Scores at a Glance
Club Hotel DolphinThe Residence Zanzibar
Overall
8.1
8.8
Beach
7.4
8.2
Food
8.0
8.4
Service
8.6
8.8
Rooms
7.6
9.5
Luxury
—
9.3
Value
7.9
7.5
Romance
7.6
9.2
Scores out of 10 — higher is better
Quick Stats
8.1
Overall Score
8.8
5-star
Star Rating
5-star
4.7 (8,925)
Google Rating
4.5 (854)
Rates TBD
Price / Night (pp)
Rates TBD
No
Adults Only
No
Yes
Kids' Club
Yes
Near coast
Beachfront
Near coast
Mid-size
Resort Size
Mid-size
35 min
Airport Transfer
55 min
All Scores
7.4
Beach
8.2
8.0
Food
8.4
8.6
Service
8.8
7.6
Rooms
9.5
8.7
Pools
9.1
—
Luxury
9.3
7.9
Value
7.5
8.2
Family
—
7.6
Romance
9.2
7.8
Nightlife
—
6.4
Quiet
—
7.8
Adventure
—
7.6
Wellness
—
7.5
Remote work
—
Vibes
Yes
Romance
Yes
Yes
Lively
—
Yes
Adventure
—
Activities
Yes
Spa
Yes
Yes
Water sports
Yes
Yes
Nightlife
—
Yes
Kids
Yes
Club Hotel Dolphin
- 3 pools
- 2 restaurants & bars
- Full-service spa
- 35 min from CMB
The Residence Zanzibar
- 1 pools
- 2 restaurants & bars
- Full-service spa
- Butler service
- 55 min from ZNZ
Pros — Club Hotel Dolphin
- Verified all-inclusive availability
- Large pool setup with children's pool
- Strong family-friendly amenities
- Friendly staff feedback is recurring
- Convenient for Bandaranaike International Airport
Pros — The Residence Zanzibar
- Every villa has a private pool
- Secluded beachfront estate
- Strong romance fit
- Two-bedroom villa options
Cons — Club Hotel Dolphin
- All-inclusive is rate-plan dependent
- A la carte dining may cost extra
- Some room refurbishment and air-conditioning complaints
- Large active-resort feel can be noisy
- Sri Lanka is outside the current country vocabulary
Cons — The Residence Zanzibar
- All-inclusive is optional and restricted
- Remote southwest location
- Tide-dependent beach use
- Transfers extra