Where to stay in Zanzibar City

I'm recently had the pleasure of staying at the Zanzibar Hotel, and it was an exceptional experience from start to finish. The staff was incredibly welcoming and attentive, making us feel right at home. The rooms were beautifully decorated, offering a perfect blend of comfort and style, and the view from our balcony was breathtaking.

I have done many bookings by checking a hotel online largely with positive outcomes but this one, I missed properly. It was a disappointment considering its price and name. First, the access road is rough and unpaved with entrance looking a bit shady. Far from what I expected after seeing stunning images online. Secondly, for 90 USD, I expected at least a hotel with some basic facilities like a...

Megan is the absolute best manager we have ever dealt with in hotel experiences. We love Zanzibar and this is definitely a place we would stay in again. Super clean, although not directly on the water, the view on the rooftop was amazing for the sunset. 5 min walk from nighttime food market and 2 mins from the port. We had 14 pieces of luggage and we were tended to perfectly. We got engaged here...

A satisfying travel experience.

Sanitation in general, poor facilities, plastic feeling

I recently stayed at a hotel located in downtown that unfortunately had a few drawbacks. Firstly, the internet speed was very slow, which was quite frustrating as I needed to do some work during my stay. Additionally, the location of the hotel was right in the midst of busy traffic, making it quite noisy and chaotic outside. However, there were some positives to the hotel. The rooms were clean, and...

One of best places iv stayed and im well travelled. Staff are truly amazing its a true boutique piece if heaven hotel. Food wonderful cocktails lovely right on the beach. A perfect place to relax. Fantastic Wifi anywhere you go never had a problem. If there is any negative its there is no shops arround but for us we wanted peace quiet and tranquility good food and drinks which we hot in abundance

We chose this hotel for our conference in Zanzibar due to its location near the airport and Stone Town, providing great convenience for attendees. The friendly staff ensured that our rooms were maintained with daily cleaning and fresh linens, and despite its proximity to the airport and city, the hotel provided a peaceful ambiance for a restful stay. The direct access to the public beach added an enjoyable...

Beautiful setting, private restaurant to enjoy the sunset from. The check in lady was very kind and upgraded our rooms to seafront for free! Rightly priced, restaurant prices the best of the hotels, and food is good too. Access is to a very public beach with stoney sand as opposed to the common white sand.

Advantage it's sea view, Big bed , heavy breakfast included, quite and peaceful neighborhood. Nice staffs Bad. Telephone is not working and distance from reception to room was long, my room was 133 water was coming with little pressure hard to enjoyed bath, AC was hard to switch on.

It will be nice they put up room rate boldly as it seems like staff may be randomly fixing rate.

Very good peaceful hotel . Very unique different from all others.. nature and sea both u can meet ... As very complicated built on some kind of Hill area .. Good Service Good specious Rooms.. Very Different experience

We enjoyed our stay at Asmini Palace. From the pre-trip communication with Mohammed, the manager, who kindly reserved our room for us, to the receptionist (sorry I forgot his name), the service was very welcoming. We had a triple room and the beds were very comfortable. Thank God, during our time in Stone Town the electricity was only cut during the day when we were out, so the AC worked well at night...

We enjoyed our stay at Asmini Palace. From the pre-trip communication with Mohammed, the manager, who kindly reserved our room for us, to the receptionist (sorry I forgot his name), the service was very welcoming. We had a triple room and the beds were very comfortable. Thank God, during our time in Stone Town the electricity was only cut during the day when we were out, so the AC worked well at night...

Ok place, good location. We were supposed to stay 2 nights but we changed it to 1 night. Try to negotiate the rates. The rooms are clean. Shower is open in the bathroom it doesn't have a partition. Water pressure is very low. There are noises in the evening from the street and you can hear the noise from the hotel lobby as the hotel is built in an old way so the rooms are not very well isolated...

Good in overall Good breakfast Helpful staff Location is within the town center

Good in overall Good breakfast Helpful staff Location is within the town center

The staff made the hotel worth staying The staff was beyond .

I love this place . Close to airport, quiet, with beautiful, friendly nice staff 😍. food is fresh and delicious. Cons: rooms is not brand new, sometimes electricity goes out. but that's ok. we will definitely come back

Very friendly staff, nice service

One of the most attentive staff. It was just a short stay but they’ve done everything for our comfort. Best place for a short stay ! Highly recommended !

We stayed there just for one day and it's all about your expectations. Hotel are 5 min a way from airport I think that is why it a bit overpriced. They have AC and fan which is good but as for me...to dark room and not enough air...very dusty. 80% of the time wifi are not working. Restaurant are OK...but be prepared for million flies around while you eating 🙈

Room are so good and adorable staff are helpful and good services 🥰

Great experience and service at affordable price. Bed and breakfast for 2 cost 80,000tsh. Breakfast on the roof with sea view is amazing they serve fruits omelet chapati and tea. Located near the ferry 5 - 10 mins walk. Service wise, they need to improve on providing toiletries and water. Wifi is available on each floor. Thank you for your services.

Very friendly and helpful reception staff. Ok location if you are heading to the ferry. But a bit tucked away. I wouldn't recommend for solo travelers. The price is a bit high for what you get. The rooms are simple and a bit sad looking. But they have everything you need: fan, AC, hot and cold shower with good preasure. The breakfast on the rooftop is quite disappointing. This place could be so much...

It is good for the price. It is near a fish market so expectedly it smells a bit like fish. The rooftop breakfast was great and the people that work there are eager to help. The plumbing in the bathroom could use an upgrade.

Really nice stay on a budget! The service was amazing, we got a lot of help from the reception and especially their offer for different tourist activities (for a good price) was much appreciated. Did blue safari, spice tour and city tour, and would have loved to try even more if our stay was longer. Wifi, functional breakfast with fruits, tea, juice and eggs, a nice location close to the ferry port...

Very good hotel not too far from ferry and with reasonable prices . Building in and out looks like it was built or remodelled not long time ago so you can expect many things still like new here. Nice terrace on the rooftop where you can have awesome breakfast at mornings. Highly recommend!

It was such a pleasant experience to stay at this wonderful place. The location was peaceful, calm and the staff were really kind and always available whenever needed.10/10, would go back there again. 🫶

I was a guest here last year and now a resident. It is a great location and beautiful place. Mary is our Manager with a beautiful heart. I'm always so happy to come home after traveling. The staff (now family) help me with everything from, health, shopping, logistics and Cooking. Safe, friendly clean with a beautiful clean pool There so much I can say nice about here but not enough space. Peace and...

john and mary are very good people they helped me in my journey with kindness and admiring to serve me with all of their heart thanks for being there for me and inshallah I will meet you again 🤍🤍🤍🫡

Nice place good services it ain't that expensive it enables different kind of people go at that place

It is far from stone town(25 minutes), Breakfast is very bad and there is no lunch and dinner. You need to go to stone town and need to pay for to go and coming back 20$ every day for lunch and dinner. Single matres is very hard, not confortible. You can't sleep on that matress more than one hour up to morning. Swiming pool is small but was very clean and good.

Nice place overall with nice terrace! Could be a bit noisy because of its proximity to the port and you can hear cargos loading. Staff is friendly

Good hotel. Service was a bit confusing

The Receptionists welcomed us with smiles, everyone was welcoming. The food was great, a wide variety for breakfast including local dishes, Indian and other dishes which we tasted and they were great. The hotel is located in Stone Town, a neighborhood is full of history, markets with spices that are walk-able distances away. It has taxis in the front door to take you anywhere at affordable fee. The...

Great location but can be a bit noisy in the mornings with the ferry terminal so close.

I stayed at this hotel upon arrival and departure from Zanzibar. The first time it was a short and enjoyable stay. Unfortunately, during my second stay I was upgraded to room 301, which is large and overlooks the swimming pool, but it needs maintenance, especially the bathroom, which needs immediate maintenance. It is a very noisy room, as you can hear the sounds of the elevator and the water pump...

Very friendly and helpful staff who took care of us during our stay. They accommodated our needs to the best of their abilities and provided consistent excellent customer service. This hotel is in a great, convenient location if you wish to be located next to the beach where you can go on the small boats for cruises and Stone Town shops, cafes and markets. It’s also a short walk away from the Forodhani...

Really evocative hotel in a great central location near the market. Great customer service and a lovely breakfast. The hotel is in an old merchants house in Stone Town. Gets you right in the heart of old Zanzibar.

Delightful hotel right in the heart of Stone Town. Pleasant, funny staff.

From 16 till 18-12-2025 we stayed at this Warm Welcoming style in Old Stone Town Designed Boutique Hotel. From the start on, we got this complimentary breakfast, while waiting for our room to get ready. We loved the fresh local yummy fruits & the delicious home-made local dishes. We got at the breakfast. Many thxs for the comfortable, clean room. And the always ready to help us team of loving people...

This hotel is convenient to everything in Stone Town which is great. Staff are really kind and helpful and rooms are clean. We stayed during a busier time of year and booked the small double (we are two) and we probably should have booked the one that wasn't "small" as this was really small for two people. Hard to move around and nothing to sit on except the bed --- would be fine for a single person...

We stayed one night at this lovely hotel located in the narrow streets of Stone Town. There is traditional wood decor throughout the hotel giving it a characterful feel. Our room reflected this with a four-poster bed. A mosquito net and safe was provided but the latter wasn't working. The en-suite bathroom included a shower in wet-room style. WiFi was good. Drinking water is available in the communal...

THe location is good. But the ptoblem is accessibility. It is not accessible wiyh a car.

Arya is a cute smallish resort in Kiwenga, in a part that seems to be dominated by Italian investors. Rooms are cosy, beautiful, clean. Staff is very friendly and honest. Owner Laura was fantastic in welcoming us and arranged a wonderful surprise for us. The pool was warm and inviting. Breakfast is not on par with European (italian) breakfasts, however better than most others in Tanzania. The breakfast...

Stayed one night at tha Arya Boutique Hotel. Beautiful oasis only steps from the beach. Staff went above and beyond to accommodate and Laura the owner was easily accessible and very professional. Breakfast was amazing ! And the resident cat was very cute and cuddly. Well situated location to do all of your excursions!

We have stayed here for 4 nights in February 2023 (Suite with a pool terrace). The room was nice and clean, the terrace in front of the pool was absolutely amazing. We had the pool practically for ourselves and it was a heaven for my 7 years old daughter. The staff is super nice, helpful and full of warmth. Highly recommend it!

The best hotel in kiwengwa!!! Laura is amazing, taking care of everything and make sure you will feel comfortable and have fun from your staying. We stayed for 4 nights for our honeymoon and everything was perfect! The room is amazing and the staff are so kindly. We will definitely come back ❤️

Stayed here in December family of 4 . What a beautiful little gem! A lot of greenery , good sized pool and netflix is a plus for the kids . The people and the service are amazing ! We booked all the outside excursions through the hotel and it is highly recommended to do so! It is a Couple of steps away from the beach . The rooms are clean, breakfast is yummy and there are restaurants around the hotel...

Stayed here in December family of 4 . What a beautiful little gem! A lot of greenery , good sized pool and netflix is a plus for the kids . The people and the service are amazing ! We booked all the outside excursions through the hotel and it is highly recommended to do so! It is a Couple of steps away from the beach . The rooms are clean, breakfast is yummy and there are restaurants around the hotel...

We had a brief stay for one night, before leaving Zanzibar. Great service from the team. Delicious food. Awesome rooms... Thank you so much.

A nice and quiet hotel. Very nice and polite staff. Little bit far from the city but no problem to find transportation.

I had the best coconut curry dinner I’ve ever had at the Golden Palm Hotel with Freddy and the rest of the Golden Palm crew. The staff are amazing and the food was SO good! The sunset views are out of this world. Mbweni is very underrated.

Basic but functional hotel that affords you the breeze and serenity of the Indian Ocean. A no alcohol hotel makes it a quiet and family friendly place to cool off by the sea. Access is through the natural mangrove bushes on the sides of the part earth road. There is a family room (there could be more). Extremely friendly staff on the accomodation side and the restaurant. Highly recommended and great...

The hotel is situated right on the ocean near Stone Town. Stunning view and large comfortable rooms, very friendly staff!! The hotel also has a nice little pool and is overall very comfortable. It is in need of some attention with regards to maintenance and design (bathroom fixtures, the large balcony could use a bit more furniture etc). The only downside for us was the breakfast with terrible coffee...

Hotel is okay and a step above the rest you’ll find in Zanzibar. Very little variety on the menu and for breakfast. Taxis are a bit on the pricy side. The only bad thing I will say is that their bedding is really dirty. You can tell they don’t wash the covers and throw pillows put there for decoration. Aircon also doesn’t really work well and is very noisy. Our shower also had to be fixed because it...

Unique Stone Town (read old, quaint) vibes, very simple without all sorts of bells and whistles. Close to the sea and great food in the market at night.

The staff was very kind, always helpful. Breakfast is delicious, the hotel is beautiful. We had AC and ventilators, mosquito nets over the beds. The location is great.

Located on a quiet street in Stone Town close to the Old Fort and Forodhani Gardens, Kiponda is a quiet and comfortable place to stay. The staff are very friendly and helpful and the rooftop breakfast area is a cool and pleasant place to sit and enjoy a cup of tea

A nice bed and breakfast hotel with a great location in Stone Town. A simpler standard is offset by a lower price. Very helpful and skilled staff who help with most things and helpfully answer all questions. A good breakfast was served on the roof with coffee, omelette and good fresh fruit. Highly recommended.

We had a fantastic experience at Kiponda. The service was perfect. The hotel responded promptly to my requests about bicycle and luggage storage space. We stored our bicycles there and they were kind and always helpful. Although the room was slightly small, we could spend time in the breezy, comfortable dining and lounging rooftop terrace. The breakfast had a great variety of fruits, yogurt, cereal...

Kiponda is an excellent choice for accommodation in Stone Town! The staff is incredibly friendly and always willing to assist with anything you need. They even accompanied me to purchase a bus ticket and the famous Zanzibar football jersey! The breakfast served is delicious, especially paired with their excellent coffee. The building itself exudes a charming atmosphere. It's the perfect base for exploring...

We stopped here for lunch based on our drivers recomendation. It was decently priced and the food was good. I had a salad with tuna and my husband had a crepe with chocholate and banana

Beautiful restaurant and amazing accommodation. The food is very delicious. Do not leave without trying their sticky date pudding. Coffees are great too. Ambience and atmosphere you can’t go wrong there. You must visit it when you are in Zanzibar

In the Heart of Stone Town a clean spot with very friendly and attentive team members. All major attractions within walking distance. The manager Massouud is a great guy. We had room #5. Large (sleeping, hall and bathroom), quite and comfortabel. Good food in the restaurant.

Central location with plenty of attractions close by. Welcoming, friendly staff who were very helpful. Rooms comfy and well-priced. Breakfast (and other meals) good and coffee great. Would recommend the date cake with caramel sauce (maybe not for breakfast!)

Welcoming staff despite the very late check-in (Judi and her family are so kind and full of good advices) , rooms are super clean, the b&b is in a strategic position in the city, the cafe and the restaurant (archipelago) have excellent fish dishes.

Needs to do work on their rooms and do renovations. For $70 should be a bit more comfortable/ cleaner Breakfast was okay . Staff were good Wasn’t so bad for 1 night . But quite noisy if you’re not an early riser .

Very friendly personel, good AC and fans, nice breakfasts with different fruits every day, veeeery yummy spice tea.

They are very kind and try to help with everything. They make up the room every day. They find a taxi for you and help with the laundry.

Great value for what you spend. Verry clean and great location.

Good place and clean windy with cool summers every thing you need is in reach and active in the evenings

If you are looking for a budget room in Stone Town, Jambo Guest House is okay. For $15 or $20 you get a bed with fan and a/c, WiFi, shared toilet and hot shower, and a simple breakfast. It's fairly clean and quiet and not too many mosquitoes. It's not the grand vizier's old residence but it's okay for the money.

This is a wonderful budget guesthouse serving a most delicious and filling breakfast to get you going. The staff is very kind and welcoming they always tend to your needs and help your visit be comfortable. The water is hot for nice showering after touring all day. and the air conditioning along with the ceilngfan is most welcome. A very quiet place no traffic, not many tourists come this way even...

Great eclectic historical guest house. Can't beat the price with breakfast. If you're looking for a unique place with a lot of history (1st guest house in Zanzibar) and you just need a room with breakfast and no frills then this is the place. Check the photos to see what the place is before you book.

Malindi Guest House is probably the best budget guest house in Stone Town. It's close to the ferry terminal, so arriving there is very convenient and it only takes a few minutes to walk into town. The decor is very unique, creative and beautiful. We stayed here a few times and it kept getting better. Some of the rooms are a little musty, but I think a bit mold is hard to avoid in Stone Town. Mahmoud...

The location is quite close to the stone town port area and a local market. Hence, the area is quite noisy since the morning till evening. Driving to the hotel might be challenging for someone like us, who are new to the area. The room seemed to be rustic. The AC didnt work. The staff, Mahmoud, was very friendly. He helped us out a lot. The catering staff were also very pleasant.

Very nice place. Nice hotel with beautiful view to Zanzibara port and fish market. Located in history Stones town of Zanzibara city near port in city center. Nice and kind staff. Good and tasty food. Located in old, historical building. No dislikes. Liked everything. Thanks for chance to be there.

If you're looking for a relaxed and cool place to stay, this is the place for you. The host is super relaxed and always very helpful, for example with a contact to rent a scooter or to keep our suitcases safe for a few days. In general, the accommodation has a lot of love for detail and is very individual and fancy designed in a positive way. In addition, the breakfast on the rooftop terrace overlooking...

Room was quite awful but it was cheap so you get what you pay for. All though ambient was fantastic and the rooftop was amazing, decoration was quite funny but it had character. Owner was very nice. I would be back tbh.