The Palms

Situated in tropical gardens at the back of a long white sandy beach, The Palms provides some of the most luxurious accommodation on Zanzibar.

It is a very small and personal hotel with just seven villas in the gardens. Each is wonderfully large at over 140 sq m (1,507 sq ft) and has a bedroom, living room, en suite bathroom, dressing room and large terrace. Facilities include air-conditioning, satellite TV and DVD player, minibar, safe deposit box and standing bar with tea/coffee making facilities. On the veranda, a silk-draped four-poster Zanzibar Bed sits alongside a sunken, midnight blue plunge pool. On the beach itself there are private bandas (one allocated for each room) with thatch shade and loungers.

The Palms prides itself on its cuisine and the restaurant, The Plantation House, serves up superb Swahili and international cuisine. The elegant colonnaded terrace leads into the Spice inspired bar which is perfect for relaxing with a sundowner drink. For those looking to relax the beautiful Frangipani Spa at the sister neighbouring Breezes hotel is ideal, offering a wide variety of facial, body and hand and foot treatments, as well as specialised massage techniques. The active can also make use of Breezes' other facilities such a fitness centre, floodlit tennis court, dive centre and marine activities centre which offers windsurfing and snorkelling.

OUR RATING: Deluxe