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Friday, April 19, 2024
HomeTrip ReviewsHOTEL REVIEWSPark Hyatt Zanzibar: Right Hotel, Wrong Location, But So Beautiful

Park Hyatt Zanzibar: Right Hotel, Wrong Location, But So Beautiful

The Park Hyatt Zanzibar Hotel Review is part of the South America & Africa Points Heist Trip Report.


Getting There: I bargained for a $5 ride to the hotel. It’s not far from the airport so don’t over pay.


Someone didn’t do his homework. Like all my academic career, I wait until the last minute to study. Procrastinating has yet to hurt me too badly in my travels. In Zambia, I managed to take a trip to the Devil’s Pool without booking in advance, even though five days are recommended. In Kyoto, I secured a reservation at Endo Tempura, despite not reserving five months ahead of time, as is the norm.

For this trip, I booked the Park Hyatt months in advance to make sure that I received a suite upgrade. That was not the problem with my stay. The issue was that the hotel is located in Stone Town, a two-hour drive from the best beaches of Zanzibar.

Arrival
I landed at 1AM and hoped that my Globalist status would give me an early, early check in. Fortunately, luckily, amazingly, it did.

The Location
The hotel was right in the heart of Stone Town, another Marrakech labyrinth of shops and restaurants (see Stone Town Food & Drink Guide).

The Hotel Itself
The hotel is gorgeous. It is as palatial as the Park Hyatt in Buenos Aires.

The Suite
The suite was more than I expected. It was beautiful. The Oman influence can be seen by the doorways, the lamps, and overall design.

The Bedroom
Nothing like a huge king size Park Hyatt bed for a super early check-in. After running around for weeks, I rejoiced at the sight of luxury.

The Bathroom
Do you remember the bathrooms in Uyuni, Bolivia? I’m still trying to forget. Thank you Park Hyatt for changing the subject. 

The Other Bathroom
It’s not romantic to have only one bathroom.

The Amenities
Espresso anyone?

The Breakfast
The breakfast was disappointing in terms of the food but not the view. For some reason, they were always out of orange juice. The omelette had too much cheese and the buffet was lacking in variety.

The Views 
I was eager to get to my vacation, but around every corner was another beautiful photo opportunity.

The Pool
The infinity pool was more of a splash pool ‎to cool off than a place to spend your day.

The Beach
The beach was serviceable. It was nice enough but crowded. People do not come to Zanzibar for the beaches of Stone Town.

The Gym
There is a gym but I recommend soccer on the beach instead.

The Champagne Video
When you think garbage, you think Akeem. When you think TPOL, you think champagne [silent disco Emirates a380 silent disco video ]. When you think Zanzibar, you think Freddie Mercury. Put it all together and you end up with this celebration: 

Reflecting on my time in ZNZ

Why I Checked Out Early
Stone Town is a stopover for a day, if that. As beautiful as the Park Hyatt is as a hotel, I didn’t travel all the way to Zanzibar to spend my time in the room.

Overall
There is no doubt that this hotel is lovely. However, I have to recommend skipping this PH unless you have a late arrival in Zanzibar and want to check out Stone Town.

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6 COMMENTS

    • What! Haa. You’re the first person I’ve ever heard say that. I have my Stone Town Guide publishing tomorrow. One day is more than enough and then it’s time to move on.

  1. I loved Stone Town and I really loved this hotel. Stayed four nights using my Citi Prestige, so one night was free, and I had a suite upgrade. It was the most luxurious stay I’ve ever had. Great food, sights and more. Can’t wait to go back.

  2. Just in Stone Town December 23, 2020. While I am a Hyatt Globalist, we opted for a boutique hotel in Jambiani. VERY glad we did. Frankly, I could’ve passed on Stone Town. We went for a day and escaped the street mayhem at the Park Hyatt for lunch. It’s true: the place is quite nice. I disliked Marrakech too – no offense meant – I just prefer a more genteel getaway (think Thailand). Worth a visit, but fully agree with this article.

  3. I understand not everyone cares about history or culture. But for those who do, this blog is a bit misinformative. Zanzibar is not just about the beaches. There is so much more. Stonetown is even a UNESCO World Heritage site. The city is entrenched in some of the richest history on the Indian Ocean. You don’t get any of that at a beach resort. You admit you didn’t do your homework, but continue to comment that the hotel is not well-located. The fact is that this Park Hyatt is perfectly situated for Stone Town and would pair perfectly with a beach resort like Zuri Zanzibar. Visiting ONE and not the other means you only catch half a glimpse of an amazing and interesting destination. Aside from that, I thought your blog was fun and appreciated the images.

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