Baraza Zanzibar

Conjuring up Zanzibar’s heady fusion of heritage, Baraza is a sumptuous boutique resort and spa on the shores of one of the world’s most beautiful beaches.

Located on the island’s south-eastern coastline are Baraza’s thirty ultra-luxe villas designed as simple Swahili-style cement structures and dressed in all the Arabian elegance of intricately carved furniture, giant pillows and handmade antiques all under the warm romantic glow of hanging brass lanterns. The villas come in three sizes with differing views yet all have their own living rooms, music systems and large private terraces with plunge pools.

Baraza’s list of services are similarly spoiling; there’s a full spa complete with a large menu of treatments and therapies, a kids club for entertaining smaller members of the family and a watersports club for all sorts of nautical adventures from kitesurfing to paddle boarding and scuba diving courses. There are some good local activities to choose from too and the staff and hospitality at the hotel is really superb.

What’s more all this borders Bwejuu beach – voted one of the World’s Top 30 Beaches by Conde Nast Traveller.