Boutique Hotel · Exclusive Use
Exclusive Use in Zanzibar
Quick answer
The whole property, for one group.
Exclusive use means renting Boutique Hotel Matlai entirely: both villas, all six rooms, both pools and 10,000 m² of beachfront garden at Michamvi Pingwe. It sleeps 12 adults in the standard king setup and up to 18 guests with extra beds. Butler service runs 07:00–22:00 and security is on duty 24 hours. On a buyout, children of every age are welcome.
| You rent | Both villas · both pools · the garden |
| From | USD 3,290 / night, low season |
| Capacity | 12 adults · up to 18 configured |
| Grounds | 10,000 m² beachfront |
| Butler | 07:00–22:00 · 24h security |
| Children | All ages welcome on buyouts |
| Book ahead | Early for weddings |
| Last verified | 17 September 2026 |
How the estate works
Two villas, one address
The layout is what makes buyouts work here. Villa Kidosho has two large sea-view suites around an elevated pool, and it usually becomes the adults' or couples' wing. Asili House has four element rooms, a shared lounge and an elevated oceanfront pool. It suits families, friends or the louder half of any group. A short garden path connects the two. Several levels of loungers and baraza seating let eighteen people spread out.
The configuration is flexible. Every room takes a proper 90×200 cm extra bed, children's beds are available, and Dunia converts to a twin. Six kings for 12 adults is the standard. From there we build the layout around your actual group, for example grandparents on the ground floor and teenagers upstairs, with the baby's cot next to the parents.
The occasions that fit: weddings with the ceremony on your own sand, milestone birthdays and anniversaries, groups arriving after a safari, and multi-generation reunions. We host one celebration at a time.
Retreat leaders can book the whole hotel too and bring their own teacher and programme: see whole-hotel retreats at Matlai, including the six spaces we use because there is no yoga shala.
What the takeover includes
What do you get when you book the whole hotel?
A buyout keeps everything the hotel runs and gives it to one group. That means the team of more than 40 and the butler service (07:00–22:00, 24-hour hotline), both kitchens cooking your half board on your schedule, the beach bar, the open-air cinema with its 300 films, the two free kayaks and bicycles, and Bustani Spa, which you can book throughout the week. Exclusivity carries no surcharge. Payment can be split or consolidated as your group prefers (Visa and Mastercard, no Amex, USD, shillings).
The schedule is yours. Check-in is from 14:00, with early arrival by arrangement when the calendar allows, and check-out is at 10:30. Breakfast runs 07:00–12:00, then lunch and dinner follow at your pace until last orders at 21:30. Music and toasts follow your celebration rather than a hotel schedule, with respect for the village's night and the neighbouring hotels along the beach. Weddings run through our planning partnership, which handles the legal and floral arrangements. Reunions mostly need the long table, the two pools, and the tortoises behind the restaurant, which draw every generation to the lunchtime feed.
What does exclusive use cost?
| Low season | High season | Festive season | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Villa Kidosho | US$1,240 | US$1,390 | US$1,525 |
| Asili House | US$2,050 | US$2,370 | US$2,650 |
| Both villas, the whole hotel | US$3,290 | US$3,760 | US$4,175 |
| Low season | High season | Festive season | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Villa Kidosho | US$1,275 | US$1,500 | US$1,700 |
| Asili House | US$2,100 | US$2,550 | US$2,950 |
| Both villas, the whole hotel | US$3,375 | US$4,050 | US$4,650 |
Rack rates per night with half board for everyone staying, before the government’s infrastructure tax. The season dates are on rooms and rates; send us your dates and the number of guests for a quote.
A sample buyout week
Seven days with one group
This is how a week can run. On day one, guests arrive in two groups. Those coming from a safari reach the house at around four, and those on the direct flight may already be at the pool. The first long table forms over the welcome drinks. Days two and three follow the tide: the sandbank swim for the adventurous, kayaks for the restless, and side-by-side spa beds for the grandparents. Midweek brings the larger events. There is a barbecue by the Asili pool, a ngalawa outing at sunset and a cinema night with a film for all three generations. By the last dinner, the staff know every guest by name and the tortoises are used to the group. The house keeps its normal routine and the family sets the pace.
First step
How enquiries actually run
Send your dates and headcount by WhatsApp or email. We reply the same day with the room plan and a quote. If the occasion needs more planning, we arrange one call, then hold the calendar while your flights are confirmed. There are no portals and no long forms. To hold the calendar, book directly and the room plan follows the same day.
The whole-villa rates for each house, season by season, are on whole-villa rates by season, and our other packages on offers and packages. Planning a wedding? See weddings at Matlai.
Good to know
Questions travellers ask
A full buyout is the arrangement guests ask about most, and every one is different. These answers cover what each enquiry starts with.
What exactly do we get with exclusive use?
The entire property: both villas (Kidosho's two suites and Asili's four rooms), their two pools (one per villa) and 10,000 m² of beachfront garden. Butler service runs 07:00–22:00, housekeeping comes daily with evening turndown, and the property is watched 24 hours. With six rooms, this is a small private house, far from a resort buyout.
How many people fit?
Six king-size bedrooms hold 12 adults in the standard setup. With proper 90×200 cm extra beds available in every room, children's beds, and the Dunia room's twin conversion, up to 18 guests can be configured comfortably. Tell us your group and we'll draw the layout.
Are children of all ages welcome?
Yes. This is the one arrangement where the child policy opens completely. Individually booked rooms welcome children from 14, because couples set the quiet tone of the house. An exclusive villa or a full-property rental welcomes every age, babies included, because the space and its rhythm are entirely yours.
What occasions book exclusive use?
Weddings, where the property hosts one celebration at a time. Milestone birthdays and anniversaries. Safari groups who want to rest together after the northern circuit. Multi-generation family reunions, where the group needs space to be together and space to withdraw.
How does dining work with the whole property?
Around your group. Half board comes from Zatiny's two kitchens and is served whenever suits you. There are long tables in the garden, private dinners in the sand and a barbecue by the pool. The kitchens plan menus with you, and the butler organises each day.
How do we book it?
Directly with us, by email or WhatsApp. Both villas together start from USD 3,290 per night in low season (each villa's own whole-house rate, combined). We quote the exact price for your dates and group. High-season dates and wedding weekends go first, so book early.
Your stay at Matlai
Choose your dates and the booking page opens with them, showing live availability.
Individually booked rooms take guests aged 14 and over; with a whole villa, guests of any age are welcome. Online booking here covers rooms for guests aged {age} and over, so for children or a whole villa send us your dates on WhatsApp and we reply with the options. WhatsApp →
These dates are by enquiry only — please email info[at]hotelmatlai.com or WhatsApp +255772628833 and we will confirm availability and rates.
Indicative public rates — the engine shows live availability for your dates.
Welcome drink, kayaks, bicycles and snorkelling gear, free of charge.
Booking with the hotel itself? Ask us what we can offer for your dates.
Why guests book Matlai
- A team of butlers on call, 07:00 to 22:00. One message and it is arranged.
- Half board with a chef’s menu that changes daily: three courses, plus two à la carte kitchens at every table, Zatiny (Indian Ocean fusion) and Duyên (Vietnamese).
- Dine where you like: in the restaurant, in the garden or on your own balcony. A private table by the beach or a candlelight dinner can be arranged at an extra charge.
- Six rooms in two villas, a pool for each villa, shared by its rooms, and every room facing the sunrise over the ocean.
- Bustani, the garden spa; the sandbank in front of the hotel at low tide; a quiet beach lined with small, family-owned hotels.
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