Name: Golden Clove Beach Resort
Address: Uroa Village (Zanzibar), Uroa, Uroa, Uroa, 2206, Tanzania
Rating: 7

Location

Zanzibar International Airport

Golden Clove Beach Resort

Uroa

child-bed

child-bed-fee

external-private-bathroom

private-bathroom

shared-bathroom

10-beds

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9-beds

king-bed

queen-bed

limited-time

lounge

treatment

no-window

bay-view

bosphorus-view

canal-view

city-view

courtyard-view

garden-view

golf-view

harbour-view

inland-view

lake-view

land-view

mountain-view

ocean-front

ocean-view

oceanside

panoramic-view

park-view

partial-ocean-view

partial-sea-view

partial-view

pool-view

river-view

sea-front

sea-view

street-view

sunrise-view

sunset-view

water-view

with-view

annex

basement

main-building

1-bedroom

2-bedrooms

3-bedrooms

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not-guaranteed

wired-internet-access

smoking

sauna

duplex

safe

mini-bar

breakfast-for-1

breakfast-for-2

pets-allowed

wi-fi

kitchen

Well the tamarind is 'interesting' so far.  Firstly, the location is perfect. It is right on the beach and the views are incredible. There aren't any beach boys or women selling things and it's very peaceful. 

When we arrived and had to call to find out where our pre-booked transfer was, we discovered that the hotel was under new management and the booking was forgotten or misunderstood or something. Fair enough. We live in Kenya and therefore are very easy going and adaptable to many things. 

We arrived and saw the amazing views and the basic room and settled in. We haven't complained about: 
1. The mosquito nets with holes, resulting in me being very very bitten and uncomfortable. However, we understand we get what we paid for and haven't complained. 
2. We were handed a menu on arrival, of which they had no food from. We were understanding and we chose from what they did have. They served us pizza, not pasta which we order but we just embraced it and it was quite tasty. 
3. Our shower doesn't work/barely works when it does so we squat under the tap or shower by the pool. No complaining. 
4. It takes a loooooooong time for food to arrive. No complaining
5. They had barely any drinks we liked on arrival and took an entire day to get anything in. No complaint. 
6. When going to the toilet, there were workmen on the roof who would see me and there was rubble and dirt in the toilet. I didn't complain I just asked if they could stop for a moment and I hovered around the dirt. 
Etc etc etc

We did complain one night when we were quoted a price for dinner and then were charged more. We also asked very kindly if our shower could be looked at or fixed while showering at the pool in the meantime. This has resulted in the 'manager' (Hamisy) asking us 'what is the problem now?' every time we speak even just to order not drinks from him. 

Considering how little we have actually complained and how we have just got on with the problems that have arisen, I feel very uncomfortable with this approach and attitude. He's not apologetic or considerate or kind or approachable. He makes us feel like we're causing a fuss when actually we've been very very understanding and have tried to be as positive as possible about all issues, finding our own solutions and just eating and drinking what's available. 

The other staff seem OK although don't do much. The Bar man/waiter Hamidy who has just started working today is very attentive and kind and friendly. A saving grace. The owner briefly appeared for 2minutes. I haven't seen him since. 

I imagine if they do develop the hotel as it seems they are, it will be nice eventually. But the staff require a lot of hospitality training. I feel quite cross and uncomfortable staying here.

Developing but not so great right now

This is a hotel that was probably good at some time, but has seen its best days. There doesnt seem to be any interest to renovate or freshen it up. The food is not good in the restaurant. The taste is not terrible, but for the price it is definitely not worth it. Most of the rooms dont have AC, and this area is hot and humid! The 2 days we spent there we didnt have electricity for 24hrs (power outages are common in Tanzania but good hotels have backup generators). Also the toilet and water did not work in the room. The staff was fairly accommodating, and we managed to get a small discount when complaining. The pool was small but ok and the beach right next to the hotel was very nice, however.

Bad hotel

Swimming pool is awful. Rooms awful. Toilet flush not working. Very bad food

This is not a good place to stay
 Very unfriendly staff... they need to fix these issues.  The swimming pool was very very dirty. We had to run away from there.

Awfulll

If you must go to Uroa in Zanzibar, then this hotel is the best for the beach location. You can actually lay on the beach (instead of a wall being between you and the beach like a lot of the other hotels) and there is little/no hassle from people trying to sell tourist experiences. However, the hotel itself is pretty bad. The rooms are large, but very dark and 'depressing'. The food is not very good.

But the thing that REALLY annoyed me, was that on both Saturday and Sunday night, large groups (maybe around 20-30) youths from the village came over, with large bottles of rum/whiskey. It would appear that the hotel was hosting a party for them. The music was so loud that the ceiling of my room was vibrating. On the Saturday I went to discuss this with the manager's second in command who was on-site, and he said that it would finish at 9pm/10pm (sorry I forget). I got no apology from him and no explanation as to what was going on. He even advised me to eat in my room (which has no table and chairs inside), to 'escape' the crowd and booming music that was taking over the restaurant. Surely the people who are PAYING decide where they should eat? So I ate a cold, unappetising pizza, on the bed, in my dark room. Although it didn't go on all night, the music did not end when I was told it would. I couldn't believe it when the next evening the same thing happened (on a Sunday?!), but this time the music went on for even longer than I was told. I ended up calling the manager of the hotel to explain, and he said he would call me back (he didn't, he text me instead). He called the second in command, and I am grateful that this worked (the music stopped and eventually the crowds left), but I cannot believe I received no apology or explanation from him either.

The day I left the second in command could not have been friendlier or more apologetic (funny how that happens after you've complained to the manager?). He even told me that they want things to end nicely so that there would be no bad reviews. I demanded that I not pay for the pizza that I ate in my room, and that my last two night's rates be reduced. Luckily they agreed, but at the end of the day, I'd have rather paid full price and enjoyed my stay more. I have never had an experience like that when paying to stay somewhere, and I hope it doesn't happen again!

The hotel is located on a beautiful part of the beach, but the hotel itself if pretty awful.

The personnel in the hotel is very friendly and quite helpful.. The food was average and the rooms were quite large but the hotel needs a bit of a renovation.. 
The most amazing part of the hotel was the beach which is so beautiful that you could spend the entire day gazing at the scenery :) 

Golden Clove Beach Resort

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