Emerson Spice Hotel

3.5 star property

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Photo gallery for Emerson Spice Hotel

Room (Violetta) | 1 bedroom, individually decorated, individually furnished
Room (Belle) | 1 bedroom, individually decorated, individually furnished
Interior
2 restaurants; lunch and dinner served
Room (Belle) | 1 bedroom, individually decorated, individually furnished

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional

Popular amenities

  • Free WiFi
  • Air conditioning
  • Bar
  • Laundry
The current price is $145
$108 nightly
$145 total
Total with taxes and fees
Jun 15 - Jun 16

Explore the area

View in a map
Stone Town, Zanzibar Town
  • Place, House of Wonders
    ‪2 min walk‬
  • Place, Christ Church Cathedral
    ‪3 min walk‬
  • Place, Forodhani Gardens
    ‪7 min walk‬
  • Airport, Zanzibar (ZNZ-Zanzibar Intl.)
    ‪10 min drive‬

Room options

Design Twin Room (Mimi)

  • Sleeps 2
  • Free WiFi

Room (Belle)

  • City view
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Queen Bed
  • Free WiFi

Room (Violetta)

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(2 reviews)
  • City view
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Queen Bed
  • Free WiFi

Room (Semele)

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(3 reviews)
  • City view
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Double Bed
  • Free WiFi

Room (Camille)

  • City view
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Queen Bed
  • Free WiFi

Design Twin Room (Mimi)

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(11 reviews)
  • City view
  • 344 sq ft
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Large Twin Beds
  • Free WiFi

Similar properties

About the neighborhood

Zanzibar Town

A stay at Emerson Spice Hotel places you in the heart of Zanzibar Town, steps from Shakti Temple and Christ Church Cathedral. .This hotel is 0.2 mi (0.4 km) from Darajani Market and 0.3 mi (0.5 km) from Slave Market.

What's nearby

  • House of Wonders - 2 min walk - 0.1 miles
  • Christ Church Cathedral - 3 min walk - 0.2 miles
  • Old Fort - 5 min walk - 0.3 miles
  • Slave Market - 5 min walk - 0.3 miles
  • Forodhani Gardens - 7 min walk - 0.4 miles

Getting around

  • Zanzibar Intl. Airport (ZNZ) - 21 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Forodhani Park - ‬6 min walk
  • ‪Lukmaan Restaurant - ‬4 min walk
  • ‪House of Karafuu - ‬4 min walk
  • ‪Livingstone Beach Restaurant - ‬7 min walk
  • ‪Secret Garden - ‬1 min walk

About this property

Emerson Spice Hotel

Emerson Spice Hotel offers 10 air-conditioned accommodations with complimentary bottled water and complimentary toiletries. Each accommodation is individually furnished and decorated. This Zanzibar Town hotel provides complimentary wireless Internet access. Rooms have partially open bathrooms. Bathrooms include shower/tub combinations with deep soaking bathtubs. Additionally, rooms include ceiling fans and blackout drapes/curtains. A nightly turndown service is provided and housekeeping is offered daily. Amenities available on request include hair dryers.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
Make yourself at home in one of the 10 individually decorated guestrooms. Complimentary wireless internet access is available to keep you connected. Partially open bathrooms with shower/tub combinations feature deep soaking bathtubs and complimentary toiletries. Conveniences include complimentary bottled water and a turndown service, and housekeeping is provided daily.
Take in the views from a terrace and a garden and make use of amenities such as complimentary wireless internet access. Additional features at this hotel include tour/ticket assistance and bike storage.
Enjoy seafood at Rooftop restaurant, one of the hotel's 2 restaurants, or stay in and take advantage of the room service (during limited hours). Quench your thirst with your favorite drink at the bar/lounge. A complimentary continental breakfast is served daily from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM.
Featured amenities include luggage storage, laundry facilities, and a safe deposit box at the front desk. A roundtrip airport shuttle is provided for a surcharge (available 24 hours).
A complimentary continental breakfast is served each morning between 7:00 AM and 10:00 AM.
Rooftop restaurant - This seafood restaurant specializes in seafood and serves lunch and dinner. Guests can order drinks at the bar and enjoy alfresco dining (weather permitting). Reservations are required.
Secret Garden - Overlooking the garden, this restaurant specializes in local and international cuisine and serves lunch and dinner. Guests can order drinks at the bar and enjoy alfresco dining (weather permitting). Open daily.
Room service (during limited hours) is available.

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • No onsite parking available
  • 24-hour roundtrip airport shuttle on request for a surcharge

Food and drink

  • Free continental breakfast available daily 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM
  • 2 restaurants
  • A bar/lounge

Restaurants on site

  • Rooftop restaurant
  • Secret Garden

Things to do

  • Bicycle storage

Family friendly

  • Laundry facilities

Conveniences

  • Guidebooks
  • Laundry facilities
  • Limited-hour front desk
  • Luggage storage
  • Safe at front desk

Guest services

  • Housekeeping (daily)
  • Porter/bellhop
  • Tour and ticket assistance
  • Turndown service

Outdoors

  • Beach towels
  • Garden
  • Outdoor furniture
  • Terrace

Accessibility

  • No elevator

More

  • 1 building
  • 5 floors
  • At least 10% of profits reinvested in community and sustainability
  • At least 80% lighting from LEDs
  • At least 80% of food locally-sourced
  • At least 80% organic food
  • Biodegradable coffee stirrers available
  • Biodegradable drinking straws available
  • Built in 1870
  • Comprehensive food waste policy
  • Comprehensive recycling policy
  • Designated smoking areas
  • Eco-friendly cleaning products used
  • Local artist showcase
  • Local culture and ecosystem education
  • Locally-owned and organized tours and activities
  • No plastic coffee stirrers
  • No plastic drinking straws
  • No plastic soft drink bottles
  • No plastic water bottles
  • Reusable cups
  • Reusable tableware
  • Traditional architecture
  • Vegan dining options
  • Vegetarian breakfast available
  • Vegetarian dining options

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided
  • Blackout drapes

Bathroom

  • Deep soaking bathtub
  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer (on request)
  • Partially-open bathroom
  • Shampoo
  • Shower/bathtub combination
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided

Food and drink

  • Free bottled water
  • Limited room service

More

  • Air conditioning
  • Ceiling fan
  • Electrical adapters
  • Individual decor
  • Individual furnishings
  • Laptop workspace
  • Water-efficient toilets

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 1:00 PM; Check-in end time: 10:00 PM
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

This property offers transfers from the airport (surcharges may apply); guests must contact the property with arrival details before travel, using the contact information on the booking confirmation
The front desk is open daily from 7:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Front desk staffed during limited hours
This property doesn't offer after-hours check-in
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Renovations and closures

The property is closed between April 21 and May 20.

Access methods

Front desk (limited hours)

Pets

No pets or service animals allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available

Property payment types

Important information

Fees

You'll be asked to pay the following charges at the property. Fees may include applicable taxes:

  • A tax is imposed by the city: USD 4.00 per person, per night
  • An effective city/local tax rate of 12.00 percent will be charged
  • Deposit is payable by bank transfer and is due within 24 hours of booking the reservation.

We have included all charges provided to us by the property.

Optional extras

  • Airport shuttle fee: USD 25 per vehicle (one-way)

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Guests must contact this property in advance to reserve high chair
This property accepts credit cards, debit cards, and cash
Noise-free guestrooms cannot be guaranteed
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, and a first aid kit
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios, terraces which may not be suitable for children; if you have concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm they can accommodate you in a suitable room

We should mention

This property does not have elevators
Only registered guests are allowed in the guestrooms
No pets and no service animals are allowed at this property

Property is also known as

Emerson Spice Hotel Hotel
Emerson Spice Hotel Zanzibar Town
Emerson Spice Hotel Hotel Zanzibar Town

Emerson Spice Hotel Reviews

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 98 out of 116 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 15 out of 116 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 3 out of 116 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 116 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 116 reviews

9.6/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Staff & service

9.2/10

Amenities

9.4/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

Rune

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Lived in Kate it was an nice place.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

lesley jane

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful building, great staff. Fantastic room (Violetta)
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Judith

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
The hotel’s decor and ambience were absolutely lovely. I had a beautifully spacious room with a balcony. The rooftop provides a wonderful venue for breakfast and dinner. The hotel arranged a transfer from the airport- very helpful as the hotel is located in the midst of Stone Town’s maze of lanes.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

sandra

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The rooms were decorated well and was very clean. Staff was so friendly and helpful. Loved the rooftop for breakfast and the location was perfect.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2025
Verified

8/10 Good

Nicklas

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful, History
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Patricia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Beautiful Hotel

Amazing stay. From the warm welcome and services. Truly enjoyed the food in the Secret Garden and rooftop.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Christopher

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Special place. The staff outstanding. A few remarkable days at this wonderful historic 'hotel'.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Iren

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
My room was a work of art with unique furnishings and exquisite detail
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Judith

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
This is a beautiful hotel. Each room is beautifully decorated and spacious. Air conditioning plus a ceiling fan makes the room comfortable for sleeping. My room had a lovely balcony overlooking a garden. The internal courtyard makes the hotel very quiet. The rooftop is lovely for breakfast and dinner or the Secret Garden within the hotel compound is also lovely for a meal. The hotel is within easy walking distance of the seafront.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Lena

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Excellent stay in a place immersed in history.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

emile

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We had a wonderful stay and couldn’t have asked for a better welcome. The staff were very friendly and accommodating, we arrived very early in the morning and were pleasantly surprised when they offered us breakfast and allowed us to check in early. The property itself is stunning: a beautiful historical building that has been thoughtfully and tastefully decorated. Our room was spacious, elegant, and very comfortable. The location is also great, in a pretty and vibrant street and just a few minutes away from the night market and the sights. Highly recommended!
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Greg

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

A wonderful hotel

Lovely hotel Really good and friendly service Fabulous ambience Beautiful breakfast
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Niels Søndergaard

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
One of the most charming places we've ever stayed at. Antique, yet very clean and safe. Food was delicious, best we had on Zanzibar. Staff wonderful. Highest recommendation.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Heidi

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Great ambience

Great ambience, great hotel, a special experience.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Everything amazing!

Amazing, great people, great food, great hotel. Rooms are beautiful, comfy, clean!
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Janet

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Fantastic place in heart of old Stonetown. Beautiful unique rooms, fantastic food in a rooftop restaurant with an an amazing view, and and a very helpful staff.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Marcela A.

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The staff are beyond friendly
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Heidi

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Great ambience

Great ambience, a special experience. Set menu dinner at the rooftop restaurant was good, breakfast as well.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Suzanne

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Amazing historic hotel

Beautiful histric hotel in the heart of Stonetown. Lots od stairs and no elevator but the views are amazing! Great breakfast too!
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024
Verified

8/10 Good

cécile

Liked: Amenities
Very delicate staff. Well situated in stone town Glorious breakfast.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Erica

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Loved the character of the building. The details were tasteful and well designed. Such a unique place to stay!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Michael

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
An older building, filled with antiques. Incredible service. Thoroughly loved our stay.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Sandra

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Incredibly historic building with unique individually decorated rooms! Perfect location for walking around Stonetown. Delicious breakfast served on rooftop! Request Belle room if you don't want a lot of stairs. It has a huge balcony along the front of the building so it's fun to see tourists stop and take photos!
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Angela

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Our experience was amazing. The architecture is superb, the staff extraordinarily helpful and we had such an amazing time. The rooftop is breathtaking and all the staff is kind and polite. We want to return soon.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Bo-Yu

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
It is one of the best hotel I've ever stayed. Excellent room, staff, services. The hotel and the rooms are in traditional Zanzibar architecture style, which gave me great experience. Staff is considerate and detail oriented. The dinner at the rooftop is wonderful. One minor downside is the shower had low water pressure due to my room was in the top floor. Sometimes I had to wait for 1-2 minutes until the water came, which was not good when taking shower. The staff said there will be a major work to add a pump. Hope it will be better after it's done.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025