Mayai Ocean Resort

Mayai Ocean resort is in a good beach location. That is the only good thing about this establishment. The restaurant was terrible. The food was almost inedible. Steer clear of the fish! The hot water heater didn’t work on the first day and it took two hours to be fixed with no explanation. Then, it happened again on the second day and we were forced to wait two more hours to take a basic shower. The toilet also didn’t flush properly. The staff is friendly but all things considered, stay away from this place!

We stayed at Mayai Ocean Resort from 21st December and unfortunately, the experience did not justify the USD ~170–180 per night rate. This review is intended as constructive feedback, but also to help future guests make an informed decision, as the property feels misrepresented on booking platforms. The Positives Strong eco-friendly philosophy Use of recycled materials throughout the property Relaxed, casual atmosphere Good beachfront location Staff are genuinely friendly, polite, and accommodating, and this is one of the better aspects of the stay The Issues (and Why the Rating Is Low) Breakfast quality and structure do not match the price. Breakfast is à la carte but extremely limited. The menu remains exactly the same every day, with only one fruit item changing over four days. A rotating menu would significantly improve the experience. Going à la carte here feels driven more by cost control due to low occupancy, rather than being a value add over a buffet. Coffee availability is inconsistent. Americano is technically available, but not reliable. On Day 1, we were told the coffee machine was broken. On other days, the issue was due to power outages, meaning coffee availability depended on electricity. At this price point, this should not be a recurring uncertainty. Basic room functionality is missing. Bathroom door has no lock Ceiling fan not working, and we were informed it would remain so until parts arrive No cupboards or storage in the room No telephone in the room, meaning any assistance requires walking to reception Housekeeping requires leaving room keys at reception. This was communicated at check-in, but it remains highly inconvenient and unusual for a property marketed at this level. Power and water outages are frequent. Power cuts are considered “normal” and usually return within 5–10 minutes, but they are still disruptive. On Christmas Eve, power was out for over an hour starting around 6:30 PM, with no backup lighting, leaving guests in complete darkness. Water also stops during power cuts. During one outage around 7 PM, water stopped mid-shower in complete darkness. Soap went into our eyes, and while trying to find water, a glass broke at the sink. There was no way to call for help due to the lack of room phones. This situation was genuinely unsafe. No apology or acknowledgement from management for repeated power or water disruptions. Expired items were being sold in the shop. We returned a packet of Lays that had expired on 9th December 2025, despite us checking in on 21st December 2025. Payment practices are disappointing. A 5% surcharge on card payments or an exchange rate of 2300 TZS per USD, both of which feel inappropriate for a property positioning itself as premium or five-star. Overall Feedback Mayai Ocean Resort should be clearly marketed as a premium eco-lodge, not as a hotel that implies five-star comfort and convenience. The property has only 10–12 rooms, accommodating roughly 20–25 guests, which may explain the higher pricing from an operational standpoint. However, this does not translate into guest value. Guests paying this rate expect comfort, safety, reliability, and ease, not repeated inconveniences, workarounds, and operational limitations. In hindsight, this property was not for us, and we likely made a mistake booking it based on how it is presented online. If these limitations, house rules, and service constraints were clearly stated upfront, we would not have booked here. We will not be returning. Photos are attached for reference. If management chooses to take this feedback constructively and address the fundamentals, it could go a long way toward improving the guest experience.

Initially, everything was great, check-in was smooth and the room actually looked even better in person. Unfortunately, service issues quickly became frustrating. Despite there being many staff members around, simple requests took a very long time. I had to ask three different people for beach towels and waited about 45 minutes before finally receiving them. Each time I needed assistance, the front desk was unattended. Service at the bar and restaurant was also extremely slow, with drinks and food taking a very long time to arrive. Additionally, the room was uncomfortably hot despite running both the air conditioning and the fan on high, which made it difficult to relax.