New Resort Opening: Zuri Zanzibar

IGO TRAVEL | 25 April 2018

A new resort in Zanzibar is set to open.

Zuri Zanzibar will be turning heads, that is for sure. With its upcoming opening in May 2018, Zuri Zanzibar reveals images of one of the first bungalows that have been completed. It has been designed by the well-known London and Prague-based interior designers Jestico & Whiles, who since 2011, have been regular award winners for their projects throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Australia as well as India.

‘Zuri’ means ‘beautiful’ in Swahili, which is the language of the island of Zanzibar – and that is precisely the feeling Zuri Zanzibar wants guests to experience in its 32-acre micro-universe. Vaclav Dejcmar, Owner of Zuri Zanzibar, sensually evokes the beauty of Zuri Zanzibar by giving his personal insight.

“The Beach was the reason why I bought the land many years ago”, Vaclav admits. “Unlike most Zanzibar beaches where one must walk 500m to swim at low tide; our beach settles in the large lagoon, is always perfect. I have travelled the world and stayed in the most luxurious sea-front properties; but I still consider Zuri’s beach as one of the best on earth. It is not just the white sand and the incredible color of the turquoise Indian Ocean, but also the local way of life, which is so cheerful and optimistic. When you see the dhows (the traditional wooden sailing boats) at a distance during the spectacular sunsets; you do not need to practice mindfulness or meditation training to enjoy the present moment and understand the power of now.

The hotel is not made up of rooms; just villas and bungalows. Each separated from one another to attain absolute privacy, and all of them outfitted with outdoor showers and large terraces. The size of our plot could easily accommodate twice as many houses; but we decided to build only 55 of them. Nestled on a west facing slope, most of the units enjoy direct sea-views. And our ceilings reach for the sky. African-style roofing delivers a breathtaking cathedral-like feeling over your bed and cannot be compared to anything you would find in busy Western cities. On the other hand, being so far away from civilization, we did not want to compromise the quality of your connections with the rest of the world, which is why we have built our own dedicated fast internet line to the mainland – the only hotel in Zanzibar to date!”.

The hotel is self-sufficient as much as possible as well as socially responsive; it offers high quality accommodation that sits comfortably with Zanzibar’s culture, climate and geography through the use of locally available materials, African-themed paintings from local artists; the clever use of space and strong references to the island’s heritage and craftsmanship.

“The garden is the icing on the cake. I do not mean the private spice garden covering a quarter of our land – the only one of its kind in the area. I mean that Zuri itself is the garden! All the villas and bungalows are just part of an enormous tropical park which you can enjoy by walking through and investigation. Hundreds of gardeners and landscape designers needed more than 2 years to select all the trees and flowers; in which you can bask. The result is an enormous tribute to the pinnacle of Zanzibar and its rich historical legacy.

Today, when more and more things tend to feel and taste the same; it is not an overstatement to say that Zanzibar is different. Located just on the Equator; the colours are more intense, more saturated, more vibrant. And, for some reason, the time runs differently as well! In this environment; it is easy to forget our daily routines; to rouse our dormant imagination and to perceive life from a new angle. Stop ‘doing’ and start ‘being’. Because, ultimately, we are human beings, not human doings!”.