kasper, 7-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Dec 21, 2025
Es war ein wunderbarer Aufenthalt in der Sunshine Marine Lodge. Das Zimmer war sehr geräumig und sauber und der direkte Blick aufs Meer grandios. Das Personal sehr aufmerksam.
Das Frühstück hat unsere Wünsche erfüllt.
Wir waren auch 2x im Hotel zum Dinner. Das Essen war wirklich sehr gut, das einzige was wir nicht so toll fanden, waren die doch im Vergleich teuren Preise. Das ist Schade.
Man kann die sunshine marine lodge nur weiterempfehlen, man bekommt jeden Tag Wasser a und Kaffee - und Teebeutel, Wasserkocher vorhanden. Die Betten werden abends Mückensicher gemacht, das Menü für den ganzen Tag bekommt man aufs Handy mit den Ebbe und Flutdaten außerdem die Tagestemperaturen, fanden wir sehr gut!