Villa Matalai

We stayed at Villa Matalai for 3 nights in July. It was truly one of the most peaceful and welcoming place we ever visited. The rooms were simple but equipped with everything needed and with a precious view. The host, Hali, and everyone who work there made us feel at home. The food was fresh and delicious, we enjoyed every meal there. The place is a bit remote so I’d recommend to stay there with the full board. It’s a perfect location for couples or family who want to have a quiet time. There is some activities to do (kayak, boat tour, beach) but it’s also a nice place to relax. Hali was also very helpful and helped us to plan the rest of our trip. We highly recommend this accommodation !

Our family of 4 had a wonderful 3 days at Villa Matalai. Our two girls aged 7 and 10 said it was their favourite place ever. Our host Hali was wonderfully kind with our girls, cooked amazing food and made us feel very welcome. We loved using the twin kayaks to canoe through the mangrove forests and out to Hali’s beautiful floating house (If you go there make sure you raise the trapdoor to look at the fish under the house.). We had a lovely morning snorkeling with a local fisherman. We were keen to do some fishing but didn’t realise we’d need to bring our own fishing gear and bait. Villa Matalai is an incredibly special place. The two villas are beautifully designed and decorated. They are built to allow trees to grow through the middle. We very much hope to return to Villa Matalai and see Hali, their wonderful dog Sheba and the two grown kittens. It’s worth noting that there is no WiFi.

Staying at Villa Matalai is truly an experience in which to immerse yourself. Charismatic, personable hosts and welcoming staff transform your stay into a fairytale environment. This combination transforms your stay into mental, emotional and physical luxury.

Absolutely fantastic, really relaxing environment, nice villa inside an authentic fishing village. Food amazing fresh and homemade. The husband of Mama Sarah was our guide for a really amazing kayak experience inside mangroves, beers included! Sheba, family dog, is so sweet! I would recommend to anyone. We will come back for sure!

We had a wonderful 4 days stay at Villa Matalai after climbing Mt Meru and Kilimanjaro. The place is peaceful, beautiful, pristine and just breathtaking. With the door from the garden to the beach it feels like living on an tropical island with friendly neighbours and never ending opportunities to enjoy beach, water, village and the most peaceful garden. Ther food was amazing and the hosts all very friendly. Claes gave us best advices and was very relaxed. We will come back!

Peaceful paradise. Friendly and knowledgeable locals and very attentive staff. Food was exceptional. Owners are very quick to respond and helpful/informative. Would love to come back and stay here again in the future.

A great place for both families with children and adults. We spent in Villa Matalai wonderful 3 days. Living conditions 5 stars. All rooms are large. You can even choose a covered room "without walls" and listen to the ocean all night. Great food every day prepared especially for guests. Fish and seafood are usually served. The owner also gave us his small house on the ocean which we reached by kayaks. The next day we sailed his boat to the reef to dive.

We had a wonderful 4 days here with our family in january 2022. The setting, design and decoration of the place is magnificent! The fishing village is an interesting place to walk around with the boats landing the catch of last night in the morning. The meals profided are excellent and we even joined in for some cooking for fun! Sailing and snorkling trip was a highland with the owner providing a lot of information on nature and the history of Manza bay. We did not want to leave....

This place is really fantastic, it was probably the highlight of my time in Tanzania. If you have your own car it is easy to get to from Tanga City, the last 15 min off the main road is a little bumpy but do-able. The locals in the surrounding fish village are very sweet and friendly. The villa is beautiful and we had the entire top floor to ourselves with an amazing view. The staff were wonderful and Claes was a terrific host. Amazing for couples, the price tag may seem high on the surface but includes 3 excellent meals a day for two and other amenities (access to kayaks, etc.). Highly recommended!