Zanzibar Serena Hotel

Hotels
8.6 (561 reviews)
Shangani Street, Stone Town , Zanzibar City , tz

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Free
Children allowed

Facilities

WiFi available
Free WiFi
Parking
Free Parking
Non-smoking rooms
Air conditioning
Swimming pool
24-hour front desk
Restaurant
Room service
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Excellent waterfront/location with sea and pool views
Friendly, accommodating and helpful staff
Beautiful historic building and well-designed rooms/balconies
Nice pool area, live music and pleasant atmosphere
Clean, peaceful setting with sea breeze
Cons:
Food and beverage quality inconsistent; several complaints about breakfast and dinner
Perceived poor value for money — high prices and unexpected charges
Visible trash on small beach area by the breakfast room detracts from experience
Occasional maintenance issues (broken hairdryer, small bathroom/no extractor fan)
Half-board/booking confusion on arrival

Categories

Cleanliness
8.7
Generally reported as clean and well maintained, but a notable complaint about visible trash on the small beach area seen from the breakfast room lowered perception slightly.
Service
9.3
Consistently praised: friendly, helpful and accommodating staff (multiple mentions, including specific praise for staff members and late reception help). Overall service considered a strong point.
Location
9.6
Repeatedly described as excellent: waterfront/sea-front position, unbeatable location in Stone Town with great views and walking distance to attractions.
Room Quality
9
Rooms described as gorgeous, spacious with large balconies and good sea/pool views; a few minor issues noted (small bathroom, occasional broken hairdryer or extractor fan).
Amenities
9.2
Good amenities cited such as a lovely pool, balcony hammocks, live music and restaurant/breakfast facilities; some operational issues (hairdryer, extractor fan) but overall positive amenities.
Value for Money
6.5
Several guests explicitly mentioned the hotel being expensive; complaints about high prices for wine/rooms and unexpected charges (e.g., drinks at dinner, half-board confusion) reduce perceived value.
Food and Beverage
7.3
Mixed feedback: some reviewers called breakfasts and food delicious, others reported poor or limited breakfast and disappointing dinners — inconsistent F&B experience across stays.
Overall Experience
9.2
Overall very positive sentiment: many guests 'loved' their stay, highly recommend the hotel, citing charm, views and friendly staff despite some issues with value and food.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-08-11 20:15

Property Description

Luxurious 5-Star Accommodation:
Zanzibar Serena Inn, located in the heart of Stone Town, offers exquisite 5-star accommodation overlooking the stunning Indian Ocean. Each room is elegantly decorated with traditional furnishings and modern amenities, ensuring a comfortable stay.

Dining with a View:
Indulge in a culinary journey at Zanzibar Serena Inn's restaurants, offering a variety of international, Swahili, and seafood dishes. Enjoy breathtaking ocean views from the Terrace Seafood Restaurant's rooftop terrace while savoring delicious meals prepared by talented chefs.

Relaxation and Activities:
Unwind by the outdoor pool or on the beach, soaking up the sun and enjoying refreshing drinks from the Pool Terrace Bar. For the adventurous guests, snorkeling, kayaking, and diving activities are available nearby, promising an unforgettable experience.

Book your stay at Zanzibar Serena Inn for a luxurious and memorable retreat by the sea.

Important information:

Please inform of your expected arrival time in advance. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly using the contact details in your confirmation.
Guests are required to show a photo ID and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all Special Requests are subject to availability and additional charges may apply.
Payment before arrival by bank transfer is required. The property will contact you after you book to provide instructions.
A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 10:00 AM
Airport code: ZNZ

Location

Guest Reviews

8.6
Based on 561 reviews
Cleanliness: 8.7
Service: 9.3
Location: 9.6
Room Quality: 9
Amenities: 9.2
Value for Money: 6.5
Food and Beverage: 7.3
Overall Experience: 9.2
G
Gregor • couple • cn
7
Pros:

Die Lage ist top. Unbedingt Prime Zimmer nehmen. Die Aussicht ist grossartig.

Cons:

Vom Frühstücksraum gibts einen kleinen Strandabschnitt zu sehen, der voller Müll ist. Der Wächter steht dort, und Personal gibts genug, den Müll täglich zu entsorfen. Schade, wenn man beim Frühstücken auf Müll schauen muss, der leicht entfernt werden könnte.

2026-07-23 • via Nuitee
C
Christine • couple • au
10
Thoroughly recommend this hotel!
Pros:

Beautiful hotel in an historic building. The room was gorgeous and we had a lovely view of the pool and the ocean.
Position was perfect as well. Walking distance to to all the interesting parts of the city

Cons:

I loved everything

2026-07-21 • via Nuitee
S
Sizhen • family_with_children • nl
9
Fabulous place to stay in Stone Town!
Pros:

The location is great! The mix of colonial and Arabic styles is amazing!

2026-07-17 • via Nuitee
O
Oliver • solo_traveller • de
10
2026-07-15 • via Nuitee
D
david • couple • gb
9
Excellent central hotel on sea front with extremely relaxed vibe
Pros:

Opened reception late for us
Good location
Happy friendly staff
Watched football World Cup at 03.00

Cons:

Small bathroom and no extractor fan

2026-07-08 • via Nuitee
N
Nasser • extended_group • qa
10
The rooms are clean, the service is excellent, and the food is delicious.
Pros:

The rooms are clean, the service is excellent, and the food is delicious.

Cons:

...

2026-07-08 • via Nuitee
W
Wiginton • couple • us
10
Pros:

Waterfront room with balcony was great

2026-06-26 • via Nuitee
C
Cornel • solo_traveller • tz
8
It was a peaceful place with sea view & breeze
Pros:

Security & Location

Cons:

Nil

2026-06-07 • via Nuitee
I
Iain • couple • us
10
Staff very accommodating and attentive
Pros:

Location was wonderful

2026-05-30 • via Nuitee
E
Eric • couple • gh
8
2026-05-24 • via Nuitee
L
Leitch • couple • au
10
Absolutely delightful.
Pros:

The Zanzibar Serena Hotel is absolutely charming with delightful heritage features. The rooms are gorgeous and we had a huge balcony overlooking the sea and the pool. The staff are friendly and helpful, breakfast and restaurant facilities were great and the location is unbeatable. We absolutely loved our stay.

Cons:

The hotel is not cheap so maybe a good deal but otherwise we liked everything.

2026-05-20 • via Nuitee
C
Conor • solo_traveller • nl
9
Beatiful historic hotel with lovely bedrooms.
Pros:

The hotel’s location is second to none on a beach in Stone Town. Lovely pool area and nicely designed bedroom with a balcony with a hammock overlooking the sea. Special shout out to the wonderful staff including Celine who was so friendly, helpful and good natured during my stay.

Cons:

I liked everything!

2026-05-15 • via Nuitee
T
Timothy • couple • au
6
Old world charm in Stone town.
Pros:

The hotel had old world charm and it was clean and well maintained

Cons:

The food offering was a little narrow and although breakfast was advertised to be from 0600, we had to wait for almost 30 minutes when going to breakfast early on our last day as we had an early flight to catch.

2026-05-11 • via Nuitee
A
anna • couple • fr
10
2026-04-18 • via Nuitee
L
Larisa • family_with_children • il
8
Beautiful place
Pros:

The Location was great.
Very beautiful room and very clean, spacious balcony. Great swimming pool
Very nice stuff. Beautiful flowers close to the swimming pool.
Beach was very close and clean.
Nice welcome drinks
Live music on Friday evening
Enjoyed a lot

Cons:

1. I booked a half board and the employee on check in said that I have only breakfast. So I asked her to recheck it and proved via Booking
2. A hairdryer didn't work in the bathroom. Received additional one which also didn't work well (had a problem with a cable).
3. Not a good breakfast. Could be much better for 5 stars hotel. No vegetables. Very poor breakfast
4. Very poor dinner, especially if u are staying for several days. Water and soda was not included to our dinner and we had to pay extra for that after dinner. Was in shock

2026-04-04 • via Nuitee
I
Iuliia • couple • ru
10
Pros:

Отличный отель, очень вежливый персонал, чисто, вкусные завтраки.

2026-03-26 • via Nuitee
H
HARRY • family_with_children • ch
8
Pros:

Das schöne alte, im kolonialstil erhaltene Gebäude, die tolle Lage und das reichhaltige Frühstück. Das tolle Reinigungspersonal.

Cons:

Die völlig überissenen Preise für Wein und der Zimmer. Die Rezeption ist noch in einer Art Planwirtschaft, was nicht diesem Preisniveau entspricht. Als nicht Muslime fühlten wir uns nicht richtig willkommen, vielleicht spielte hier der Ramadan auch noch eine Rolle, was aber auf der restlichen Insel kein Problem darstellte solange man sich respektvoll verhält.

2026-03-21 • via Nuitee
P
Patricia • extended_group • de
9
Jederzeit wieder
Pros:

Tolle Lage,super nettes Personal,leckeres Essen,großer Pool

2026-03-21 • via Nuitee
F
Fiona • couple • gb
9
2026-03-15 • via Nuitee
L
Laurent • family_with_children • fr
9
2026-03-14 • via Nuitee