Spice Island Hotel & Resort

This is a beachfront resort in Paje, built for days that move between salt water, a pool, a massage and a long meal rather than a packed sightseeing schedule. The setting makes a good first impression: the resort offers direct access to the private beach, while the open restaurant faces the illuminated pool.

You also have enough on site to keep the non-diving parts of the trip from becoming an administrative exercise. There is a bar, a spa, a sauna, a library, a garden, a terrace and a concierge service. English, French, German, Italian and Spanish are spoken by the hotel team, which makes practical conversations rather less theatrical.

The resort sits on Main Road in Paje, in Tanzania, on the coast near Jambiani. It is around 3 km from Paje town centre, close enough for easy access to local life without being right in the middle of it.

The sea is not a shuttle ride away: the hotel is directly on the waterfront, with a private 100-metre-long white-sand beach. Sun loungers and parasols are set out for beach time, while the coastline towards Jambiani is available for a stroll when the tide and your legs agree.

The accommodation runs from standard rooms through superior and deluxe categories to suites, villas, cottages and bungalows. This gives you a choice of accommodation to suit the kind of stay you want, rather than leaving you with one generic room type. A solo traveller can take a single room; couples have double rooms with either a double bed or twin beds; families and small groups can look at triple and quadruple options, with some family bungalows accommodating up to five guests.

Views include the garden, pool, sea and water. Several categories have a private bathroom, while selected rooms add air conditioning, a safe, a hairdryer, coffee-making facilities or a balcony. The deluxe double room with balcony brings together air conditioning, a fan, a safe, water, towels and toiletries—a welcome set of comforts after a warm, tiring day.

For a couple, a sea-view room or suite puts the coast centre stage; for a group, the family and larger-room categories are the sensible place to start. A beachfront suite is also available. The resort has 34 rooms across one floor, so this is not a high-rise corridor hotel.

Sea View Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, with an ocean lounge, bar and dining area. Its open setting looks over the illuminated pool, so dinner does not require a choice between eating properly and staying near the water. Events include barbecues and live concerts.

Breakfast is served as a buffet and is also available in the room. The kitchen brings together European, African, Indian and Arabic influences, giving the menu a broader range than the usual resort shorthand of 'international cuisine'. A dietary menu can be requested.

The resort has one named bar, Jetty Bar, a beach bar positioned on a 100-metre-long jetty. Cocktails are its speciality. A snack bar and café and tea service are also available, although continuous snacking and late dinner service are not specified. The exact meal basis depends on the room booking, so check that detail before choosing your board arrangement.

The 32-metre outdoor pool is the obvious base for a day with no timetable; it reaches up to 4 metres deep, so it is worth treating as a proper swimming pool rather than a decorative puddle. The private beach adds loungers, parasols and room to walk, while kitesurfing and snorkelling give the water a little more purpose when lying down has had its turn.

Malaika Spa covers the recovery department with massages, facial treatments, body scrubs, aromatherapy, hammam and waxing. A sauna and a beauty salon are also available. Yoga, cycling, walking, fishing, darts and windsurfing appear among the resort's leisure options, though the coast and spa may be more appealing after you've sensibly used up your energy.

For a slower afternoon, there is a library, a picnic area, barbecue facilities and a sun terrace. Tours can be arranged privately or in groups, cultural excursions are available, and live music provides an occasional evening change of pace. Families have a children's play area, a games room, babysitting and a children's pool.

Airport transfers can be arranged through the resort, with shuttle services available. Parking is available on site and nearby, and vehicle hire can also be arranged. A concierge handles practical requests and excursions, while free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel.

Check-out is at 10:00. The front desk is open around the clock, which helps when flights and tropical timetables refuse to cooperate. Early arrival and late departure can be requested. Laundry, dry cleaning and ironing are available, alongside luggage storage, a safe, currency exchange and express check-in and check-out.

Visa, Mastercard and American Express are accepted, as well as cash. An on-site infirmary is available, with a doctor on request. The hotel also provides accessible facilities, business services and meeting spaces, although most diving travellers will probably be more interested in the beach, the pool and getting fed without another transfer.