Blue Reef Sport & Fishing Lodge and Bungalows

Blue Reef Sport and Fishing Lodge and Bungalows is a small lodge on the beach in Jambiani, with 13 rooms spread across two nearby locations. The second site, Blue Reef Bungalows, sits about 200 metres away, so the name covers a compact pair of properties rather than one large resort complex.

You are understood in English, French and Dutch by the hotel team. Dutch is also spoken by the management. That makes the lodge particularly practical if you prefer to settle the details of your stay in one of those three languages, rather than relying on hopeful hand signals after a long travel day.

The atmosphere is tied closely to the village around it: boats, fishing activity and seaweed gathering are part of the coastal scene, while the garden, beach furniture and shared lounge give you places to sit without turning the property into a full-scale resort.

You stay directly on Jambiani Beach, on Zanzibar's south-east coast. The beach is white sand, with loungers, parasols, beach beds and hammocks leading towards the Indian Ocean. Paje Beach is about 1.5 miles away by road, useful if you want to see another stretch of this coast without moving hotels.

Jambiani is a fishing village rather than a resort strip built around large hotel compounds. The lodge sits within the village, so local life is close at hand alongside the lagoon and shoreline. Stone Town is about 34 miles away.

Abeid Amani Karume International Airport is roughly 35 miles by road, with a drive of about an hour. An airport transfer is available through the lodge, which is the sensible option if you would rather arrive with the route already sorted.

The choice is fairly straightforward. For two people, the Double Room with Sea View is the one to look at if waking up with the coast in front of you matters more than having extra indoor space. The ordinary Double Room keeps things simpler for a couple, while the larger family and apartment options make more sense when several people, several bags and the usual post-dive clutter all need somewhere to go.

The Family Room sleeps up to five, and the larger family and quadruple categories provide room for groups who do not want to divide themselves across several small rooms. The Two-Bedroom Apartment has one bathroom and suits a group that values separation between sleeping areas. The room cards below give you the exact dimensions, beds and occupancy for each option; here, the useful distinction is how much breathing room you want at night.

Inside, you get a private bathroom with a shower or bath-and-shower arrangement, towels, toiletries, linen and extra-long beds. A fan, openable windows and a mosquito net cover the basics for a warm island night. There is no air-conditioning listed, so this is a fan-cooled lodge rather than a sealed, climate-controlled hotel. Daily housekeeping is available, and some categories have a private entrance.

Breakfast is included, with fresh fruit, juice, tea or coffee, and a choice of pancakes, toast, eggs or yoghurt. The main Blue Reef Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner from a menu that moves between Swahili, French, Thai, Italian and international cooking, with the terrace looking towards the Indian Ocean.

Fish is served fresh each day, caught by local fishers or by guests on the lodge's fishing outings. Vegetarian dishes are available, and special diets or allergies can be accommodated on request. It is the sort of menu that gives you a local option without requiring every meal to become a culinary expedition.

For something more specific, Blue Reef Bungalows Pizza Restaurant has a traditional pizza oven and serves lunch and dinner, alongside seafood, salads and other dishes from the lodge. There are two bars: the Beach Bar sits directly on the sand with cocktails, smoothies and a happy hour, while the Blue Reef Bungalows Bar is a smaller spot for cocktails and drinks.

The beach is immediately outside, with loungers, beach beds, parasols and hammocks in a shaded tropical garden. One outdoor swimming pool sits in the garden and has been available since 2025. For the muscles that have done their work for the day, massages are available, while the outdoor cross-training gym offers fitness sessions and personal training.

On the water, you can arrange kayaking, sailing, kitesurfing, snorkelling, boat trips and fishing. The fishing programme ranges from family outings to big-game fishing and multi-day expeditions. That gives non-divers in your group something more substantial to do than count the hours until you return.

The tour desk can arrange outings including the spice tour, Jozani Forest and Butterfly Centre, Stone Town, Prison Island, Uzi Island, the Menai Bay area, village tours, birdwatching, mangrove kayaking and sundowner trips. Cycling is also available, and the lodge has a games room, board games and a shared lounge for evenings when the sensible plan is simply to sit down.

Check-in runs from 13:00 to 22:00, and check-out from 08:00 to 10:00. Airport transfers are available through the lodge, and a shuttle service can also be arranged. A tour desk, luggage storage, currency exchange and car hire are available, while laundry can be arranged as a service. Nearby public parking is free and does not require a reservation.

Free WiFi is available throughout the hotel. You also have a safety deposit box, 24-hour security and private check-in and check-out. Packed lunches are available, which can be useful when an excursion takes you away from the restaurant for the day.

Children of any age are welcome. Children aged 16 and over are charged as adults, cots can be requested for children aged two and under, and extra beds are not available. Cash is accepted, with payment options including US dollars and Tanzanian shillings; Mastercard and Visa are also accepted, as is euro payment by bank transfer.

The lodge runs on solar power with battery backup, designed to maintain 24 hours of electricity without interruption. Rooms use fans, with large windows supporting natural ventilation, so the practical approach to heat is part of the building's daily operation rather than a decorative slogan.

Single-use plastic is reduced through glass refillable water bottles and the removal of plastic straws. Waste is separated and recycled through partnerships including MUMA and TzRecycle. Weekly beach clean-ups take place on Saturdays at 08:00.

The local connection also extends beyond waste management. The lodge supports local small businesses, uses local contractors where possible and founded a school in 2015 for local and European children.