Overall Ratings & Reviews Zanzibar Palace Hotel

Staff very friendly and accommodating. Great location in the city of stone town very walkable. Breakfast daily. This review is based on staying in two different rooms. The Shaba was large spacious. The rosemond was small and adequate but the water pressure in the shower was very low and no privacy curtain in the window. The amount of light in the rooms are low when applying makeup or using the mirror.

The bathroom privacy is uncomfortable

Daniela was a fantastic and welcoming host. This historic, well appointed hotel will be a favorite memory and repeat visit. The food was delicious. The coffee and beds were some of the best I've had in Africa. Daniela and I had a great conversations and she arranged a prison island tour for us. It was my second trip to Stone Town and second tour. Last time it wasn't bad but this time it was a better experience. The pilot and your guide this time were far superior to the last prison island excursion.

I had a wonderful stay at the Zanzibar Palace Hotel. The owner and staff were very nice, helpful and accommodating to my needs. The breakfast was delicious and filling. I did not even need lunch and would be good until dinner. The hotel and rooms are very beautiful and authentic, I felt like a Disney princess :)

Very charming and atmospheric hotel in an old mansion in the center of Stone Town, 3-10 minutes’ walk to restaurants, Darajani Market, shops, Forodhani waterfront park and historic sites. Very clean with updated bathroom, including excellent shower, and internet and very good restaurant just for guests (nine rooms only). We stayed in Rosewood, a very small but attractive room on the 3rd floor (2nd floor for Europeans). Many stairs, no elevator. Daniela, the owner, and all of the staff are professional, attentive, helpful and friendly. We’d stay here again.

Great spot in the middle of town if your in stone town it’s a perfect central location

Very uniquely Zanzibar with an owner who goes out of the way to make you comfortable and happy. Great place to stay

The property lacks personality and an identity. Seems more like a hostel than a hotel. It’s a cool building but the decor and design is non-existent and there is little energy in the place. Location is good and the airport pick up for VIP was helpful.

Friendly and helpful staffs.

This place is authentically decorated and very charming. The room and veranda are quite spacious and very well appointed with warm personalized details like elegantly hand written tags on the hair and body care bottles. The bed is very comfortable. Daniella is incredibly helpful. I was nervous about getting lost on my way to a dinner reservation even though it was very close. The center of town can be a bit of a maze to navigate, so she had one of her staff escort me the entire way there. She also informed me that the restaurant staff would accompany me back. After dinner, I was escorted comfortably back. The breakfast is so pleasant with a varied selection of buffet items as well as prepare to order items. Oh, and they have a really nice coffee machine that can make lattes, espresso, regular coffee, etc. it was some of the best coffee I enjoyed on the trip. I am a solo traveler in my early 60’s so I regularly interact with staff to enjoy conversations. Daniela is quite engaging, a real joy to speak with. She’s never too busy to provide a suggestion or partake in a conversation. The restaurant and bar staff were just as delightful and I even shared drink recipes with one. An incredibly great stay! I would stay here again!

Too old and run down. Stairs were unsafe and not level. Bed was too high. Bathroom was tiny and old. Tv didn’t work well. I didn’t like the mosquito netting around the bed.

Great stay with awesome staff.

I've stayed in hundreds of hotel rooms across the globe of various quality and this one takes the cake for some serious malfunctions. I was prepared for unique and thought it would be a super cool place. We had the honeymoon suite. Up six very steep flights of stairs (could be charming). I had immediately asked to be shown the room. They insisted on showing us around the lobby. Seriously. I really just needed to go to pee but they had to show us the dirty couch. we make it up the 6 steep flights. Weird. They show us the bathroom. Which is up another flight of stairs and outside. It was pouring rain. Although there was a cover I peed while getting rained on. Like for real. So we leave and sightsee for a few hours. We come back and head the six flights back to our room. And we can't get in. Try unlocking it and it it kept getting relocked. From the inside. There was someone in there that kept relocking the door. Slightly off but okay. The lady for turn down service finally lets us into our own room and continues to awkwardly do not sure what. Then with us in the room she sprays crazy amounts of roach spray. Like for real. The room has a sheen of roach spray that is settling all over it and us. Completely nauseated by the smell and the process. Unbelievable. I called down and asked them to find us a cab. To be fair to the hotel I didn't complain. I just wanted out. since I didn't touch one thing I asked for partial refund. They said no. Stay at the Hyatt.

It was totally the opposite of what we expected certainly not 4 star. Misold

Property and staff were nice. Getting to the hotel is difficult. Roads leading to property aren’t much wider than a car width.

Great stay in the center of Stone Town. The building is unique with an interesting history and every room has a slightly different vibe. Our room has a balcony to the busy street below and an in-room large bath/shower. All of the staff were very friendly and gave maximum effort to ensure we enjoyed our stay.

Amazing character, this. Hotel has a charm that totally enhanced my stay and out in context where I was and the history. The staff - omg so courteous and helpful, in all my travels I have not experienced more genuine hospitality

Beautiful old building with charm. Very friendly and helpful staff.

I enjoyed the traditional Cousy nature it has. I did not like the fact it doesn’t have ramp access at the entrance and no elevator… UNESCO prevented that I understand but it makes it family unfriendly

I have stayed at dozens of hotels throughout Africa, and this is my new favorite! We loved every part of it…the bed, bath, beauty, ambiance, food, wine, staff, and owner! The room had all the amenities we needed, the bed was exceptionally comfortable, the location in the heart of stone town is superb, and the breakfast delicious! We have already booked our next stay.