2 Nights in a Luxury Villa on an Island Off Africa’s Coast: Review

• Kilindi is a five-star resort on the island of Zanzibar off the Tanzanian coast.
• The couples-only property features 15 private villas, and rates start at $1,220 a night for a pair.
• I spent two nights and discovered an ideal honeymoon destination.

After two nights at Kilindi, I wondered how there were any hibiscus flowers left on the island of Zanzibar in Tanzania. Each day, the bright pink orbs were strewn across my king-size bed, garnished my daily coconut water, and were thoughtfully stuffed into rolled-up beach towels.

It’s as if the resort didn’t want me to forget I was in paradise. Even without a single flower, it would’ve been impossible not to notice inside Kilindi, an all-inclusive, five-star resort. Everywhere you look are reminders.

Last October, I spent two nights in one of Kilindi’s villas. My stay included an open-air bathroom, butler service, and seven-course meals. (Business Insider received a media rate for the two-night stay.)

Lush gardens fill the pathways to each of the resort’s 15 villas. When dusk hits, trees rustle as red colobus monkeys jump from branch to branch. If you listen closely, you can hear the sound of the nearby Indian Ocean or the erratic splash from your villa’s private infinity pool.

A night at the couples-only property starts at $609 per person in a shared villa. The cost includes accommodation, meals, drinks, paddle boarding, kayaking, and laundry.

The 15-villa property was originally designed for a member of ABBA

Today, Kilindi is owned and operated by Elewana Collection, a luxury hospitality company with 16 properties across Tanzania and Kenya. Elewana acquired the property in the early 2010s, and it was previously designed for Benny Andersson of ABBA.

Kerian Day, the CEO of Elewana Collection, told BI that they acquired the resort to provide travelers with a post-safari retreat.

“You’re having that adventure in nature, and it’s very energetic,” he said. “We felt that it was right to offer something that was complimentary to a safari and bush experience.”

The first time Day saw the property, he said he was “wowed.” My reaction was the same.

After spending 33 hours in airports and on planes, I landed in Zanzibar, where I had an hourlong drive to the resort. My driver navigated through roads and lively markets selling tropical fruits.

After a drive down a particularly bumpy dirt road, we arrived at Kilindi’s entrance. The gates were pushed open, and I stepped out of the car into a pavilion, which serves as Kilindi’s reception.

It was clear that the reception’s location was intentional. It sits above the 15 villas, which allows you to soak in the entire 50-acre property.

Below are tropical gardens, and among the rich greenery are bright, whitewashed domes. Below that is a nearby fishing village, and the vibrant ocean stretches out behind that.

After filling out typical guest paperwork, I headed down a set of steps to my villa. Half of the villas sit on the ocean, and the other half are in the tropical bush.

After walking a gravel path, I reached the entrance. I met Lily, my personal butler, for the next three days.

She explained that each villa has a different design, but all feature an indoor bedroom area, an infinity pool, and an outdoor bathroom. My garden villa had three structures: the bedroom, the bathroom, and a lounge.

Together, we walked through the space’s highlights. My bedroom had air conditioning, a large bed, a closet, a seating area, and a balcony. The four-poster bed was surrounded by a gauzy mosquito net and each evening, staff arrived for turndown service, transforming the room into a dreamy oasis.

Outside the bedroom was a plunge pool and a domed pavilion with a table and daybed. If guests didn’t want to dine at the property’s restaurant or on the beach, Lily said I could call her, place a food order, and she’d bring it up to my room for a meal in the lounge.

The third structure was the bathroom. The open-air pavilion had a pair of sinks, a toilet, and a waterfall shower with ocean views. Thanks to the surrounding gardens, there was privacy and no other villa in sight.

A beach and shared pavilion were a short walk away. It took about five minutes from my villa to either destination. At the beach, I found more lounge chairs, kayaks, snorkeling gear, and paddleboards. The beach connects to a nearby fishing village, so the area was bustling each morning with locals preparing their boats for a day on the water.

Guests can order drinks and food at the main pavilion and swim in the property’s infinity pool. Dinner is served across the area: under the pavilion, near the pool, or in surrounding grassy areas.

Kilindi seemed like an ideal retreat for honeymooners and couples

For the three days, it was tempting not to leave Kilindi’s property.

I hopped between my personal plunge pool and the main pavilion’s infinity pool. I spent mornings paddleboarding around the shores of Zanzibar and headed to a multi-course breakfast afterward.

One evening, I had a seven-course dinner poolside. The next, I met a chef down at the beach who grilled me a seafood feast.

Beyond spa amenities, Kilindi’s staff can also help arrange excursions across the island for additional fees. Zanzibar is home to Stone Town, where travelers can explore the island’s historic neighborhood, which dates back to the 19th century. There are impressive diving and snorkeling spots along the island, and evenings can be spent watching the sunset on a wooden sailing dhow.

Lily was there throughout my stay, answering questions, serving food, sharing stories, and packing lunches when I finally ventured out for a morning of scuba diving.

It was a peaceful retreat for one, but I left thinking it’d be the ideal end of a safari honeymoon thanks to the hints of romance dotting the resort: No children were in sight, couples typically kept to themselves, and the entire property was designed around privacy. Activities like sunset boat rides were targeted for pairs, and the villas’ plunge pools perfectly fit two.

And, of course, there were hibiscus flowers strewn across the bed each day.