When planning a trip to Zanzibar, you want to make sure you pick the right resort. The majority of your time will be spent there, so you’ll want to know if a 5-star property actually delivers on its promises.
My boyfriend and I recently spent 10 relaxing days at Neptune Pwani Beach Resort & Spa on Zanzibar’s northeast coast (in Pwani Mchangani). We used it as our luxury base to relax and unwind from work, but also took a day-trip safari to mainland Tanzania from there!
If you are wondering whether to book this resort for your Zanzibar getaway, here is my detailed, honest review, including what we loved, a few drawbacks to keep in mind, and who it is best for.
Quick Overview
- Location: Pwani Mchangani (Northeast Coast), around 1 hour 15 minutes from Stone Town & the airport with traffic.
- Resort Type: 5-Star All-Inclusive Beach Resort.
- Best For: Couples, relaxed luxury seekers, first-timers in Zanzibar, and divers.
- Our Stay: 10 nights in a Deluxe Garden Room (with partial ocean views).
- Overall Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐ We would absolutely stay here again.
My verdict: Neptune Pwani strikes a balance between high-end comfort, incredible service, and value. The stand-out highlights are the warm, attentive staff and the included à la carte dining options, making it feel far more exclusive than a typical mass-buffet resort, at a price point that was more reasonable than the other resorts we considered.
What I loved (Highlights)
Let’s start with what I loved, because overall I think this was a great all-inclusive resort (you know I love beach resorts & destinations).
Personalized Service
The staff at Neptune Pwani made our trip truly special. We are creatures of habit, and it didn’t take long for the team to notice our daily rhythms:
- Morning coffee on the beach: Every morning we would walk down to the beach to have our coffee there. By day three, one of the main restaurant servers would spot us approaching and meet us in the doorway with two black coffees ready to take down to the sand!
- Our pool chairs: The pool and beach attendants were equally thoughtful. He noticed where we liked to lounge for the day and would have our preferred lounge chairs prepared the moment he saw us arriving by the pool.
Servers by the pool would remember our order, and we ended up on a first name basis with several of them during the stay. That level of intuitive, warm hospitality is rare at large resorts and made us feel right at home.
Several A La Carte Restaurants included
Neither my boyfriend nor I are huge buffet people. We both prefer a sit-down, plated dinner with a more exclusive atmosphere.
That’s not to say that the buffet wasn’t great, however we ended up eating at the a la carte restaurants 6 out of out 10 evenings. They needed to be reserved in advance (ideally the day before), and the host would look at us sometimes and ask “Are you sure? Tomorrow is the barbecue evening at the buffet?”. The a la carte restaurants were rarely full, so that does illustrate that the buffet was very good too.
The all-inclusive package lets you book dinner at three distinct à la carte options: Gusti (Italian), Namaste (Indian), and Narai Thai. Having these included without extra surcharges was a massive perk for us. Gusti was out favorite, and we went back several times to try different dishes there.
Swim up Bar & Creative cocktail menus
I am a total sucker for a swim-up bar, and the main pool at Neptune Pwani did not disappoint.
What made the drink experience even better was that the resort’s four bars actually featured different cocktail menus, giving you a fun incentive to explore the property.
While some standard “classics” fell a bit flat (the Espresso Martini tasted horrible, if I am being honest, likely due to local ingredient variations or just the wrong recipe), their signature resort cocktails were delicious. I especially loved the Zanzibar Sunset at the pool bar!
Beyond cocktails, everything felt high-tier. There was no push for “premium upgrades”, it was simply all included, and the house wines were genuinely good.
The only minor addition we would have loved at the Italian à la carte restaurant was an expanded wine list with the option to purchase a special bottle for dinner.
Unlimited Spa Access
The Senses & Feelings Spa was a highlight of our stay.
Top tip: When you book a spa treatment, you gain complimentary access to the spa facility facilities for the remainder of your stay!
While the elevated spa area got quite warm during the heat of the day, it was an incredibly quiet, peaceful sanctuary to escape to. I booked three professional massages at the spa during our trip (and one budget option on the beach, though I have to admit the official resort spa massage was vastly superior!).
On-site dive center
Having an accredited dive center right on the resort property was super convenient! As you may know, I love diving whenever I travel somewhere tropical and am a certified PADI Advanced Open Water diver.
I booked a diving excursion out to Mnemba Island, one of Zanzibar’s premier marine spots, directly through the dive center at the resort. It was very convenient to have the dives charged to the room, and to meet right on the beach for the departure.
If you are a diver, the location of Neptune Pwani Beach is ideal! Mnemba Island is one of the most popular dive sites around the island, and depending on the tide, you can either depart by boat right from the beach, or drive for just 15-20 minutes before boarding a boat.
I did the latter as it was low tide the morning I went diving.
The beach & Tidal reality at Neptune Pwani Beach resort
Like much of Zanzibar’s northeast coast, the ocean at Pwani Mchangani is heavily tide-dependent, changing dramatically throughout the day:
- High Tide: On high-tide mornings, the water came right up to the stone access stairs, making it impossible to walk along the sand.
- Low Tide: On low-tide days, the ocean receded so far out that a massive sandbank was revealed, allowing us to walk way out into the shallow water.
We made a habit of just heading over to the stairs when we wanted to go for a walk simply to check the water level before deciding whether to take a long beach walk or stick to the pool.
A note on Beach Vendors
Beach vendors are a reality all around Zanzibar, and Pwani Mchangani is no exception. Whenever you walk down the stone stairs toward the sand, you can see vendors waiting nearby to approach you.
However, Neptune Pwani manages this quite well with an elevated, private beach area. The resort’s lounge chairs and umbrellas sit on a raised sand deck where vendors are strictly prohibited from entering.
You can relax, read, and look at the ocean without being approached. As long as you are firm and polite with a quick “no thank you” when stepping down onto the public sand, it is manageable, though it is something to keep in mind if you are easily uncomfortable with street selling.
A few drawbacks & Things worth keeping in mind
To keep this review completely transparent, here are a few things you should keep in mind before booking:
- Bathroom layout: Our room (located conveniently up the stairs from reception) was really great, but the bathroom featured a sliding panel door rather than a fully sealed, solid door. This means that acoustic privacy in the toilet area is somewhat limited, if you get me. If you are traveling on an early-stage romantic getaway (like we were 😭), it’s something to be aware of!
- Vibe shifts during (European) school holidays: We arrived on a Monday in late September, and for our first week, the resort had a quiet, super-chill adult vibe. However, toward our final days in early October (aligning with autumn school breaks across Europe), more families with children checked in. The pool area naturally became louder and livelier. Luckily, Neptune Pwani has two large outdoor pools, so it was easy enough to shift to a quieter lounge spot when we wanted a calmer atmosphere (or just head up to relax at the spa).
- Distance from Stone Town: The resort is about a 1 hour and 15-minute drive from Stone Town and the airport with traffic. Keep this transfer time in mind if you plan on doing multiple tours in the south or West side of the island.
Is Neptune Pwani Beach Resort Worth it?
Yes, 100%. If you are looking for a high-end, hassle-free resort on Zanzibar’s gorgeous northeast coast where you can relax, eat well, dive, and be treated like family, Neptune Pwani is a fantastic choice.
It served as the ideal, comfortable home base for our 10-day vacation, especially for unwinding after our day trip safari to mainland Tanzania!