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Summary of reviewsBlue Oyster Hotel receives glowing reviews in several key areas, making it a highly recommended destination for travelers seeking a luxurious seaside vacation. Nestled along the serene Jambiani Beach on Zanzibar's east coast, the hotel boasts an extraordinary location with direct beach access, stunning sea views and beautifully designed surroundings. Guests rave about the idyllic atmosphere, which is complemented by the hotel's colonial-style rooms featuring comfortable beds, quality materials and high ceilings. The raised sunbed areas add an extra layer of relaxation, while ensuring privacy from beach vendors.
The hotel’s dining experiences are highlights for many visitors. The breakfast buffet features a wide variety of delicious local and western dishes, fresh fruit juices and a range of coffees. The setting with scenic sea views, adds to the enjoyment and the attentive service ensures a delightful start to the day. Dinners are equally impressive, offering a variety of local specialties made from fresh ingredients. The changing menu and excellent service, along with the ambiance of breathtaking sea views, contribute to a memorable dining experience.
Cleanliness is a standout feature at Blue Oyster Hotel with both rooms and public areas maintained to impeccable standards. Guests frequently commend the hotel's pristine condition, which extends to the clean beach area complete with comfortable sunbeds and clean towels.
The staff at Blue Oyster Hotel are repeatedly praised for their friendliness, attentiveness and professional service. Their warm hospitality and readiness to assist at any moment create a welcoming atmosphere that significantly enhances guests' stays. Key staff members are often singled out for their exceptional service, underscoring the hotel's commitment to personalized guest experiences.
While the wifi receives mixed reviews, many guests find it good and reliable in most areas of the hotel. The beds are generally comfortable, though opinions on their firmness vary. The lack of air conditioning and modern touches are noted drawbacks but do not significantly detract from the overall positive experience.
Blue Oyster Hotel provides a relaxing and luxurious retreat with high-quality amenities, exceptional service and an unbeatable location. Its beautiful setting, combined with top-tier hospitality and cleanliness, make it a favored choice for both leisure and business travelers seeking a paradise-like getaway. Show more
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Hotel near The Beach
Situated on Jambiani Beach, this hotel offers direct access to the beach. Guests can easily walk from their rooms to the sandy shores.
Hotel Taking Steps Towards Sustainability
Considered exemplary for its eco-friendly policies, this hotel has made a green mission central to its operations by not offering a pool or air-conditioning to reduce environmental impact. A detailed book at the reception outlines their efforts in environmental preservation, waste reduction, and supporting local communities.
Business Hotel
Located directly on Jambiani Beach, this hotel offers a relaxed atmosphere. It may provide basic business-related amenities, such as internet access, essential for staying connected and productive.
Small Hotel
Room Types
Budget Double Room with Garden View
This budget-style room is decorated with hand carved, wooden Zanzibari beds, and has a smaller terrace with a seating area. The rooms offers a desk, a chair and smaller wardrobe with a clothing rack. The room is situated in our main building with a view of our garden and/or beach bar, the ocean is partially visible directly from the terrace. Due to environmental considerations, our rooms have fans, but no air conditioning.
Double Room with Sea ViewFeaturing a balcony or a terrace and Indian Ocean views, this more spacious room comes with carved, wooden Zanzibari-style beds. It also includes a desk and fan. The en suite bathroom has a shower.
Due to environmental considerations, our rooms have fans, but no air conditioning.
Guest Reviews
9.0
Excellent
Location
Nestled along the serene and picturesque Jambiani Beach, Blue Oyster Hotel offers an extraordinary seaside experience. Guests consistently rave about the hotel's stunning beachfront location, which provides direct access to the calm and less touristy sands of Jambiani. The property boasts mesmerizing views of the turquoise sea and exceptional settings that allow visitors to witness beautiful sunrises right from their rooms.
The peace and quiet of the area contribute to a relaxing stay, making it an ideal haven to unwind. The proximity between the rooms, the beach, the restaurant and the parking ensures convenience at every turn. This charming establishment is praised not only for its superb location on the east coast of Zanzibar but also for its beautifully designed and clean surroundings that complement the natural beauty of the sea.
Guests enjoy the idyllic atmosphere and are delighted by the quaint village setting, allowing easy access to local shops and restaurants. The hotel exudes a perfect blend of simplicity and comfort with its colonial-style rooms offering stunning sea views. The raised sunbed areas provide optimal relaxation while maintaining a pleasant distance from beach vendors.
Whether it’s the extraordinary coastline location, the direct beach access or the welcoming calm of the Jambiani area, Blue Oyster Hotel offers an almost paradise-like retreat. It encapsulates the dream of a seaside getaway with the soothing sound of waves always in the background.
Breakfast
The breakfast experience at Blue Oyster Hotel has garnered an overwhelmingly positive reception from its guests. The hotel offers a great breakfast buffet with a wide variety of options to cater to all tastes. The spread is described as extensive, delicious and very complete with something for everyone, including an egg station where freshly made omelettes and scrambled eggs are prepared to order.
Guests have highlighted the variety and quality of the offerings, noting the availability of both local and western dishes, fresh fruit juices and a range of coffees. Morning meals include an array of pastries, fruits and even special touches like homemade and organic options, which contribute to a generous and high-quality breakfast experience.
In addition to the food, the scenic views from the restaurant have been repeatedly praised, adding an extra layer of enjoyment to the dining experience. The breakfast service is lauded for its freshness, plentitude and the superb, attentive service that accompanies it. Despite a few mentions of average and occasionally disappointing experiences, the overall consensus underscores the hotel’s capability to deliver a satisfying and varied breakfast that leaves a positive impression on its guests.
Dinner
The Blue Oyster Hotel boasts an exceptional dining experience with a variety of commendable aspects highlighted in guest reviews. The restaurant consistently impresses with delicious and varied food with many guests describing the cuisine as outstanding and top-notch. Diners can savor a range of local and Tanzanian specialties made from fresh, local products. The changing menu ensures variety, offering new dishes every couple of days and the portions are generally well-received, although some guests suggest improvements for vegetarian options.
The restaurant's ambiance is further elevated by its breathtaking sea views, contributing to a memorable dining atmosphere. Most guests are highly satisfied with the excellent service and the overall quality of the meals. Breakfast, lunch and dinner all receive high praise, particularly for their rich flavors and fresh ingredients. However, some guests feel that the menu could offer more variety after a couple of days and the pre-order system for dinner is noted, which requires planning ahead.
Overall, the Blue Oyster Hotel's restaurant is highly recommended for its excellent and authentic cuisine, comfortable setting and reasonable prices, making it a dining highlight for visitors.
Rooms
Blue Oyster Hotel offers a delightful room experience, providing guests with large, spacious and well-appointed accommodations. The rooms are celebrated for their cleanliness and beautiful décor, often featuring locally made wooden furniture that adds a unique, tasteful touch. Many rooms boast stunning sea views, allowing guests to enjoy the serene and picturesque surroundings from their private balconies. The majority of the rooms are comfortable and equipped with necessary facilities, highlighted by very comfortable beds and large balconies perfect for relaxation.
While the rooms are generally simple and neutral in decoration, they are more than sufficient for a pleasant stay. High ceilings and quality materials contribute to the overall charm. However, a notable drawback is the absence of air conditioning, which can affect comfort during warmer periods. Soundproofing could also be improved.
The housekeeping team maintains a high standard of hygiene, ensuring that rooms are cleaned and tidied daily. Some guests did encounter minor issues, such as outlets being far from the bed and a lack of modern touches, but these did not significantly detract from the overall positive experience. The ambiance and comfort of the rooms make Blue Oyster Hotel a desirable choice for travelers seeking a blend of space, comfort and beautiful oceanic views.
Beds
At the Blue Oyster Hotel, the beds often receive praise for their comfort and spaciousness. The rooms boast very comfortable beds with many guests highlighting the large, king-size and even four-poster beds that are beautifully adorned with mosquito nets. The beach beds also earn accolades for their comfort, offering a relaxing experience by the sea.
However, the beds' height and firmness have garnered mixed reviews. Several guests found the beds to be too high with some mentioning it caused discomfort when getting in and out. The firmness of the mattresses is contentious; while some found them to be firm and supportive, others felt they were too hard for a restful night's sleep. Despite these variances, the overall sentiment points to a generally soothing and pleasant sleep environment, underpinned by the hotel's effort to ensure cleanliness and regular room upkeep. The luxurious, natural wood frame and overall bed aesthetics add to the charm, making the sleeping arrangements at Blue Oyster Hotel a notable aspect of the stay.
Cleanliness
Blue Oyster Hotel stands out for its remarkable cleanliness, as highlighted by numerous guest reviews. The rooms are frequently described as very clean, spotless and meticulously maintained, presenting an impressive level of tidiness throughout the establishment. Guests consistently note the pristine condition of the rooms, which are also spacious and comfortable. The hotel’s facilities and environment are equally commendable with clean and well-maintained facilities and relaxing, clean surroundings. The beach close to the hotel also receives high praise for its cleanliness. Daily maintenance ensures that everything stays in impeccable condition, contributing to a very pleasant and hygienic stay. Cleanliness at Blue Oyster Hotel is evidently a priority, making it a top choice for travelers seeking a pristine and worry-free environment.
Staff
The Blue Oyster Hotel boasts an exceptional team of staff that has garnered significant praise from its guests. The reviews consistently highlight the staff's friendliness, attentiveness and warmth, creating a welcoming and homely atmosphere for visitors. From the helpful and approachable nature of each team member to their consistently smiling faces, the staff delivers great service and hospitality. Their organization, professionalism and readiness to assist at any moment enhance the overall guest experience.
Guests frequently commend the staff for being incredibly supportive, courteous and accommodating with many noting that their interactions with the team significantly contributed to a wonderful stay. The staff's ability to provide personalized attention, remember guest preferences and make every visitor feel special stands out. Moreover, the staff's great communication skills and immediate responses to requests ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience.
Key figures such as Humphrey and Louise have been mentioned specifically for their outstanding service, further emphasizing the high level of individual care provided. Whether it's the management or the support staff, every team member plays a crucial role in maintaining the hotel's welcoming environment.
Overall, the Blue Oyster Hotel's staff is described as extraordinary, professional and always available to meet the needs of their guests, ensuring a consistent and memorable hospitality experience.
Wi-Fi
The wifi at Blue Oyster Hotel has received mixed feedback from guests. On the positive side, many have noted that the wifi connection is good with some describing it as strong, quick, reliable and very efficient. Reviews also highlight good internet connectivity and good wifi coverage across the hotel. However, a number of guests have pointed out issues with weak or poor wifi connections, particularly in their rooms. Overall, while there are praises for the solid performance of the wifi, some guests have experienced less reliable connections in certain areas.
Beach
Nestled in an incredible seafront location, the beach near the Blue Oyster Hotel has garnered an abundance of praise from guests. It boasts a beautifully tranquil and peaceful environment, ideal for relaxation. The beach's cleanliness is frequently highlighted, presenting a pristine setting complemented by the availability of clean beach towels and comfortable sunbeds.
Guests appreciate the private beach area, which offers direct and easy access via small stairs, though high tide can occasionally limit swimming. The views from the beachfront are consistently described as amazing, enhancing the overall ambiance. Beach bars and lounging areas are beautifully maintained, contributing to an enjoyable seaside experience, free from the frequent disturbances of local vendors, often referred to as 'beach boys.'
The practicality of having the beach right in front of the hotel cannot be overstated, allowing visitors to revel in endless walks along the serene shore or indulge in delightful snorkeling excursions on traditional sailing boats. This prime location, coupled with top-tier beach service, makes for an exemplary beachside retreat.
Business
Blue Oyster Hotel offers a comfortable and serene setting, making it a perfect place to relax during a business trip. The hotel features good business facilities, including adequate conference rooms and ideal spaces for business meetings. Communication is seamless through a reliable app, ensuring effective arrangements. A quiet setting aids in focus, while a workstation and desk suitable for business tasks provide a conducive environment for productive work. For connectivity, the phone signal is reliable, supporting uninterrupted business calls. Additionally, the hotel can arrange for driver services upon request, adding convenience for business travelers.
Luxury
The Blue Oyster Hotel offers a luxurious experience that surpasses many others, being described as one of the most beautiful places and boasting unparalleled quality. Guests have consistently praised its lovely, beautiful rooms and the overall quiet, peaceful ambiance that ensures a wonderful stay. The hotel is a small slice of paradise with a perfect, idyllic location, creating a paradise-like, romantic atmosphere that is second to none.
The service is highly commendable, being described as great and very good, further enhanced by the exclusive services and upscale amenities available. The restaurant, noted for its fresh and flavorful menu, provides an excellent dining experience with fantastic food and a great breakfast. The high-quality finishes and luxurious surroundings contribute to the luxury ambiance felt throughout the hotel.
Guests find incredible value for their money here, referring to the experience as fantastic and unbeatable. The Blue Oyster Hotel is seen not just as a place to stay, but as a treasure where even the most beautiful luxury hotels can't compete with its magnificent offers.
No, Blue Oyster Hotel doesn't have any pool.
No, a spa isn't available at Blue Oyster Hotel.
No, Blue Oyster Hotel doesn't allow dogs.
No, parking facilities aren't available at Blue Oyster Hotel.