The welcome
I have booked a transfer through the hotel, so I’m greeted outside the airport arrivals by a young driver from one of the hotel’s partner companies. He introduces himself and says proudly: “I am the one who will be taking you to the Park Hyatt.” The vehicle is a small van. Inside, I’m given cold towels and water. It’s a 10-minute drive to the hotel, about five of which are through the southern part of old Stone Town, which is incredibly atmospheric at night. The old part of the hotel, a protected building that dates from 1850, has an impressive frontage. Inside, reception is an open courtyard, with marble floors, a fountain, chandeliers and ceiling fans. Check-in is fast and calm, and I’m escorted to my room.
The neighbourhood
The hotel has an enviable location on the waterfront of the central Stone Town district of Shangani. You can swim in the sea from the hotel, walk along the beach and explore the old town without needing a car. Much of the Unesco-listed old town is crumbling, giving its old houses, palaces and labyrinthine streets the feel of an Indo-Arabian souq.
The room
The hotel has 67 rooms, most of which are in a new wing. My room, the Park Suite, is one of four suites in the original section of the building. It’s about 100 square metres, and features a large living room with a view of the sea, a secluded bedroom and luxurious bathroom with roll-top bath, marble floors and a rainbath shower. There’s also a good-sized dressing area and private balcony. Furniture is local in style, but made in Indonesia. The best thing about the room is the sound of waves breaking against the shore.
The scene
Despite the Dubai-owned hotel’s exclusivity, it has a down-to-earth feel in keeping with its Zanzibari location. Staff are laid-back and friendly, and mostly local; other guests are mainly middle-class Tanzanians, Indians, Europeans and Americans, with an increasing number of Gulf visitors. There’s a lovely house scent of rosewater and lemongrass, and the sea breeze wafts through the hotel’s open terraces and courtyards. On the beach, there’s a parade of entertainment as locals run, swim, play football and manoeuvre boats: it’s the place to be at sunset.
The service
Warm, kind and dedicated, if not snappy. At breakfast, service is fast. Calls to maintenance for the coffee machine and an internet problem are responded to adequately.
The food
The hotel has one main restaurant. The breakfast buffet is fair, with fresh fruit, bread, juices, an egg station and a selection of hot dishes and cold cuts. At dinner, I try “barefoot dining”, which is a set menu served on the beach. The Arabic-style mezze are excellent, as are local fish and chicken dishes (300,000 Tanzanian shillings [Dh503] for two).
Loved
The location, the sound of the sea, and an excellent one-hour sports massage in the in-house Anantara Spa. A local therapist eliminates all my shoulder knots without having to be told where to target (222,000 shillings [Dh372]). The spa’s location, in the oldest part of the building, is a bonus.
Hated
On my second night, the phone in my bedroom rings at 2am for no apparent reason, waking me.
The verdict
A great base for an exotic weekend break.
The bottom line
Double rooms at the Park Hyatt Zanzibar cost from US$281 (Dh1,032) per night, including taxes. A one-way airport transfer costs from 61,600 shillings (Dh103).
