Horizon Palace

We understood the price for the standard, but the hotel and room still weren't what we expected. The bathroom was dirty, and there was no elevator, so getting luggage up was a struggle. The electricity had gone out, and staff couldn't say when it would return. We checked out after about an hour to move to another hotel. The receptionists weren't very helpful or pleasant when we left, especially when we asked for help with our bags. One man at reception was downright mean and told us, "Bye, you're not welcome here anyway!"

We were meant to stay three nights, but left after just one. The AC worked fine, though everything else felt dated, and there was no bottled water in the room. When we asked, they said they'd bring some, but it never arrived. The room had cups and sugar packets set out for coffee, but no kettle, water, or coffee. We were the only ones at the rooftop restaurant, and they had no bottled water there either. There wasn't any at the downstairs bar, too. Strange. October in Stone Town is too hot for a hotel without a pool. The staff were kind and lovely, and I don't blame them. They just don't seem to have what they need to look after guests properly.

We weren't guests at the hotel, but one of the men at the entrance deserves five stars. We got a bit turned around while exploring Stone Town and needed directions. He took time to point us the right way and help us get our maps oriented again. Thank you 😊

If you're after an affordable night in Stone Town, Horizon Palace is a great choice. The rooms were clean and just right for a night's stay, the food was pleasing, and the service was great. The ocean views are lovely too. Honestly, it's one of the best hotels in town, maybe the best. I'd definitely put Horizon on the list for a future Zanzibar visit.