Baraza
Location - Bwejuu beach in eastern Zanzibar
Accommodation - 29 villas in various styles
Experience - Smarter resort hotel with lots of activities on offer
Price Guide - $550 - 600 pppn
Baraza is Zanzibar’s first small luxury hotel to be geared almost entirely to families. It's a sister hotel to Breezes and The Palms, all situated on Bweju beach, 20 kms of the classic palm trees & golden sand look, easy access to the reef and a zillion opportunities for activities or excursions of any sort. There is a slight danger of being smothered in too much 'faux swahili design" but the quality is good and this place is very clear about what it's offering - and definitely delivers it. Read more?
The design is that of a Sultan’s Palace, rich gold coloured furnishings, ornately carved wood and silk covered barazas (traditional Zanzibar seating) in every possible area give a feeling of formality as well as rather unreal "Ali Baba" opulence. There are 30 villas divided into 14 one bed sea front villas and 15 two bed villas which range in two rows behind. Each Moorish styled individual room has a plunge pool, large terrace with sunbeds and a private beach ‘tent’. Rooms are equipped with tvs, dvds, air conditioning, minibars and what must be the largest beds in Zanzibar at 2.3 metres wide.
As you would expect from a family hotel, children are extremely well catered for. 4 to 12 year olds have their own club with pool behind the restaurant area where they are relentlessly entertained and which can use as a base throughout the day or in the evenings for early dinners etc. In room, baby sitting services can also be provided, at a small extra cost.
A new state of the art watersports centre is being built for use by guests from all three hotels, whilst Baraza has its own tennis courts, full spa with lap pool and a putting range. Slightly alarmingly a 'mini Stone Town' has even been created, with little shops huddled around a central square but at least that means you don't have to drift too far from the beach or swimming pool for a bit of retail. This is an ideal hotel if one is looking for lots of comfort, pampering and generally an easy life and are happy to be cocooned from the real Zanzibar which lies right outside the door.
Location - Zanzibar
Zanzibar along with nearby Pemba Island lies just off the coast of Tanzania and is a heady mix of tropical island life and historic Swahili culture that has beckoned travellers for centuries. During our years of living and working in Tanzania, we often took time out here, and have wound our way through Zanzibar's crumbling streets and padded along the miles of soft white beaches working out how to make the most of this fabulous island. Jump to page?
More articles that you might find helpful
Zanzibar Stonetown - another view
Combining a safari and the beach
Tanzania visa requirements
Do I want a private vehicle and guide?
Child restrictions in Botswana
For videos, articles, ideas and news from Africa:
Have a look at our blog at safarigeek.com
1747 898 104Do you need some help with this?
At Natural High, we've all lived and worked in Africa, so our knowledge is born of
hands-on experience rather than simply visiting on holiday. We can't over-stress how
worthwhile it is to take a few minutes to call us. We're not in the business churning
out thousands of packages so if you'd like to discuss things in detail, take a few
minutes and call Catherine, Fiona, Vanessa or Alex on 1747 898104.close
