Seasons Lodge

A piece of paradise in Zanzibar

If you are looking for the perfect place for a relaxing stay in Zanzibar we’ve found just the place for you!  Seasons Lodge is a wonderful choice if you are craving some quiet beach time and relaxation after your safari.

Location

Seasons Lodge is located in the small village of Pongwe, on the northeast coast of Unguja (the island more popularly known as Zanzibar).  It was once a remote fishing village and still retains much of that local vibe today.

There is not much around at all, other than a local school and a couple other small hotels and fruit stands.  If you are looking for nightlife, shops or restaurants, this may not be the place for you.  It really is just a place to “get away from it all”.

Getting there

Pongwe is located 46km from Stone Town and while it may not sound that far distance-wise, it is not the easiest place to get to.  The northeast coast is not well-serviced by buses or daladalas, so the best way to get there is by hiring a driver or renting a car.

We pre-booked a driver through Budget Zanzibar Taxis and they were great.  The van was comfortable, air-conditioned, and the most affordable of the companies we contacted.  The one-way cost from Stone Town to Pongwe was $30 USD (as of Nov. 2017).

 

Rooms

Seasons Lodge consists of 10 seafront cottages, each with its own private little beach area.  Each cottage is surrounded by high walls to give you a real sense of privacy.

You first enter through a gated area into a little courtyard, complete with a foot bath to rinse the sand off your feet.  I thought that was so neat and not something I had ever seen before – brilliant!

Upon entering you have the bathroom on the left, a walk in closet with safe on your right, and the open bedroom area in front.

The bed sits right in the center of the room facing the most beautiful ocean view we had ever seen!  As soon as we saw the amazing view we were sooo excited and in disbelief that this place was not more popular!

The room is very breezy and open – it is just so wonderful.  The back porch has a nice little sitting area and then there are loungers out in the sun.   It was so lovely to soak up the rays while taking in the magnificent ocean view.

Seasons Lodge even takes care of the little details, which we loved!  They provided us with some kangas (local patterned fabric) which can be worn as a wrap, a beach tote and beach hats!

In the room they also provided us with insect repellent, bottled water, flashlights and plug in adapters and converters!

Our bed was also made up with lovely flower displays.  There was turn down service each night.  The room attendants put down the mosquito nets around the bed, sprayed insect repellent and closed the shutters.

Click here to book a room

 

Bathroom

One of the highlights of Seasons Lodge is the clawfoot tubs!  I had never bathed in one before and was so excited when I saw these perfect tubs in the cottages.  What’s even better – the tubs look out at the ocean view!!

I had never had a more relaxing bath.

If you are not a bath person for some reason, there is also an open shower next to the tub.

Note that there is a water pump in the bathroom and we found it loud at night. There is a switch above the toilet which we switched off at night to sleep better.

Unlike most of the safari hotels, the hot water and electricity here works all day.  If you need to blow dry your hair, there are hairdryers provided in the cottages. 🙂

Room Tour

Dining

Breakfast

Breakfast is included with your stay and is served in the outdoor oceanfront dining area.  The staff were so friendly and professional every morning.

We enjoyed fresh fruit each morning (bananas, passion fruit, watermelon, pineapple and papaya – yum!)  A choice of continental or English breakfast was offered.  Four slices of toast with butter, jam and honey was served, along with sausage, eggs and pancakes.  The coffee was quite good but tea is also available, as well as fresh fruit juice.

 

Lunch

Lunch options are 20,000 TSH each and alcoholic drinks are 10,000 TSH.

You can choose to dine in the dining room area or in the Temple Bar area by the pool.

 Dinner

For dinner there is a 3 course menu on offer for $25 USD.  You have a choice of 3 appetizers, 3 mains and 2 desserts.  Food was quite good and was served in a romantic setting.

Amenities

Wi-fi

Yes, free wi-fi is included!   It’s not the strongest but it does the job!  We were able to connect from our cottage, by the pool and in the dining area.

Gift Shop

There is a small gift shop in the lobby with jewellery, local handicrafts and some clothing for sale.

Bikes

There are bikes in the lobby area that guests are free to borrow!

Kayaks

There are double and single kayaks available for guests to use free of charge.  If you need help bringing them up and down the stairs the friendly bar staff will help you 🙂

We had so much fun kayaking around the local area!  The water is just so beautiful and calm.

Beach

There are numerous access points to the beach.  The sand is white and the water is a perfect turquoise color.

Beware, though, that the beach on this side of the island is highly affected by the extreme tide.  When the tide is out, it is WAY out and you won’t be able to swim or kayak.  The daily tide schedule is posted at the front desk and is super helpful in planning your day and activities.

When the tide is out, you will see the local women come out and tend to their seaweed gardens.  It is quite cool to see.  You can also wander around to check out little tide pools that have formed and the sea life.

You will likely encounter the “beach boys” that hang around on the beach just waiting to chat and offer to show you around.  They were harmless, though, and we just kindly declined their offers and went on our way with little persistence from them.

Pool

There is an outdoor pool but it is not very large.  It is a nice place to float around and relax while cooling down from the heat.

There are a number of neat lounging areas surrounding the pool as well.  Such as these swinging beds.

Pool Table and Ping Pong

If you want to play some pool or ping pong, that is available as well!

 

Sitting Areas

Spread out throughout the property there are all kinds of lovely sitting areas to read a book or take a nap.  I particularly loved this little tree house in the garden area.

Sunday Sessions

We were here on a Sunday and it was quite fun!  The pool area was packed from the afternoon into the late evening.  I’m not sure where all the people came from but it seems to be a popular Sunday hangout spot for local expats!

There was live DJ with fun music into the evening.  It wasn’t a crazy party atmosphere at all so if that is not your scene, don’t worry.  You can also escape to your private cottage if you don’t want to be around any crowds.

We enjoyed a casual meal in the lounge area in the fresh air, enjoying the buzz of people and good music.

Tours

The hotel staff can help you book tours in the area and further around the island.  They have all the info in the lobby area to help you decide.

We went with the Kizimkazi Dolphin Tour on our second morning, leaving around 5:30am.  It was quite the experience!  You can read all about it here.

Overall Rating: 10/10

Seasons Lodge really is a little piece of paradise.  Our wish to end our Tanzania adventure on a relaxing note was perfectly fulfilled by our stay here.  From the uber relaxing clawfoot tub, the magnificent ocean view from the bed, lovely dining, and fun ocean kayaking, we could not have had a more pleasant stay.

If you are not looking for luxury, but want a comfortable, clean, beautiful, friendly and relaxing stay, Seasons Lodge is just for you 🙂

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Visiting Zanzibar?  You may also like:

Stone Town, Zanzibar in 48 hours: Your complete guide

Tanzanian Budget Airlines: Are they safe to fly?

Swimming with Dolphins in Zanzibar

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