Villa Kidosho
2 suites · Jua and Mwezi · infinity pool
from USD 655 per night, half board
Boutique Hotel Matlai
Private Villas in Zanzibar
Asili House has four rooms. Villa Kidosho has two suites and its own pool. From USD 535 a night.
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The short answer
Two villas. Six rooms. One quiet beach.
Boutique Hotel Matlai is two beachfront villas at Michamvi Pingwe on Zanzibar's southeast coast: Asili House (4 rooms, sleeps 8) and Villa Kidosho (2 suites, sleeps 4). Book a single room from USD 535 a night with half board and butler service, or take a whole villa — or all six rooms — entirely to yourselves.
| Villas | 2 — Asili House · Villa Kidosho |
| Rooms | 6 total · up to 12 guests |
| Pools | 2 private, both facing the ocean |
| Beach | Directly in front · quiet beach |
| Board | Half board included |
| From | USD 535 / room / night |
| Last verified | August 2026 |
Not sure which one
Which house is yours?
Two houses, six rooms. The honest answer depends on two things.
Both houses, side by side:
Villa Kidosho, to yourselves
the whole house · sleeps 4
from USD 1240 per night, half board
Asili House
4 element rooms · garden pool · beach in front
from USD 535 per night, half board
Asili House, to yourselves
the whole house · sleeps 8
from USD 2050 per night, half board
Travelling with under-14s? They are welcome only on a whole-villa booking — that is a house rule, not an upsell.
Choose your villa
Two houses, two characters
Villa Kidosho
Carved stone in the Omani style of old Stone Town. Two suites — Jua (sun) and Mwezi (moon) — share the infinity pool that hangs directly above the beach. The honeymoon address.
Asili House
African-style under a great palm-leaf roof, wrapped in tropical garden. Four element rooms — Dunia, Maji, Hewa, Moto — around a shared lounge and a pool that runs toward the sea.
The villa difference
What a private villa actually gives you
What Makes a Private Villa in Zanzibar Special?
Private villas in Zanzibar are ideal for travelers who value space, privacy, and flexibility. Unlike traditional hotels, they offer a quieter, more personal environment — with room to relax, unwind, and enjoy the island at your own pace.
At Boutique Hotel Matlai, villas are designed with only a small number of suites and generous outdoor areas. This creates natural separation between spaces, so even when booking just one room, guests experience a sense of calm and privacy that is rarely found in larger hotels.
For many travelers, this combination of privacy, space, and personalized service makes a private villa one of the most rewarding ways to experience Zanzibar.
- Spacious suites with private bathrooms and outdoor areas
- Large terraces or balconies with ocean or garden views
- Quiet pool areas with plenty of space to relax
- A limited number of guests, creating a peaceful atmosphere
- Personalized service, including private dining and tailored experiences
- A closer connection to nature, the ocean, and Zanzibar’s slower rhythm
Private Villa Experience – Even When Booking a Room
At Boutique Hotel Matlai, you don’t need to rent an entire villa to enjoy a private villa experience. Guests can choose between booking a full villa exclusively or reserving a single suite — both options are designed to offer a high level of privacy.
Unlike traditional hotels, each villa has only a small number of rooms, generous layouts, and carefully designed indoor and outdoor spaces. Suites are positioned to create natural separation, with private terraces, distinct lounging areas, and plenty of distance between guests.
The pool, garden, and lounge areas are arranged to avoid crowding. Even when multiple rooms are occupied, guests often experience long periods of quiet, with enough space to relax without feeling overlooked or disturbed.
The result is a stay that feels calm, personal, and exclusive — closer to a private residence than a hotel. Many guests say it feels as if they have the villa almost to themselves.
Our Private Villas in Zanzibar
Boutique Hotel Matlai features two distinct beachfront villas in Michamvi Pingwe — each offering a unique atmosphere, design, and experience while maintaining the same level of comfort, privacy, and personalized service.
Asili House is designed in a natural African style, with a large palm-leaf roof, warm materials, and a garden of palms and frangipani around it. The villa feels organic, open, and deeply connected to its surroundings.
It features four spacious deluxe rooms inspired by the elements — Dunia (earth), Maji (water), Hewa (air), and Moto (fire) — each with its own character, colors, and handcrafted details.
Rooms are generously sized, with private bathrooms, balconies or terraces, and thoughtful layouts that create privacy even within the villa.
- a large dining table
- a relaxed seating area
- a self-service fridge with drinks
- tea and water station
- a central lounge with dining area
- a shaded baraza seating space
Villa Amenities & Comfort
Everything in the villas is designed to make your stay effortless, combining comfort with thoughtful details and personalized service.
- Private swimming pools with ocean views
- King-size beds and spacious room layouts
- Large terraces and outdoor lounging areas
- Daily housekeeping and attentive butler service
- Air-conditioning and ceiling fans
- Mini-fridge with daily refills
Dining Experiences During Your Villa Stay
Dining at Boutique Hotel Matlai is designed to be as flexible and personal as your stay. Guests can enjoy a range of experiences — from relaxed meals by the pool to private dinners in the villa or on the beachfront.
At our restaurant Zatiny, enjoy fine dining by the ocean with fresh seafood and creative cuisine in a romantic setting.
For something different, our second kitchen Duyen offers refined Vietnamese dishes by Chef Kim, bringing a unique culinary touch to Zanzibar.
Private dining can also be arranged in your villa, allowing you to enjoy meals in complete privacy — whether on your terrace, by the pool, or directly on the beach.
How it works
A private villa — even when you book one room
You don't need to rent a whole villa to feel like you have one — the two ways to stay share the same service. Each house holds only a handful of rooms, and the outdoor spaces are built on different levels — pools on one, sun loungers on another, shaded baraza seating in between — so guests naturally spread out rather than gather in one spot. There are always more loungers than guests.
Every room comes with the same things: king-size bed, air-conditioning and a ceiling fan, a terrace or balcony, daily housekeeping, and a butler you reach on WhatsApp whenever you need something — a floating breakfast, a kayak, a dinner in the sand. Half board at Zatiny is included, with both menus — the Indian Ocean fusion kitchen and Duyên's Vietnamese home cooking — served at every table.
For total exclusivity, book a villa outright — or bring the whole group: Kidosho suits couples and families who want a house to themselves; Asili takes larger families and groups of up to 8; and the full property — six rooms, one shared stretch of sand — hosts weddings and gatherings of up to 12.
The location
Why Michamvi Pingwe
The southeast coast is the quiet side of Zanzibar — no strip of resorts, no nightlife, just villages, open beach and the tide's slow clock. What makes this exact lagoon rare is the water: a deeper channel in front of the hotel holds swimming water even at low tide, when most east-coast beaches go dry for hours.
Low tide has its own reward — a 5–10 minute walk across the sand flat and a short swim brings you to the Mchanga sandbank. At high tide, take one of the free kayaks instead. Tide tables wait in every room and at the beach entrance.
Days here
The villa is the itinerary
Mornings start with breakfast by the pool — or floating in it. Afternoons drift between the beach, the loungers and Bustani Spa in the garden. Evenings end at Zatiny's tables in the sand, at a private candlelight dinner, or under the stars at the open-air cinema with a film of your choosing.
Further afield, your butler arranges snorkelling at Blue Lagoon, a ngalawa sunset sail around the peninsula, spice farm visits, Stone Town — and the safari connection many guests pair with their stay.
Explore experiences
Good to know
Choosing a villa — questions guests ask
Six rooms means the property books out quickly — January to March first, then the Kusi-season months of June to October, when the pools sit at a refreshing ~25°C and the trade wind keeps afternoons cool. If your dates are fixed, book early; if your villa choice isn't, the questions below usually settle it.
What is the difference between Asili House and Villa Kidosho?
Asili House is the African-style villa — four element rooms (Dunia, Maji, Hewa, Moto) under a palm-leaf roof, sleeping up to 8, with a garden pool that runs toward the ocean. Villa Kidosho is the Omani-inspired stone villa — two suites (Jua and Mwezi) sharing an infinity pool above the beach, sleeping 4. Groups of five or more tend to choose Asili; couples and smaller families tend to choose Kidosho.
Can we book a single room instead of a whole villa?
Yes — most guests do. Each villa has so few rooms and so much separated outdoor space that a single-room booking still feels like a villa stay. Whole-villa and full-property bookings are also available for those who want complete exclusivity.
How much does a private villa stay in Zanzibar cost?
Rooms at Matlai start from USD 535 per night including half board — breakfast and dinner at Zatiny with both menus. Exclusive use of a full villa or the whole property (six rooms) is priced on request.
Which villa is better for families?
Villa Kidosho, for most families — two suites, an extra bed possible in each, and the whole house to yourselves; that is the option we recommend. Larger families and multi-generation groups take Asili House, four rooms for up to 8. Either way it is a whole-villa booking: children under 14 stay only when a villa is booked exclusively. The kitchens cook for young appetites, and the pools are unfenced, as at most beach villas.
Can one group take the whole property?
Yes — both villas together hold six rooms for up to 12 guests, a one-minute garden walk apart. Full buy-outs are popular for weddings, milestone birthdays and multi-generation trips.
What happens at low tide?
In front of Matlai a deeper channel holds water even at low tide, so you can still swim while much of the east coast waits for the sea to return. The falling tide also uncovers the walk to the Mchanga sandbank — tide tables are in every room and at the beach entrance.
“We booked one room and by day two it felt like our own house. By day three we were asking what it costs to take the whole villa next year.”
Returning guests · Asili House
Six rooms. One beach. Yours.
Book direct for the best rate — and tell us what you're celebrating.
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