First the good news. I agree with the other reviews on the many positive aspects of this hotel, the amazing beach, the great villas, and the fantastic staff. However, the owners have to do something about the new manager (from Nairobi) who really detracts from the overall experience. We were coming from some fantastic lodges run by CC Africa so our expectations were very high, however given The Palms is at the same price point we would expect the same service levels. The following are some of the issues we had:

1) We booked a tour on our first full day (spice farm, stone town, and sunset dhow cruise). The mgr told us the tour would be $200 and the dhow cruise would be $60/person. I thought the cruise was rather expensive but agreed. The spice farm was excellent. The stone town tour was terrible with the guide trying to end the tour after 30mins. Then, when we got to the office for the dhow tour they did not have our reservation. When I asked if we could still book with them, they said we could and the cost would be $20 per person (rather than the $60 the mgr had told us). The dhow cruise was excellent. When I got back to The Palms I told the manager that the dhow office did not have our reservation and turned out to be $120 cheaper than we were expecting. The manager said he didn't know what was going on, he apologized and said he would find a way to make it up to us. We heard nothing more from the manager until we checked out at which point the tour cost was $400 rather than the $200 he originally told us. After some back and forth my wife said we would complain to the owner, at which point he agreed to reduce the price down to the original $200. I tried to find a way to contact the owners of the hotel directly (the Raguz family) but was unsuccessful so I hope they read tripadvisor.

The other issues were fairly minor but again at these price points one wouldn't expect them.

2) When we arrived, late in the afternoon, one of our beds had not been made up.
3) Our private cabana at the beach (which was otherwise really nice and special) had a used glass on the table and a cigarette butt in the ashtray from the previous guests.
4) At low tide you notice that the sea bed is covered in sea urchins and you have to wear shoes when you wade in to the water. We arrived at high tide and I went swimming with no shoes and was very lucky I did not step on a sea urchin. The mgr should give some kind of warning, especially as the breezes next door provides the shoes for free (which i only found out when i came home and read these reviews).

I gave this hotel 4 stars because aside from the above we did have a great time. I can't speak highly enough of the rest of the staff who were really nice, friendly and efficient. The beaches have the nicest sand i have ever experienced. The villas are huge and very nice with air conditioning (which at the time we were in Zanzibar is a must have). The food was great and the chef, upon request, even made a special local dish. This hotel could get 5 stars if the owners give the mgr some training or get a new manager or get some advice from CC Africa on how to really run a hotel at these price points.

The Palms Resort is beautiful. With only 6 private villas- it is very romantic and has an amazing beach with a sort of beach house that is your private beach sanctuary. The Palms has AIR-CONDITIONING - a must in Zanzibar. Without it you just melt. That was our reason for choosing The Palms Resort over Mnemba Island. Prices are the same for both but unless you are Bill Gates - the privacy does not compensate for the lact of A/C. Because The Palms is attached to Beezes Resort - you may use all of the facilities at Beezes yet escape the crowds at the Palms. Lots of sea urchins in the water along the beach so they provide aqua shoes for your use. Stone Town is very fast paced and this is very tranquil and peaceful. The price is a bit steep for the service provided. We enjoyed the staff - but the mangement left something to be desired. If I am spending $ 1000.00/ night then I expect to have my expectations met or exceeded - management needs to pay more attention to details. The rooms are beautiful and the food was very good. We used a tour company on island called Monarch Tours - they were GREAT. Be sure to ask for Mohamad - he is so knowledgable and helpful too. The Spice Tour as well as the city tour are well worth it. Stone Town is approx. 45 minutes from the Palms Resort.

During our stay in Stone Town we chose the Zerena Inn - Perfect hotel in Stone Town. The location is perfect - right across the street from the DHL shipping office so we could send home all of our treasures. Also the Serena Inn has AIR CONDITIONING - an absolute necessity in Zanzibar.

If I was visiting again, I would choose to stay only a few days at The Pams - or simply save a bundle and stay at Beezes.

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We expected the service to fall off here, as we were leaving CC Africa properties and using another company. But we needn’t have worried, the service and food was every bit as attentive and luxurious as we had grown pleasantly accustomed to. We looked at the CC Africa property Mnemba, but ruled it out because the rooms didn’t have air conditioning (not necessary on safari but well used at the beach), nor did I remember it having a swimming pool (I’m not an ocean swimmer). I’m sure it was lovely, but I was ecstatic at the Palms.

Villas: The houses are enormous! We had Cinnamon, which I believe to be the best located, since it sits closest to the beach as well as closest to its own beachside banda. Each villa and banda has a name assigned so there’s no need to wonder where you’ll be lounging. (Other names included Frangipani, Hibiscus, Clove, Jasmine, and one other name I can’t recall.) The bandas have a king-size mattress under a palapa thatch roof with tons of comfy pillows, as well as two sun lounge chairs with cushions and a small table on a cement slab surrounding the banda. There was plenty of room to move the chairs as necessary to get the maximum sun. On the porch of the villa is a twin-sized 4-poster canopy bed with fluffy pillows and mosquito netting, used for relaxing. There’s also a baraza, a staple of Zanzibar architecture, which is a stone bench topped by cushions and pillows also for relaxing. Each villa has it’s own private plunge pool, more of a cold water jacuzzi. Just a nice touch, and for the Cinnamon villa, excellently located to pop into from your banda rather than using the main pool. (The whole property is a great size, however, feeling neither huge nor cramped but just right.) There’s a living room, with a wall open to the bedroom area. Living room has a couch/bed, chair/ottoman, armoire with TV and DVD player (can borrow 2 movies per day from reception), and a bar/wet bar with 2 stools. There’s a mini-bar included (alcoholic, non-alcoholic sodas, and waters). A second small bedroom (twin bed only) and another full bath (stall shower only) is off the living room. The master bed was beautiful and romantic--mosquito netting which was opened at turndown (but not needed--might have been if you had opened your windows rather than using the FIVE air conditioning units in each villa). There is a large dressing room/closet, and an immense bathroom, with a separate water closet (toilet and bidet), stall shower, soaking bathtub, twin sinks placed face to face with a mirror in between, tiny dressing table. A good selection is provided: shampoo (but NO conditioner), body lotion, bubble bath, sewing kit, loofah mitt. NO washcloths were provided, although there were plenty of towels. There is an electronic safe, umbrellas, and robes provided (but NO slippers). The doors can be locked with a key, but we didn’t bother.

Common Areas: There is a lobby area for check-in, with a small shop and internet room off of it (free internet). The lounge/bar area is quite large, but we didn’t use it, instead choosing to gather with other guests (it’s amazing how often you run into people that you’ve seen at other camps throughout your trip) on the wide porches with comfy armchairs/ottomans and twin, 4-poster canopy beds used for lounging! Really beautiful! The pool was really nice (rarely used, enough chairs for all guests anyway so there’s no need to reserve), tiled in royal blue, which was accented by the royal blue privacy fabrics of the lunch/poolside restaurant and on the bandas, as well as the table runners/napkins at the pool restaurant. Breakfast takes place on the verandah of the main building; and dinner just inside in a more formal dining room (un-air conditioned, but large doors are opened to let in the sea breezes). There was an upper loft area with another big relaxing bed above the bar/lounge area in the main building. There is a dedicated spa for the guests of the Palms (we didn’t use it, but other guests raved about services and said the prices were reasonable).

Food: The food at The Palms was outstanding: five course meals every night, since the bread (and compliment) was almost a course in itself, followed by two starters, the entree, and the dessert (homemade ice creams are often an ingredient). Someone will find you in the morning to learn your lunch selection (two choices for the appetizer, two choices for the entree), then find you again in the afternoon at sundowner time to see what you want for dinner (just a choice between two entrees at dinner).

Beach: The sand was nice and soft, but there was some seaweed. The tides changed quite quickly. At low tide, you could walk out for what seemed like miles, and the beach was wide, with unbelievably pretty shells. At high tide, there was just a narrow strip of sand to walk on. The water color changed with the tides, sometimes very light aqua to dark blue (but it’s not the aquamarine color in your wildest dreams).

Breezes: Guests of the Palms are entitled to use the services next door at Breezes. This is a much larger property, with a more typical all-inclusive feel (although not all was inclusive). We could eat and drink there, but it wasn’t included as guests of the Palms (though why would you want to leave your exclusive enclave?). There was another spa (which seemed to fill up quickly with all the guests at Breezes), a small fitness room, tennis court, watersports facility (snorkeling equipment and water shoes for walking out to the reef are free). Breezes had many restaurants--probably 5, although 2 were a la carte--and a few bars. There was a supposedly larger shop there than at the Palms, but it was closed when we tried to visit. I could have been happy at Breezes had I not seen the Palms, but as it is, I’m glad we chose to spend the extra money.

Surprise at The Palms: DON’T READ ANY FARTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SPOIL THE SURPRISE!
On your last night at the Palms, you will not eat with the other guests, unless they are departing on the same day as you. For us and another couple, tables were set up in the spa area surrounded by candles. I’m sure the meal was the same as for the other guests, but it just felt special to be in a more remote, private area.

The management of the Palms also has a bucket of champagne and fruit waiting for you at check-in time, and they also give each guest a pareo/sarong to wear and then take home.

It is also possible at the Palms to request a private dinner on the beach, but I think it was an additional cost, and it was set up at the banda closest to the dining room, which wasn’t all that far from other guests. You could also request sundowners on the beach accompanied by canapes, but that didn’t seem worth the extra cost either because the staff found you wherever you were and brought your sundowners and snacks to you (sometimes appetizer food, sometimes homemade chocolates). Your banda couldn’t have been that much closer to the beach than the spot that you would have paid for.

There is absolute nothing to write about this resort other than it is heavenly. I dont think i will ever go anywhere ever again in the whole universe that could even begin to compare in every aspect. Its perfect.
The Palms was a perfect end to our honeymoon.