Beyt Al Chai ***

Stone Town, Zanzibar

For those who want to experience the charm of a classic African setting with a touch of ancient Arabian mystique, this is the place to be. The Beyt al Chai is an exquisite, exclusive 6-room boutique hotel within an 18th century traditional Zanzibar house – on 3 floors of what used to be a nobility tea house. Situated a short distance from the sea, the house is cool and breezy and the top floor bedrooms’ have wonderful views of the Ocean.

Over the years, the hotel has developed a reputation for peace and tranquility of a special kind. From our beautifully appointed lounge and rooms, our guests savour their drinks overlooking an open grassy square filled with hibiscus and ancient tamarind trees– simultaneously feeling the pull of the mysterious Indian Ocean only a few meters away and soaking up the lively ambiance of Zanzibar’s Stone Town.

Accommodation

Everything about Beyt al Chai rooms is as authentic old-Zanzibari as the great house itself. Each of the 5 fully ensuite bedrooms and suites are uniquely designed to its own character – with genuine antique furniture and fittings reminiscent of the days of the Sultan.

The sanitary amenities such as the lighting, soft furnishings, bathroom and toilet are, of course, modern but even they make concession to the ancient: from the lampshades to wall mats, everything tends towards designer artifact and while every room is fully airconditioned, there is a ceiling fan just so you can open the window and enjoy the breeze in the ancient manner – or simply to experience tremulous late night call to player of the Muezzin as he has been heard in the square of this house for generations.

Drinks and Dining

Lounge and bar: The spacious and breezy lounge is furnished with huge comfortable sofas or arm chairs placed to create different sitting areas to give privacy and comfort for those who want to relax, write postcards, read books or just sip a cool drink and enjoy the gentle music in the background. This is the ideal place to take it easy in the morning after a lazy breakfast or in the evenings to admire the sunset after an exciting day in the Stone Town.

Breakfast: To abet your immersion in local customs, we prepare a sumptuous breakfast that includes a choice of local pastries, fresh tropical fruits, and fresh coconut juice. If favoured, we are happy to provide a full English or European breakfast as well.

Lunch & Dinner: During the day the menu offers a selection of Light lunches that include Fresh Seafood Salads and a selection of Homemade Bruschetta and Baquettes with a choice of fillings. At night the menu transforms into a Fine Dining candlelight experience of culinary creations especially prepared by our Executive Chef. Begin your evening with Fresh Crab Meat layered with Crispy Eggplant and Green Mango then select the “Fritto Misto” which is a Mix of Deep Fried Fish and Seafood and fish and complete your evening with our famous Passion Fruit Parfait served with caramelized Banana and Coconut Cookies. A wide selection of Fine Wines complements as well as completes the experience.

Facilities and Services

The Beyt al Chai Hotel has the rare advantage of being part of a group that includes two sister beach resorts located a short drive away – the Bluebay Beach Resort & Spa and the Sultan Sands Islands Resorts. This enables the Beyt Al Chai Hotel to offer its guests a variety and scope of facilities well beyond the reach of a normal city hotel.

Guests Relations: Our dedicated staff will arrange all your day trips and excursions around the island. We organize airport transfers, ticket reconfirmations, restaurant bookings - with only 6 rooms, each guest is particularly special to us and we endeavour to meet each and every one of their requirements.

Exclusivity: In order to maintain the character of this antique building, there are no noisy bars or restaurants (there is a wide variety of these not too far within the town). However, there will be a beautifully laid breakfast in the Restaurant, one of the jewels of this house and drinks will be available in the Residents Lounge which is the perfect place to relax on one of the Zanzibari beds or large sofas while reading a book or simply taking in the magical atmosphere and sounds of the town.

WI-FI Internet Access: Available in all the rooms, lounge and Restaurant is a high speed wireless internet connection to facilitate ease of communication for business travellers. This service is provided free of charge to our guests. This service is also available to guests of the Beyt al Chai Restaurant.

Beyt Al Chai in Stone Town is an ideal place to stay in Zanzibar as part of a multi centre holiday so why not combine it with one of the hotels on Zanzibar's East or North coast. You could also include it as part of a beach and safari holiday.

For more information call 0208 816 8789 or email using the ‘Contact Us’ page and we’ll get back to you.