Baraza Resort & Spa is located on a beautiful stretch of white sand beach, Bwejuu, on the east coast of the island. Considered to be one of the best beaches on Zanzibar, you can walk for miles along the shore.

The 30 villas are all spread around a beautifully manicured garden filled with bright bougainvillea flowers. Each has a lounge area, terrace, sun loungers and private plunge pool. With only 30 villas, no one villa is very far from the beach or the main areas. There is also a Presidential Villa which comprises two bedrooms with a private garden and larger plunge pool.

Facilities at Baraza Resort are superb, with a well-equipped children’s club, large outdoor swimming pool, large spa with lap pool and yoga room, a gym and two tennis courts.

All the Zanzibari furniture in Baraza Resort is hand made by local artisans who have perfected the art of wood carving, for which Zanzibar is so famous. Architecturally, Baraza Resort itself is a journey through the grand, beautiful designs of the style of Sultans Palaces of Zanzibar, with nods to the Arabic, Indian and Swahili heritage of the island.

The resort is and run by the Raguz family, who have many years of experience in running hotels on the Zanzibari coast. Fantastic service and food are of great importance to the hotel, with a strong emphasis on fresh seafood served daily.

The Water Club is a fantastic water sports centre located approximately 300 meters from Baraza Resort on the beach front. Featuring a great selection of new equipment and offering instruction in wind surfing, kite surfing and sailing. At the PADI 5 star dive centre, guests from complete beginners up to professional level can enjoy dives in the beautiful Indian Ocean.

Traditional Swahili dancers and singers are a feature and the resident Taarab band plays music that would have been heard in the Court of Sultan bin Said in 1880. This is an effort to support and celebrate the cultural identity of Zanzibar and preserve this iconic art form.

ALSO CHECK : The Palms Zanzibar – 7 nights all inclusive

The Palms Zanzibar is a beautiful beach retreat set in tropical gardens overlooking the award winning beach (chosen by Conde Nast Traveller magazine as one of the top 30 beaches in the world). The six private thatched “bandas” shelter day beds and loungers to provide intimate beachfront privacy.

The hotel offers the luxuries and comforts of a high quality resort in a relaxed and intimate setting.

Each of the six palm-thatched villas exudes an atmosphere of understated elegance and is equipped with air-conditioning, satellite TV, day beds and private outdoor jacuzzi. There is a driftwood bar and a beautiful mosaic pool, and guests looking for total relaxation of the mind and body can enjoy the Sanctuary Spa next door at Breezes Beach Club, which provides a blissful and tranquil setting as well as a wide range of treatments. Facilities at Breezes (which can be used by residents of The Palms Zanzibar) also include a gym, floodlit tennis court, windsurfing, snorkeling and scuba diving.

At low tide, guests are able to go for a reef safari where you take a walk out to the coral reef and see the spectacular marine life. Guests will be accompanied by a member of staff out on the coral shelf in front of the hotel and will point out many of the juvenile fish that seek refuge in the shallow waters at low tide. The guests can learn how the coral itself is vital to the island and its inhabitants as well as information about the sea life they encounter.

ALSO CHECK : Breezes Beach Club & Spa – 7 Nights half board