La Gemma dell'Est
La Gemma dell'Est is set in tropical gardens and waterfalls located on the northwestern shores of Zanzibar. It features a fully equipped water sports center, a spa and 4 restaurants.
Each modern room has mosquito nets draped over the bed and comes equipped with a flat-screen satellite TV, a mini-bar and tea-and-coffee-making facilities. The private bathroom has a walk-in shower.
Indoor and outdoor dining is offered at the different restaurants at Hotel La Gemma dell'Est, where a variety of cuisines is served. Cocktails and live entertainment can be enjoyed at one of the 3 bars.
Guests can relax around the salt-water pool or enjoy a relaxing massage in the spa. For the active guests, there is a tennis court and an open-air gym available.
Free Wi-Fi is available in public areas and there is a business center for guests to make use of during their stay. The Zanzibar International Airport is a 60-minute drive away.
Rooms & Suites
La Gemma dell’Est offers 138 rooms and suites, all with private terraces with views of the Indian Ocean. Decor is consistent throughout rooms, with red-tile floors, dark-wood furniture accented with faux-animal-print throw cushions, and the occasional piece of African wall art to add some color to the predominantly earth-toned spaces. There are ceiling fans as well as air-conditioning to keep things cool, and each room has a daily-replenished minibar and coffee/tea facilities. Safes and flat-screen TVs are also provided, but the free Wi-Fi is spotty.
There are 23 Villa Club Rooms, which offer private rooms and shared living rooms intended to encourage guest mingling. The 93 Deluxe Rooms lack the living rooms but have direct garden access. There are also 17 Suites that have separate living rooms and kitchens with two-burner stovetops. The Presidential Suite has five bedrooms, an office, a private pool, and butler service.
Leisure & Activities
One of the highlights of La Gemma dell’Est is the Mvua African Rain Spa, which features gorgeous open-air pavilions for massages as well as more private spaces. Facilities include both a Turkish and hydrotherapy bath, while treatments range from scrubs to facials. The hotel’s huge lagoon-style saltwater pool is another big draw, with palapa-shaded lounge chairs, a shallow children’s section, and even a small fountain feature, plus the swim-up bar at one end. There’s also a gorgeous white-sand beach just beyond the pool, though the water is separated from the hotel (and from the only lounging area) with a large shelf that runs the length of the resort.
Sports facilities are extensive, and water sports include wakeboarding, windsurfing, and water skiing. There’s also an on-site PADI dive center, Scuba Do. Other on-site activities include stretching, water aerobics, and even Swahili and African Line Dance lessons; some come with fees. There are also an outdoor tennis court and a game pavilion with table tennis, foosball, and billiards.
The 24-hour front desk offers concierge services, currency exchange, and luggage storage, and there’s a clinic on-site as well as babysitting and laundry services. A large boutique sells local handicrafts, jewelry, toys, and women’s clothing. The resort also features a business center, Baobab Congress, with meeting rooms, a ballroom, and plenty of audio-visual features. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel.
From our gallery
The diversity of water and on the ground sports on offer is an invitation to experience new thrills everyday. There really is an activity for each hour of the day!