Zanzibar Hotel

The rain came through the ceiling yesterday, leaving everything wet and smelling bad. The place is dirty, old, and needs cleaning and repairs. People working here don’t understand English, so you have to explain things by acting them out or showing pictures. If the owner says it’s just a guest house, why list it as a hotel? I’m so disappointed, I wouldn’t give it even one star if a lower rating were possible. These are my last days in Zanzibar, and it’s high season, so finding a good place to stay is hard. I’m disappointed that my Tanzania vacation is ending this way. I wish I could say something positive about the place, but I couldn’t find anything good.

Breakfast was fresh and decent, but this wasn’t good value. The rooms aren’t well maintained, and the service was mediocre. After we checked in, we found that the A/C had been draining condensation down the inside wall for months, leaving mold that’s a health hazard. They agreed to clean it, but the attached photo shows the stains that remained afterward. When we came back later, there was no A/C remote. We were basically told to leave it on the coldest setting or switch it off.

The room and living conditions weren’t worth the hassle. We booked 48 hours ahead but still got a top-floor room, with far too many flights of stairs. It’s also a headache finding a taxi that knows where to go. Honestly, this was one of the worst experiences I’ve had in Zanzibar. The hotel is so little known that I had to say “stone town house” just to get bodas and cars to take me there. We paid $50 a night, and I wish I’d spent it on a hostel instead. We shared a double bed, but it creaked and hurt to sleep on, so we moved a mattress to the floor to get somewhere stable. The AC remote didn’t work. In a freezing room, the only blanket was a thin white one with cigarette burns and strange stains, meant to cover me and my 14-year-old child. At 11pm, I called the receptionist and went downstairs, but nobody was there. There were no towels when we arrived. My kid waited in the shower for an HOUR before they finally brought a small hand towel with actual bleach stains. When I asked for another, they said two minutes. An hour later, as we were leaving for the night, they brought a frayed white face towel. Restaurants usually serve breakfast from 6-10, and they hadn’t told us the hours when I paid, so I assumed that was the case. Imagine my surprise when I went downstairs at 7:30 with a hungry teen and found out breakfast didn’t start until 8:00. There’d been no notice. One last thing: bring your own condiments. Even for a paid meal, you have to ask for basics like salt and pepper. How are you meant to eat eggs without them? We got coffee creamer instead of milk for chai. When I raised this with the receptionist, there was no management staff, just a condescending glare.

The location is perfect, right in the centre, and the staff were very kind, asking how I was each morning. My room was clean and tidy, and the bed was comfortable. An amazing place, affordable too. I’d definitely recommend it. Thanks so much for welcoming me :)