SUNRISE HOTEL

If you are looking for a casual but romantic hideaway on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, with delicious French cuisine, then you will be at home at Sunrise, a small beach Hotel on the East Coast of Zanzibar.

Mr. Georges, who owns Sunrise, is a former flower seller from Brussels who packed it all in to build a guest house in Zanzibar. He is a charming man and an excellent host. He has been our friend for many years.

The beautiful beach shaded by palm trees is almost deserted and runs for some 15 miles. The nearest civilisation is the little fishing village of Bwejuu, a couple of miles up the coast.

The beach along the whole East Coast is spectacular but the off-shore coral reef means that one can only swim for about half the day. Sunrise is one of the few smaller hotels in Zanzibar to have its own swimming pool which gives the finishing touch to this exceptional little hide-out. The pool chairs have top quality cushions as well as the deck chairs. A new terrace has been built on the opposite side of the garden for people that look for peace and do not want to sit around the pool.

There are eight independent self-contained bungalows directly on the beach facing the sea and five relatively simple rooms that have a garden view. We definitely recommend the bungalows. After recent renovation, all rooms have been completely redecorated and have air-conditioning and shutters on windows. All the rooms have separate bathrooms with hot water and have been completely redone with new tiles, showers, bath accessories, etc.

You can enjoy a bike ride on brilliant white beaches, snorkel in the Indian Ocean and admire the live corals, make an excursion to see the dolphins or simply laze around the swimming pool.

There is a restaurant area and bar at Sunrise and the food is out of this world but very reasonably priced. There is a full menu which uses the best local ingredients with a strong French influence.

This is a wonderful place to stay and offers fantastic value for money.