The Best New Hotels in the World: 2019 Hot List
"Safari in Uganda and Rwanda has taken off these past few years. East Africa needs a place where travelers can pull off the old bush-to-beach after gorilla-trekking that's on the level of the One and Only by Virunga, and closer than the hideaways of the Seychelles. With Zuri, guests can be atop those sugary sands within two hours of leaving the jungle. This breezy resort is delightfully tropical, even if its profusion of banana palms feels similar to the overgrowth guests would have been scrambling through earlier, to spy on silverbacks. Those who've been to this ancient island will know the second they step out from the open air lobby onto the tiered terraces, overlooking thatched roof yoga pavilions down to the cerulean blue, that this is a game changer. Unlike the fusty ’70s retreats that still serve bad prosecco in swim-up bars nearby, Zuri is incredibly considered. A web of pathways weave through the dense bush, cutting past spice gardens (the source of that lingering vanilla and cumin scent) to the 55 standalone bungalows with outdoor showers of stone and bamboo walls. The indoor/outdoor vibes of the place extends to the dining room, where a selection of featherlight, hand-woven basket and cocoon-like lamps hanging over the tables are designed to catch the breeze off the Indian Ocean, in a sway as gentle and constant as the roll of the waves visible from the table. Zuri instantly makes Zanzibar a bush-to-beach option to rival the level of Mozambique and the Seychelles. FLASH POINT Book a western facing Garden Bungalow to catch the African sunset from the comfort of day loungers on the terrace. +420 226-202-981, zurizanzibar.com; doubles from about $410." - CNT Editors
