The Swahili House

Hotels
8.3 (424 reviews)
Stone Town , Zanzibar City , tz
+255 777 510 209

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Children allowed

Facilities

WiFi available
Free WiFi
Parking
Non-smoking rooms
Air conditioning
Swimming pool
Restaurant
Room service
Terrace
Family rooms
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Great location
Friendly service
Cons:
Limited breakfast options
Cleanliness issues noted

Categories

Cleanliness
7.84
Some reviews mention cleanliness positively, but significant issues affecting comfort were noted.
Service
9.31
General sentiment is positive; guests noted the staff's kindness and efficient service.
Location
9.35
Multiple reviews praise the hotel's excellent central location, making it easy to explore.
Room Quality
7.8
Rooms were described with some comfort, but issues like outdated decor were mentioned.
Amenities
7.33
Some amenities like the pool and Wi-Fi reception are below expectations.
Value for Money
9.29
Guests frequently commented on the good value for the price paid.
Food and Beverage
6.84
Breakfast options were noted to be limited and disappointing.
Overall Experience
8.61
Overall satisfaction was high, with specific highlights being location and service.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-01-08 04:13

Property Description

Charming Boutique Hotel in the Heart of Stone Town

Traditional Swahili Decor
Experience the charm of traditional Swahili style in our beautifully decorated rooms. Each room offers a comfortable stay with a fan and mosquito nets for a restful night's sleep.

Rooftop Dining and Relaxation
Indulge in fresh seafood and Mediterranean Tapas at our rooftop restaurant with stunning views. Unwind in the hot tub while overlooking the Indian Ocean, creating a truly memorable experience.

Convenient Location and Excursions
Located in the center of Stone Town, explore the bustling markets and nearby attractions easily. Let us arrange exciting excursions to Spice Tours, Jozani Forest, and more upon your request.

Book now to enjoy a unique stay at The Swahili House and create unforgettable memories!

Important information:

A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 09:30 AM
Airport code: ZNZ

Location

Guest Reviews

8.3
Based on 424 reviews
Cleanliness: 7.84
Service: 9.31
Location: 9.35
Room Quality: 7.8
Amenities: 7.33
Value for Money: 9.29
Food and Beverage: 6.84
Overall Experience: 8.61
D
Deborah • couple • be
8
Pros:

All the staff of this hotel will make your stay a very great experience. Thank you to all of them.
They hotel is cosy with a Sanzibar charm that will make feel like home.

Cons:

Internet must be in the room

2026-08-25 • via Nuitee
M
Mélanie • couple • fr
7
Pros:

Hôtel en plein centre avec beaucoup de charme.
Personnel à l'accueil avec un excellent service (et parlant un très bon français).

Cons:

Très déçues car la "piscine" était vide et nous avions choisi cet hôtel pour celle ci.
La restauration pourrait être améliorée.

2026-08-24 • via Nuitee
A
Ayshan • couple • tr
1
Don’t choose this place — you’ll regret it!
Pros:

I’ve probably stayed in hundreds of hotels, but I’ve never seen a bed this terrible. Honestly, sleeping on a rock would have been better — at least we would know it was a rock! What kind of bed is this? We stayed for two nights and ended up with such bad back pain that we had to rush to get a massage.

The breakfast was absolutely awful as well. There’s no phone in the room, not even a kettle. It feels like the hotel is stuck in another century. And check-out is at 10 a.m… Honestly, I wouldn’t recommend this hotel to anyone.

The only good thing about this place is the staff. They are incredibly kind, positive, and always smiling.

2026-08-23 • via Nuitee
A
Axel • couple • fr
8
Hôtel au cœur de Stone Town
Pros:

Hôtel au cœur de Stone Town avec malheureusement beaucoup de bruit (lié à la ville et pas forcément à l’hôtel).
Pratique pour se rendre dans les points d’intérêts à pied
Le personnel souriant et accueillant.
Le rooftop permet d’avoir une vue sur la ville et sur le couché de soleil

Cons:

Chambre pas insonorisé (simple moustiquaire au fenêtre) et donc bruit de la ville toute la nuit

2026-08-20 • via Nuitee
T
Tsuyoshi • couple • jp
8
アクセスの良さと静かさは抜群。見晴らしも最高に落ち着ける地域で一番背の高いホテル❣️
Pros:

古いが素敵な部屋でした。ルーフトップのレストランは風が通り心地よく、タバコも吸えるし、景色も抜群❣️

スタッフがめちゃくちゃ優しい対応で、レストランのスタッフも楽しい会話で旅を盛り上げてくれた。

迷路のようなエリアで、ホテルに帰れるか心配だったが，慣れてくると、大変便利な立地。タクシーは入ってこれないが，迎えに来てくれるし、全く問題なし。

料理が美味くて、ここを選んで良かった(^O^)

2026-08-17 • via Nuitee
G
Guillaume • solo_traveller • fr
8
Pros:

Le charme de l'hôtel.
Chambres spacieuses

Cons:

Service trop long au restaurant

2026-08-07 • via Nuitee
S
Sinje • couple • de
10
Pros:

Das Hotel ist wunderschön renoviert und landestypisch möbliert. Es liegt ideal in der Altstadt. Das Personal ist sehr nett und hilfsbereit. Das Restaurant auf der großen Dachterrasse gewährt einen spektakulären Blick über die Altstadt bis zum Hafen und serviert sehr leckeres Essen.

2026-08-05 • via Nuitee
C
Caroline • solo_traveller • fr
9
Pros:

L'authenticité du lieu, la gentillesse du personnel, le roof top, la cuisine

2026-07-15 • via Nuitee
A
Anne • couple • fr
10
Très bien
Pros:

Emplacement

Cons:

Bruit extérieur

2026-07-15 • via Nuitee
C
Carin • family_with_children • ch
10
2026-07-15 • via Nuitee
A
AMBACOLL • solo_traveller • be
9
Pros:

L’amabilité du personnel, la propreté, le calme.

Cons:

Pas de Wi-Fi dispo dans la chambre. Pas de piscine , c'est juste un coin d’eau.

2026-06-22 • via Nuitee
K
Karen • family_with_children • be
10
2026-04-05 • via Nuitee
G
Gaby • family_with_children • nl
8
Pros:

Nice comfortable room, friendly staff good location in the middle of Stone Town

2026-03-24 • via Nuitee
N
nino • couple • de
5
Pros:

Swahili House has central location. Building is historic and quite nice with roof terrace which has great view to the city.Staff were quite nice and the manager gave us possibility to stay in our room until our time to the Airport.

Cons:

Room was quite small but was OK. Our major problem was electricity which was off during midnight and we were without the fan and conditioner until the next day. It was soo hot and without air that we hardly could breath. As soon sun raise started we went up to the rooftop to breath. It was so early that even the staff were not there yet.

2026-03-24 • via Nuitee
M
Monika • family_with_children • ch
7
2026-03-13 • via Nuitee
P
Petri • couple • nl
8
2026-03-08 • via Nuitee
S
Sandra • couple • us
9
Very enjoyable for a 2 night stay
Pros:

It was a beautiful old building, nicely decorated, liked the roof bar

Cons:

The food on the resturant wasn’t very good

2026-03-04 • via Nuitee
U
Uffe • extended_group • dk
7
2026-02-13 • via Nuitee
D
David • couple • fr
8
2026-01-25 • via Nuitee
E
Endimion67 • family_with_children • fr
9
Very nice place to stay in stone town
Pros:

This is a very nice place with very nice and friendly staff. The room are really nice too, we love the style very traditional.

Cons:

The AC wasn't working very well in one of the three rooms but still enough to sleep properly. The restaurant was alright but the breakfast selection could improve. The fruits and juices are excellent and the cocktails too especiallywhen it's the main bartenderdoing them.

2026-01-25 • via Nuitee