Chole Mjini has six tree-houses set high up in baobab trees and made from mangrove wood, as well as one ground-level suite.

The tree-houses are all laid out different, but share many similarities of style. All were built by the villagers of Chole from natural materials. These skilled craftsmen make sea-faring dhows entirely by hand – so their woodwork is simply outstanding. All the tree-houses are accessed up a wooden staircase, which usually leads into the main bedroom.

The smooth wooden floor here is dotted with colourful makuti mats made by the local women, and brightly-coloured fabrics adorn the huge double bed, which is swathed in a walk-in mosquito net. Open on all sides – there are waist-high wooden railings all around, and curtains can be pulled around all sides of your tree-house for increased privacy. That said, the rooms are suitable spaced and angled so that you can seldom even see a neighbour's tree-house; so privacy is seldom an issue.

These tree-houses command wonderful views through the trees, out to the sea beyond. They have high thatched roofs, and two of them have another, smaller, floor upstairs. These are ideal for families, as twin beds can be made up there for children.

Storage space for clothes is built-in, with sturdy poles and rope made from coconut fibre. This provides quirky yet very practical storage for your personal items. Then there is also a useful, large lock-box for any valuables.

The toilet and shower for the tree-houses at Chole Mjini are down the stairs, on the ground level. The toilet is set in its own room. It is a long-drop compost toilet – however it is incredibly clean, and even has a seat crafted out of wood.

The shower has its own large enclosure, walled by a palm-leaf screen, and is very quirky – but we wouldn't expect anything less from Chole Mjini! For hot water you first need to light a little paraffin burner – which has an ingenious way of heating the water up. In a matter of seconds, you have a lovely hot shower, which lasts as long as you want it to! This is a particularly clever piece of 'intermediate technology'; it works really well, and is very environmentally sound!

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