Le Mersenne Zanzibar, Autograph Collection

My wife and I stayed here for five nights in August at the conclusion of our honeymoon and were upgraded upon arrival to a villa, which was absolutely incredible. We loved the tranquility of the resort, and spent many relaxing hours at the lovely pool. One of the coolest aspects is how you can walk out into the pier and jump straight into the ocean and go for a swim and do some snorkeling since there is coral all around. But please be aware this is not a beach resort. This part of the island is very tidal and while you can walk on the sand to Pingwe during low tide, beware of high tide! At certain tide levels you can also explore sand bars, which is really fun! So all in all, this is a pretty great place to spend some time and it’s a really nice resort. The one area that unfortunately needs a lot improvement is the food. While you can expect to be overcharged, the quality is simply tasteless and the portions are small. This would be a knockout resort if they could just figure out how to prepare better food. Walk up the beach at low tide to Pingwe to get dinner, better prices and better food. But overall we loved our time here.

Not a 5 star property but very nice, biggest gripe was the cheapest paper napkins that they use instead on cloth. They are so thin you need at least 20 to finish a meal.

My wife and I were on our honeymoon and booked the hotel through the Marriott program, first using points and then for additional nights via a regular booking. The upgrade to a higher room category was denied for the first booking, even though I could have booked it online. For the second booking using points, the upgrade was only granted after a discussion with the front desk. Customer service noted my honeymoon status during the booking process. Unfortunately, this wasn't reflected in the hotel's status upon arrival or during our stay. The hotel is in very poor condition and certainly not up to 5-star standards. Marriott's customer service unfortunately didn't address our complaints afterward. In the end, my email went unanswered. The entire experience, and especially the customer service, was frankly very disappointing. Almost all the cushions on the pool loungers are damaged. Towels are only available in small sizes at the pool. Very loud Afrobeat music is played throughout the day, seemingly to drive guests away. It was so loud at times that we had to repeatedly ask them to please turn the music down. Water costs $15 per bottle. Completely overpriced. The breakfast is not up to 5-star hotel standards. On the plus side, the equipment in the gym is practically new. However, the used underwear from a hotel guest, which had been left in an open locker for several days, shows that the cleaning staff only did a superficial job. Otherwise, the view is actually quite nice. The hotel desperately needs (and I mean that) a complete overhaul/renovation and a change in management. The staff should be trained. As guests, my wife and I did not feel comfortable and would never recommend this hotel. There is a lovely boutique hotel next door with excellent cuisine. We ate there several times in the evenings.