10/04/2026
Today our hotel is mentioned in the Dutch newspapers.
Who Is the Mole? reportedly filmed at Twente hotel owner’s property in Zanzibar
Joop van der Vinne, originally from Vroomshoop in the Netherlands, believes his hotel in Zanzibar may appear in the latest season of the television programme Who Is the Mole?.
Wie is de Mol?
Van der Vinne and his wife Yudee Fashionista Africa run The View of Zanzibar, a hotel located directly opposite The Rock, one of the island’s most photographed landmarks.
The unexpected filming first caught his attention when he stepped outside to walk his dogs.
“Suddenly there were 20 to 30 people standing in front of the hotel with cameras,” Van der Vinne said. “There is normally nobody there.”
When he asked what the crew was doing, he was initially told the shoot was for a Netflix production. But that explanation changed when an English-speaking cameraman appeared to reveal more than intended.
“He said, ‘Who is the Mole?’” Van der Vinne recalled.
Although he has not received official confirmation, Van der Vinne says he believes it is highly likely that his hotel will feature in Saturday evening’s broadcast. According to him, the production team spent an entire day filming at the property in July last year.
Iconic location
Van der Vinne says the hotel’s location was probably what drew the programme’s producers there.
“We are right opposite The Rock,” he said. “It is probably the most iconic little building in East Africa. It has been photographed millions of times. In reality, it is a restaurant on a rock in the sea, but it is a real Instagram hotspot.”
The striking setting appears to have made the beach a natural backdrop for the programme.
Van der Vinne says even his six dogs may have ended up in the footage.
“They kept running through the scene,” he said.
Filming at the hotel
According to Van der Vinne, the crew initially kept the nature of the production quiet. He considered revealing what he had heard, but decided against it.
“At first I thought: should I put it online straight away?” he said. “But I did not think that would be right. They clearly wanted to keep it under wraps, so I respected that.”
He was not able to stay and watch the full shoot, but says filming continued throughout the day at the hotel. The crew reportedly used the terrace and were also offered a room where candidates were interviewed behind black screens.
Whether and how prominently the hotel will appear on screen remains to be seen. For Van der Vinne, however, the visit already feels like recognition of the location he and his wife created.
“For me, this is confirmation that we are in one of the most idyllic spots imaginable,” he said.
Here is the location
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Bao7hKj5N7BqXEUE8
Hij liet zijn honden uit, toen er opeens 20 tot 30 personen voor de deur van zijn hotel in Zanzibar liepen. Met camera’s. „Voor een Netflix-programma”, klonk het mysterieus tegenover Joop van der Vinne. Totdat een Engelstalige cameraman zich versprak: „Who is the mol.”
