We recently stayed at a 4-star hotel in Stone Town and, unfortunately, it did not live up to expectations.
The staff were friendly, but not particularly proactive or helpful when issues arose. While we appreciated the warm demeanor, the service didn’t quite meet the standard you’d expect from a hotel rated at this level.
Breakfast was served on the rooftop, which did offer a lovely view of the city and ocean—a definite highlight. However, the breakfast options were quite limited, and the overall quality was underwhelming.
Our biggest disappointment was with the room itself. We stayed in the “Living Stone” room, which looked charming and character-filled in the online photos. In reality, the room was fairly basic and lacked any of the charm or ambiance we had anticipated. It felt rather plain and unremarkable.
Cleanliness was a significant issue. Upon arrival, we discovered the bed linens were dirty and had to request that the bed be remade—a surprising oversight. Even after that, the overall cleanliness left much to be desired. To make matters worse, the bathroom had a persistent sewage odor that was impossible to ignore.
While the hotel has potential—particularly with its rooftop and central location—it fell short in areas that really matter: cleanliness, comfort, and value for money. Sadly, we left feeling disappointed and wouldn’t return or recommend it to others without significant improvements.
