The 8 Best Hotels
in Zanzibar
Zanzibar is one of those rare destinations where every layer of its hotel scene tells a different story — Swahili carved-wood doors, coral-stone ruins, Indian Ocean breezes, and a spice-trade history that still perfumes the air. Stone Town, the UNESCO-listed old city, anchors the west coast with atmospheric guesthouses tucked into labyrinthine alleys, while the east and north coasts open onto powder-white beaches lined with boutique lodges and barefoot-luxury resorts. Prices in Zanzibar run notably cheaper than comparable Indian Ocean destinations like the Maldives or Seychelles, though top-end eco-lodges on the north tip can rival Mauritius rates in peak season.
We've narrowed it down to 8 hotels across the island. That's 3 splurges — heritage lodges and beachfront sanctuaries with serious design credentials — 3 mid-range options that balance character with value, and 2 budget picks that prove Stone Town's medina can be wonderfully cheap without sacrificing atmosphere. Whether you're honeymooning in a clifftop pool villa or hunting a Stone Town rooftop with a sea breeze, each choice here earns its place on distinct merits.
| Hotel | Neighborhood | From €/night | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Zanzibar Serena Hotel | Stone Town Waterfront | €280–520 | Splurge |
| Matemwe Lodge | Matemwe, Northeast Coast | €380–780 | Splurge |
| Kilindi Zanzibar | Kendwa, North Coast | €500–1100 | Splurge |
| Emerson Spice | Stone Town, Historic Centre | €130–260 | Mid-range |
| Pongwe Beach Hotel | Pongwe, East Coast | €110–240 | Mid-range |
| Zanzibar Coffee House | Stone Town, Historic Centre | €95–190 | Mid-range |
| Dhow Palace Hotel | Stone Town, Historic Centre | €50–105 | Budget |
| Hakuna Majiwe Beach Lodge | Michamvi Peninsula, East Coast | €55–120 | Budget |
Where to stay in Zanzibar
Zanzibar splits cleanly into two very different hotel worlds: Stone Town on the west coast, where narrow coral-stone alleys hide guesthouses and heritage hotels inside UNESCO-listed architecture, and the beach coasts — north, east, and southeast — where lodges and resorts range from barefoot-rustic to serious luxury. Choosing between them usually means choosing between culture and sand, though a split stay is common and straightforward.
The only part of Zanzibar that functions as a proper city, Stone Town is a dense UNESCO-listed labyrinth of coral-stone buildings, carved wooden doors, mosques, and Indian merchant houses. Hotels here are almost all conversions of historic buildings — atmosphere is exceptional, pools are rare, and the beach is a short tuk-tuk away. Prices range from €50 budget guesthouses to €300+ heritage hotels; it's genuinely cheaper than the beach coasts at every tier.
The north tip of the island offers the calmest swimming (tides don't drain the beach like the east coast) and the most animated nightlife, centred on beach bars and sundowner crowds. Kendwa is fractionally quieter than Nungwi. This is where the island's most architecturally ambitious resorts sit, including Kilindi. Prices are 20–30% higher than the east coast for comparable quality.
The east coast is wilder and more photogenic, with long stretches of white sand backed by palm groves and a shallow turquoise lagoon that drains dramatically at low tide. Paje is the kitesurfing capital; Matemwe has the best snorkelling; Michamvi offers seclusion. Lodges here tend to be smaller and less expensive than the north coast, with a more adventurous, independent-traveller feel.
The south and southeast coasts are the least developed and most local-feeling. Fishing villages punctuate the coastline between small lodges, and seaweed farming is still visible from some hotel terraces. It's the best choice for travellers who want a genuinely unhurried pace and direct contact with Zanzibari village life. Prices are typically 15–25% lower than the north coast at equivalent quality levels.
The Zanzibar Serena Hotel
Occupying two restored 19th-century buildings — a former telegraph exchange and a bathhouse — right on the Stone Town seafront, the Serena is the most historically grounded splurge on the island. Rooms are dressed in hand-carved Zanzibari furniture, brass lanterns, and coral-stone details; the pool terrace faces the Forodhani Gardens and the dhow-dotted channel beyond. Breakfast arrives as an elaborate spread of tropical fruits, fresh juices, and Swahili breads. It's a full-service hotel in a destination where most competitors offer atmosphere but not always professionalism.
- Two restored 19th-century heritage buildings
- Seafront pool overlooking Forodhani Gardens
- Hand-carved Zanzibari furniture throughout
- Full-service spa and ocean-view dining
- Walking distance to Stone Town's major sights
Matemwe Lodge
Perched on a coral cliff above a pale reef-fringed beach, Matemwe Lodge is a small Asilia Africa property that quietly delivers some of the best snorkelling access on the island — the house reef is a ten-minute wade at high tide. Twelve open-fronted bandas are built from local coral stone and thatch, each with a private plunge pool or deck angled directly at the turquoise channel. Meals are served under a makuti-palm canopy and emphasise fresh catch from local fishermen. The low room count keeps it genuinely secluded in a way larger resorts cannot replicate.
- Private plunge pools on coral-cliff bandas
- Direct access to productive house reef
- Only 12 rooms — genuinely uncrowded
- Locally sourced seafood dining
- Asilia Africa sustainability ethos
Kilindi Zanzibar
Kilindi is arguably the most architecturally arresting hotel on Zanzibar — fifteen pavilions shaped like giant white shells rise from a hillside garden of frangipani and bougainvillea, each one open-sided with a private plunge pool and uninterrupted Indian Ocean views. Designed by Georgio Saina, the aesthetic is Arabian-modernist and completely unlike anything else on the north coast. There's no children's club by design; the hotel pitches itself as a sanctuary for couples. The beach at Kendwa is one of the island's calmer swimming spots, sheltered from the trade-wind chop that affects east-coast properties.
- 15 shell-shaped pavilions with private plunge pools
- Signature Arabian-modernist architecture by Georgio Saina
- Kendwa beach — calm swimming year-round
- Adults-only atmosphere by design
- Hilltop garden of tropical flowering plants
Emerson Spice
A 19th-century merchant's townhouse restored with serious attention to detail — inlaid plasterwork, four-poster beds draped in white muslin, antique Zanzibari chests, and a rooftop tea house that has become one of Stone Town's genuine dining landmarks. Emerson Spice sits in the middle of the medina, a short walk from the Old Fort and the spice bazaar. The eleven rooms vary significantly in size and layout (the tower suites are the ones to request), and the lack of a pool is offset by the sheer atmosphere of waking up inside a living piece of Swahili architecture.
- Rooftop tea house with panoramic Stone Town views
- Authentic 19th-century merchant townhouse fabric
- Intricate Zanzibari plasterwork and carved doors
- Central medina location near major monuments
- Owner-curated antique furnishings throughout
Pongwe Beach Hotel
Pongwe sits on a sheltered cove on the east coast where the tide recedes gently over white sand fringed with coconut palms — one of the most photogenic stretches on the island, and far quieter than Nungwi or Kendwa. The 16 thatched bandas are simple but well-kept: outdoor showers, mosquito nets, local fabrics, and private terraces facing the water. There's a reliable PADI dive centre on-site and the house reef is walkable at high tide. Rates here are genuinely reasonable for an east-coast beachfront position, especially outside July–August.
- Sheltered cove — one of the island's quietest beaches
- PADI dive centre with house reef access
- Private terraces facing the Indian Ocean
- Outdoor showers in thatched bandas
- Strong value for east-coast beachfront
Zanzibar Coffee House
Housed in a former Arab merchant's warehouse with exposed coral-stone walls and wooden-beam ceilings, the Coffee House is a mid-range Stone Town option with more design polish than its price suggests. Rooms wrap around a central courtyard where breakfast is served under a canopy of bougainvillea; the ground floor café serves single-origin Tanzanian coffee roasted on the premises. The owner has resisted over-decorating — rooms are calm, whitewashed, and cool even in the midday heat. Located in a quiet alley that feels residential rather than touristy.
- Former Arab warehouse with coral-stone walls
- On-site roastery serving single-origin Tanzanian coffee
- Bougainvillea courtyard for breakfast
- Calm residential alley location
- Good design-to-price ratio in Stone Town
Dhow Palace Hotel
One of Stone Town's most consistently well-reviewed budget hotels, the Dhow Palace occupies a 19th-century Omani-style mansion with a central atrium, carved wooden balustrades, and a rooftop terrace that catches the evening sea breeze. Rooms are simply furnished but maintained to a standard that shames many pricier competitors — clean tile floors, working air-conditioning, and proper mosquito nets. The included breakfast is generous by budget standards. Position in the heart of the medina means you can walk to the waterfront, Old Fort, and spice market in under ten minutes.
- 19th-century Omani mansion with carved balustrades
- Rooftop terrace with evening sea breeze
- Consistently clean rooms with working AC
- Generous included breakfast
- Central medina location near waterfront
Hakuna Majiwe Beach Lodge
A small owner-run lodge on the Michamvi Peninsula, occupying a stretch of east-coast beach where kitesurfers rip across the channel toward Mnemba Atoll in the afternoons. Bungalows are thatched and rustic — no frills, but the beach outside is genuinely beautiful and the kitchen produces fresh-caught grilled fish that surpasses restaurants charging three times as much elsewhere. The owner, a Tanzanian-German couple, organise spice tours, fishing trips, and kitesurfing lessons with local instructors. Rates are among the lowest for a direct beachfront position anywhere on the island.
- Direct beachfront on uncrowded Michamvi Peninsula
- Owner-arranged kitesurfing and spice tours
- Excellent fresh-catch grilled fish kitchen
- Lowest beachfront rates on the east coast
- Channel views toward Mnemba Atoll
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Zanzibar and does it affect hotel prices significantly?
Are hotels in Zanzibar expensive compared to mainland Tanzania or other East African beach destinations?
Do I need to book a beach resort or is a Stone Town base viable for a full Zanzibar trip?
What's the difference between east-coast and north-coast beaches in practical swimming terms?
Is Stone Town safe to walk around at night, and does that affect which hotel to choose?
Do Zanzibar beach lodges include meals, and is it worth opting for half-board?
Do I need a visa to enter Tanzania/Zanzibar and are there any entry considerations specific to the island?
How we chose these hotels
Our editorial team reviewed Zanzibar's hotel landscape and selected 8 across budgets, prioritising properties that capture local character — heritage architecture, owner-run boutiques, surf-town informality — over generic resort-chain accommodations. Where two hotels are comparable, we pick the smaller, owner-run option.
None of these hotels paid to be included, and we have no commercial relationship with any of them. Use the "View on Google Maps" links above to find each property's official website, current rates and availability. Prices are estimated nightly ranges in EUR for a double room and will vary by season and availability. Recommendations are reviewed every six months; this guide was last updated April 2026.
When to visit Zanzibar
For everything you need to plan a Zanzibar trip — neighbourhoods, food, things to do, day trips, transport — see our complete Zanzibar travel guide.