Concierge.com's insider take:

While many visitors to Tanzania follow the tourist circuit to Zanzibar for post-safari rest and relaxation, we suggest heading to Lupita Island, a more laid-back tropical alternative. This private island resort's 13 open-air villas start at 1,800 square feet, have private plunge pools, separate living areas, and bathrooms with large soaking tubs and grottolike stone showers. While the design occasionally lacks sophistication (grating color combinations, mishmashed styles), the antique Zanzibari trunks and armoires fashioned out of reclaimed wood from shipping dhows are a nice touch. And the hotel's location, on rocky cliffs surrounded by Lake Tanganyika's emerald waters, is spectacular. With snorkels, scuba gear, sailboats, sea kayaks, speedboats, and spa services at your disposal—and, with the exception of massages, included in the room rate—the days can be as busy or as lazy as you'd like. At night, the starry sky blends into the flickering lights of boats on the lake as you dine on fish caught earlier that day. —Collen Clark