Brinda14
Google
My husband and I have been to the Palms 3 times in the last 6 years and we intend to continue going back there every chance we get for the rest of our lives. We used to have a long list of countries we wanted to explore- cities, beaches, mountains, the works. But since discovering the Palms, that list has been tossed out. We simply cannot go anywhere else because nothing will ever compare. The Palms has ruined us (the holiday ruiner as another reviewer pointed out is spot on) and we have zero regrets. The Palms is by far the best place in the world for us.||Selfishly, I’ve been reluctant to write reviews following previous holidays at the Palms because I haven’t wanted to share this secret, perfect spot with anyone else but that’s unfair to the staff and management at the Palms, who all work very hard and deserve all the success in the world. So I’m sharing our secret.||—The Hotel—|There are 7 villas at the Palms, 6 of which are identical, I believe, and 1 is tucked away in a corner for absolute privacy (we only recently discovered this hidden villa). Each villa is large, luxurious and very tastefully designed. It has everything you could possibly need and more. There’s a king-sized bed in the main bedroom and another bed in an adjoining room, with a desk if, god forbid, you need to work while you’re there. This secondary bedroom comes with its own ensuite. The main bathroom is straight out of a magazine and there’s a walk-in closet area too. WiFi is fast and reliable and available throughout the property, not just limited to your home base. Each villa has its own designated cabana and beach chairs so we never spend too much time in the villa because we’re always out at the beach or by the pool but when we are inside, I can tell you that the best sleep I’ve ever had has been at the Palms, the best hot rain showers too. ||The pool and poolside bar are lovely. The pool gets a spectacular amount of sun throughout the day so you should lather up with sunscreen and get copious amounts of vitamin D and happiness into your system. ||Because the maximum occupancy at the Palms is so small (14-20, adults only), you get to know the other guests at the poolside, you see them at meals and wave and you recognize them later at the airport lounge when you’re all depressed about having your stay at the Palms come to an end. It’s all got a very cozy, boutique-like vibe to it but unrivalled luxury everywhere you look.||The grounds are immaculately maintained, the housekeeping staff are excellent and there is security throughout the hotel grounds and on the beach, not that we’ve ever felt unsafe or anything like that in Zanzibar. But still, it’s nice to know you’re looked after across the board.||If you need a gym or if you’d like to book treatments at the spa (highly recommend the hot stone massage), or if you want to go diving or rent a jet ski or kayak, you have full access to these amenities at the sister-hotels Baraza and Breezes located on either side of the Palms.||—The Beach—|I don’t know if you’ll believe me when I say that the beach at the Palms is entirely yours. More often than not, my husband and I have had the beach all to ourselves. Why? Because it’s private and there are only 7 villas. So when you look in either direction, there never seems to be anyone else and it is incredible. White sand, gorgeous blue, clear water and it’s like you’re on your very own island. And that’s not even the best part. The section of beach that the Palms owns has a natural breaker about a kilometer out (I could be totally off on the distance but it seemed like a kilometer to us). At high tide, you have gentle waves on the beach, mellowed by the breaker in the distance, and at low tide, the water recedes to expose the reef/seabed for that full kilometer across and you can do a reef walk all the way across through little pools of ankle-deep water containing a plethora of fish and urchins, starfish and other magical creatures, straight to the edge of a literal cliff at the far end where it goes from shallow to intensely deep. You can stand at the cliff’s edge at low tide and look down to endlessly deep blue water and it’s truly amazing. ||If you time it right and if low tide begins just after breakfast, then all morning and into the early afternoon, the seabed absorbs the heat from the sun so that at around 2pm, when the tide comes in again, the water, and I’m telling you the truth here, is 40 degrees (Celsius), almost like a hot spring. Just utterly incredible. And because we live in Canada and are shivering more often than we’re not, the warm water is EVERYTHING to us. The closest thing we’ve seen to it is maybe Taylor Bay in Turks and Caicos but the water isn’t nearly as warm and the beach is forever crowded. So the beach at the Palms in Zanzibar, to us, is by far best in the world. For context, we love the warm water so much we typically spend 3-5 hours a day just playing in the ocean. ||—The Food—|One of the most incredible things about the Palms is the food and Chef William is the mastermind behind it all. Unlike regular all-inclusive hotels that offer buffets, given that there are only 7 villas, meals are uniquely special, tailored experiences. Breakfasts are made to order and they literally do it all. Lunches (usually 3 courses) and dinners (a full 5-course affair) come with menus with options you can choose from in advance. Food allergies, special preferences, dislikes, likes- all of that are taken into consideration and there will always be something created just for you. The kitchen staff are completely flexible too. If there’s something you particularly enjoy, they’ll make you more of it in a heartbeat. ||Every day brings a new menu- Chef William’s creativity knows no bounds. Every dish seems like it is Michelin-star worthy. It warms your soul. I’ve had the best dishes of my life at the Palms. They do seafood like no where else in the world. Freshly caught fish, octopus, squid, prawns, you name it- all fresh, all cooked and seasoned perfectly. I have never eaten as well as I have at the Palms at any restaurant or hotel in the world. In fact, if I were on death row and had to pick my last meal, it would probably be the prawn dish I had at lunch one afternoon at the Palms, with avocado, mangos, onions and peppers. ||The wines are thoughtfully chosen as well and go splendidly with the meals and the cocktails they make are spectacularly good.||—The People—|Arguably the best part of the entire experience (even better than the aforementioned private slice of the 40-degree celsius Indian Ocean and the Michelin-star worthy food) are the people at the Palms. The manager, Siriak, has become one of our favourite people in the world. He’s genuine, kind, hilarious and so much fun to be around. When he comes over to chat with us, our already happy days become just that much sunnier. I don’t like small-talk usually but talking to Siriak always feels natural and warm. And our conversations are never forced. I remember spending an afternoon talking to him about the animals that live on the roof of his house and I think that’ll stay with me forever. He goes out of his way to make sure we’re having the best possible experience at the Palms, and he has never failed us. This most recent trip of ours and the one previous, Siriak booked us complementary massages at the gorgeous Frangipani Spa. Just like that. And we felt like we were floating after those massages. We went back for hot stone massages too and I can honestly say I’ve never felt as relaxed after a massage as I did at the Palms following those sessions.||There are also four wait staff who have been there since the beginning for us and as a result of 3 trips now, each lasting between 10 and 14 days, they’ve become like family to us. Kibalabala (Kiba for short), Jackson, Ngasa, and Maulid. These four gentlemen, each a unique personality, have looked after us like we were one of their own. I cannot put into words how impeccable their service has been. Nowhere else in the world (and we’ve travelled a lot) have we encountered anything that comes close to what they provide. They work long shifts and when all the villas are full, they’re just on their feet non-stop from start to finish, yet we have never seen them anything but jovial and welcoming and polite. Ngasa’s energy is unmatched, Maulid is incredibly thoughtful and memorizes everything (3 years since our previous trip and he knew we wanted a bowl of fries with lunch every afternoon - he actually reminded us), Jackson is quietly funny and always thinking ten steps ahead, and Kiba is just pure gold charisma and kindness. They go out of their way to learn and understand who you are, what your preferences are so they can anticipate exactly what you want before you even think to ask for it. They joke with us, they tell us stories about their lives and want to know all about ours, all while accommodating every single request that comes their way, with a degree of charm that simply cannot be taught. I love each and every single one of them and miss them dearly now that we’re back in Canada.||Incidentally, and something I’m very proud of, is that I have Kiba on WhatsApp and he checks in with me sometimes and sends me the tide schedules so we know exactly when to plan our next trip.||I should also mention, the kitchen staff on the rare occasion we see them, the housekeeping crew, the grounds crew, the security guards who man the beach and the property, the staff at reception- they’re all just good, honest people and I always feel pure joy when I have the privilege of crossing paths with any of them. While there is never any pressure or requirement to tip, we try and give as much as we can to the staff because to say they simply go above and beyond would be a gross understatement. They provide an experience that is truly magical. ||Thank you ever so much to Siriak and his team at the Palms. We have enjoyed every minute with you all and we can’t wait to see you again. Asante sana.||So all this to say, go to Zanzibar, perhaps after doing a safari through the Serengeti maybe, and then recover at the Palms. And you’ll just keep going back to the Palms, like us, forever after. Hands down the best hotel and experience ever. It’s changed our lives completely for the better and our perspective on travel has gone from “Where should we go next?” to “When are we going back to the Palms?”
