Pongwe Holidays from AU$3,406

The location is excellent—nothing in Stone Town is more than a 10-minute walk, which made it easy to get around. The only drawback is that the hotel is located down an alleyway where cars cannot access. If you’re traveling with luggage, you’ll need to ask your taxi driver to arrange for a concierge to come and assist. The first room we were given was very small and extremely hot and never properly cooled down. After the first night, we requested a larger room. While we appreciated being accommodated, we were charged more than what the upgraded room would have cost had we booked it that way initially, which was disappointing. In the new room, the air conditioning unit wasn’t ideally positioned, so the sleeping area never cooled as effectively as we would have liked. That said, the bed itself was very comfortable. The staff were a highlight of our stay. Everyone was pleasant and helpful, with special thanks to Habibi at the front desk and Luca, the Maasai concierge. Luca, in particular, went above and beyond—he carried our luggage multiple times to assist us, which we truly appreciated (even if we felt a bit bad for all the effort he put in!). The main drawback for us was the breakfast setup. The dining area is not enclosed, and birds were a significant nuisance. On several occasions, we saw them eating directly from the buffet and from the bowl used by staff to prepare omelettes. Ugh! That presented hygiene concerns for us.

There was no pool and aircon was only in room, possibly in the resto downstairs, but in no common areas. Lovely staff, good food, nice decor and art. Lots of stairs. Airport shuttle was reasonable and good.

The room was nice and spotless and the staff was friendly and corteous!

This property is in a quiet location in Stone Town within walking distance of the Darajani Bazaar and other attractions. The staff is great: Lulu, Jamila, Roderick, Iddi, and director Daniela go out of their way to make you feel welcomed. The A/C in the room works very well, and the breakfast buffet (which is included) is outstanding. It's a great value and I'd recommend staying here.

It felt like I was royalty in a palace. I usually stay in stone town, this was a nice break!