Essque Zalu Zanzibar ★★★★★

You know you’ve arrived at the Essque Zalu Zanzibar when you see the majestic Makuti roof rising from the surrounding coconut trees. It’s an arresting first sight, and the first indication that you’ve arrived at a hotel that truly stands out from the rest.

There’s no concrete blocks or winding sky high buildings to navigate around. Instead, you stay in luxury suites encircled on all sides by carefully cultivated natural beauty. Our suite overlooks the fragrant, tropical gardens, and the décor inside is clearly inspired by these beautiful surroundings. It’s luxurious, yet not opulent, crafted from local, organic materials, decorated with original, native artwork and housed under a Makuti roof in the same style as the hotel lobby.

The second most noticeable aspect of the hotel, after you’ve taken in the lobby ceiling, is the large outdoor swimming pool – although truth be told, “swimming pool” doesn’t quite do it justice. It’s an enormous, salt water infinity pool that seems to stretch out endlessly into the Indian Ocean, and it quickly becomes the centre around which much of my holiday revolves. There are plenty of sun loungers to bask on, as well as pretty shaded areas to cool down in.

The third is, of course, the pier, which makes up the other hub of activity at the Essque Zalu. Here, kicking out in to the vast azure expanse of the Indian Ocean, is where you can fully appreciate the joy not just of the resort, but of Zanzibar itself. Most of my evenings ended here with a cocktail and canapés in hand, breathing in the uniquely spice-scented air of Zanzibar.

At the end of the pier is The Jetty, which has the distinction of being Zanzibar’s most popular restaurant. The cuisine is Arabic-inspired, including mezze dishes and shisha. On a Saturday night, the usually tranquil restaurant comes alive with a live band, music and dancing to complement the delicious food. For more local fare, the Market Kitchen serves up stylish Tanzanian dishes with exquisite flavours made from local produce. Unsurprisingly for a hotel with such a brilliant sea location, the seafood was a particular delight.

One of the aspects of the Essque Zalu I didn’t foresee was their admirable commitment to endorsing the very best of African culture in exciting and unique ways. The hotel art gallery features a variety of works in different mediums from local artists, including not only paintings, but also sculptures, glass works and photographs. It was well worth pulling myself away from the pool to view the gallery; all the pieces are available for purchase, and make an utterly exclusive souvenir, far beyond the normal trinkets you can pick up at hotel shops. The staff, always willing to help, will even arrange international shipping for you.

The spa menu at the Essque Zalu is also inspired by African energy and verve. Using traditional, entirely natural, ingredients like baobab nuts and mongogo, and African techniques, their massages and other treatments are as much about rejuvenation and vitality as they are about relaxing. A distinctive and welcome change from typical spa fare.