Baraza Resort & Spa — Zanzibar

Overview

Baraza Resort & Spa is the most opulent expression of The Zanzibar Collection — a five-star, all-inclusive villa resort styled as a Swahili-Persian palace on the island’s tranquil south-east coast. Voted onto the Condé Nast Traveler Hot List among the best new hotels in the world, Baraza dazzles with dramatic arches, hand-carved coral-stone detailing, domes and its signature “baraza” benches, all set in lush gardens along a pristine white beach. Thirty spacious villas — each with a private plunge pool — combine grand architecture with barefoot comfort, and the resort earns near-universal acclaim (around 9.0 and 4.7/5) for service that guests describe as beyond five-star.

About the Property

Where sister resort The Palms is intimate and adults-only and Breezes is relaxed and family-friendly, Baraza is the show-stopper: a palace by the sea. The architecture channels the historic fusion of Swahili, Arabian and Indian cultures that shaped Zanzibar — soaring arches, intricate cement carvings, Persian influences and rich fabrics throughout. It shares the award-winning Frangipani Spa concept with its siblings, adds four restaurants and two bars, two outdoor pools, a tennis court, a PADI dive centre, a kids’ club and even an on-site doctor, making it that rare thing — a genuinely grand resort that works equally well for honeymooners and families.

Quick Facts

• 30 villas total: 14 one-bedroom, 15 two-bedroom, and 1 Royal Sultan two-bedroom villa
• Every villa has a private plunge pool and a large terrace with sun loungers
• All-inclusive: all meals, select drinks, snacks, afternoon tea, most activities and gratuities
• Condé Nast Traveler Hot List honouree — “best new hotels in the world”
• Swahili-Persian palace architecture with hand-carved coral stone and dramatic arches
• Four restaurants and two bars; two outdoor pools
• Frangipani Spa, kids’ club, tennis court, gym, PADI dive centre and on-site doctor
• ~55 minutes / ~50 km from Zanzibar International Airport (Stone Town)

Location

Baraza sits on the same coveted Bwejuu/Dongwe shoreline as its Zanzibar Collection siblings, on the calm, unspoilt south-east coast — a wide white beach backed by tropical gardens, away from the busier north. Stone Town and the international airport are about 55 minutes’ drive (~50 km) to the west. As everywhere on Zanzibar’s east coast, tides are dramatic: the lagoon fills for swimming at high tide, while low tide reveals sweeping sands ideal for long beach walks.

Accommodation

The 30 villas are palatial and richly decorated in classic Swahili-Persian style, each with a private plunge pool and a large terrace with two sun loungers. Interiors include a living room with a Sultan’s lounge bed, a walk-in dressing room, air-conditioning and ceiling fans, minibar, safe, TV/DVD, tea/coffee facilities and Wi-Fi. One-bedroom villas suit couples; two-bedroom villas — several with two bathrooms (one with a freestanding bathtub, one with a shower) and room for extra beds — are ideal for families or friends; and the Royal Sultan two-bedroom villa is the flagship, with the grandest space and finest position. Many villas enjoy garden settings, with prized ocean-front villas offering direct beach access.

Dining

Baraza’s all-inclusive dining spans four restaurants and two bars, drawing on the Arabic, Indian, Persian and Asian flavours woven through Zanzibar’s history. The open-air Livingstone Terrace serves breakfast; the main restaurant and specialty venues cover international and Swahili menus with evening entertainment; and the Dhahabu Bar and Lounge is the spot for cocktails and afternoon tea. Private beach and in-villa dining can be arranged, and the small scale keeps service personal despite the grandeur.

Facilities

Two outdoor swimming pools with free cabanas, award-winning Frangipani Spa (massages, body treatments, facials, reflexology, hammam-style rituals), four restaurants and two bars, kids’ club, tennis court, fitness centre, PADI dive centre, water sports, private beach with loungers, library, gift/curio shops, on-site doctor, tour and excursion desk, 24-hour reception, room service, free Wi-Fi, laundry and free parking. Weddings and honeymoons are a specialty.

Why Choose Baraza Resort & Spa

• Palace-by-the-sea architecture — the most visually spectacular resort in The Zanzibar Collection
• Award-winning pedigree: a Condé Nast Traveler Hot List “best new hotel in the world”
• All-inclusive ease — meals, select drinks, snacks, afternoon tea, most activities and gratuities all covered
• Every villa has a private plunge pool and generous terrace
• The best of both worlds: grand enough for honeymoons, equipped for families with a kids’ club, two-bedroom villas and an on-site doctor
• Frangipani Spa for serious wellness, plus two pools, tennis and diving
• Service guests rate “beyond five-star,” on a pristine, uncrowded beach
• Sister-resort dining and facility access within the Collection

Amenities

All-inclusive dining and select drinks, private plunge pools, terraces with sun loungers, Sultan’s lounge beds, walk-in dressing rooms, air-conditioning and ceiling fans, minibar, safe, TV/DVD, tea & coffee facilities, free Wi-Fi, room service, daily housekeeping, two outdoor pools with cabanas, Frangipani Spa, kids’ club, tennis court, gym, PADI dive centre, water sports, private beach, on-site doctor, gift shops, 24-hour reception, laundry and free parking.

Activities

• Relaxing by your private plunge pool or the two main pools with cabanas
• Frangipani Spa treatments, hammam rituals and wellness
• Snorkelling and scuba diving with the on-site PADI centre
• Swimming in the reef-protected lagoon at high tide; beach walks at low tide
• Sailing, kayaking, boat tours and other water sports
• Tennis, gym and kids’ club activities for families
• Swahili cooking experiences and cultural entertainment at dinner
• Excursions: Stone Town, spice farms, Jozani Forest red colobus monkeys, Prison Island, dolphin tours and sunset dhow cruises
• Private beach dining, sundowners and honeymoon experiences