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Emerson Spice Hotel

3.5 star property
Bask in the charm of Stone Town from this seaside haven. Savor fresh seafood while taking advantage of convenient services that make your stay seamless.

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Photo gallery for Emerson Spice Hotel

Room (Violetta)
2 restaurants, lunch, dinner served; seafood
Room (Belle)
Front of property
Room (Camille)

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional

Popular amenities

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

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 5 of 5 rooms

View all photos for Room (Camille)

Room (Camille)

Room (Camille)

Highlights

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

View all photos for Room (Violetta)

Room (Violetta)

Room (Violetta)

Highlights

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

View all photos for Room (Semele)

Room (Semele)

Room (Semele)

Highlights

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

View all photos for Design Twin Room (Mimi)

Design Twin Room (Mimi)

Design Twin Room (Mimi)

Highlights

Individually furnished
Individually decorated
Air conditioning
Free cribs/infant beds
Separate bedroom
Ceiling fan
Blackout drapes/curtains
Deep soaking bathtub
  • 344 sq ft
  • City view
  • Sleeps 3
  • 2 Large Twin Beds

View all photos for Room (Belle)

Room (Belle)

Room (Belle)

Highlights

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

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About the area

Map
Stone Town, Zanzibar Town

What's nearby

  • Slave Market - 3 min walk
  • Old Fort - 6 min walk
  • Shangani Beach - 6 min walk
  • Forodhani Gardens - 6 min walk
  • Zanzibar Ferry Terminal - 8 min walk

Getting around

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

Restaurants

  • ‪Cape Town Fish Market - ‬6 min walk
  • ‪Passing Show Hotel - ‬4 min walk
  • ‪Meeting Point Cafe - ‬5 min walk
  • ‪Lukmaan - ‬4 min walk
  • ‪Livingstone Beach Restaurant - ‬7 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), secured bicycle storage, and a porter/bellhop
  • Outdoor furniture, a front-desk safe, and beach towels
  • Luggage storage and tour/ticket assistance
  • 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

Languages

English, Swahili

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 and a first aid kit

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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Emerson Spice Hotel Reviews

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 58 out of 71 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 12 out of 71 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 71 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 71 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 71 reviews

9.6/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Staff & service

9.4/10

Amenities

9.2/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.4/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Janet

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

Lena

Excellent stay in a place immersed in history.

10/10 Excellent

Heidi

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

Marcela A.

The staff are beyond friendly
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Suzanne

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

Greg

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

10/10 Excellent

Michael

An older building, filled with antiques. Incredible service. Thoroughly loved our stay.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Erica

Loved the character of the building. The details were tasteful and well designed. Such a unique place to stay!

10/10 Excellent

Jan

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

karen

The staff was fantastic! Special thanks to Rashid and Wakili for going above and beyond to insure that I had everything I needed and then some! The rooms were spacious, clean, and, beautifully decorated.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Robert

The staff was welcoming and friendly. The hotel was clean and elegant. The atmosphere was perfect but the call to prayer at 5:15 was a bit disturbing.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Angela

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

10/10 Excellent

Donna

The house is spectacular…as is the service! It’s a “living museum” reminiscent of the bygone era of a Sultan’s exquisite existence.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Gary

From a warm and professional welcome through to the art as if antiques in the room, Emerson Spice was a most positive and enjoyable experience.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2022

8/10 Good

Alan

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

6/10 Okay

Anil

Liked: Property conditions & facilities
This hotel does not have elevator, not good for older people.The area is too crowded and loud, but if you are looking for antique hotel this might be for you.
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Selvamuthu

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

Alexa

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

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

8/10 Good

Kulendran

The Emerson Spice Hotel used to be the Swahili Sultan's place. The rooms are beautifully appointed. Rustic furniture adds to the ambiance. My room was on the top floor which means 3 flights of stairs. The hotel is located on a narrow street. This means that taxis cannot come up to the hotel.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023

8/10 Good

Mark

cozy ambience
Great location in Stone Town, very cozy ambience and nice staff. Fantastic outdoor bathroom. Not very practical, many floors and no lift, beds very hard for our European body. Hotel arranged band/music Friday evening, which unfortunatly disturbed many guests, as rooms do not have propper doors/windows.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2023

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

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

8/10 Good

saunia

Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2025

10/10 Excellent

Lise

Great stay!
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Shaun

Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024

General hotel information

Check-In Time
1:00 PM
Check-Out Time
10:00 AM
Star Rating
3.5
Address
Stone Town, Zanzibar Town