Hotels on the Spice Islands of Zanzibar

All guest rooms have large antique Zanzibari beds complete with mosquito netting. The hotel now has two restaurants, the famous Tower Top Restaurant, and the Kidude cafe and restaurant. The Tower Top is an absolute must, featuring panoramic views of Stone Town and the Indian Ocean. Guests are seated on Arabic-style cushions and carpets, having left their shoes at the door.

The five-course dinner is often accompanied by live local entertainment. The Kidude cafe/restaurant on the ground floor is comfortably air-conditioned and is open for lunch through tea time and dinner. The lunch and varied dinner menus are delicious and very reasonably priced. The Kidude boasts an elegant Arab-style setting dedicated to Zanzibar's oldest living Taarab performer, Bi Kidude.

Mbweni Ruins, Zanzibar

Mbweni Ruins is situated on the outskirts of Stone Town and is set in the magnificent Mbweni botanical gardens. The hotels facilities include a restaurant, a bar and swimming pool. There are only 13 bedrooms all decorated in the Zanzibar style with oriental rugs, four-poster beds, mosquito nets, air-conditioning, en suite bathrooms, tea and coffee making facilities and verandah with a sea view.

The Mbweni gardens were created in 1991 and have earned a reputation for its plant diversity. The garden attracts a host of small animals, birds and butterflies. There are numerous nature trails that wind their way through the gardens to places of relaxation how about 'view points', food and historical interest. The Mbweni ruins are what remain of St. Mary's School for girls, which was built between 1871 and 1874 by the first missionaries to East Africa. The stark and beautiful ruins are a reminder of how the slave trade left broken families and orphaned girls.

Candlelit dinners can be arranged in the ruins, which conjure up the magical and mystical traditions of Zanzibar. Other activities include bird watching, tours of Zanzibar and its surrounding islands. Marine activities including swimming, scuba diving and snorkelling and dhow cruises can be arranged at an extra cost.

Blue Bay Beach Resort, Zanzibar East Coast

Situated on the East Coast of Zanzibar Island in an area known as Kiwengwa. This is a beautiful setting on a fine wide, white, and sandy beach, which is fringed with palm trees. The public areas are open and airy and both the lounge and dining area overlook the pool and the sea beyond.

There are 88 spacious rooms each with en suite bathroom, mosquito net, ceiling fan, air conditioner and TV. Bluebay Beach Resort has plenty to offer from relaxing by the poolside to the more energetic venturing into the clear blue seawater.

The facilities include a flood lit tennis court, a fitness centre, a fully equipped diving base, windsurfing, sailing and many other water sports. The resort also offers visits to Stone Town and neighbouring islands at an additional cost.

Matemwe Bungalows, Zanzibar East Coast

Matemwe Bungalows is situated on the northeast coast of Zanzibar, about an hour's drive from Stone Town. All of the rooms, including the main dining area and lounge, have a spectacular view over the Indian Ocean where the local ngalawa fishing fleets sail by on a daily basis.