Mustapha’s Place is launching a new mini-spa offering unique treatments such as exotic Zanzibar spice body scrubs and traditional “bongo” massage.

The trend amongst Zanzibar hotels these days seems to be toward a certain uniformity. Understated luxury is key, in the form of tropical beaches, a spa of course, and big villas with traditional makuti roofs. The positive angle is that Zanzibar for the most part has bypassed the trend for big, pack-em-in-like-sardines multi-storey concrete behemoths that take no regard of their surroundings.

Mustapha's website has just launched. Come here for news about what's going on at the hotel, bar or restaurant, and what's going on in and around Zanzibar.

The big upcoming event right here on the east coast is our Big Reggae Party tomorrow night with tunes from Bwejuu DJ Mzee Kwajiji (translates roughly as "elder of the village"). We are going to have cheap beers - TSH2,000 - and some beautiful cocktails, including the Sugar Daddy, made up with fresh sugar cane juice.