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1 If variety is the spice of life, then a trip to the Spice Islands should be mandatory. Zanzibar in East Africa is looking more enticing since the arrival of ZURI ZANZIBAR (left). Its 55 bungalows offer views of the saturated shades of the Indian Ocean, which veer from sea-foam green to azure blue. Designers Jestico + Whiles fused local touches, including thatched roofing and woven furniture, with contemporary flourishes. In the restaurant, guests can dine on African-Indian fare, or sign up for a cooking class that highlights Swahili cuisine and the hotel’s own spice garden. zurizanzibar.com 2 Philippe Starck is at it again. The French designer’s playful imprimatur is stamped all over S HOTEL (above), a 103-room sanctuary in the heart of Taipei. Behold exposed brick in the lobby, whimsical furnishings at every turn, and a restaurant enlivened with Crayola colours. The rooms are more monochromatic, jazzed up with striped headboards and marble bathrooms. For the uninitiated, Taiwan’s capital is a thriving metropolis, a captivating collision of Chinese, Japanese and Western cultures. shotel.com