Kilindi Zanzibar

There are just 15 free-standing villas spread across 50 acres of tropical garden, each with its own plunge pool and private outdoor space. Much of the time you barely see another guest, and it is easy to believe the garden and the ocean belong to you alone. It also takes adults only — no children about, so quiet and privacy are guaranteed from the outset, which for honeymooners, or for anyone who simply wants to switch off, counts for a great deal on its own.

The design is distinctive: white domes, huge arched openings, timber louvres and open-sided spaces, marrying Nordic simplicity with the Arab-influenced architecture of Zanzibar. This is not gilded luxury; it is quiet, restrained and tactile — the hotel was originally designed for Benny Andersson of ABBA. The room is part of the experience: the plunge pool is immediately outside the bedroom, the bathroom is separate, and the open rain shower faces either the garden or the Indian Ocean. The sea-view villas are especially lovely, with the ocean sunset visible straight from the terrace.

What really sets Kilindi apart is how personal the service is: every villa has its own butler, and even where you eat is up to you — the restaurant, the poolside, the beach, or your own villa. There is also an infinity pool facing the Indian Ocean, a spa and the hotel’s own white-sand beach; being on the north-west of the island, the sunsets are particularly good. In recent reviews, the attentiveness of the staff and the food are the two things praised most.