The very name Zanzibar conjures up the exotic and the glamorous – glittering seas, burnished sunsets, romance and the promise of adventure. Nowhere on this beautiful Tanzanian island captures that mood quite as effortlessly as kizikula, a cluster of nine spacious rooms nestling by the sea on the southern coast.
Owned and built by childhood friends Shehab and Adel, the villas look deceptively simple from the outside – pink coral limestone walls hidden amid the tamarind and soursop trees. But each has been lovingly and individually designed by (and named after) a series of renowned artists, and are both modern and timeless, simple but extravagant. Each is completely enclosed and private with its own spacious outdoor shower and a terrace or balcony facing the glittering waters of the Indian ocean. The décor combines hard surfaces and organic material – battered concrete, local Mninga wood, pastel tones, natural fabrics – and the pulsating scent of the tropics (not for nothing is Zanzibar called The Spice Island). If you can tear away from your private cocoon, there’s also a farm-to-table restaurant, a spa area, a 20m elevated pool, and a pavilion, and cocktail area overlooking the ocean – which is itself accessed by a charming underground tunnel.
Highs
- The food in the all-day restaurant. The onsite organic permaculture farm yields much of the produce used in the kitchen – goats cheese, eggs, papayas etc
- The service. One guest called kizikula the ultimate in ‘barefoot luxury’ – unfussy, relaxed but impeccable
- The details. The architects Case Design not only designed the handsome villas but also much of the furniture and fittings too
- This is the perfect spot to hole up with a special someone
- Three roof terraces and a deck, all of which can be booked for dinner, yoga, meditation, the amazing sunsets, a night under the stars...
Lows
- A pretty remote location, where you go to get away from it all. Shopping and nightlife will require planning and a car. The main focus of any such action is in Zanzibar City/Stone Town – nearly a 90-min drive away
- Children under 15 are not encouraged – kizikula is very much a romantic haven. No rooms can be twins, there are no extra beds
- The shore along here is rocky rather than sandy; the swimming pool and lovely beaches nearby more than compensate
- No mini bars
Best time to go
July to September is the dry season and therefore the most popular time to go, although the temperature is fairly constant (around 28-34 degrees) all year round and even the short rains of November/December are quickly followed by bright sunshine. The only time be wary of is April to May when the long rains move in.
Our top tips
Stone Town is well worth a visit – it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site – and make sure you stay late enough to explore the night markets at Darajani and Forodhani Garden. There’s amazing food and wonderful sunset views from Swahili House restaurant. Grab a sugarcane juice, a spiced tea (or a cocktail) and soak up the atmosphere.