Z MARKS THE SPOT

Czech entrepreneur Václav Dejcmar may have made a name for himself in the world of financial trading, philanthropy, and contemporary art and fashion, but he has now waded into hospitality with Zuri Zanzibar ( zurizanzibar.com), a newly minted seaside resort and the first member of Design Hotels in the fabled Tanzanian archipelago. A result of his passion “for the aesthetic of nature, for the beauty of simplicity and freedom from the daily routine,” the 13-hectare property fronts a private west-facing beach in a large lagoon protected from the tidal changes so prevalent elsewhere on the main island of Unguja. Zuri’s 55 bungalows, suites, and villas come swathed in greenery that took two years for hundreds of gardeners to cultivate, while the luxuriant grounds also host three restaurants, a spa with a Jacuzzi deck, and a spice garden that doubles as a backdrop for Swahili cooking classes.