Elite Status: Hyatt Globalist
The Park Hyatt Zanzibar a 5-star category 5 Hyatt property located in Stonetown, Zanzibar, and is a short, 20 min walk from the ferry terminal. The property consists of two main buildings, an old wing, and a new wing; linking the two wings is a courtyard with a huge mango tree that’s a 400 years old. There’s also a third building with the gym and locker room.
The old wing is a UNESCO heritage building, and has very unique architecture. There are also some rooms, although I didn’t ask to see if the rooms looked any different. I was assigned a room in the new wing, which also houses their lounge and restaurant. This beautiful, white property by the beach has gorgeous terraces with glorious sunset views, and an infinity pool that creates the illusion that you’re adjacent to the ocean.
I stayed here for two nights using cash & points (20,000 WoH points + 250 USD)
Check In/Check Out
Pretty fast. They went through the formality, whereby the property manager came out to welcome elite guests. I am not sure how I feel about this – I am an extreme introvert and get awkward very easily.
Check out was fast, no problems with the bill.
Room
I was upgraded to a beautiful suite in the second level of the new building. The suite is one of the largest suites I’ve stayed in. Upon entry, there’s a guest bathroom to the right, and a long entryway with a work desk.
To the right, is the living room area, which has a console for coffee/tea. They supply an Illy machine, along with a mini-fridge. They also stock water in large glass bottles, which are replenished daily. The living room has an oversized sofa set, a small dining table, and a lounge chair. On the coffee table, there were a few jars of snacks (nuts, dates, cookies), and on the dining table, there was some fruit. During evening turndown service, a small slice of cheesecake was also left in the room.
The bedroom and bathroom are to the left. The bedroom features a large King-sized four-poster bed with a mosquito net. There’s also a small dining table and another lounge chair. There’s also a good-sized balcony with views of the sea, and a table and some chairs for sitting outside.
It’s actually hard to describe, a lot of Park Hyatt Zanzibar’s charm is in the details. For instance, the trunk by the bed had the most beautiful wood carving; the decorative lamps hanging in the bedroom were gorgeous, and the artwork was in the room was easy on the eyes.
Bathroom
The bathroom is open-concept, and features a single sink, bathtub; the toilet and rain shower are enclosed within the bathroom. It’s possible to open the wooden sliding doors of the bathroom, and soak in the tub while looking at the bedroom.
They stock Inaya Zanzibar toiletries in larger glass bottles. The bath products were excellent.
Food
Breakfast is complimentary for globalist guests, and was served from 6.30 – 10.30. The service was excellent, as was the food. There was a nice variety of high quality food, which rotated a little during my two-night stay here. Their juices are amazing.
There’s also made-to-order eggs, waffles, and crepes. There’s also a special cocktail hour from 6-8 pm on Friday for “invited guests” (no idea what that means – I did get an invite), but I didn’t attend.
Service
Service was impeccable. In my experience, Park Hyatt service is based on anticipating needs, and personalized service. They started remembering my preferences by the second day.
Amenities
There is a beautiful infinity pool that seems to meld into the sea. The temperature of the pool is also perfect.
The gym is on the small side of things, but 24hr using key card access, and has everything you might need for a work out.
The changing room was surprisingly ratty, though. I probably caught the cleaning staff in an off moment.
Overall
This hotel is an architectural stunner. The rooms are also beautiful with a certain understated elegance. The suite is one of the largest I’ve stayed in. Service was for the most part flawless. The Park Hyatt Zanzibar is definitely entering my books as one of my favorite hotels.
For the full set of pictures, please click here.
Wanderlust 