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The new face of Zanzibar

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maureen-stover - Go2Africa.com in Tanzania, Beach holidays
December 07th, 2011 at 4:00pm
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It's been 5 years since I last visited Zanzibar and with new resorts popping up all over the island, I knew it was time to re-visit and see what Zanzibar has to offer these days - and WOW, was I surprised!

Take Stone Town for example: this World Heritage Site used to have only a handful of hotels to choose from, all of them quite dog-eared and certainly nothing special.  Now there are no less than four recently renovated boutique hotels in the heart of Stone Town, complete with 360 degree views of this historic quarter. Blending an old Zanzibar feel with a twist of modern chic, they provide an exclusive and personalised experience but be warned: these old palaces and royal residences are spread out across many floors and you'll be climbing stairs to get to your room! 

Swimming pool at Kholle House

Our first few nights were spent on the north coast of Zanzibar at Kilindi - This is without doubt the most private and genuinely personalised place I have ever stayed at, absolutely perfect for honeymoon couples and those seeking exclusivity. We hardly left our pavilion during our stay as we simply couldn't find a reason to do so: each pavilion has its own cascading plunge pools and your meals are served wherever and whenever you want by your personal butler - in your room, on the beach, next to the pool – it's up to you. 

Cascading private plunge pools at Kilindi.

Next stop was a quick visit toStar of the East for a site inspection. I have heard so much about this property, but had no idea how amazing it is until I saw it with my own eyes.  Each of the very spacious and modern 11 villas has its own sole-use plunge pool with private garden and butler service but what I really loved about this accommodation is the all-inclusive service: literally everything and anything you want is catered for at the very highest level. And since your stay includes access to all facilities, restaurants and bars of Diamonds La Gemma dell’Est, Star of the East is the perfect option for those looking for pampered exclusivity with easy access to several restaurants and activities. 

Bedroom at Star of the East

More site inspections followed.  Another resort that impressed me was Azanzi Beach Hotel. This is a great option for families, boasting features such as inter-leading rooms (to keep an eye on the kids), a games room and a covered swimming pool.  It has a great on-site dive centre that offers complimentary boat and snorkelling trips. The manager was fantastic and I got the sense that they cater for any request and will bend over backwards to make your stay memorable.

The visit to Ezzque Zala - immediately had me day-dreaming about the day that I can spoil my kids with a trip to Zanzibar. This newly completed resort provides a unique, contemporary and innovative experience - definitely not something I have seen in Zanzibar before; their Petit VIP Kids Club for exampleis a first for Zanzibar, andchildren can enjoy a range of extraordinary activities tailor-made for their age and interests. Ezzque Zala's superior rooms are very nice and spacious but it was their amazing 2 and 3-bedroom villas that took my breath away. Each one is like a large house, complete with private pool, lou nge, dining room and even a private massage room! 

We spend our last few nights at The Residence situated on a quiet part of the south-west coast, and talk about saving the best until last: this resort quickly took the Number One spot on my list the minute we arrived! Offering an elegant, sophisticated and yet casual experience all at the same time, there was no need to leave our villa - it had everything we could have possibly needed such as a dedicated butler, in-house dining and private plunge pool.  When we eventually got the urge to venture outside, we simply jumped on our hotel-provided bicycles (they have kids' bikes too) and set off exploring. The Residence is a very child-friendly option, offering daily kids' activities and trained child-minders, and the excellent staff were extremely friendly and catered to all our needs and more. It was very hard to leave this fabulous place - perhaps you can tell. 

I was very pleased that I had the opportunity to visit Zanzibar again; it has had a huge face-lift since I last visited and with these new resorts it is now definitely on a par with similar holiday destinations in the Indian Ocean. In fact, I can't wait to visit again! 

 

Villa at The Residence

 

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Recent Comment

  • 1: 

    Great to see the “new” additions to Zanzibar - so many options and so little time! The choice available for luxury travellers are excellent! Sounds like you had an incredible time.

    Professional Expert
    lauren
    December 08th, 2011 at 10:19am

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