Stonetown View Inn

Hotels
•
Independent
7.6 (20 reviews)
Malindi Rd, Zanzibar Town, Zanzibar Urban , Zanzibar Town , TZ
255-672879115

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Facilities

Free WiFi
24-hour front desk
Terrace
Luggage storage
Concierge service
Wheelchair accessible
Breakfast available (surcharge)
Smoke-free property
Tours/ticket assistance
Free reception
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Good location / close to souk
Friendly and hospitable staff (named staff praised)
Very low price / good for budget travelers
Easy to find / convenient for transit
Some guests felt treated like family
Cons:
Frequent lack of water and reports of electricity outages
Poor cleanliness: dirty rooms, stained sheets, mold, bad smells
No towels/toiletries provided in several cases
Room issues: broken bulbs, AC/fridge problems, dark rooms
Breakfast often unavailable despite being advertised
Wi‑Fi unreliable at night
Reports of rodents / need for pest control
Booking/payment problems and at least one unresolved refund complaint

Categories

Cleanliness
6
Multiple reviews report dirty rooms, stained sheets, mold in bathrooms and a generally poor level of cleaning; however some guests did not mention cleanliness problems, so score tempered above a minimal level.
Service
9.5
Several guests repeatedly praised staff as very polite, hospitable and helpful (names like Farida cited); there are isolated but notable administrative/booking/payment complaints and reports of lack of operational support during outages.
Location
9.5
Location was repeatedly described as good, easy to find and conveniently placed near the souk — consistently a strong positive in the reviews.
Room Quality
6
Rooms described as decrepit by some guests: broken bulbs, AC/dripping, fridges not working, dark rooms and cramped bed configurations after room changes — issues reported but not uniformly catastrophic.
Amenities
6
Frequent complaints about no towels/toiletries, intermittent or no Wi‑Fi at night, no water/electricity outages, lack of AC/ventilation at times; some basic amenities work but overall unreliable.
Value for Money
9
Several guests highlighted the very low price and described it as unbeatable for location — good for budget/transit stays despite shortcomings, making perceived value high for many visitors.
Food and Beverage
6
Breakfast was advertised but frequently unavailable or unattended; when present it is basic — reports indicate unreliable F&B service rather than outright good quality.
Overall Experience
8.8
Mixed overall: many operational failings (no water, power outages, cleanliness issues, booking/payment problems) are balanced by consistently praised staff and very good location/price, producing varied guest experiences.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-06-04 12:10

Property Description

Relaxation and Luxury
Pamper yourself with onsite massages or take in the view from a rooftop terrace. Additional amenities include complimentary wireless internet access and concierge services.

Culinary Delights
Enjoy local and international cuisine at Storm Seafood Grill, a restaurant where you can take in the ocean view, or stay in and take advantage of room service. Mingle with other guests at the complimentary daily reception.

Convenience and Comfort
Featured amenities include dry cleaning services, a 24-hour front desk, and luggage storage. A surcharge airport shuttle is available, with free self-parking onsite. Stay in one of the 25 guestrooms featuring flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi, and satellite programming.

Escape to Stonetown View Inn for a blissful retreat in Zanzibar Town. Book now to experience luxury, culinary delights, and convenience at its best.

Important information:

  • Reservations are required for massage services. Reservations can be made by contacting the hotel prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation.
  • No pets and no service animals are allowed at this property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 11:00 AM
Airport code: ZIA

Property Policies

  • Pets

    Pets not allowed

  • Sustainability Certifications

    Property confirms they are implementing guest safety measures

  • Pets

    Service animals not allowed

  • General

    Guests are provided with free hand sanitizer

  • Guest type

    Essential workers only - NO

See all policies

Location

Guest Reviews

7.6
Based on 20 reviews
Cleanliness: 6
Service: 9.5
Location: 9.5
Room Quality: 6
Amenities: 6
Value for Money: 9
Food and Beverage: 6
Overall Experience: 8.8
L
Lupande • couple • tz
7
The hotel presents convenience for business trios where no much is spent on local transport. The hotel is surrounded wit
Pros:

Close proximity to the Zanzibar - harbour, less than 5 minutes.

Convenient commuting to meeting venues because at harbour taxis and all kind of transport services are easily available.

Cons:

Nothing

2026-07-25 • via Nuitee
L
Lubomír • extended_group • cz
7
Pros:

Blízko přístavu, po první noci, kdy nás rušil hluk z ulice a praskla postel, nám bez problémů vyměnili pokoj

Cons:

Umistění hotelu je trochu jinde, než na mapách, ale našli jsme ho :)

2026-07-24 • via Nuitee
J
jetha • solo_traveller • gb
2
Cons:

I arrived with good hopes but turned out to be a disaster experience, water flow was low that i couldnt even have shower well. Lizard in my room. Blanket had a big hole on it,
I wouldnt recommened this place to anyone.
Management was zero effort .

2026-07-17 • via Nuitee
D
Danny • solo_traveller • be
9
2026-07-13 • via Nuitee
M
M'hadji • solo_traveller • fr
4
Pros:

La situation en centre ville

Cons:

Le petit déjeuner omelettes tous les jours et quelques tranches de pastèques . Vraiment nul . Pas de télévision dans la chambre .

2026-07-06 • via Nuitee
N
Nyawira • couple • ke
4
2026-07-02 • via Nuitee
R
Raziya • solo_traveller • gb
10
2026-07-02 • via Nuitee
A
Ahadi • solo_traveller • ae
8
Pros:

The view and comfortability

2026-06-29 • via Nuitee
M
Mpango • solo_traveller • gb
1
Beware, there are only two good double rooms and they offered on a first come first served.
Pros:

Staff were very nice and always available to help.

Cons:

The room that I was sold was very different to what was listed. There was no balcony, no wardrobe and barely any floor space. Very disappointing.

2026-06-29 • via Nuitee
K
kayanda • solo_traveller • tz
5
2026-06-22 • via Nuitee
M
Maheri • solo_traveller • tz
5
The hotel should be clear on status they have for this period and change the picture.
Pros:

The location of accommodation is good but its too old everything and other device not working

Cons:

Location availability

2026-06-17 • via Nuitee
R
Roland • family_with_children • de
4
Nicht zu empfehlen
Pros:

Die Lage ist gut.

Cons:

Meine Frau kommt aus Zanzibar, normalerweise muss sie keine tax zahlen, aber hier musste Sie. Die Zimmer sind nicht wirklich sauber,schon gar nicht die badezimmer. Das Personal ist bemüht. Aber freundlich. Wir waren 8 Tage dort. Zum Frühstück gibt es jeden Tag, nur Eier gebraten, einen Teebeutel und 2 Toast, dazu Melone und 1 Stück orange. Immer das gleiche. Kaffee haben wir uns dann selber gekauft. Mosquito spray haben wir nur auf Anfrage erhalten. Wurde von selbst nicht gemacht. Es gibt viel zu verbessern in dem Hotel. Vor allem die Sauberkeit. Selbst in der Kassetten Box für Wertsachen haben wir Müll gefunden. Das spricht für die Sauberkeit. Das Hotel ist nicht teuer, aber ich habe schon bessere Hotels in zanzibar gehabt die billiger waren.

2026-06-14 • via Nuitee
M
Mike • solo_traveller • nz
8
Great location in Stone town. Old ramshackle building with room to match. Good value for money.
Pros:

Brilliant location in Stone Town. It is an original old building and the room matched that. Great value for money.

2026-06-12 • via Nuitee
P
Paulina • couple • pl
7
Good for short stay although not without problems
Pros:

- very good and full breakfast at a rooftop with beautiful view on the Stone Town and ocean
- good location close to the harbour and Darajani market
- kind staff
- when asked they gave us another, quiet room for the rest of the nights

Cons:

- staff making problem from the very beginning claiming Booking causes problems for them because the rates are too low and this ruins their business
- room with the balcony from the street side was extremely loud and it was impossible to fall asleep even wth the earplugs

2026-06-11 • via Nuitee
H
HAMISI IDDI • solo_traveller • tr
1
Big disappointment
Pros:

Only Location

Cons:

The room was not clean. The toilet was in very bad condition. You can see cockroaches on the floor. Poor communication skills from the staff.

2026-06-06 • via Nuitee
A
Atallah • solo_traveller • ae
5
Cons:

Room was not clean the ac barely working need more work and attention

2026-06-05 • via Nuitee
H
HbbYns • solo_traveller • tr
3
2026-06-01 • via Nuitee
K
Kristoffer Folke • couple • dk
10
2026-04-25 • via Nuitee
M
Manyane • solo_traveller • za
3
Cons:

The pictures on booking.com are far from the reality of the hotels current state & are definitely miss leading.

2026-04-21 • via Nuitee
A
Amy • solo_traveller • tz
4
I managed but won’t stay there again. No water was really unacceptable.
Pros:

The location was good and easy to find.

Cons:

There was no water for almost the entire time and there was no breakfast available, as advertised.

2026-04-19 • via Nuitee