Ycona Eco-Luxury Resort, Zanzibar

We recommend Ycona to couples in their thirties and forties seeking calm, honeymoon or post-burnout retreat, who favour authenticity over the bling-bling of large resorts. Families with children find their place thanks to the spacious villas and the secure beach, but the atmosphere remains resolutely adult and zen. European clientele (Germans, Italians, French) sensitive to eco-tourism, ready to pay for isolation and tranquillity.

The resort comprises 24 villas spread over 3 hectares of tropical garden, contemporary Swahili architecture signed by a firm from Dar es Salaam. Makuti roofs (woven coconut palm), walls in coral whitewashed with lime, teak wood for structures and terraces. Minimalist interiors, Tanzanian artisanal furniture, colourful kanga fabrics, bathrooms in Zanzibar stone. Villas from 45 to 120 m², some with private pool, all with direct sea or garden view.

The main restaurant, Bahari, serves Swahili-Mediterranean fusion cuisine: grilled catch of the day, lobster curries, seafood risotto, vegetables from the organic garden. Continental breakfast correct, excellent tropical fruits, average imported pastries. The beach bar, Dhow Lounge, offers cocktails at sunset and fish grills with feet in the sand. Room service available 24/7, reduced but effective menu.

Marumbi lies on the east coast of Zanzibar, 35 km south-east of Stone Town, little-developed area between Paje and Jambiani. Wild beaches, fishing villages, coconut groves, almost no mass tourism. Abeid Amani Karume international airport is 45 minutes by car, shuttle included. No shops in the immediate vicinity, the resort organises excursions to Stone Town (UNESCO), Prison Island, diving at Mnemba Atoll. The area is calm, rural, authentic, ideal for disconnecting without evening entertainment.