Boutique Hotel Matlai · Late Availability
Last-Minute Zanzibar Hotel Deals
The short answer
Open dates now, and the two ways to save.
A last-minute stay at Boutique Hotel Matlai is a booking made 14 days or fewer before arrival, which qualifies for an automatic 10% discount off our public rate, subject to availability. 6 windows are open between November 2026 and April 2027 — some in both villas, one in Asili House only. Guests booking further ahead can instead use code Special2026MATLAI for 15% off, valid until 31 May 2027; the two offers are never combined.
| Last-minute discount | 10% · bookings made ≤14 days before arrival |
| Alternative code | Special2026MATLAI — 15% · bookings made until 31 May 2027 |
| Combinable | No — one offer per booking |
| Board | Half board included |
| Minimum stay | 2 nights · 5 in high season |
| Open windows | 6 date ranges, Nov 2026 – Apr 2027 |
| Offer booking window | 16 Jan – 15 Dec |
| Last verified | August 2026 |
Open now
Which dates are open right now
The table below lists every date range with real availability today — pulled from the same eZee reservation system our reception team uses, refreshed by hand every week until an automated feed replaces it. A row shows the villa or villas with rooms open, a short note on what to expect (occasionally one villa is sold out while the other is not), and a WhatsApp button pre-filled with those exact dates so you don't have to retype anything.
Six windows are open as we publish this: late November in Asili House only, the first half of December in both villas, the whole of January from the 20th onward, the second half of February, and all of March and April 2027. Tap "Ask about these dates" on any row and a message opens on WhatsApp with the date range already written in — our team replies with the exact rooms and rate for that villa and confirms availability before you book. Dates move quickly once shared here, so a window that shows open today can sell during the week; this table is not a guarantee, and confirming by WhatsApp before you travel is always the safer step.
Updated 28 September 2026.
| Dates | Villa | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 November 2026 – 30 November 2026 | Asili House | Villa Kidosho is sold out for these dates; Asili House has rooms open. | Ask about these dates |
| 1 December 2026 – 15 December 2026 | Both villas | Both villas have open dates in the first half of December. | Ask about these dates |
| from 20 January 2027 onward | Both villas | Both villas are open from this date onward — a period already inside the 2027 high season. | Ask about these dates |
| 20 February 2027 – 28 February 2027 | Both villas | Both villas have open dates in the second half of February, still inside the 2027 high season. | Ask about these dates |
| 1 March 2027 – 31 March 2027 | Both villas | All of March is open in both villas, in the 2027 low season. | Ask about these dates |
| 1 April 2027 – 30 April 2027 | Both villas | All of April is open in both villas, in the 2027 low season. | Ask about these dates |
Two offers
Never both: which discount actually saves more
Boutique Hotel Matlai runs two separate discounts, and our booking terms mean you can use only one on a single reservation — never both together. The standard last-minute offer takes 10% off the public rate for any booking made 14 days or fewer before arrival, subject to availability, and like every seasonal offer on this site it only applies to bookings made between 16 January and 15 December. Alongside it, a temporary promotion — code Special2026MATLAI — takes 15% off the same public rate for any booking made between now and 31 May 2027, with no last-minute requirement at all.
For almost every date on this page, the 15% code is the larger saving, because its booking window covers all 6 of the open windows listed above. The 10% last-minute rate becomes the relevant offer once Special2026MATLAI expires on 31 May 2027, or for a stay booked outside its window. Whichever applies to your dates, redeem it by naming the offer or the code when you write to us on WhatsApp or email — our team applies the rate directly to your invoice, and the code also works at our own online booking engine once you reach the payment step.
The terms
Half board, minimum stay, and what a fast booking actually involves
Every last-minute rate, like every rate at Matlai, includes half board — breakfast and dinner from Zatiny's two kitchens, cooked to order rather than served on a buffet clock. Full board is available on request for a per-person supplement if you would rather not think about lunch either.
Minimum stay depends on the season, not on how close to arrival you book. 2 nights is the standard minimum; 5 nights applies only in our high season, which for 2027 runs 3 January to 28 February and 15 June to 31 October. Of the 6 open windows above, only two fall inside that high season — 20 January onward and the second half of February — so those two carry the five-night minimum. The other four windows (late November, early December, and all of March and April) sit in low season, where the 2-night minimum applies and a genuinely short last-minute break is possible.
One piece of real friction is worth stating honestly: like any booking here, a last-minute reservation still needs a 25% non-refundable deposit to secure it, with the remaining balance due in full 30 days before arrival — or immediately if you are booking inside that window, which most last-minute guests are. It is not an instant, card-on-file booking; it is a short WhatsApp conversation with our team, usually settled within a day.
The process
How to book once you see a window you like
Every row in the table above opens a WhatsApp conversation with your exact dates already typed in — tap it, add how many guests and which villa you'd prefer if either is open, and send. Our team, on duty 07:00–22:00, checks the room against live availability and replies with the applicable rate, whether that's the 10% last-minute discount or the 15% Special2026MATLAI code, and the steps to confirm it. You can reach the same team by email at [email protected], and the code also works directly at our own booking engine if you would rather complete the reservation yourself. Whichever way you book, the rate quoted is always our public rate with the relevant discount applied — never a trade or resident rate, and never a number you won't see again once you arrive.
Good to know
Questions travellers ask
The questions guests actually ask us on WhatsApp when they find this page a week or two before they want to travel.
What counts as a last-minute stay at Matlai?
Any booking made 14 days or fewer before your arrival date qualifies for the 10% last-minute discount, subject to room availability and to the same 16 January–15 December booking window as our other seasonal offers. There's no separate application — just say the dates are last-minute when you write to us.
Can I combine the 10% last-minute rate with the 15% Special2026MATLAI code?
No — the two are never combined, on this or any other offer here. If both would apply to your dates, take the Special2026MATLAI code; it saves more and runs until 31 May 2027, well beyond most of the windows on this page.
Is half board included in a last-minute booking?
Yes. Every rate at Matlai, last-minute or not, includes half board — breakfast and dinner from Zatiny's two kitchens, cooked to order rather than served on a buffet clock. Full board is available on request for a per-person supplement.
What is the minimum stay for a last-minute booking?
2 nights, except inside our high season (3 January–28 February and 15 June–31 October in 2027), where the minimum rises to 5 nights. Of the windows listed above, only 20 January onward and the second half of February fall inside high season.
How do I book once I see an open window I like?
Tap the WhatsApp button on that row — it opens a message with the dates already filled in. Our team checks it against live availability and confirms the rate; a 25% deposit secures the booking, with the balance due 30 days before arrival, or immediately if you're inside that window already.
Do these dates update automatically?
Not yet — the table above is refreshed by hand from our reservation system, roughly weekly, with the update date shown above it. An automated weekly feed is being built to replace the manual check; until then, always confirm by WhatsApp before finalising travel plans.
See a window you like? Ask before it's gone.
Send your dates on WhatsApp and we'll confirm the villa, the rate, and whichever discount actually applies to you — last-minute 10% or the 15% code.