Elewana Kilindi Zanzibar

Kilindi sits on a private stretch of beach in northern Zanzibar, inside a tropical garden that runs down to the Indian Ocean. The property holds fifteen Pavilion suites, each built with wide-arched windows that have no glass — the sea air moves straight through, and the view across the Indian Ocean is unobstructed. Every suite comes with a plunge pool set into its own grounds, and each guest is assigned a dedicated Guest Ambassador who handles the stay from arrival to departure.

The shared infinity pool faces the ocean. From it, you watch dhows moving along the water under sail, which is still the ordinary way cargo and fishing boats travel this coast. The spa draws on African natural ingredients and combines them with both traditional and contemporary treatments.

From the property, day boats run out to reefs where dolphins, reef fish, and coral are reliably found for snorkelling and scuba diving. Stone Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the western side of the island, is reachable as a day trip — a compact old city of coral-stone buildings, narrow lanes, and covered markets that have traded in spices and cloth for several centuries.

The garden separates the suites from one another so that the compound feels private even when it is full.