Baraza Resort & Spa, Zanzibar

While travel remains stalled, we’re here to bring you inspiration for the trips you’ll take when life returns to normal. – TravelSquire Editors

Had we accidentally walked into a sultan’s palace? A gleaming white lobby embellished with marble floors, golden silk divans and hammered brass lanterns sure made us think so. Staff scurried about wearing flowing white gowns and through a row of key-hole shaped doorways, we could see the turquoise Indian Ocean. But no, we had arrived at Baraza Resort & Spa. Outstanding among luxury hotels in Zanzibar, Baraza is a member of the Zanzibar Collection’s boutique resorts off the coast of Tanzania.

Dreamy Accommodations

We passed a long dreamy pool on the way to our villa (yes, villa) where guests lounged in curtained cabanas sipping cocktails. An army of gardeners tackling the rampant frangipani and bougainvillea stepped out of our path; one with a machete who had shimmied barefoot up a tall coconut tree and was whacking them down stopped and smiled. When we entered our one-bedroom villa it almost took our breath away – a full 1,600 square feet with plunge pool and alfresco lounging area – huge enough to have a party.

Owned by a couple with a strong connection to the interior design trade, Baraza has 30 one- and two-bedroom villas (all solar powered) drenched in white and framed with dramatic Arabic style arches. Our villa was full of nice surprises – a cozy alcove with a large daybed for reading or napping, a large fully stocked mini-bar and gold silk slippers and dressing gowns in the spacious walk-in closet. The bedroom’s king-size bed was strewn with plumeria blossoms, swathed in decorative mosquito netting and tied with gold silk ribbons. But it was the bath that struck the highest note. Topped with a canopy of golden silk, the egg-shaped stone tub lured us into dreams of bath time. Lathering up with clove-scented soap could make anyone feel ultra sexy.

Stunning Bwejuu Beach

And don’t even get us started on Bwejuu Beach, spread out on Zanzibar’s southeastern coast and rated by Conde Nast Traveler as “one of the top 30 island beaches in the world.” After all, sun and sand following an African safari is the main reason many visit Zanzibar. But it’s far from your typical soft sand Caribbean or Hawaiian beach. The blinding white coral sand is hard, so you can take out bikes from the resort and pedal for miles along the wide, relatively undeveloped beachfront. And when the tide goes out, you can go “reef walking.” With reef shoes and walking sticks, you wade out knee-deep in water on the reef to the far-off surf line, spying interesting shells and little fish/  Beware of the spiny sea urchins! When the tide is in, you can swim or try stand-up paddleboarding. Wind and kite surfing are popular too when the breeze picks up.

Delightful Cuisine

Meals here are excellent (though not quite as gourmet as next door at The Palms, Baraza’s sister resort, where the kitchen caters to just six villas). Baraza is all-inclusive but doesn’t feel like it as it’s pure class with food focused on quality, not quantity. One night, we enjoyed an African dinner. Greeting guests, the restaurant manager offered drinks served in fresh coconuts. Then a variety of small plates were passed – sweet potato soup with cardamom, fish and red beans with coconut raita, beef stew in cassava, chicken in coconut sauce, and more. Another night, a more formal dinner was served in the elegant Sultan’s Dining Room. Good South African wines are poured, complimentary. And while Baraza has a desalination plant for purifying its own water, bottled water is freely available.

More for the Body and Soul

Fortunately, there is a small gym, yoga center and the gorgeous Frangipani Spa (with its own outdoor lap pool with underwater music) to help burn off the calories.

Giving back to the community, Baraza built a maternity clinic in the local village of Bwejuu, among other social initiatives. Primarily English-speaking, most of the staff are hired from the local hotel school. They were all genuinely warm, friendly and welcoming.

Yes, Baraza is indeed a star among the luxury hotels in Zanzibar…a resort fit for a sultan.