Soulful Living

Enticing Soul apartments, now fully outfitted, are perfect for private holidays at the East Coast.

Zanzibar connoisseurs follow a long-standing rule: to fully discover the isle blessed with ancient history and breath-taking beaches, split your vacation! Immerse in the centuries-old charm of the ancient capital for a few days, then move on to the coast.  A similar quest arises for people living in Zanzibar City or in nearby Fumba Town: to enjoy Zanzibar’s pristine beaches, they usually embark on weekend trips to East Coast favourites like Paje and Jambiani, or to the northern Nungwi shore.

For all individual island adventurers, Zanzibar’s first holiday apartment complex The Soul is a new obvious choice. It’s not a hotel but feels equally organised. And it is much more than a private Airbnb,  especially since a new management firm has taken over. “The Soul is ideal for people who are happy to plan their own holiday but also love some good service”, says James Scott, General Manager of Zanzibar Town Operations Company (TOC). At the end of last year, the South Africa- based global hospitality brand Valor joint forces with TOC to manage The Soul apartments and Fumba Town. (There are also other rentals available).

The Soul in Paje is not located on the beach but in the third row. Many guests and residents, it has turned out, appreciate just that: being away from the busy beaches, enjoying quality time in a lush garden and lots of privacy. An almost 2,000 square metre man-made lagoon is a welcome additional attraction for residents and visitors; to walk to the beach takes only about ten minutes.

From Fumba to Paje – how easy is it?

THE FUMBA TIMES tested how seamless a weekend vacation stay at Zanzibar’s first residential leisure resort can really work.  After extensive refurbishments, a new reception area includes an upper floor with co-working spaces. We were pleasantly surprised with the look & feel as well as service levels under the management of Lisa Kamonya.

+ The first apartments within the new rental scheme are ready and creatively furnished, incorporating sustainable local designs  – without being too rustic.

+ Parking is available near your chosen apartment inside the resort which is convenient, with luggage or without.

+ Finding a generously equipped, spotless kitchen (with a better knives-set than at home!), we had the option to cater for ourselves or to explore the countless little restaurants, coffee shops and bars typical for the East Coast within walking or bajaji distance. Obviously, we went for the restaurants (see news on the right) – the East Coast scene is just irresistible.

Part of the new full-service concept of the Soul is a creative breakfast, from home-made granola to a “Hassan Croissant” with cheese named after a regular guest from Dubai. Guests may take their breakfast either in the room, at the lagoon or at Corina’s new coffee bar in the lobby, a 24/7 meeting point for guests and visitors. A restaurant is planned; for now it makes sense to bring some drinks along.

A distinct challenge for the new Soul management was to furnish the privately-owned apartments with locally-made interiors. “Our aim was to tap into the rich design culture, artisanal talent and natural materials of Africa”, says interior designer Nikki McCarthy from Durban in South Africa who took on the job. Her aim: “To blend global inspiration and local craftmanship without compromising on quality or comfort.”

Furniture made in Tanzania

80 per cent of the interiors of the residential resort was sourced or fabricated within Tanzania, reducing the carbon footprint while providing jobs to local artisans and firms. Nikki McCarthy happily summed up the experiment: “Global design expertise can uplift local producers. Together we created interiors that reflect the soul of Zanzibar, and appeal to a global audience.”