The experience at Arya was beyond both mine and my partners expectations. If you want a holiday to remember, Arya is for you.
As soon as we left the hustle and bustle of the airport after a long (and incredibly uncomfortable) flight, we arrived at Arya and was greeted with fresh juice and stunning views of the Indian Ocean - perfect way to start our trip.
Waking up every morning to a beautiful view of the ocean directly from their restaurant, Papaya, where we dined on avo toast and fresh fish every morning and evening (half board was well worth it trust me), friendly Masai strolling along the beach front as well as fresh fruit being distributed (with a charge of course) was just the tip of the iceberg.
The staff were super friendly, the customer service was top notch and the food was divine - I don’t think I’ve seen lobster in such abundance in my whole life!
We booked the suite there also which was beautiful. Complete with a super comfy bed (with mossy nets - although we didn’t get bitten once which I believe is very much down to housekeeping spraying relentlessly everyday), bathtub in the room and a lovely outdoor space with direct access to the pool.
On our last night, Laura (the resort owner) created such a romantic experience for both myself and my partner which was we will never forget. Under the starlit sky, we were presented with a Zanzibar inspired dining experience for two, decorated with handmade leaf arches, flowers and candles. We drank copious amounts of white wine and stuffed our faces with the 3-course meal that was carefully crafted for our personal tastebuds - 3 different types of bruschetta to start, followed by truffle linguine and a seafood platter (which could feed a family of 4).
To round it up, my partner also realised that she was short of a really expensive pendant that her father had given her for Christmas just gone when we got to our 3rd hotel (all the way in Kizimkazi). I WhatsApped Laura as the last time she remembered seeing it was when we were at Arya. Laura was incredibly helpful and found it within minutes under the safe carpet. She then arranged for it to be driven to us at our new hotel. If that isn’t the customer service that you dream of, then I don’t really know what is to be honest 😊
I could go on for ages about how amazing our stay was but I think you get the drift. Overall a solid 10/10 and a perfect way to experience Zanzibar if this is a place you are set on visiting.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC