Baraza Resort and Spa (Zanzibar Island) Tanzania
Location:
Located along the beach that was named as one of the top
30 in the world by the prestigious Conde Nast Traveller
magazine, Baraza is Zanzibar’s most exclusive boutique
resort.
With just 30 villas, this stunning fully
inclusive resort evokes the heritage of Zanzibar dating back
to the era of the Sultans. A fusion of Arabic, Swahili and
Indian design, with Swahili arches, intricate hand carved
cement décor, beautiful antiques, handmade furniture and
intricate brass lanterns; Baraza offers unparalleled
standards of luxury on the Island of Zanzibar.
Zanzibar has an international airport with airlines like
Kenya Airways providing direct international connections on
a scheduled basis. From Europe, the principal carrier to
Zanzibar is Kenya Airways stopping over at Nairobi. Numerous
airlines including British Airways, Swiss Air, and KLM fly
to Dar-es-Salaam, Nairobi Airport and Kilimanjaro, from
where you can catch connections to Zanzibar easily using
local airlines, air charters and by ferry. Below are all the
flights arriving to Zanzibar, Dar-es-Salam and Nairobi
Accommodation:
There are 14 one bedroom villas and 15 two bedroom villas, as well as one Presidential two bedroom villa. All the accommodation villas are designed to characterize classic Swahili architecture featuring dramatic arches, cement Baraza benches and intricate hand carved cement decorations.
The spacious villas feature luxury interiors, beautiful
fabrics, hand carved furniture and brass lanterns, large
bathrooms with luxury fittings as well as a spacious terrace
and private plunge pool.
There are four different villa categories at Baraza and one Presidential Villa:
BAHARI ONE BEDROOM VILLA - OCEAN FRONT - 148 sq meters – 7 Villas Master bedroom with en suite bathroom and freestanding bath, walk in dressing room, living room, TV, CD Player, Sultan\'s Lounge Bed, mini bar area with tea/coffee making facilities, large terrace, two sun loungers, and plunge pool.
SULTANS TWO BEDROOM VILLA - SULTAN VIEW -193 sq meters – 5 Villas Master bedroom with en suite bathroom and freestanding bath, walk in dressing room, second bedroom with en suite bathroom (with shower) , living room, TV, CD Player, Sultan\'s Lounge Bed, mini bar area with tea/coffee making facilities, large terrace, two sun loungers and plunge pool.
SULTANS TWO BEDROOM VILLA - GARDEN VIEW 193 sq meters – 10 Villas Master bedroom with en suite bathroom and freestanding bath, walk in dressing room, second bedroom with en suite bathroom (with shower), living room, TV, CD Player, Sultan\'s Lounge Bed, mini bar area with tea/coffee making facilities, large terrace, two sun loungers and plunge pool.
PRESIDENTIAL TWO BEDROOM VILLA - OCEAN FRONT 254 sq meters Two master bedrooms, each with its own en suite bathroom and freestanding bath, walk in dressing room and terrace. A central living room with spectacular sea front view, large plunge pool, outdoor daybed lounging area and terrace with sun loungers. The Presidential Suite also features a small kitchenette and a small separate guest washroom. There is also a separate, self contained accommodation for maid or butler adjacent to the presidential suite.
Experience Baraza
Baraza is a painstaking architectural interpretation of Swahili design and features handcrafted details that have been incorporated in the architecture to celebrate skills of the local craftsmen. We have honored and reinforced iconic designs, traditions and skills in a celebration of Swahili design.
The name Baraza itself means “meeting place” and represents community, social interaction, and relations. We searched to find craftsman on the island who were skilled in the art of cement carving. As a result, beautiful diverse handmade designs inlaid in plaster are a feature on all the Villas and buildings.
All the Zanzibari furniture in Baraza is hand made by
local artisans who have perfected the art of wood carving,
for which Zanzibar is so famous. Architecturally, Baraza
itself is a journey through the grand, beautiful designs of
the style of Sultans Palaces of Zanzibar. We feature
traditional Swahili dancers and singers and our Taarab band
plays music that would have been heard in the Court of
Sultan bin Said in 1880. This is our effort to support and
celebrate the cultural identity of Zanzibar and preserve
this iconic art form.
Cultural and educational activities
Our Library features a wonderful selection of historical and educational books on Zanzibar and is a comprehensive resource on the History of Zanzibar and East Africa. We also have a great selection on books with information on animals, trees, spices and fish relative to the Island and East Africa. We organize classes "under the Palm trees" featuring Mwalimu (teacher) giving Swahili classes and lessons on the History of Zanzibar. Guests can learn Palm weaving on the beach.
Cooking classes are organized regularly where guests
learn to prepare some classical Swahili dishes with our
excellent chefs who talk about the local spices and their
use and importance. Aside from the Tours and Excursions that
are offered at our Guest Relations Desk, Baraza features a
selection of activities designed to explore our area and
interact with the community.
Restaurants and Bars:
Our chef has designed a menu which features the very best
produce that the island has to offer. We are inspired by
Arabic, Indian, Persian, Asian and Swahili flavors using the
local Spices for which the island is famous as well as our
favorite continental offerings. Every evening features a
different influence showcasing the islands produce and
spices.
Livingstone Terrace.
Ocean Lounge Bar & Restaurant
Sebule is our lunch restaurant open between 12:30 2:00 pm. It is a buffet restaurant which offers a wide selection of light fare, a tandoori oven, Salad Bar, Pizza oven as well as a daily menu featuring the Chefs specials. The Bar and Lounge are open from 10am to 6pm. Afternoon tea is served daily from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm
The Sultans Dining Room
Alternating between buffet and table d’hote the chef’s creations for the evening can be enjoyed in this stunning setting.
Dhahabu Bar & Lounge
Open in the evenings, it is the perfect venue for an
evening cocktail before and after dinner.
The Frangipani Spa
The Frangipani spa in Baraza is an oasis featuring its own lap pool with underwater music, indoor and outdoor relaxation rooms, the Sultans bath-our signature treatment for two as well as a yoga center, fitness center and tennis court.
In this beautiful setting, reflecting a sophisticated Swahili style enhanced with candlelight and spice scented aromas, you can enjoy a variety of treatments and therapies, all aimed at relieving the negative impacts of a modern lifestyle such as stress & exhaustion.
Our professional therapists come from Thailand, Bali and India and offer a wide array of specialized massage techniques and treatments, including the renowned Thai massage. The highest quality natural skin care products are utilized in all our treatments, as well as a selection of local spiced essential oils.
The beautiful Frangipani Spa is a tranquil sanctuary,
designed to stimulate your senses and allow you to
experience a complete relaxation of body & mind.
The Water Club
The Water Club is our water sports center located approximately 300 meters from Baraza on the beach front.
Featuring a great selection of new equipment and offering instruction in wind surfing, kite surfing and sailing, The Water Club is the perfect place to experience the very best of the Indian Ocean.
Approved as the First BEST KITE SCHOOL IN ZANZIBAR Our IKO certified instructor will have you flying in no time with our new 2008 Kites and Gear.
Low Tide Activities
Power Kite
Land Board
Kite Buggy
Bikes
Beach Activities
High Tide Activities
Kite surfing
Sailing
Windsurfing
Snorkeling set rental
Pedal Boats
Kayaks
Paddle Boarding
Exploring Zanzibar
The day begins with a leisurely cruise around the mangroves in a traditional Swahili Dhow where the guides will show the guests some of the abundant marine and wildlife thriving in these forests. After the visit to the mangroves the guests are instructed on how to hand line fish as it has been done on the island for hundreds of years. This is just one small way that the reefs and marine life are preserved on the island as there is no trolling, dynamiting or mass fishing. The boats do not anchor but rather drift with the currents whilst the guests fish. The guest’s catch is then brought back to the hotel and after a short meeting with our chef, prepared for their dinner that evening.
A visit to our local village of Bwejuu: Guests pay $20 for the trip and Baraza provides the transport and tour free of charge with all proceeds going to our charity Baraza for Bwejuu. Our guests have the opportunity to visit the local school, dispensary, mosque have a soda in the village and take a walk through a typical Zanzibari fishing village. All the proceeds of this trip go to our charity Baraza for Bwejuu which is engaged in giving back to the village. (Please see what this charity has done in the section sustainability).
Reef Safari:
At low tide, guests are able to go for a reef safari where you take a walk out to our coral reef and see the spectacular marine life. Guests will be accompanied by a member of staff out on the coral shelf in front of the hotel and will point out many of the juvenile fish that seek refuge in the shallow waters at low tide. The guests will listen to how the coral itself is vital to the island and its inhabitants as well as information about the sea life they encounter.
World Renowned Diving:
Turtle Rescue Program:
The Rising Sun which is based in Baraza founded a very successful Turtle Rescue program to discourage local capture of turtles where they pay local fishermen to bring live turtles to our beach. They are then and marked and released back in the ocean.
Stone Town:
Baraza organizes Educational visits to The World Heritage site of Stone Town, viewing of historic Spice Plantations, the slave chambers, Maruhubi baths and Prison Island on the island of Zanzibar.
Jozani Forest:
25 minutes away is the Jozani Forest: home to the Red Colobus Monkey which is indigenous to Zanzibar and only found on the island.
SCUBA DIVING – RISING SUN DIVE CENTER (PADI 5 STAR)
Welcome to Rising Sun Dive Centre. The only PADI 5* Gold Palm and National Geographic Dive Centre in Zanzibar. Located on the untouched South East coast of the island, our dive centre was the first to discover this unexplored region. With over 12 years experience we offer you the highest levels of customer care and attention whilst encouraging you to conserve and explore the marine environment.
We take divers from complete beginners up to professional level and have a massive variety of diving guaranteeing something for everyone. With our small groups of a maximum of 6 divers per guide we are able to offer you the chance to escape the large crowds and get the most from your dives. If you would like more detailed information about the Scuba Diving facility please visit www.risingsun-zanzibar.com
BARAZA GIVING BACK
The Environment
We have taken great pains to build our hotel in an
environmentally responsible way.
All Villas have solar
power
We have a state of the art waste disposal &
recycling system
An in house garden growing local
produce.
We have an environmentally responsible
desalination plant where all our water is produced locally
and not taken from the village source.
We always
prioritize purchasing any materials or supplies from our
local village wherever possible and regularly get visits
from local fishermen who sell us our catch of the day in our
effort to support the local community.
We made a
decision when we opened Baraza to support the local hotel
school as a result virtually 90% of all our staff are
graduates. They have undergone intensive training programs,
English classes (from a professional instructor of English)
and have acquired a lifetime skill which will benefit them
and the hospitality industry of Zanzibar in general for an
entire generation.
We built the hotel with a local workforce
Our charity Baraza for Bwejuu (linked with our sister hotels Breezes and Palms) has been responsible for a huge improvement in the quality of life of the village. Since its inception, this charity has built a mosque, repainted the Bwejuu clinic and supplied them with fresh water and medicines (during the most recent power black out) we have donated beds and mattresses, clothes, school supplies, and books.
Once a year, together with another charity, the Baraza management and staff go to the village and clean the beaches and villages, paint the clinic and celebrate another year of working together with our local community. Our most recent event which was done together with our sister property (Breezes for Bwejuu) was a Mchamvi vs. Bwejuu football match; we donated 40 footballs to the pitch along with a trophy for the winner. The winning team received Tanzanian Shillings 800,000 and the other team received 450,000. These moneys are going to be used by the teams respectively to buy uniforms, train, and will assist in providing the youth of the two villages with constructive activities.
Our guests consistently send gifts, donations and helpful material to the charity which is a wonderful indicator of the success of the program and the importance of bringing them to visit and experience village life.
Accommodation Rates:- From $1,238 per villa per night. Please contact us for a quote and suggested itinerary.