ZURI RESORT ZANZIBAR
Tropical Getaway at a Luxury Resort
Zuri Zanzibar, which opened on 2nd July 2018, offers a completely unique experience in Zanzibar for anyone who is looking for something off the beaten African tracks. It is a place that provides guests a place of peace and tranquillity.
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.
Zuri Zanzibar benefits from being in a fantastic location, near the turtle-nesting zone of Tumbatu Island. It’s close to the Mnemba Atoll marine park, offering some of the best spots in Zanzibar for diving and snorkelling.
The resort is nestled on the most beautiful white beach of the north-west shores of the island, 50 km from Stone Town and its international airport. The hotel’s private 300-m west-facing beach is free of any tide impact, allowing for safe swimming all day long and breathtaking sunsets.
Vaclav Dejcmar, owner of Zuri Zanzibar, says, “The beach was the reason why I bought the land many years ago. Unlike most Zanzibar beaches where one must walk 500 m to swim at low tide, our beach, settled 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 colour of the turquoise Indian Ocean, but also the local way of life, which is so cheerful and optimistic. When you see the dhows in the 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.”
Zuri Zanzibar’s interior 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, and India.
The hotel is mostly self-sufficient, as well as socially responsible. It offers
lifestyle accommodation in 55 bungalows, suites, and villas that sit comfortably within Zanzibar’s culture, climate, and geography. The resort uses its own well-water, cleaned by its desalination plant, and its sewage is recycled and purified in order to be used for the maintenance of greenery in and around the resort. The spacecooling system, Evening Breeze, uses just a quarter of the electricity of traditional air-conditioning.
Zuri Zanzibar is passionate about the local community, and focuses on what it believes are the areas most in need: education, environment, and waste management. Kendwa village is Zuri Zanzibar’s home, and the resort aims to work closely with the locals to give back what it receives, and to provide them with new amenities while also improving their daily life.
From the outside, Zuri Zanzibar emulates a traditional Zanzibar village, while the inside offers the very best in comfort, with light, airy rooms and open areas. In terms of décor, the designers implemented the use of locally available materials, African-themed paintings from local artists, the clever organisation of space, and strong references to the island’s heritage and craftsmanship. A member of Design Hotels, Zuri Zanzibar combines elegant contemporary design with a considerate, sustainable build, and an authentic African atmosphere.
Particular emphasis has been put on the gardens at Zuri Zanzibar. As Dejcmar says, “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 investigating. Hundreds of gardeners and landscape designers needed more than two years to select all the trees and flowers placed in the resort. The result is an enormous tribute to the pinnacle of Zanzibar and its rich historical legacy.”
The unforgettable Dining by Design concept, one of the resort’s three restaurants and four bars, offers a fusion of European, African, Arabic, and Indian cuisine, creating a rainbow of sensational flavours.
Zuri Zanzibar is made up of ideal places to harmonise your body and soul and rejuvenate yourself – everything from Safi Yoga, Maua Wellness, a swimming pool, and the beach, to spice gardens and a green oasis for meditation, an outdoor “wild fitness” gym area, and a book and DVD library.
Dejcmar concludes, “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, and more vibrant. And, for some reason, time runs differently as well. In this environment, it is so 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. And it all began in Africa.”
For more info, visit www.zurizanzibar.com. For booking inquiries, please contact reservations@zurizanzibar.com.