Reviews of Zanzibar Coffee House
(83%) From 61 travellersThey do not necessarily represent the views of Expert Africa.
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Disappointing
This was the only place we stayed that we did not like. We had thought it would be charming and atmospheric. Instead it felt run down and uncomfortable.
The bed was like a rock and the hot water had to be turned on 15 minutes prior to showering.It was not at all what we were looking for after a safari. I felt like it was a hotel for much younger people who were trying to watch their pennies.
If it had been for more than one night we would have left.
Unique and fabulous stop in Stonetown
We were lucky enough to get the "brochure picture" room, which was without a doubt the most beautiful room we have ever stayed in, but I suspect all rooms would have been restored in a similar style. Coffee is roasted on the premises, and served in a wide range of options. The rooftop tower room for breakfast is delightful, and food is all homemade and of a very high quality. Staff are friendly and helpful. A perfect base for a day or two in Stonetown.
Read more about the whole tripCoolest hotel in town
Wonderful location in old town, just round the corner from spice market.
Super competent women running the show and tasty coffee. A beautiful breakfast location on roof terrace.
They organized a brilliant guided tour around town on foot, which was very interesting and insightful.
Great stay
This is a great, quirky boutique hotel in the heart of Stone Town.
The rooftop area, where breakfast is served, can be accessed by guests at any time and has fabulous views and breezes.
The staff are very friendly, helpfully pointing out places of interest and need. The coffee is superb!
Zanzibar Coffee House review
We arrived quite late so were welcomed by the ‘night watchman’. Although the kitchen was closed he offered us a cold drink and some cake. There had been a last minute glitch with our booking meaning the large ensuite room was not available. Our smaller room (Espresso) was still very nice but we had an external, but private, bathroom across the corridor which was a bit disappointing, quite small and dark. We had been given the option to change hotels, but opted to stay as booked and were refunded the room cost difference. The hotel was quirky but charming and staff were all friendly and helpful. Breakfast on the roof terrace was a great start to the day.
Read more about the whole trip
Great Rooms and Character
This place has really great character and the staff are very welcoming.
We found the location a little hard to find for what we were wanting. The streets of stone town are hard to navigate and this was at the top of the main area so on a night was quite tricky to find.
The rooms were lovely and the breakfast on the rooftop was nice. The bathrooms were a little dated and the water pressure on the second floor wasn't great. We went back to stone town the week after and stayed a little near the gardens and port which we personally found easier to navigate with more options for dinner as in Zanzibar coffee house you have to eat out as they only serve breakfast and lunch so on the first night we were pretty tired and ended up really lost trying to find our way back!
I think for the price for the double rooms we think there is slightly better value out there but this place is great for food and we would go back there for lunch on the roof.
Zanzibar Coffee House review
The coffee house has an excellent central position in town. It is not swanky but homely, welcoming and full of character with a wonderful roof terrace which hotel guests can use until 11 am and after 3 pm. There is a great atmosphere and the cafe itself serves excellent food and drinks and is always busy and buzzy. We had the arabica room which was nicer than our kids room, which was the cappucino room. Would highly recommend this hotel if you are staying in town rather than paying a lot extra for one of the bigger, smarter hotels.
Read more about the whole tripHidden gem in Stone Town
We stayed one night in Zanzibar, before heading off on safari. Arriving in the afternoon, and leaving very early the next morning, this was always going to be little more than somewhere to rest our heads, and a base to wander rounds the streets of Stone Town. Zanzibar Coffee House was recommended to us as a simple option along those lines, and it served it's purpose perfectly. However, it's also somewhere we would happily have spent more time.
Above everything else the staff at the hotel were incredibly welcoming and helpful. We were on honeymoon and to our surprise a couple of lovely chocolate muffins appeared in our room. They also fixed us up breakfast to take with us the next morning, before the kitchen had opened up.
All in all, this is a hidden gem in the heart of Stone Town.
A welcoming refuge in Stone Town
The Coffee House is a beautiful old building in the midst of busy and bustling Stone Town.
We were made extremely welcome by the manager, Salome, and her staff made us very comfortable. Our room was comfortable, large - and quiet. We only had one night there, before moving on to our next destination but we returned there a few days later for lunch. Food was excellent and the coffee is good too.
We enjoyed our breakfast with excellent views from the tower top terrace.
