Zuri Zanzibar Hotel and Resort: an eco-friendly oasis by the Indian Ocean

Zuri, which means beautiful in Swahili, is an eco-friendly haven in the middle of nature. When our owner first holidayed here in Kendwa, he fell in love with the white sand and turquoise lagoon which, unlike most beaches in Zanzibar, doesn’t have an extremely low tide. However, back then it was a very inhospitable area covered with solid rock and it took hundreds of landscape designers two years to transform our 12-hectares into a tropical oasis. There’s even a spice garden filled with everything from vanilla to cloves and pepper, which you can tour with one of our gardeners or explore at your leisure.

We chose to have just 56 bungalows spread around the gardens, so even when we’re full, you still have a feeling of space and privacy. Each bungalow is within walking distance of the Indian Ocean and has its own large terrace with outdoor shower. The architects worked hard to incorporate traditional African style, with cathedral-like roofs, local materials and traditional artwork. This is blended with modern, European amenities such as private Jacuzzis in our most exclusive villas. Throughout the grounds, we have three restaurants and bars, a pool, massage rooms and a fitness centre.

It was very important to us that Zuri Zanzibar Hotel & Resort be an eco-friendly property and this is a key feature at the resort. We’re proud to have received EarthCheck’s Sustainable Design Gold Certification and have our own desalination plant to produce clean water, which we bottle. We have an energy-efficient cooling system and work with Zanzibar companies to source eco-friendly products like our toiletries. We also give back to the community through various initiatives and support vocational training in Kendwa village by hiring locals – especially women.

Down at the beach you can see traditional dhows sailing across the Indian Ocean and enjoy watersports. Our photos are never edited and guests are often stunned that the water really is that blue and the sand is that white. In the evenings, we host our famous Zuri sundowners on the sand. You can sip drinks while watching the sunset, accompanied by a DJ or live band, there’s a bonfire and sometimes Maasai dancers, it’s one of the highlights of the day. Many guests never leave the resort and simply relax here – inside the walls of Zuri, it’s like time doesn’t exist.