Xanadu Villas opened on 1st June 2016 and has proved a very welcome addition to Zanzibar's luxury accommodation options. Six unique and beautifully designed villas surround a central pool and dining area engulfed by an oasis of tropical gardens and palm trees, just meters from the beach. Xanadu can be taken exclusively for up to 18 pax or the villas can be sold individually, allowing big family groups to have an extremely private and top-end retreat, while not pricing out the honeymoon couples on a budget. The personal touch, intimate private villa atmosphere and level of service and cuisine is where Xanadu excels, and, coupled with a beautiful design and affordable rate, it is hard to beat.

Xanadu has surpassed all competitors on Zanzibar. It opened in July last year and has since then proved itself to be head and shoulders above everything else on Zanzibar island. The butler service, unique and contemporary design, and the cuisine, is what stands out most. In their first year they hired the head chef from a Michelin starred restaurant in Paris. He set the tone and the standard but sadly missed his girlfriend and returned to France after a year. However Xanadu then poached the head chef of Kloof House in Cape Town. My experience of the cuisine at Xanadu ranged from 8 course tasting menus to die for, to net caught kingfish sushi and a pork belly dish which blow blew my mind! The presentation of dishes, as well as the actual crockery they use, is all so beautifully thought out, and a lot of care is taken to match the cuisine with complementing premium South African wines. I would like to vote for Xanadu Villas in the following categories: Best Design, Best Marine Property, Best New Safari Property, and definitely Best Safari Cuisine. Thank you!  

Xanadu is on the South East side of Zanzibar which is a great stretch of beautiful white sand, without beach boys. Xanadu is a 10 minute walk down the beach from Baraza and The Palms.