Free
Children allowed

Facilities

Fitness facilities
WiFi available
Free WiFi
Parking
Free Parking
Non-smoking rooms
Air conditioning
Fitness center
Swimming pool
24-hour front desk
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Excellent central location
Friendly and helpful staff
Clean, modern rooms and public areas
Rooftop bar with pool and city/sea views
Nice restaurant with good views
Many guests would recommend / report great overall stays
Cons:
Poor soundproofing and noise from courtyard/rooftop/nearby work
Mosquito issues reported
Limited breakfast options for some guests
Occasional service hiccups (transfer waiting, restaurant payment delays)
Streaming/entertainment (Netflix) not available for some guests
A few worn items (towels) in rooms

Categories

Cleanliness
8.7
Multiple reviews praise rooms and public areas as very clean and modern; a few minor notes (towels old) but overall strong cleanliness.
Service
8.3
Staff repeatedly described as friendly and helpful and often singled out positively; a few service hiccups noted (transfer delay, payment delay in restaurant) that slightly lower this score.
Location
9.2
Consistently highlighted as excellent/central/near landmarks and market; repeatedly called amazing and very convenient for Stone Town and attractions.
Room Quality
6.7
Rooms described as modern and spacious but several guests report poor soundproofing, noise from courtyard/roof bar/nearby work and mosquito issues; these negatively affect room comfort.
Amenities
8
Rooftop bar, small pool, buffet breakfast and restaurant with good views are positive features; some guests note limited breakfast options and streaming (Netflix) issues.
Value for Money
8.2
Standard quality for this hotel tier.
Food and Beverage
7.8
Food described as decent/good with pleasant restaurant views; breakfast options are noted as limited by some guests, bringing the score down slightly.
Overall Experience
8.7
Most reviews are positive and many guests recommend the hotel (several 10/10s); overall a very good stay but impacted for some by noise, occasional service delays and minor amenity issues.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-08-13 03:42

Property Description

Breathtaking Views and Local Charm
Experience panoramic views of Stone Town and the Indian Ocean from Maru Maru Hotel's cocktail bar. The air-conditioned rooms feature locally made furniture and unique touches like wooden ceiling beams, offering a cozy and authentic stay.

Culinary Delights and Relaxation
Indulge in a buffet breakfast and dinner at the elegant Fountain Restaurant, or savor Indian cuisine at the Terrace Restaurant. Enjoy the convenience of room service and unwind at the hotel's bar and barbecue facilities.

Convenience and Excursions
Benefit from free on-site parking, with the option of arranging an airport shuttle for a hassle-free arrival. Let the 24-hour reception assist you in organizing massages, car rentals, and exciting excursions to explore Stone Town, Forodhani Gardens, and beyond.

Book now to immerse yourself in the rich culture and comfort of Maru Maru Hotel.

Important information:

A 5% surcharge will be charged on all credit card payments.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: 11:00 AM
Airport code: ZNZ

Location

Guest Reviews

8.2
Based on 1466 reviews
Cleanliness: 8.7
Service: 8.3
Location: 9.2
Room Quality: 6.7
Amenities: 8
Value for Money: 8.2
Food and Beverage: 7.8
Overall Experience: 8.7
K
Kleinekoort • family_with_children • nl
1
2026-09-17 • via Nuitee
V
victoria • solo_traveller • tz
8
2026-09-16 • via Nuitee
B
Birgid • couple • ca
8
A Good Choice for Stonetown
Pros:

The Mary Mary it’s truly one of the best locations in the old city. You walk out the door and there are shops, places to have a coffee and numerous restaurants within walking distance. It’s close to the ocean, the harbor, the park. It is well located.
Being a westerner, the air-conditioning was great! The bed was comfortable. It was decent variety of options for breakfast. The rooftop pool, bar and menu was substantial.

Cons:

We were on the third floor, so we heard a lot of the shuffling of restaurant chairs directly above us, and the live music at night when we were ready for bed and they weren’t. We picked the top floor, but had we known before that, we would’ve stayed on the second floor.

2026-09-15 • via Nuitee
K
kristi • couple • us
7
Comfortable, well located, clean.
Pros:

Pool, nightly music, rooftop bar, the air conditioning.

Cons:

Food was average, bed was hard.

2026-09-15 • via Nuitee
C
Cindy • solo_traveller • za
10
Pros:

Location, entertainment, food and drinks

2026-09-14 • via Nuitee
K
Khapriss • couple • fr
9
Très bien
Pros:

Style et charme de cet hotel.
Chech in et check out rapide.
L'emplacement près du vieux fort et du front de mer.Proche également de plusieurs sites d'intérêt,de boutiques et restaurants.
Chambre confortable et spacieuse.
L'accueil et le professionnalisme du personnel.
Le rooftop avec son superbe point de vue sur la ville et la mer surtout au coucher du soleil.

Cons:

Rien

2026-09-14 • via Nuitee
J
Jason • couple • au
9
2026-09-14 • via Nuitee
P
paolo • couple • tz
5
Cons:

Beautiful building, very disappointing management — 5/10

We are regular guests at Maru Maru and keep coming back because the historic Swahili architecture and beautiful old wooden details are genuinely lovely. Unfortunately, the management and guest experience have become increasingly disappointing.

The hotel does not make the most of its beautiful architecture: damaged outdoor furniture, cheap advertising boards and extremely cheesy music detract from what could be a wonderful atmosphere.

More seriously, everything feels unnecessarily complicated and mistrustful. We booked directly via WhatsApp and were told the hotel would match the Booking.com rate, only to be told on arrival that the receptionist could not honour it. We then booked through Booking.com to avoid the confusion. A promotion advertised early check-in/late check-out was also not understood by the front desk, resulting in several argumentative phone calls from management rather than a simple apology or solution.

Throughout the stay, there was a constant feeling of being checked and reprimanded. We were stopped when returning to the hotel after dinner, asked for our room number and car keys, and lectured about a rule that had never been communicated to us. At check-out, despite having nothing on our bill, we were made to wait while housekeeping checked whether we had consumed the Pringles in the room.

This is particularly ironic because, on a previous stay, I accidentally left a nightgown behind and contacted the hotel by WhatsApp about an hour after leaving. I received no response, and two weeks later the item could not be found.

The impression is that the front desk is so focused on enforcing rules and avoiding mistakes that staff are afraid to use any initiative or common sense. This feels like a management issue: staff need to be empowered to solve problems, not placed in a position where every small issue becomes a matter of control and reprimand.

2026-09-13 • via Nuitee
V
valentine • solo_traveller • gb
6
2026-09-11 • via Nuitee
V
valentine • solo_traveller • gb
2
2026-09-11 • via Nuitee
E
Evi • couple • gr
9
2026-09-09 • via Nuitee
N
Nurijanyan • solo_traveller • am
9
2026-09-08 • via Nuitee
S
Sami • family_with_children • om
10
2026-09-08 • via Nuitee
V
victoria • solo_traveller • tz
5
2026-09-08 • via Nuitee
M
Megan • couple • au
9
Good location and peaceful away from all the hawkers!
Pros:

Location location location

2026-09-08 • via Nuitee
L
López • solo_traveller • es
1
Pros:

La terraza

Cons:

Muy mal el gerente y la recepcionista.

2026-09-07 • via Nuitee
J
Jon • couple • es
1
2026-09-06 • via Nuitee
M
Mariano • couple • es
8
2026-09-06 • via Nuitee
S
shane • family_with_children • tz
9
2026-09-05 • via Nuitee
N
Nelia • couple • za
9
Beautiful hotel in good location - rooftop restaurant and bar is very nice.
Pros:

The property is in a very good location. It like the old style of the building - fit in with the surroundings. There are nice little shops around the property and the beach is close by. The rooftop is very nice.

2026-09-04 • via Nuitee