On a recent research trip Stone Town, we discovered the new and excellent Zanzibar Palace Hotel. It only opened in July 2006, though already we feel that it is comparable to some of the best hotels in Stone Town. The Belgian owners, Sebastiaan and Marion, renovated and designed the hotel themselves with a lot of care and thought. The end result is a lovely stylish boutique hotel, which is highly original and has bags of character.
Sebastiaan and Marion pride the hotel on its excellent service, and when we were last there it was certainly a very friendly place. They are very hands-on, and extremely welcoming, always trying to greet each guest personally if they are able. They were always at the reception when we visited, which was impressive, as Sebastiaan had a broken leg at the time! Furthermore, when we were last there, the Zanzibar Palace Hotel had twenty members of staff to attend just nine rooms – so you will be well looked after!
The entire hotel has a strong Zanzibarian flavour and handcrafted furniture is used throughout. When we were there, Sebastiaan told us how he sourced all of the furniture locally, and spent years finding the perfect pieces for each little nook and cranny of the Zanzibar Palace Hotel. The furniture is of a very high quality, and each piece is unique - this gives the hotel a wonderfully traditional and antique feel.
The rooms are Zanzibari in style, though each one has its own unique interior décor. There are nine rooms altogether, two of which are relatively small Standard Rooms, five are the larger and more opulent Luxury Rooms.
There are two amazing suites at the Zanzibar Palace Hotel – the Sherali Suite and Dunia Suite; both are on the top floor of the hotel, with fantastic views – and both are amongst the best and most original rooms in Stone Town!
The Zanzibar Palace Hotel is a new hotel which is trying hard to make a good impression – the rooms are beautiful and the service is excellent. One thing that sticks out in our mind is the quality if the furniture used in the rooms – which is fantastic. It definitely made a good impression on us!
However in a short space of time it has already become a very popular choice. With only nine rooms, it might be difficult to get space here during the peak months of July and August unless you book quite far in advance.
Ideal length of stay: 2 nights to really explore the town whislt staying in a lovely hotel.
Central facilities: The Zanzibar Palace Hotel uses locally made Zanzibari furniture throughout. The result is a wonderfully traditional Swahili atmosphere, mixed with that of a high-quality boutique hotel.
You enter the hotel through grand Zanzibari doors, where there is the small reception, lounge and dining area all in one open plan room. The beautiful carved wooden reception desk sits in the centre of the room behind a few antique-style blue lounge chairs and a table.
To one side is a second lounge area, set up on a step, where a sofa beckons you to sit down and play a few of the hotel's board games. Adjacent to the sofa, the long, thin dining area stretches to the back of the room and houses a number of tables and chairs.
Behind reception the Zanzibar Palace Hotel has a small bar, where you can get cold drinks throughout the day.
Directions: It takes around 35 minutes to fly to Zanzibar from Dar es Salaam, and then it is a further 10 minutes to Stone Town and the Zanzibar Palace Hotel.
Accessible by: Fly-and-Transfer
Key personnel
Owner: Independent/Owner-run
Food & drink
Usual board basis: B&B
Food quality: When we were last there, the Zanzibar Palace Hotel only served breakfast, though they laid claim to it being the best breakfast in Stone Town! It was an impressive continental spread, and included a variety of cheeses, pâté and salami, as well as lots of home-baked bread and cake.
This is certainly different from the more cursory fruit and bacon & eggs which most other hotels provide. It's a very welcome change.
The Zanzibar Palace Hotel are hoping to open up their dining area for lunch and dinner, in addition to breakfast. When we last visited (February 2007) they had hoped that it would be open for next season, serving French cuisine. But even if the Zanzibar Palace Hotel does not manage to open its restaurant, the location of the hotel means that there are a variety of places to eat within easy reach.
Dining style: Inidividual Tables
Dining locations: Indoor Dining
Room service: Yes, the Zanzibar Palace Hotel can offer room service.
Drinks included: Drinks are not included.
Special interests
Honeymoons: This is a fantastic hotel for the last few nights of your honeymoon. It is luxurious, small and personal, has very helpful owners, and the suites are spectacular.
- See more of our suggestions of the best places for honeymoons in Zanzibar
Children
Attitude towards children: Children are welcome at the Zanzibar Palace Hotel
Age restrictions: When we were last there, there were no age restrictions at the Zanzibar Palace Hotel
Activities: No
Equipment: There are cots and highchairs available on request. There is also a games corner in reception, where children will find a few board games to play with.
Generally recommended for children: Yes
Notes: Though this hotel is not specially geared towards children, they are welcome at the Zanzibar Palace Hotel and a number of the rooms can easily be made into triples and one can also be a quadruple.
Central communications
Power supply: Mains Electricity
Communications: There is free access to WiFi in the main downstairs area, and people are welcome to use the hotels' own laptop in the lounge.
TV & radio: There is a TV with cable satellite in all of the rooms, as well as a large flat-screen television in a lounge area on the second floor.
Health & safety
Malarial area: Yes
Medical care: There is a private clinic next door to the Zanzibar Palace Hotel, where guests can see a doctor.
Dangerous animals: Low Risk
Security measures: There are three security guards at the Zanzibar Palace Hotel and a night receptionist.
Fire safety: There are fire-extinguishers on every floor.
Extras
Disabled access: On Request
Laundry facilities: The laundry is an extra charge, though when we were last there it was only between $0.50 –2 per item.
Money: The Zanzibar Palace Hotel are not able to offer any currency exchange, though there are lots of nearby bureaus and the staff will be happy to show you where.
Accepted payment: You can pay for any extras at the Zanzibar Palace Hotel in cash only. They accept US dollars and Tanzanian shillings. They do not accept credit cards.
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