The Z Hotel

The Z Hotel calls itself the original boutique hotel on Zanzibar, and since opening in 2010 on a small coral cliff above Nungwi Beach it has kept a distinctly modern look: bright, airy spaces where contemporary London-inspired furniture and lighting meet Zanzibari timber, bold botanical wallpapers and ocean colours. Rooms and suites are finished with Travertine marble floors, Italian designer bathrooms, Egyptian cotton linen and bespoke furniture made from local coconut wood, and each opens through floor-to-ceiling French doors onto a balcony looking over the tropical garden to the Indian Ocean and the sunset. Categories run from Garden and Sea View rooms to Ocean Front Cottages, Roof Top Suites and the Z Suite with its own terrace. An infinity pool steps down towards the beach, the Rooftops bar and restaurant is a favourite spot for sundowners, and the Sexy Fish restaurant sits over the sand. There is also a spa, a gym and a reading room, and the diving and snorkelling of Mnemba Atoll are about half an hour away by boat.