Kisiwa House

Hotels
9.2 (690 reviews)
572 Baghani Street, Stone Town , Zanzibar City , tz

Children allowed

Facilities

WiFi available
Free WiFi
Non-smoking rooms
Air conditioning
24-hour front desk
Restaurant
Room service
Terrace
Family rooms
Garden
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Historical charm
Attentive staff
Excellent location
Cons:
Occasional noise from the restaurant
Overpriced restaurant

Categories

Cleanliness
9.31
Most reviews indicate that the hotel is meticulously cleaned and very hygienic.
Service
9.78
Staff were described as kind, attentive, and friendly across multiple reviews.
Location
9.32
Conveniently located near the center of Stone Town, perfect for sightseeing.
Room Quality
9.27
Rooms are spacious, beautifully decorated, and comfortable.
Amenities
8.8
Includes rooftop dinner experience and breakfast; however, some minor drawbacks mentioned.
Value for Money
9.26
Good value for a historic building with positive remarks in several reviews.
Food and Beverage
8.31
Food was mentioned to be good, but one review noted that the restaurant was overpriced and lacking.
Overall Experience
9.58
Overall positive sentiment with multiple recommendations from guests.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-01-08 10:26

Property Description

Historical Charm and Modern Comfort
Experience the unique blend of historical charm and modern comfort at Kisiwa House. Located in the heart of historical Stone Town in Zanzibar, this hotel offers beautifully decorated rooms with Swahili style touches, flat-screen TVs, and spa baths in the private bathrooms.

Scenic Rooftop Dining
Indulge in a culinary journey with panoramic views of Stone Town and the Indian Ocean at the rooftop restaurant. Enjoy a mix of local and international cuisine while taking in the breathtaking surroundings.

Relaxation and Convenience
Unwind in the garden or courtyard lounge, or explore nearby museums and antique shops within walking distance. With Zanzibar International Airport just a 10-minute drive away, let us arrange your airport shuttle for a seamless travel experience. Book your stay at Kisiwa House now for a memorable getaway.

Important information:

A deposit may be required at the property.

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

Property Policies

  • Internet

    WiFi is available in all areas and is free of charge.

  • Parking

    No parking available.

  • Pets

    Pets are not allowed.

  • Children and extra bed policy

    Children of any age are allowed.
    Children up to and including 2 years old stay for free when using an available cot.
    Children up to and including 2 years old stay for free when using an existing bed.
    Children from 3 years old to 15 years old stay for US$71 per person per night when using an available extra bed.
    Any type of extra bed or child's cot/crib is upon request and needs to be confirmed by management.
    Supplements are not calculated automatically in the total costs and will have to be paid for separately during your stay.

Location

Guest Reviews

9.2
Based on 690 reviews
Cleanliness: 9.31
Service: 9.78
Location: 9.32
Room Quality: 9.27
Amenities: 8.8
Value for Money: 9.26
Food and Beverage: 8.31
Overall Experience: 9.58
A
anneo923 Couples New Zealand
10
Old World Charm
Pros:

Lovely old world experience at this hotel. Breakfast was excellent, decided not to have dinner here as there was no alcohol, otherwise we certainly

2026-07-23 via Tripadvisor
P
Pia solo_traveller de
10
Sehr nettes Hotel. Für den Aufenthalt in Stone Town optimal.
Pros:

Es war alles sehr sauber und schön eingerichtet. Das Hotel Personal war unglaublich freundlich.
Das Abendessen musste ich vorbestellen. Es war köstlich. Alkohol wird dort nicht gereicht, aber man kann sich Wein oder Bier zum Essen mitbringen.

Cons:

Ich hatte ein paar Probleme mit dem WLAN. Es gibt wohl ein Zimmer, das bekanntlich einen schlechten oder eher kleinen Empfang hat. Daraufhin wurde mir ein neues Zimmer angeboten, was ich aber nicht mehr in Anspruch genommen habe.

2026-07-20 via Nuitee
8
814jof Family
10
Lovely stay !
Pros:

A lovely small boutique hotel, with a lovely big room and bathroom including a bath! Right on the heart of Stone Town, very close to the harbour where you can get a boat to the various island. Staff exceptional, breakfast lovely, evening meal delicious with live local music. Highly recommend.

2026-07-15 via Tripadvisor
M
mixa76 Couples Gudja, Island of Malta
10
Relaxing
Pros:

Place is nice and clean. Staff are so welcoming and food is good too. Hotel is located very central to all attractions

2026-07-14 via Tripadvisor
A
Alvaro couple es
9
Repetiríamos seguro!!!! Súper recomendable
Pros:

El trato del personal, súper amables y atentos. La habitación es súper grande, cómoda y limpia. Además tiene contraventanas y no entra la luz por la mañana (algo que es bastante complicado encontrar en África). El desayuno nos encantó, súper completo y riquísimo.

Cons:

No tiene ascensor pero el personal te ayuda a subir las maletas. No dan comidas, solo cenas y dejan de servir a las 21:30

2026-07-14 via Nuitee
S
Sofyan couple nl
6
Pros:

I am sharing this review to help other travelers planning their trip. My wife and I stayed at Kisiwa House during our visit to Stone Town, and it was a perfectly fine choice for a short trip. One of the main reasons I booked this hotel was its excellent location—it is nice and close to the airport, which made it the perfect place to relax and recover right after our journey.
In my opinion, Stone Town itself is great to explore, but you really only need a maximum of two days to see it all. Fortunately, two days was exactly how long we stayed.
The hotel is ideal for a brief stay of up to two days. Our room was neat, clean, and comfortable, and the shower and amenities were all in good working order. The staff members were friendly and welcoming throughout our visit, and everything else was pretty standard.
However, I must say that the food here is unfortunately of very low quality. If you stay here, I would recommend eating out instead.
Overall, there was nothing incredibly spectacular about the property, but it delivers the basics. If you are looking for a reliable, clean place to sleep while recovering from travel and exploring Stone Town for a day or two—and you don't mind dining elsewhere—Kisiwa House is a decent option.

2026-07-13 via Nuitee
S
smita extended_group in
8
Nice luxury boutique hotel
Pros:

Hotel interiors nicely done.

Cons:

Location was just off the main street but with construction all around, narrow muddy streets and internet issue that day, we got badly lost and had to take help finding Kisawi house.
they only give 1 liter bottle for 2 people and by 11pm the kitchens are closed so make sure you buy water beforehand.

2026-07-13 via Nuitee
L
Lorena couple ie
10
Pros:

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Kisiwa House. The staff and location were amazing. I would highly recommend staying here while exploring Stone Town.

2026-07-12 via Nuitee
M
Michael couple au
8
2026-07-12 via Nuitee
H
H4331EZsylviar Family
10
Best place in Zanzibar
Pros:

Wonderful staff, pleasant breakfast, nice cool rooms and strong WiFi. Great for families!

2026-07-10 via Tripadvisor
J
JoshuaP801 Family
10
Beautiful rooms and great comfort
Pros:

We had a big group and enjoyed a wonderful stay at Kisiwa House. Beautiful rooms, good location in Stone Town, reliable wifi, strong AC, and excellent showers/bathrooms. Shenda at the front desk was a lovely and welcoming host, and all of the reception team was always eager to help and available to provide useful advice about local activities.

2026-07-10 via Tripadvisor
N
N8023KImariap Family
10
Oasis in Stone Town
Pros:

Beautiful hotel. Wonderful staff!

2026-07-10 via Tripadvisor
T
t0nesp Family Bozeman, Montana
10
Beautiful, historic and comfortable accommodation right in town
Pros:

Lovely staff, excellent food and really beautifully appointed rooms with an incredible terrace to relax and enjoy

2026-07-10 via Tripadvisor
Q
Q8446FLkevins Family
10
Great spot, great location
Pros:

Lovely hotel, great location. The staff were very friendly, helpful and accommodating.

2026-07-08 via Tripadvisor
N
NicolaCUK Family Tonbridge, Kent, England
10
Lovely guest house
Pros:

Stayed for one night to look around Stone Town. Perfect location close to all the attractions including the waterfront and Freddie Mercury museum.
Spacious clean rooms and attentive staff. Ate dinner and breakfast in the hotel and it exceeded our expectations. Btw it is a dry hotel (incase you want that drink).

2026-07-08 via Tripadvisor
5
593sheridaj Friends getaway
10
Excellent stay Kisiwa
Pros:

Excellent service. The staff was very helpful and friendly. They handled all our requests with such care and consideration. Definitely will come back

2026-07-06 via Tripadvisor
M
mathewwH1601GY Family
10
Kisiwa house is the best site seeing I ever experienced
Pros:

It was amazing hotel with excellent views

2026-07-05 via Tripadvisor
J
jjohh Couples South Korea
8
Good
Pros:

Good location to go tour. People are kind.

2026-07-05 via Tripadvisor
J
Jamal couple il
8
place is nice, people are nice, breakfast is horrible
Pros:

the room was very good, but in the same street these was noise because of construction.

Cons:

B R E A K F A S T !!
why would someone eat watermelon, mango, papaya, ananas with a juice, all together, in the morning before even having a coffee or a breakfast?! that's a thing i couldn't understand! furthermore a basket with 3 types of cookies/bisquettes!
for the breakfast you'll have to wait like 20 minutes to get an omlette or a boiled egg!

2026-07-05 via Nuitee
R
Ravi solo_traveller ng
9
Pros:

Room and bathroom is very spacious , very clean property as well.

Location very central to all stone town restaurants.

Cons:

Nothing

2026-07-05 via Nuitee