Dining · For two
Romantic Dinner on the Beach in Zanzibar
Quick answer
What is a romantic beach dinner at Matlai?
A romantic dinner at Matlai is a private table for two on the sand at the hotel’s beach entrance, decorated with palm leaves, bougainvillea and kerosene lamps and served by your butler. It costs 156,000 TZS per couple for half-board guests; order it the same day, before 14:00.
| Where | On the sand at the beach entrance |
| Decoration | Palm leaves, bougainvillea, kerosene lamps |
| Menu | Chef’s menu, Zatiny and Duyên |
| Price | 156,000 TZS per couple (half board) |
| Order by | Same day, before 14:00 |
| Served by | Your butler |
| Last verified | 2 October 2026 |
What does a beach dinner for two include?
The table stands on the sand at the beach entrance, inside the hotel’s boundary: the most private spot we have. The butler decorates it with palm leaves, bougainvillea flowers and kerosene lamps, and serves you through the evening.
You order from the whole kitchen: the chef’s three-course menu of the day, Zatiny’s menu and Duyên’s Vietnamese menu, all at once if you like. Drinks are charged as at any table. If the wind or rain make the sand unpleasant, the table moves to a sheltered spot in the garden or to your terrace.
What does it cost?
Prices per couple in Tanzanian shillings, as confirmed on 3 October 2026. The bed-and-breakfast price is higher because it includes the dinner that half board already covers. Drinks are not included.
| Set-up | Half or full board | Bed and breakfast | Order by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Romantic candlelight dinner | 156,000 TZS | 195,000 TZS | Same day, before 14:00 |
| Private seafood barbecue | 546,000 TZS | 689,000 TZS | One day ahead |
| Open-air cinema | 125,000 TZS | 125,000 TZS | Film chosen by 15:00 |
| Private dining at a spot of your choice | 80,000 TZS | 80,000 TZS | Ask the butler |
When is the best evening for it?
The south-east coast faces the sunrise, so the sun sets behind the hotel, not over the sea. What sets the mood at a beach table is the tide and the moon: a full moon lights the water, a dark night shows the stars. See the tide calendar for the water on your date.
If you want a sunset over water first, the butler can arrange a sundown trip by traditional boat to Chwaka Bay, on the other side of the peninsula, before dinner.
How far ahead should you book?
The candlelight dinner can be ordered the same day, before 14:00. The private seafood barbecue needs a day’s notice. For the open-air cinema, choose the film by 15:00; the last showing starts at 20:00. For a proposal, a birthday cake or flowers, tell us beforehand: cake, petals and candles are extras on request.
The honeymoon packages include a candlelight dinner; couples who are not on honeymoon can book them too, for example for an anniversary. More ideas for two: a romantic getaway at Matlai.
What can you add to the evening?
The open-air cinema: a film from about 300 DVDs, or one downloaded on request, shown outdoors; it is charged as an extra and can be combined with a private dinner. The next morning, a floating breakfast in the villa pool is ordered the day before.
At Bustani Spa, the Romantic for Two package combines a floral bath for two, a massage and a facial each, and a candlelight dinner set-up; the prices are on the spa menu. For a birthday, a cake, petals and candles are extras on request.
Where else can you dine privately?
Anywhere on the property: the garden has many quiet corners, and the butler sets a table wherever you ask, on the beach terrace, in the garden or on your own balcony. Breakfast, lunch or dinner, every meal can be served privately.
At one of our fixed private spots this costs nothing extra; at a spot of your own choice it is 80,000 TZS per couple.
If you are staying at Matlai on half board, the dinner itself is already part of your stay; the private set-up is what you add. Rooms and seasons are on rooms and rates, and the hotel for couples is described on our honeymoon hotel page.
Good to know
Questions travellers ask
What a romantic dinner on our beach concretely means, and how to book it.
Should we mention allergies when we book?
Yes, please. Tell the butler about allergies and food you do not eat; the kitchen plans the dinner around them.
Is the dinner itself included on half board?
Yes. On half board your dinner is already part of the stay, so the price in the table is for the private set-up and the service. On bed and breakfast the price is higher because it includes the meal.
Who serves the dinner?
Your butler, the same person who looks after you during the stay. He sets the table, brings each course from the kitchen and clears it away when you leave.
Which occasions suit a private dinner on the beach?
Honeymoons, anniversaries, birthdays and proposals; many couples have got engaged at Matlai. Tell us the occasion and what you have in mind, and the butler arranges it with you.
Is there a sunset over the sea?
No: the hotel is on the south-east coast and faces the sunrise. For a sunset over water, the butler can arrange a sundown boat trip to Chwaka Bay before dinner.
Can we book it if we are not staying at Matlai?
The private set-up is arranged by the butler for hotel guests. Couples staying elsewhere can reserve a table at Zatiny, on the beach, from the reservation page.
Are drinks included?
No. Drinks are charged at every table; water is free. The drinks and wine lists are linked from the restaurant page.
What happens if the weather turns?
The butler decides with you on the day. The table can move to a sheltered spot in the garden or to your own terrace.