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Azao Resort & Spa

4.0 star property
Family-friendly beachfront hotel with beach shuttle

Choose dates to view prices

Photo gallery for Azao Resort & Spa

Building design
A beach with a thatched-roof hut and a modern building with a red roof.
Deluxe Room (Deluxe Ocean View) | Balcony
A swimming pool with lounge chairs and umbrellas, surrounded by palm trees.
Terrace/patio

Reviews

7.8 out of 10
Good

Popular amenities

  • On private beach
  • Pool
  • Spa
  • Parking included
  • Free WiFi
  • Restaurant

Explore the area

View in a map
Uroa to Pongwe Road, Ndudu village, Pongwe, North region, 2199
  • Place, Pongwe Beach
    ‪8 min walk‬
  • Place, Kiwengwa Beach
    ‪17 min drive‬
  • Place, Muyuni Beach
    ‪36 min drive‬
  • Airport, Zanzibar (ZNZ-Zanzibar Intl.)
    ‪59 min drive‬

Room options

View all photos for Deluxe Room (Deluxe Ocean View)

A bedroom with a four-poster bed, a sofa, a coffee table, and a nightstand with lamps.

Deluxe Room (Deluxe Ocean View)

  • Ocean view
  • 418 sq ft
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Standard Garden View

A bedroom with a four-poster bed, a sofa, bedside lamps, and a desk.

Standard Garden View

  • Garden view
  • 538 sq ft
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 King Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Deluxe Duplex (Duplex Pool View)

A bedroom with a four-poster bed, a sofa, a coffee table, and a nightstand with lamps.

Deluxe Duplex (Duplex Pool View)

  • 431 sq ft
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 King Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Deluxe Room, Pool View (Deluxe Pool View)

A bedroom with a four-poster bed, a red chair, a grey armchair, a wooden ceiling, and a wall-mounted TV.

Deluxe Room, Pool View (Deluxe Pool View)

  • 646 sq ft
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed
  • Free WiFi

About the neighborhood

Pongwe

Beachfront retreat .A stay at this hotel places you within half a mile (1 km) of Pongwe Beach and 6 miles (10 km) of Uroa Beach. Kiwengwa Beach is within 6 miles (10 km) and Marumbi Beach is within 9 miles (15 km).

What's nearby

  • Pongwe Beach - 8 min walk - 0.5 miles
  • Kiwengwa Beach - 17 min drive - 5.3 miles
  • Muyuni Beach - 36 min drive - 14.3 miles
  • Slave Market - 53 min drive - 25.0 miles
  • Shangani Beach - 54 min drive - 25.3 miles

Getting around

  • Zanzibar Intl. Airport (ZNZ) - 76 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪The Wok - ‬12 min drive
  • ‪Bahari Grill - ‬11 min drive
  • ‪The Beach Lounge Zanzibar - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪The Yoga Bar Zanzibar - ‬11 min drive
  • ‪Yako - ‬8 min drive

About this property

Azao Resort & Spa

Family-friendly beachfront hotel with beach shuttle
Simply walk outside to feel the sun on your face at the white sand beach. You'll be playing in the surf in no time with a ride on the hotel's beach shuttle (surcharge). Enjoy the umbrellas and sun loungers for a relaxing day at the beach. After a day at the beach, enjoy amenities at Azao Resort & Spa like an outdoor pool, a children's pool, and a health club.

There's a restaurant on site. You can enjoy a drink at one of the bars, which include a poolside bar and a bar/lounge. WiFi is free in public spaces. This beach hotel also offers a steam room, a garden, and a terrace. Self parking is free.

Smoking is allowed in designated areas at this 4-star Pongwe hotel.

  • 49 guestrooms or units
  • Meeting rooms
  • Beach lounge chairs
  • Towels for the beach
  • Umbrellas for the beach
  • Poolside lounge chairs
  • Umbrellas for the pool
  • Self-service laundry
  • Front desk (limited hours)
  • Staff is multilingual
  • Storage area for luggage
  • Tour and ticket information
  • Concierge
  • Wedding services available
  • Terrace
  • Garden
  • Smoking in designated areas
  • Bar or lounge
  • Bar by the pool
  • Dining venue
Azao Resort & Spa offers 49 accommodations with safes and complimentary bottled water. Rooms open to balconies. 32-inch LCD televisions come with satellite channels. Bathrooms include showers, bathrobes, bidets, and complimentary toiletries.

Guests can surf the web using the complimentary wireless Internet access. Business-friendly amenities include desks and phones. Additionally, rooms include coffee/tea makers and hair dryers. A nightly turndown service is provided and housekeeping is offered daily. Amenities available on request include change of towels.

Guests can pamper themselves by indulging in the onsite spa services. Services include facials, body wraps, body scrubs, and body treatments.

Similar properties

Outdoor pool
White Paradise Zanzibar
Pongwe
  • On private beach
  • Pool
  • Spa
  • All inclusive available
4.6 out of 5, Wonderful, 46 reviews
$115 nightly
The price is $143
Aug 19 - Aug 20
Total with taxes and fees
White Paradise Zanzibar

Property amenities

Family friendly

  • Children's pool
  • Laundry facilities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Playground

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • 24-hour roundtrip airport shuttle on request for a surcharge
  • Beach shuttle (surcharge)
  • Free self parking on site

Food and drink

  • A bar/lounge
  • A poolside bar
  • A restaurant

Things to do

  • Beach volleyball
  • Children's pool
  • Evening entertainment
  • Games
  • Health club
  • Outdoor pool
  • Playground
  • Steam room
  • Table tennis

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • 5 steps to reach entrance
  • Accessible airport shuttle
  • Upper floors accessible by stairs only
  • Well-lit path to entrance

Room amenities

Entertainment

  • 32-inch LCD TV with satellite channels

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided
  • Blackout drapes

Bathroom

  • Bathrobes
  • Bidet
  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer
  • Private bathroom
  • Shower
  • Towels provided

Food and drink

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Electric kettle
  • Free bottled water
  • Limited room service

More

  • Air conditioning (climate-controlled)
  • Desk
  • Phone
  • Safe

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; Check-in end time: 6:00 PM
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before noon

Special check-in instructions

The front desk is open daily from 7:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Front desk staffed during limited hours
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Access methods

Front desk (limited hours)

Pets

  • Pets and service animals are not allowed at Azao Resort & Spa

Children and extra beds

  • Children are welcome.
  • Kids stay free! Children 6 years old and younger stay free when using existing bedding.
  • Rollaway/extra beds are available for USD 25.0 per night.

Property payment types

Important information

Fees

Guests will be asked to pay the following charges at the property:

  • Christmas Eve (December 24) Gala Dinner per adult: USD 75
  • Christmas Eve (December 24) Gala Dinner per child: USD 75 (from 6 to 12 years old)
  • New Year's Eve (December 31) Gala Dinner per adult: USD 75
  • New Year's Eve (December 31) Gala Dinner per child: USD 75 (from 6 to 12 years old)
  • A tax is imposed by the city: USD 5.00 per person, per night

We've listed all charges provided to us by the property.

Optional extras

The fees and deposits listed below will be charged at the time of service, check-in, or check-out.

  • Airport shuttle fee: USD 70 per vehicle (one-way, maximum occupancy 5)
  • Rollaway bed fee: USD 25.0 per night

This may not be a comprehensive list. Fees and deposits are subject to change and might not include tax.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards; cash is not accepted
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit, and outdoor lighting
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios, terraces which may not be suitable for children; if you have concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm they can accommodate you in a suitable room
Charges for extra guests may apply and vary according to property policy.
A cash deposit, credit card, or debit card for incidental charges and government-issued photo identification may be required upon check-in.
Special requests are subject to availability at the time of check-in. Special requests can't be guaranteed and may incur additional charges.
    This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business, or profession. This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios, terraces which may not be suitable for children. If you have concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm they can accommodate you in a suitable room. This property accepts Visa, Mastercard, and American Express. Cash is not accepted. For guests' safety, the property includes a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit, and outdoor lighting in each accommodation.

We should mention

  • Reservations are needed for massage services. For reservations, contact the hotel before arrival using the contact information on the booking confirmation.
  • Children 6 years old and younger stay free in the same room as the parent or guardian when using existing bedding.
  • Registered guests are the only ones allowed to be in guestrooms.
  • Pets and service animals are not allowed on site.

Property is also known as

Azao Resort Pongwe
Azao Resort
Azao Pongwe
Azao Resort Opulent Pongwe
Azao Resort Opulent
Azao Opulent Pongwe
Azao Opulent
Azao Resort & Spa By Opulent Pongwe
Azao Resort Spa
Azao
Azao Resort Spa by Opulent
Azao Resort & Spa Hotel
Azao Resort & Spa Pongwe
Azao Resort & Spa Hotel Pongwe

Frequently asked questions

How close is Azao Resort & Spa to the airport?

Azao Resort & Spa is 29.3 mi (76-min drive) away from the Zanzibar Intl. Airport (ZNZ) airport, the closest popular airport to the property.

How much does it cost to stay at Azao Resort & Spa?

As of Aug 3, 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Azao Resort & Spa on Aug 20, 2026 start from $137, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.

Does Azao Resort & Spa have an airport shuttle?

Azao Resort & Spa offers an airport shuttle 24 hours a day, on request, for a charge of USD 70 per vehicle, one-way.

How close is Azao Resort & Spa to the beach?

This hotel is on a private beach. Don't forget your sunscreen!

Does Azao Resort & Spa offer free breakfast?

Azao Resort & Spa does not offer free breakfast.

Is there a casino at Azao Resort & Spa?

No, there is no casino at this hotel.

What time is check-in at Azao Resort & Spa?

Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; Check-in end time: 6:00 PM.

Is there free parking at Azao Resort & Spa?

This hotel offers free self parking.

Does Azao Resort & Spa have a pool?

Azao Resort & Spa features an outdoor pool and a children's pool.

Does Azao Resort & Spa have a restaurant?

Azao Resort & Spa is home to Palma Court Restaurant, which features international cuisine.

Does Azao Resort & Spa have a spa?

This hotel doesn't have a spa, but it does offer body wraps, facials, and massages.

How close is Azao Resort & Spa to downtown Pongwe?

Azao Resort & Spa is 0.1 mi away from Pongwe.

Azao Resort & Spa Reviews

Reviews

7.8

Good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 5 out of 18 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 8 out of 18 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 3 out of 18 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 18 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 18 reviews

8.4/10

Cleanliness

7.6/10

Staff & service

9.0/10

Amenities

7.8/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

Verified review

10/10 Excellent

ira

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
View over Indian Ocean was magnificent, but no beach was disappointing.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
מלון משגע ויפה נקי ומסודר ברמה גבוהה רמת שרות הצוות אין דברים כאלה מומלץ בחום
Stayed 6 nights in Aug 2019
Verified review

4/10 Poor

asaf

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
No beach access.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2018
Verified review

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice Hotel. Great Value. Friendly staff. Big and clean rooms
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2018
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, room comfort

Beautiful location staff needs a little training

I had to think long an hard as to wheter I'd reccomend this hotel. This is a great hotel for families and couples. The pool is great and the food is good. Take advantage of the free bikes. We stayed in a beautiful oceanview bungalow but we had issues with the water working properly so we had to relocate to a villa without a view. I feel like the staff is a little lazy and there was a disconnect. The spa was under construction. I was pleasantly surprised when the staff surprised me with a birthday cake
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2018
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Liked: Room comfort
Disliked: Staff & service

Ottima struttura ma pessimo punto di mare

Ho soggiornato all'Azao per 7 notti con 3 amiche, la permanenza in hotel è stata piacevole, posto molto tranquillo, indicato per chi come noi voleva rilassarsi. Forse persino troppo tranquillo però, alla sera dopo cena mancava qualsiasi tipo di intrattenimento ( musica, spettacoli o altro) per cui dopo cena non si poteva fare altro che andare subito a dormire, eventualmente con l'unica possibilità di bere qualcosa al bellissimo bar sul mare, collegato all'hotel da una passerella, molto suggestivo però appunto al meno un po di musica sarebbe stata piacevole. Personale cortese ma con tempistiche troppo lunghe nel rispondere alle nostre esigenze, nota negativa il mare impraticabile. Fondo in parte sabbioso simile a fango, ci si sprofonda dentro fino alla caviglia ed é impossibile camminare e la restante parte rocciosa molto tagliente, con la bassa mare impossibile quasi entrare. Ci siamo dovute spostare ogni giorno per cercare il mare bello. Cibo ok
Stayed 7 nights in Feb 2018
Verified review

8/10 Good

Julie

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service

Nice hotel with sea view

Azao resort is a nice hotel but be aware, there is no beach. If your plan is to relax by the pool, this is a great resort. If you plan to swim in the ocean and relax on the beach, this might not be the best option. We were aware of it, but kinf of hope we could go swim. It was not possible during our stay. we ended up moving to another hotel. However, the resort is nice, in the nature, it's calm, the rooms are spacious and clean. The staff is extremey friendly and always ready to help. The pool is big, well maintained. We opted for the all inclusive and it was a good idea as the resort is isolated. There is not much around and if you end up paying for food at the hotel, it can be a bit expensive. The resort is quite big, there is a jetté where you can go for a drink after dinner. It's fine. Food wasgood. I feel I got what I paid for. It wasn't very expensive compared to other options, so got what I paid for. At low tide, we could go explore the beach (rocks, crabs, etc). We enjoyed it, but after a few days, we felt it was time to move elsewhere. My recommendation would be to spend a few days and move to another part of the hotel.
Stayed 7 nights in Feb 2018
Verified review

8/10 Good

Dodi

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Hübsches Hotel, sehr leckeres Essen, schöne Coctai

sehr gutes Essen, schöne und leckere Coctails, sauber, nett Service, es gibt ein einzige Probleme mit dem Hotel, dass es kein Strand hat. Das SwimmingPool ist doch schön, aber wir wolltem auf jedem Fall am Meer auch baden, was das Hotel leider nicht erlaubt. Am besten Strände sind ca. 1 Stunde weg, und man muss Taxi dazu bezahlen.
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2018
Verified review

2/10 Terrible

sergio

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Azao resort is a nightmare. Stay away

We bought a 3 bedroom villa with pool and garden view. Garden view is like a wild Bush that they don’t take care per 1month with a lot of insects and frogs and a lot of lizards. The way to go to the room is so so bad that the guy that bring our luggage broke 2 luggage wheels bringing them. When we arrive in the room. At lobby hotel after one hour in a cab they didn’t offer us nothing to drink and a lot of unnecessary paper to fill out. Really I never saw this. Very incompetent people working there. Even English she cannot talk. When we arrive in the room. The pool was really really dirty. Look at pictures green with a gutter from the roof and a lot of tiles falling them. I didn’t believe in this. Special note Hilton bought this hotel. Do they know that they are waiting for guests with all of those problems? One room was upstairs and the bathroom was in another floor with a dangerous stairs to go. And the villa is like a building that we share the pool. Rooms small and completely separated. Where did you saw a villa like this in a 4 star hotel ? Staying with kids is completely insane in a place like this. After 1 hour they give us another room with a pool falling out the tiles but that look clean and a roof gutter. Then they put 2 chair beds for the kids for spend that night. Stay away from azao resort. Very disappointed. You need to check the stars and downgrade it. Maybe it’s only for local people.
Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2017
Verified review

8/10 Good

Remy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Beautiful hotel, a bit isolated

Had a fabulous stay at Azao. The only thing we were a bit disappointed by was the lack of beach and nothing in walking distance. It seems like many people never leave the resort, which is not exactly my style of travel. Otherwise, incredible staff! Kevin, Rose, Elizabeth and Farhat were so kind to us during our stay. Nice rooms! Food was varied (would have liked more local food- now it’s only one night per week). I had no idea it was owned by Hilton. Apparently they have plans to renovate. I just hope they don’t change the staff or add a ton more rooms- the size was nice as it was not too crowded nor too desolate.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2018
Verified review

8/10 Good

Freddan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Very friendly and affordable resort

Friendly and helpful staff and management. Clean and high "Zanzibar standard" on all facilities. Food was awesome for adults and teenagers. Atmosphere around pool-area was relaxing and promoting meetings with other guest and the helpful bartenders. Would recommend this resort to all my friends!
Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2017
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Serge

Disliked: Staff & service

Never again this hotel

They have a restaurant where you can have lunch with extraordinary poor and expensive food. 20$ buffet lunch / person which does not include many options to eat.For 4 days we paid 320 euro for food (2 persons)!!! That given that we do not ate three meals a day there and barely managed to choose something to eat in the restaurant. Unfortunately, you will not pay on the spot( you ll sign a paper), but at the end will surely cause different issues how it happened to us, to ask for 400€ instead of 300€.We asked for explain as why do we have to pay 400€ and they showed us some paper we would have signed, with alcohol and cocktails consumed, but unfortunately for them they were not our signatures and we did not consume any alcohol during that period;If you want do any extra activities try to met a local guy. In the hotel prices are crazy. They asked as 500 $ for 2 persons for Dauphins tour + jozani, and we pays 75$ with a local guy.I still have so many negatives points about you guys, but I don’t want lose all my days writing about this resort
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2017
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Bien

Bonne expérience. Personnel sympathique. Quelques difficultés sur la gestion des factures. Mais un accueil au top.
Stayed 10 nights in Oct 2017
Verified review

8/10 Good

Anjan

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Disliked: Staff & service

Gem in pongwe

Excellent hotel at the price. Newly built and ticks most of the boxes except for a little slow service which needs a lot of improvement. Will definitely go back and try the private villas.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2017
Verified review

8/10 Good

Anna

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Vi var de enda gästerna på hotellet vilket gjorde att det kändes ödsligt. Mycket var slut i restaurangen och frukosten var begränsad. Serviceinriktad personal som uppgraderade våra rum och lät oss checka ut sent.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2019
Verified review

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 8 nights in Dec 2017
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Imed

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2017