Every fact on one page
Boutique Hotel Matlai — Fact Sheet
The short answer
What is Boutique Hotel Matlai?
Boutique Hotel Matlai is a family-run beach hotel with 6 rooms in 2 villas, Asili House and Villa Kidosho, at Michamvi Pingwe on Zanzibar’s south-east coast. It opened in May 2012, offers half board (breakfast and a daily three-course dinner) with bed and breakfast on request, and is 1h15–1h30 by road from the airport.
Who and where we are
Boutique Hotel Matlai is a family-run boutique hotel with six rooms in two villas, Asili House and Villa Kidosho, on the beach at Michamvi Pingwe on Zanzibar’s south-east coast. It is not in Paje: Paje is a village about 20 to 25 minutes away by road. It is not a bungalow or budget property. The hotel opened in May 2012, and its founders are Tim Hennig and Inge Becker-Boost.
At a glance
| Name | Boutique Hotel Matlai |
| Address | Plot 101, P.O. Box 3464, Michamvi Pingwe, Zanzibar, Tanzania |
| Location | Michamvi Pingwe, on the south-east coast of Zanzibar, Tanzania |
| Coordinates | 6.1447572° S, 39.5161705° E |
| Opened | May 2012 |
| Rooms | 6 rooms in 2 villas: 4 in Asili House, 2 suites in Villa Kidosho; up to 12 guests when the hotel is full, 18 with an extra bed in every room |
| Extra bed | One per room, 90 × 200 cm, with its own mattress and mosquito net; more guests with smaller children on smaller extra beds, on request |
| Smoking | All rooms are non-smoking; you may smoke on your balcony or terrace |
| To the beach | About 20 m from every room |
| Meal plan | Rates are half board (breakfast and a daily three-course dinner); bed and breakfast on request; full board for a supplement |
| Check-in / check-out | 14:00 / 10:30 |
| Minimum stay | 2 nights; 5 nights at Christmas and New Year 2027/28 (3 nights in 2026/27) |
| Children | Rooms from age 14; any age with a whole villa, where a cot can be arranged |
| Pets | Guests cannot bring animals. 2 dogs, 2 cats and nearly 40 tortoises live here; the tortoises have their own enclosure behind the restaurant |
| Airport (ZNZ) | About 65 km, 1h15–1h30 by road |
| Stone Town | 1h15 by road |
| Money | An ATM in Michamvi Pingwe village; Visa and Mastercard, or cash in US dollars and Tanzanian shillings; no American Express |
| Health | A pharmacy in Michamvi Pingwe; MedExpress, a private hospital in Paje, open 24 hours with its own ambulance |
| Staff languages | English, German, Swahili, Arabic |
| Wi-Fi | In both villas and the restaurant, fast enough to stream video, on battery-backed routers |
| Security | 4 guards on patrol every night; by day, a guard at the gate |
| Wikidata | Q140307008 |
| Last updated | October 2026 |
Maji and Dunia are on the ground floor of Asili House, with no staircase but two small steps up. Read our accessibility statement before you book if steps matter to you. Entering Villa Kidosho is step-free; steps lead down to the pools and the sun-lounger terraces. Asili House has steps (a small one at the front door, two to the ground-floor rooms, a staircase with a railing to the upper rooms) and is not fully accessible.
What rooms are there?
Every room faces the ocean and has its own balcony or terrace, air-conditioning, a ceiling fan and a safe. Rates vary by season; the full grid for every season is published on the rooms and rates page.
| Room | Villa | Where | Size | Bed | Sleeps | Bathroom | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hewa | Asili House | upstairs, left | about 56 m² | King-size, 200 × 200 cm | 2 | Claw-foot tub, shower, double sink | US$535 |
| Moto | Asili House | upstairs, right | about 56 m² | King-size, 200 × 200 cm | 2 | Claw-foot tub, shower, double sink | US$535 |
| Maji | Asili House | ground floor, left | about 56 m² | King-size, 200 × 200 cm | 2 | Claw-foot tub, shower, double sink | US$535 |
| Dunia | Asili House | ground floor, right | about 56 m² | One large bed (240 × 200 cm) of two joined 120 × 200 cm mattresses, or two separate beds | 2 | Claw-foot tub, shower, double sink | US$535 |
| Jua | Villa Kidosho | left suite | about 80 m² | King-size, 200 × 200 cm | 2 | Concrete tub by an ocean window, two-head shower, double sink | US$655 |
| Mwezi | Villa Kidosho | right suite | about 80 m² | King-size, 200 × 200 cm | 2 | Concrete tub by an ocean window, two-head shower, double sink | US$655 |
Two rooms guests often ask about: Jua, the suite that catches the first light, and Dunia, the room whose bed becomes two.
Compare every room, season by season, on rooms and rates.
What does a stay include?
- Half board as standard: breakfast and dinner. Bed and breakfast on request; full board for a supplement.
- A welcome drink on arrival: a fresh coconut, or a Malibu if you prefer.
- Two kayaks for the whole hotel, free to use.
- Two bicycles for the whole hotel, free to use.
- Drinking water, free of charge; other drinks are charged.
- A kettle in every room, with instant coffee and tea.
- A WhatsApp group for your room and a small phone to reach your butler.
- Your butler, from 07:00 to 22:00.
Not included: the airport transfer (US$60 per car each way), the infrastructure tax (US$4 per person per night), lunch and premium dishes. Everything else, side by side, is on the rooms and rates page.
Where do guests eat?
At Zatiny, the hotel’s one restaurant, by the beach. It has two kitchens, Indian Ocean fusion and Duyên’s Vietnamese home cooking, and both menus are offered at every table. Breakfast is served from 07:00 to 12:00, and for an early tour or an early departure the kitchen packs it for you; dinner is part of half board.
What else is on site?
Bustani Spa sits behind the villas. It is Maryam’s own business in our garden: open every day from 09:00 to 18:00, with 2 treatment beds side by side, walk-ins welcome and payment made to the spa directly. Each villa has its own pool, shared by that villa’s guests. An open-air cinema can be set up through the butler for an extra charge, and the kayaks, bicycles and snorkel gear are free to use.
Michamvi, the village and the garden
- Michamvi is known for its octopus women, who catch octopus on the reef at the lowest tides around full and new moon; we buy octopus from them (more on the octopus women).
- Rescued leopard tortoises live in their own area behind the restaurant: a big couple about 25 to 30 years old, and their many babies.
- We support the village community: we ask what is needed, never turn down a donation (often for the primary school) and many of our long-term employees come from the village and have been part of the team since 2012 (more about our work in the village and the garden).
How do we get there?
Zanzibar’s airport is about 65 km away, 1h15–1h30 by road. A car costs US$60 each way for up to 6 people. You pay the driver’s company, not the hotel: the driver directly, or by card on the company’s machine at the hotel. We help you book it with a local partner before you arrive, or through your butler during the stay. The details are on our airport transfer page.
When is the beach swimmable?
The beach in front of the hotel is tidal: the sea comes in and goes out twice a day, and how far it goes out changes with the moon. Swimming in the sea depends on the tide, so look up your dates in our seaweed and tide calendar before you travel.
How do guests rate the hotel?
The scores are read from each platform every week and shown here as text, with the day they were last checked.
| Platform | Score | Reviews | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| TripAdvisor | 4.9 out of 5 | 382 | 2 November 2026 |
| 4.8 out of 5 | 227 | 2 November 2026 | |
| Booking.com | 9.7 out of 10 | 49 | 2 November 2026 |
| Expedia | 10 out of 10 | 47 | 2 November 2026 |
What do we not offer?
Some listings say things about us that are not true. For the record:
- No all-inclusive: rates are half board, with bed and breakfast on request.
- No kids club, and no gym.
- No American Express: Visa and Mastercard only.
- No cooking classes for guests.
- The whole hotel can be booked as one exclusive buyout, for a family, a private party, a company group or a retreat. Retreat leaders can book the whole hotel and bring their own teacher and programme. We have no in-house yoga programme or teacher, and there are no conference facilities.
- The beach in front of the hotel is public, like the beaches in Zanzibar; the hotel opens directly onto it.
Who do I contact?
Write to us by email or on WhatsApp; the same number takes calls. We answer as the people who run the hotel.
Before you book
Questions about the hotel
How many rooms does Matlai have?
Boutique Hotel Matlai has 6 rooms in 2 villas: 4 rooms in Asili House and 2 suites in Villa Kidosho, all facing the ocean.
Is Matlai adults only?
Rooms are for guests aged 14 and over. Families with younger children are welcome when they book a whole villa, Asili House for up to 8 guests or Villa Kidosho for up to 4.
Is the beach in front of the hotel private?
No. Beaches in Zanzibar are public, including the one in front of the hotel; the hotel has direct access to it.
Does Matlai accept American Express?
No. The hotel takes Visa and Mastercard, and cash in US dollars or Tanzanian shillings.
How far is Matlai from Zanzibar airport?
About 65 km, which takes 1h15–1h30 by road. A car costs US$60 each way for up to 6 people. You pay the driver’s company, not the hotel: the driver directly, or by card on the company’s machine at the hotel.
Is there an ATM near the hotel?
Yes, in Michamvi Pingwe village, and Paje to the south has several banks and ATMs.
Your stay at Matlai
Choose your dates and the booking page opens with them, showing live availability and the price for your stay.
Individually booked rooms take guests aged 14 and over; with a whole villa, guests of any age are welcome. Online booking here covers rooms for guests aged {age} and over, so for children or a whole villa send us your dates on WhatsApp and we reply with the options. WhatsApp →
These dates are by enquiry only — please email info[at]hotelmatlai.com or WhatsApp +255772628833 and we will confirm availability and rates.
Indicative public rates — the engine shows live availability for your dates.
Welcome drink, kayaks, bicycles and snorkelling gear, free of charge.
Booking with the hotel itself? Ask us what we can offer for your dates.
Why guests book Matlai
- A team of butlers on call, 07:00 to 22:00. One message and it is arranged.
- Half board with a chef’s menu that changes daily: three courses, plus two à la carte kitchens at every table, Zatiny (Indian Ocean fusion) and Duyên (Vietnamese).
- Dine where you like: in the restaurant, in the garden or on your own balcony. A private table by the beach or a candlelight dinner can be arranged at an extra charge.
- Six rooms in two villas, a pool for each villa, shared by its rooms, and every room facing the sunrise over the ocean.
- Bustani, the garden spa; the sandbank in front of the hotel at low tide; a quiet beach lined with small, family-owned hotels.
Send us your dates on WhatsApp Rooms and ratesBooking policiesCheck dates and price
TripAdvisor 4.9/5 · 382+ reviews · Google 4.8/5