We stayed here for 4 nights at the end of July after a safari trip which was to celebrate our silver wedding. As an "older couple" We were not at all disappointed with the accommodation in our bungalow.
Matemwe bungalows have a faded rustic charm which we loved. They are open to the elements, but with shutters closed we did not find ours cold or draughty. We liked the sound of the waves crashing outside and the resulting dampness on the balcony. Neither did we mind the bushbabies and birds scurrying about the rafters!! It all added to the Matemwe experience.
If you don't like this closeness to nature, then don't go there!!
The food and the service were fantastic, the staff more than helpful and the bungalow spotless and cleaned daily to a high standard, beds turned down etc.
The beach is not for swimming except at high tide because of the sea urchins but the hotel clean the beach daily and there are shaded sunbeds here and by the pools which are small but clean and adequate.
It is quite windy here in the afternoons/evenings but not cold in July.
We went snorkelling and diving and had a great time.
Nigel the current manager is doing a great job, after only being there a few weeks, training new staff and addressing minor niggles such as threadbare robes and old but clean towels.
He listens and addresses any complaints straight away.
The hotel is also working closely with the local impoverished community to provide jobs, sanitation and other benefits. Responsible tourists should not rgard such people as an inconvenience on their holiday. The children do follow you around, but we did not find this a problem.
We think the hotel has a unique location and ambience which would not be to everybody's taste. It is not 5 star air conditioned luxury, but this is it's charm. There are plenty of those down the coast.
If you want a classic beach holiday, want lots of entertainment or have children, then I wouldn't recommend it; but for couple, honeymoon or otherwise, or anyone wanting arelaxing break with availability of diving, it's ideal.
My only warning is to be prepared as access to the bungalows and the diving beach are by the WORST road I've been on in my life...yes even bumpier than on safari, not for people with bad backs!!

Matemwe Bungalows is a resort designed for honeymooners. Most of the people we met were there after safari.. This is the right way around, get the safari out of the way and relax for the second week of your honeymoon.

The staff were excellent and the manager, Nigel, was first class. He was always on hand and would spend the evening talking with guests until the small hours.

The food was fantastic, as a vegetarian I had no problems.

The bungalows were charming. You are very close to the sea and it's amazing to go to sleep hearing the waves so close. I take the points made by other people that the hammocks outside get salty but that is a small price to pay for being by the sea. Sitting out in the morning drinking fresh coffee is fantastic.

The infinity pool is fantastic. It's worth retreating to the lower pool for the afternoon to get out of the wind.

The bar area in the evening is spot on and a perfect chill out area.

We both had a full body massage and would recommend this.

Overall we had a very relaxing stay at Matemwe. We did feel sorry for families as we felt the place was geared towards honeymooners. We didn't do anything except relax. Other guests raved about the snorkelling and we should really have done it. If you are looking for adventure and lots of activities then this is not for you. If you want to soak up the sun, eat, drink and read then this is the place for you.

We booked our holiday with CC AFrica who are outstanding. We came to Matemwe after being in the Masai(Kichwe Tembo tented camp).

Matemwe bugalows are very pleasant.They are very spacious and there is an upstairs with a double bed and desk as well as a double bed on the ground floor -so you could easily have parents and one child...snag is the bed upstairs is double so not so good for 2 children. Bathroom is huge, as is the bath which could fit about 5 people in it!. The view over the sea is stunning and all bungalows are very private. No 1 bungalow is nearest the bar and pool but it is never noisy with music so no one need worry on that score. The furthest bungalow must be a good 200 meters from the pool.
There are 2 snags though with Matemwe,potentially 3 snags . The thatched rood has a dormer window cut out of it, so effectively therefore there is a large hole which doesnt let in rain but does let in wind....and potentially wildlife(there are bush babies in the grounds). Second snag is there are no glas s windows or doors, everything has shuttered slats ,which by no means seals off the wind. whilst we stayed the wind was a steady force 4/5 from afternoon til about midnight so the rooms were very drafty,even a bit cold...and not condusive to wondering around undressed or wet from the shower. The third snag for some would be the proximity of the waves crashing on the coral reef only some 5 metres from the rooms...which also means its a tad damp on the hamamock and chairs outside...
The gardens , staff and food are all very good . The pools are small but very attractive esp the infinity pool.
For divers its really the best location as its only 30 mins by boat compared with 2 hrs from Nungwi. The diving is excellent-one of the dive sites is called the acquarium for good reason....we even saw turtles. If you are not diving there isnt much to do..snorkelling can be arranged but you cant really snorkel from the (stunning) beach as there are a lot of urchins in the water -so bring shoes you can walk in the sea with. A trip to the local village is intereseting(go with someone from Matemwe as it could be a bit intimidating as the poverty is marked and they tend to follow you around). we were surrounded by happy honeymooners who were very happy with the accomodation. Older couples were less impressed because of the wind in the rooms AND because seemingly animals can get in (and did to 2 rooms whilst we were there-as people found dropping on the bed-presumably thru the roof?)
A really good thing to do en route to Matemwe (half way between airport and bungalows and only 5 kms off your journey route)is the Spice tour. It lasts about 1.5 hrs and you walk around about 30 diff types of tree/shrub/plant learning about the cultivation ,harvesting and use of diff spices,getting to taste them as well as the exotic fruit, some of which we had never heard of. It costs 5000 shillings per person and you can buy the spices at the end(negotiate the prices!)

We stayed at the new Villa Retreats at Matemwe Bungalows (the new villas have only been open for 3 months). It was really out of this world

The view was abslutely awesome, the privacy unparalleled and the food just unbelievably good.

We had a service problem on the one day but it was dealt with effectively and to our satisfaction.

The villas (of which there are only 3) are quite a bit more expensive than the bungalows but as everything is included (drinks, 3 meals per day, laundry, etc), we felt this to be fairly good value for money.

The bungalows and the main area of the retreat seemed to be due for a bit of a face lift and unfortunately does not complement the exclusivity of the villas itself. However other guests we met there really enjoyed their stay at the bungalows as well.

We can highly recommend the villas - apart from the snorkeling we really did not leave the villa which had a private pool, seperate dining area, bar, roof top lounge, hammock, etc . They are enourmous (we judged about 250sqm!) and really just fantastic with beautiful lighting and lovely decor. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all served in your suite.

Thanks to Cassiem for the wonderful service!.

This has been the best property we visted in Zanzibar and the Villas was absolutely one of the best places we have ever stayed in.

The snorkeling too was the best we experienced on Zanzibar.

The only constructive comment: I am suprised that the hotels do not invest more in keeping the beaches cleaner. Surely it is within their interest to really keep the beaches clean and as unemployment is so high, this is a great way to get the community involved. This is a general observation on almost all the places we visited in Zanzibar.

I notice some of the comments mention the inaccessibility of the sea due to the reefs. Although this is true, is is true of almost all the exclusive places in Zanzibar - it is therefore important to stay at a hotel with a pool.