Dhow Palace Hotel

“Brilliant little hotel in an ideal location”

We wanted to spend a little time in Stone Town to experience true Zanzibar culture etc, and chose this hotel for that reason - and we struck gold Staying in an old 16th century remodelled building that screams Zanzibar as soon as you step in the door We chose room 41 as it had a private terrace o… more

We wanted to spend a little time in Stone Town to experience true Zanzibar culture etc, and chose this hotel for that reason - and we struck gold Staying in an old 16th century remodelled building that screams Zanzibar as soon as you step in the door We chose room 41 as it had a private terrace on the top floor - which was a great choice even though it was one floor above the top of the lift! It was quiet and well air conditioned The staff were always helpful and organised transport when we needed it (inlcuidng meeting us at the airport on arrival) Good breakfast with lcoal and European offerings. Small bar also, but we suspect they don't serve alcohol. They also serve evening meals, but there are plenty of restaurants in easy walking distance (and Forodhani Food Market is only 10 minutes walk away

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“A gem of a hotel. Highly recommend”

This hotel is a gem. As a well seasoned traveller, having travelled the globe for work and pleasure, funding this hotel was a delight. A historic building (we saw tour groups visiting), this hotel has both the charm and location to make it a must ! It's location is at the quiet end of one of th… more

This hotel is a gem. As a well seasoned traveller, having travelled the globe for work and pleasure, funding this hotel was a delight. A historic building (we saw tour groups visiting), this hotel has both the charm and location to make it a must ! It's location is at the quiet end of one of the historic town centre streets ( a few minutes from harbour, Freddie Mercury museum, and the other attractions. The rooms are a good size with chairs and tables within, plus seating on the balcony overlooking the lovely courtyard pool. The hidden gem within the hotel itself is the wonderful 2 level roof terrace overlooking the sea - which sadly we only found on our last night. The breakfast is good and the staff friendly & helpful. I would definitely recommend this hotel. One of my favourites, worldwide.

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“Great antique hotel in Zanzibar. Good food and lovely staff.”

I loved this hotel!! It was like the history of Zanzibar in a hotel!!!!! We arrived at this hotel hot and pissed after having our flight from Dar Es Saalam leave an hour late, then having to pay US $156 to enter Zanzibar for FAKE insurance after having paid US $500 for the visas to travel to Tanza… more

I loved this hotel!! It was like the history of Zanzibar in a hotel!!!!! We arrived at this hotel hot and pissed after having our flight from Dar Es Saalam leave an hour late, then having to pay US $156 to enter Zanzibar for FAKE insurance after having paid US $500 for the visas to travel to Tanzania with a family of five, and then paying US $28.00 for an 8-minute taxi ride from the airport!!! It was close to midnight when I entered the hotel, and my eyes popped out of my head. Super high ceilings grabbed my attention immediately. I knew this place was special. As my husband checked in and my three teenagers sat listlessly on the couch, I went to look around the first floor. There were two gramophones and an old piano in addition to beautiful bureaus. The pool in the center was beautiful. There were faded brass-framed mirrors. The AC in our rooms was excellent! The furniture is an antique, eclectic mix of Arab, Indian, and colonial. I walked around peaking into the open rooms, just admiring the furniture and beds in the open rooms. There are lamps with mother-of-pearl inlays in some rooms. You can see the bamboo flooring in the roofs above. Make sure you go up to the fourth floor. From there you can see the sea and other rooms. The view is only average, but it gives you a sense of the city and the ongoing restoration. The hotel has its own generator, so we had AC despite the power outages, which was heavenly. I grew up in a very warm place without AC, so it felt like a miracle to enter our rooms after being outside. We had a fantastic breakfast the next day. The mangoes were from heaven. You could order an omelet. There were tasty juices, coffee, hot oatmeal, sausages, potatoes, Nutella, naan, etc. For lunch, my daughter, who is genuinely a food critic, had pasta with seafood in red sauce, and she said it was the best she ever had. (We have traveled to Italy and Venice many times.) I highly recommend this hotel.

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