House and Leisure - October 2015

The vibrant cultural and historical mix of this East African island

finds expression in the newly modernised Park Hyatt Zanzibar

TEXT NAOMI LARKIN PHOTOGRAPHS SUPPLIED

spice route

1015_HL_036_038_ByDesign_Zanzibar_RFO.indd 36 2015/09/04 11:20 AM

otel design is a curious thing. It’s

all about building a dream that

has to be all encompassing and yet

supremely functional. A hotel’s design –

both inside and out – must immediately

convey its intention from the moment

guests cross the threshold yet it must also

work for those self-same guests in a way

that meets their needs and in a fashion that

is either exactly what they have at home or

the satisfying opposite of what they have

at home.

The design of the newly opened Park

Hyatt Zanzibar was initially dictated by

the building’s status as a dedicated Unesco

heritage site. Then there was its location

right on the beach front in Stone Town,

which marries the fantasy of an exotic

spice-scented island filled with history and

intrigue with its surrounds of warm, azure

blue waters.

The Hyatt Hotels Corporation

bought the main building, the historic

Mambo Msiige homestead, eight years

ago and began the painstaking process

of restoration and simultaneous

modernisation, which included the

purpose-built Zamani residence and the

glass bridge that connects the two.

Both the architecture and the decor are

about blending the old and the new and

everywhere there are elements of Swahili

culture alongside Indian, Persian, Arab

and European influences – much like the

melting pot that is Zanzibar itself. Most of

the interior work was done in Oman and

Dubai, including the striking laser-cut

brass latticework on the ceilings, sconces,

lanterns and panels. There are showy

circular chandeliers with strings of crystals

hanging from drums of brass that share

space with intricate carved friezes. It’s all

quite over the top and yet the calmness of

the cool, white, thick walls of coral rock and

lime plaster that have stood the test of time

and the pale marble floors act as anchors

for all this theatre.

There are spaces, such as the courtyard

around which Mambo Msiige is centred

and the balconies off the suites and rooms,

that are designed not just for taking in the

sea views but also for quiet contemplation

and relaxation. As any hotel guest today

might expect there is also an ultra-modern

infinity swimming pool, which fronts the

ocean. All the beaches in Zanzibar are open

to the public so you can watch the world go

by from many vantage points.

The hotel has 67 rooms and 11 suites

including an impressive Presidential Suite

with its own large kitchen, a separate

H

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Traditional dhows

in front of the Park Hyatt Zanzibar; a dining

area in the Zamani residence; the infinity pool

overlooks the Indian Ocean; the courtyard of

Mambo Msiige is one of a number of spaces

designed for tranquillity. OPPOSITE The hotel

foyer in the old Mambo Msiige homestead.

HOUSEANDLEISURE.CO.ZA HL OCTOBER 2015 37

TRENDS BY DESIGN

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