Melia Zanzibar is a dream escape for those looking for an Idyllic holiday with a touch of island spice!
If you are looking for turquoise waters and pristine white beaches without a slither of western pretension the African island of Zanzibar is a paradise escape for you!
The island has long been a favourite of mine with year-round warm weather, palm-lined beaches, vibrant marine life and an undeniable ‘untouched’ charm.
Situated in the North East of the island Melia Zanzibar is a huge 40 acre resort stretching across 300 metres of pearlescent sand. Showcasing the beauty of the Indian Ocean to every guest staying at the resort. I had the pleasure of ‘sandwiching’ a stay at the stunning resort with my Safari trip last month and comibing the two was by all accounts a trip of a lifetime!
The Room
The suites at Melia Zanzibar are for me, the showstopper aspect of the luxury resort from cliff-edge, ocean front pavillions to 1/2/3 bedroom villas with private pools. Staying in one of The Level Beach Pavillions myself, I woke up to the most incredible palm-framed view of the Indian Ocean. The suite itself is traditionally decorated with a open wall of windows leading out the the large wooden sunset-facing balcony. You can’t escape the beauty of nature, even when taking a bath!
The Red Level
As a Level guest you have access to a private beach area which is gorgeously set up with sun beds, beanbags and cabanas. No two lounge sets are side by side so you really feel like you have a little slice of paradise all to yourself which I loved. The tide moves in and out for what feels and looks like miles throughout the day so you have a different postcard-worthy view to gaze from your laze at every point of the day. There’s a beach bar (with concierge service) and restaurant to keep you set and satisfied all day and cute additions like an ocean-facing swing set and volleyball court.
The grand resort has two large pools with one reserved for level guests only there’s also a private reception and dining area. It feels like an entirely separate hotel which is really special but if you do have the urge to explore and enjoy more of the facilities and restaurants there’s a cute buggy service for transporting guests to and from.
There are 5 restaurants and 4 bars at Melia Zanzibar. It took force to drag me away from our Level utopia but we made our way over to the picturesque Jetty Lounge for dinner one evening, the unique restaurant is a stunning structure built onto stilts in the ocean giving the space a floating illusion, it’s incredibly romantic.
There’s every opportunity to be ‘wow’d within the resort, even a simple walk through the flora lined pathways is an exciting excursion. It’s a perfectly luxurious get-a-way where you can do as much or as little as you like. Should you decide an adventure is on the cards however there is so much to see and do on the island, from windsurfing to visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Site Stone Town and the concierge team are eager and waiting to help you arrange it all.
The beaches in Zanzibar aren’t fully private so if you wander past the resorts set-up you may come across locals offering excursions and activities but contrary to popular assumption we found that booking with the hotel concierge directly was not only safer and more dependable it was also A LOT cheaper!
Mnemba Island
The decision as to which trip was easy for us, a boat trip to Mnemba Island. The stunning island is a private resort that is surrounded by healthy coral reef that’s home to an abundance of colourful fish, it’s also a popular playpen for dolphins.
Not only were we lucky enough to spot dolphins, we had the most incredible wild encounters jumping into the ocean with them. The four hour trip was probably one of my all time favourite excursions, we wre able to swim with dolphins at least seven times, waded through shallow waters of a sandbank and snorkelled with hundreds of vibrant fish. To top it all off we witnessed the most insane sun-beam rainbow. I would travel to Zanzibar and back in a heartbeat for just for ten minutes worth of the same experience.
Whilst I have been recommending Tanzania for years now as the ultimate trip spending just 3 nights in Zanzibar this time round was bitter sweet and the time, though magical was just too short!
How soon is too soon to return?
For more details and room rates click here.
*This post was written in collaboration with Melia Zanzibar. All opinions are my own.
