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Emerson Spice Hotel

3.5 star property
Hotel in Zanzibar Town with 2 restaurants and free breakfast

Choose dates to view prices

Photo gallery for Emerson Spice Hotel

Room (Violetta) | 1 bedroom, individually decorated, individually furnished
Room (Camille) | 1 bedroom, individually decorated, individually furnished
2 restaurants, lunch, dinner served; seafood
Room (Belle) | 1 bedroom, individually decorated, individually furnished
Interior
Emerson Spice Hotel in historic Stone Town offers continental breakfast and seafood at two restaurants. Relax in the garden or terrace after exploring. Staff arranges tours and handles laundry and luggage storage.

Reviews

9.6 out of 10
Exceptional

Popular amenities

  • Bar
  • Room service
  • Laundry
  • Housekeeping
  • Air conditioning

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 5 of 5 rooms

View all photos for Room (Belle)

Room (Belle) | 1 bedroom, individually decorated, individually furnished

Room (Belle)

Highlights

Furnished balcony or patio
Individually furnished
Individually decorated
Air conditioning
Free cribs/infant beds
Separate bedroom
Ceiling fan
Blackout drapes/curtains
  • 1 bedroom
  • City view
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for Room (Violetta)

Room (Violetta) | 1 bedroom, individually decorated, individually furnished

Room (Violetta)

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(2 reviews)

Highlights

Furnished balcony or patio
Individually furnished
Individually decorated
Air conditioning
Free cribs/infant beds
Separate bedroom
Ceiling fan
Blackout drapes/curtains
  • 1 bedroom
  • City view
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for Room (Semele)

Room (Semele) | 1 bedroom, individually decorated, individually furnished

Room (Semele)

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(3 reviews)

Highlights

Furnished balcony
Individually furnished
Individually decorated
Air conditioning
Free cribs/infant beds
Refrigerator
Separate bedroom
Ceiling fan
  • 1 bedroom
  • City view
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Double Bed

View all photos for Room (Camille)

Room (Camille) | 1 bedroom, individually decorated, individually furnished

Room (Camille)

Highlights

Furnished balcony or patio
Individually furnished
Individually decorated
Air conditioning
Free cribs/infant beds
Separate bedroom
Ceiling fan
Blackout drapes/curtains
  • 1 bedroom
  • City view
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for Design Twin Room (Mimi)

Design Twin Room (Mimi) | 1 bedroom, individually decorated, individually furnished

Design Twin Room (Mimi)

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional
(10 reviews)

Highlights

Individually furnished
Individually decorated
Air conditioning
Free cribs/infant beds
Separate bedroom
Ceiling fan
Blackout drapes/curtains
Shower/tub combination
  • 32 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • City view
  • Sleeps 3
  • 2 Large Twin Beds
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About the neighborhood

Map
Zanzibar Town, Stone Town

What's nearby

  • Forodhani Gardens - 3 min walk - 0.3 km
  • Slave Market - 5 min walk - 0.5 km
  • Shangani Beach - 5 min walk - 0.5 km
  • Old Fort - 5 min walk - 0.5 km
  • Zanzibar Ferry Terminal - 5 min walk - 0.5 km

Getting around

  • Zanzibar Intl. Airport (ZNZ) - 15 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Forodhani Park - ‬6 min walk
  • ‪House of Karafuu - ‬4 min walk
  • ‪Zenji Garden Café - ‬6 min walk
  • ‪Secret Garden - ‬1 min walk
  • ‪Lukmaan - ‬4 min walk

About this property

Emerson Spice Hotel

Hotel located in Stone Town
Take advantage of free continental breakfast, a terrace, and a garden at Emerson Spice Hotel. Be sure to enjoy lunch and dinner along with seafood and al fresco dining at the two on-site restaurants. In addition to laundry facilities and a bar, guests can connect to free in-room WiFi.
You'll also enjoy perks such as:
  • A roundtrip airport shuttle (surcharge), luggage storage, and a front-desk safe
  • Tour/ticket assistance, secured bicycle storage, and a porter/bellhop
  • Outdoor furniture and beach towels
  • Guest reviews give top marks for the helpful staff
Room features
All guestrooms are individually furnished, and offer comforts such as laptop-friendly workspaces and air conditioning, in addition to perks like free WiFi and free bottled water.
Extra amenities include:
  • Bathrooms with deep soaking tubs and free toiletries
  • Wardrobes/closets, ceiling fans, and daily housekeeping

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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

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
  • 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 cribs/infant beds and high chair
This property accepts credit cards, debit cards, and cash
This property uses eco-friendly cleaning products
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

Frequently asked questions

Is Emerson Spice Hotel pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at Emerson Spice Hotel?

This property doesn't offer parking.

What time is check-in at Emerson Spice Hotel?

Check-in start time: 1:00 PM; Check-in end time: 10:00 PM. After-hours check-in is not available.

What time is check-out at Emerson Spice Hotel?

Check-out is at 10:00 AM.

Does Emerson Spice Hotel provide a shuttle to the airport?

Yes, there's an airport shuttle that runs on request. A fee of USD 25 per vehicle applies.

Where is Emerson Spice Hotel located?

Located in Stone Town, this hotel is steps from Shakti Temple, Hamamni Persian Baths, and Christ Church Cathedral. Malindi Mosque and House of Wonders are also within 5 minutes.

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Reviews

Emerson Spice Hotel Reviews

9.6

Exceptional

9.6

Cleanliness

9.2

Amenities

10

Staff & service

9.4

Eco-friendliness

9.2

Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 78 out of 94 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 13 out of 94 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 3 out of 94 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 94 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 94 reviews

Reviews

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

8/10 Good

cécile

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

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

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

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

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!

10/10 Excellent

Selvamuthu

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great service, elegant & clean rooms, friendly & professional staff. They made our stay extremely comfortable and pleasant. The roof top breakfast/dinner experience was magical which we had meals in both hotels. There is no elevator in both hotels - so, it's a big hike. Will definitely come again!!!
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Karen

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We had a fantastic experience staying here! The staff went above and beyond to accomodate our needs. They let us keep our luggage there before check in time with no extra charge, and they gave us a room upgrade to one of the best rooms (the Katherine Hepburn room), which was a really nice surprise. The staff were all super friendly and helpful. When we decided to have dinner in the Secret Garden Restaurant on a night when there was music, we complained that we had to pay extra for the music, and the manager was so kind. He didn't make us pay, and arranged for us to eat upstairs where it was quieter. We later realized that the music cost was explained in our welcome letter, so we appologized and paid for it the next day and the manager was so nice.The whole place was spotlessly clean, the bed was very comfortable and the room and the hotel were beautifully decorated. I loved the extra touches like the handmade scented soaps and the flowers in the room. We loved the balcony that was off of our room and asked if we could eat breakfast there instead of going downstairs. The servers forgot about us and we had to wait extra long for our food, but it was worth it! We can't say enough about how much we enjoyed staying at this hotel. We would definately stay here again and even though it's a little bit pricier than other hotels, it's totally worth it. We would highly recommend to others.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Alexa

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

Amazing

Amazing. The best hotel experience I have ever had. I’ve traveled to 52 countries and stayed at many places. This is the best so far. I will be back. Amazing staff so kind .
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023

8/10 Good

Richard

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
It is a very nice old hotel which maintains the feel of past times. The only problem for me, as an old man with bad knees is having to climb more than 70 stairs to my room, the last part on very creaky stairs. The view is magnificent from the roof and the breakfast was excellent with a great variety of frutis
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2022

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

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

Fabulous and unforgettable stay in Stone Town

Staying two nights at Emerson Spice Hotel was such a memorable experience that I would happily recommend to anyone visiting Stone Town. The property itself is gorgeous; all of the walking tours stop in front of the hotel to point it out. Each of the guest rooms is unique and truly spectacular, and it was such a pleasure being encouraged to explore the unoccupied ones during our time there. The front desk staff was so helpful with everything from airport transfers, ferry ticket purchases, restaurant reservations, taxis, and laundry services. We loved the generous breakfasts on the rooftop each morning and thought that our dinners at the Tea House and the Secret Garden were both excellent. We weren't so lucky with the weather during our visit, so we were extra grateful to pass the time in such a beautiful and friendly hotel. Thank you to the entire team for making our stay so lovely.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Martin

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Unglaublich tolles Frühstück und auch Abendessen. Sehr nettes Personal, toll renoviertes Hotel mit Still. Man fühlt sich wie vor 200 Jahren...
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Piero

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2025

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

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

10/10 Excellent

Trina

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I really enjoyed my stay here at The Emerson Spice Hotel. The rooms are clean and decorated nicely keeping the old feel of this historic building. I liked the old fashioned door style of the Camile Room. Which doesn’t use keycards like most hotels. You use a huge big padlock 🔐 to secure the door. All the staff were very nice and friendly. The only thing you need to be aware of is there is no elevator. All stairs only, so be prepared to get some stair exercises during your stay. LOL! 😃
Stayed 4 nights in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jamie

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
From the moment we walked in, this place was fantastic! We were promptly greeted and we were being shown to our rooms within a few minutes. Our room (Camille) was great! We thoroughly enjoyed the windows and balconies and people watching the street below. The room was spacious and the bed was comfy. Dinner upstairs was wonderful...although the stairs were steep (but the views were lovely). The food was inventive and delicious and the service was top notch. Highly recommend. We also had food and drinks at the Secret Garden and that was also quite nice. I expected the included breakfast to be buffet style but was pleasantly surprised that it was a beautiful made to order breakfast with delicious coffee. Shuttle to the airport was quick and easy. Would definitely stay here again when in Stone Town.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

heike

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

Exceptional

This small hotel is in the middle of Stone Town, and it is beautiful. The staff are attentive, without being intrusive, the manager is so professional and knowledgeable, and the standard of comfort is of the highest order. Breakfast was served on the roof terrace and consisted of a wonderful selection of fruit followed by eggs and a pastry. We had the taster menu one evening, and it was exceptional. This is a very special hotel, and we had an unforgettable stay.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2025

10/10 Excellent

Odd Henning

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

Fantastisk hotell!

Oppholdet var magisk! Fantastisk hotell med autentisk historie sentralt i Stonetown. Flott restaurert og møblert, med alle moderne bekvemmeligheter. Hotellet har en virkelig førsteklasses restaurant ute på taket, og en svært god og hyggelig restaurant ute på gateplan. Det aller beste med dette hotellet er personalet. Alle vi møtte var profesjonelle, hjelpsomme, vennlige og blide. Dette var en av mine absolutt beste opplevelser. Jeg gir dette hotellet min varmeste anbefaling!
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2025

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

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

10/10 Excellent

Jan

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

An extraordinary hotel

Originally the building served as a residence for the last Swahili king and you can feel the atmosphere in this extraordinary hotel, perfectly located in the middle of Stone Town. Rooms are like suites and uniquely designed. Staff are very service minded and the restaurant on the roof top serves a unique and very well tasting fixed menu every night in an open air space. Both rates and price for 5 course dinner (40 USD) is very competitive in relation to what you get.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Charlotte

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities

Hoppas komma tillbaka!

Det här hotellet är helt unikt och vi hade en fantastisk vistelse. Det känns nästan som att vara med i en film från en svunnen tid. Rummen är individuellt inredda. Vi bodde i ”Violetta” och hade dessutom en lång inredd balkong som jag önskar att vi satt mer på. Frukosten serverades på deras ”roof top” med utsikt över alla tak, och var magisk. Missa inte att beställa bord där till kvällen också och ät deras fasta femrättersmeny för 40$. Det var en upplevelse att bo och äta här. Hoppas vi kan komma tillbaka snart igen!
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2024

8/10 Good

Alan

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

Secret Gem

Really authentic building. The building is old and the owners have tried to keep the originality of the building by keeping original features . Its in the winding streets of the old town , so no vehicles except scooters allowed. The staff are great , everyone smiles and are so helpful. The room we stayed in Lamore had a outside shower on a balcony , seems strange, but it was very private and great to have a shower outside
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Monika

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort

Super charmantes Hotel

Super charmantes Hotel mitten in der Altstadt. Das Hotel ist ein alter Palast oder so (glaube ich). Jedes Zimmer ist sehr groß, die meisten mit Wohn- und Schlafbereich, individuell und mit sehr viel liebe zum Detail gestalltet.. Das Zimmer Mimi ist das "einfachste" auch viel liebe zum Detail , aber nicht so "verträumt " und farbenfroh wie die anderen Zimmer. Außerdem hat es kein Balkon/Veranda. Dafür hat es 2 einzelne Betten (perfekt für Mutter und Sohn). Das Frühstück wird für jeden frisch zubereitet und auf der Dachterrasse serviert. Unbedingt das 7-gänge Fischmenü auf der Dachterrasse buchen. Wer kein modernes chicki Hotel möchte, sonder bereits bei der Hotelwahl etwas ganz besonderes erleben möchte, sollte unbedingt hier wohnen. Ein unvergessliches Vergnügen und Erlebnis. Es ist nicht alles perfekt aber dafür wundervoll.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2024