Melía Hotel

Zanzibar, Tanzania

Paradise beckons on the spice-scented Tanzanian island of Zanzibar at a luxury resort perfectly placed for snorkelling excursions, five-star picnics on uninhabited islets and sheer mind-and-body relaxation

The moon is rising, a glowing red orb on the horizon, its ascent cinematic above the darkly glittering Indian Ocean. Toes are in the sand, beneath a table groaning under the weight of refined local surf-and-turf plates: tuna and avocado ceviche with orange dressing; seafood bouillabaisse; lamb rack, beef filet mignon and jumbo prawn, with buttery potatoes and sautéed vegetables...
And the best bit? This scene is but one of countless similarly bewitching moments at Meliá Zanzibar.

Set on the north-eastern coast of the ‘Island of Spices’ – a 1980s Lilt ad made real – the luxury resort stretches languidly across the 300m white-sand Gabi Beach, just a 45-minute drive from the pedestrian-friendly – and Unesco-listed – capital Stone Town. Base yourself in one of 18 ‘The Level’ beach pavilions, all ocean- facing, and built with makuti roof, made of dry palm leaves, their interiors cool and graceful, wooden furniture designed to respect the local aesthetic. Days are best spent flitting between snorkelling trips along the coast, infinity pools, tropical gardens, spa and five restaurants, including the overwater ‘Jetty’, where dancing to Afrobeat hits goes on until that rosy moon is high in the starry sky.

Level beach pavilions from £573pn. 0800 962720, melia.com

Words by Julie Alpine.

This review was taken from the October/November 2020 issue of Food and Travel.

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