Staycation Zanzibar City
Compare Zanzibar City staycation hotels by location, Expedia guest reviews and estimated nightly prices.
Choose your Zanzibar City staycation
Emerson Spice Hotel · Zanzibar Coffee House · The Neela Boutique Hotel Stone Town
Read the full Zanzibar City staycation guide
A Stone Town city break or a beach resort stay?
Zanzibar City’s Stone Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site with a compact historic street pattern and a seafront setting. UNESCO describes its Swahili, Arab, Indian and European influences. For a staycation, a hotel in this urban setting offers a different experience from a resort elsewhere on Unguja; the island name alone is not a sufficiently precise location.
Choose a city hotel when heritage and dining are the focus, then check access, luggage arrangements and the exact room view. Choose a separately verified beach-resort location when long periods at the beach are the purpose. Do not assume that a Stone Town seafront hotel provides the same swimming access as a resort beach. For a short break, keep your plan around the area where the accommodation actually sits.
Zanzibar City staycation question
Are Zanzibar City hotels the same as north-coast beach resorts?
No. Check the exact destination and map pin; an island-wide search can mix urban hotels with resorts elsewhere on Unguja.
Destination background: UNESCO: Stone Town of Zanzibar. Weekend planning suggestions are our editorial interpretation of the destination and booking choices.
Top rated: shortlist hotels with Expedia guest scores of 9/10 or above. Deals & offers: see savings from checked Expedia price examples. Select both to include hotels matching either choice.
Compare the same dates, room and guest count on Expedia. Estimated prices and savings can change; confirm the final total, taxes, breakfast and cancellation terms before booking.
Compare Zanzibar City hotel listings
Our Zanzibar City collection contains 20 hotel listings at this audit. 10 meet our Top rated rule using the ratings recorded in the listings. These are collection counts, not live room availability.
| Hotel | Guest score | Reviews | Top rated rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emerson Spice Hotel | 9.6/10 | 125 | Meets 9.0+ / 10+ reviews |
| Zanzibar Coffee House | 9.6/10 | 111 | Meets 9.0+ / 10+ reviews |
| The Neela Boutique Hotel Stone Town | 9.6/10 | 45 | Meets 9.0+ / 10+ reviews |
| Park Hyatt Zanzibar | 9.4/10 | 286 | Meets 9.0+ / 10+ reviews |
| Kholle House | 9.4/10 | 79 | Meets 9.0+ / 10+ reviews |
How to compare a weekend hotel booking
Compare the same dates, room category and number of guests. For a pool or spa break, ask whether overnight guests have access, whether treatments cost extra, and whether facilities will be open during your stay. For families, check the actual room capacity, children’s meal charges and any extra-bed fee. For a couples break, confirm the room view and the late check-out policy rather than relying on a general hotel description.
A lower room rate may exclude breakfast, taxes or the extras you plan to use. Compare the final total and cancellation deadline. A hotel-direct package and an Expedia room rate can have different inclusions and terms; use the named source link for each offer.
How our filters work
Top rated requires an Expedia guest score of at least 9.0/10 and at least 10 reviews. Selecting both filters includes hotels that match either rule, without duplicating a card. Deals & offers shows dated saving examples or sourced hotel-direct packages while their verification remains current. When no hotel qualifies, browse All Stays rather than assuming that all rooms are sold out.
Collection checked 12 October 2026. Ratings are recorded listing data; room availability, guest scores and facilities can change. Recheck the booking source and final price before paying.
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Madinat Al Bahr Business & Spa Hotel
Expedia guest rating 8.8/10 · 105 reviews · Zanzibar City, Tanzania. A Mbweni waterfront property with a pool, spa and airport shuttle, useful for a relaxed…
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Hotel Verde Zanzibar – Azam Luxury Resort and Spa
Expedia guest rating 9.0/10 · 149 reviews · Zanzibar City, Tanzania. A spacious Mtoni waterfront stay with a marina, pool, spa and room balconies, giving families…
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Golden Tulip Zanzibar Airport
Expedia guest rating 8.6/10 · 136 reviews · Zanzibar City, Tanzania. A practical air-conditioned base near Zanzibar's airport for a late arrival or early departure, with…
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Jafferji House
Expedia guest rating 8.6/10 · 209 reviews · Zanzibar City, Tanzania. An intimate Stone Town guesthouse with distinctive interiors and included breakfast near the Old Fort.…
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Kisiwa House
Expedia guest rating 8.8/10 · 253 reviews · Zanzibar City, Tanzania. A restored Stone Town residence with elegant local detail and rooftop dining near the Shangani…
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Tembo House Hotel
Expedia guest rating 8.8/10 · 1007 reviews · Zanzibar City, Tanzania. A busy Shangani waterfront base with pool facilities and easy access to boat departures and…
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Zanzibar Palace Hotel
Expedia guest rating 9.0/10 · 161 reviews · Zanzibar City, Tanzania. A carefully furnished Stone Town house in Kiponda with cooked breakfast and spa options. Its…
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Kholle House
Expedia guest rating 9.4/10 · 79 reviews · Zanzibar City, Tanzania. A restored Stone Town house combining period details, a pool and breakfast. It offers a…
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The Neela Boutique Hotel Stone Town
Expedia guest rating 9.6/10 · 45 reviews · Zanzibar City, Tanzania. A polished small hotel with carefully styled rooms and an excellent emerging guest score, located…
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Shaba Boutique Hotel
Expedia guest rating 9.0/10 · 26 reviews · Zanzibar City, Tanzania. A compact boutique choice on a lived-in Stone Town street, with breakfast and a promising…
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Turaco Spice Tree, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel
Expedia guest rating 8.8/10 · 512 reviews · Zanzibar City, Tanzania. A familiar full-service option in Stone Town with a pool and central access, supported by…
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Spice Palace Hotel
Expedia guest rating 8.4/10 · 163 reviews · Zanzibar City, Tanzania. An accessible central base with a small pool, restaurant and air-conditioned rooms in the old…
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Emerson on Hurumzi
Expedia guest rating 9.2/10 · 39 reviews · Zanzibar City, Tanzania. A richly styled historic house in the heart of Stone Town, chosen for its distinctive…
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Zanzibar Coffee House
Expedia guest rating 9.6/10 · 111 reviews · Zanzibar City, Tanzania. A restored Stone Town house centred on its café and breakfast, ideal for beginning a…
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Dhow Palace Hotel
Expedia guest rating 8.6/10 · 378 reviews · Zanzibar City, Tanzania. An atmospheric Stone Town building with traditional details and an internal pool, near the Shangani…
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Mizingani Seafront Hotel
Expedia guest rating 8.8/10 · 438 reviews · Zanzibar City, Tanzania. A traditional seafront setting close to the ferry and Forodhani Gardens, with a pool and…
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Maru Maru Hotel
Expedia guest rating 8.8/10 · 604 reviews · Zanzibar City, Tanzania. A central base steps from the Old Fort and Forodhani Gardens, with a rooftop terrace,…
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Emerson Spice Hotel
Expedia guest rating 9.6/10 · 126 reviews · Zanzibar City, Tanzania. A characterful restored Stone Town house with richly decorated rooms and a rooftop dining experience…
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Zanzibar Serena Hotel
Expedia guest rating 9.0/10 · 256 reviews · Zanzibar City, Tanzania. Historic Stone Town waterfront hotel with pool and spa; official two-night Maisha Spa Package.
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Park Hyatt Zanzibar
Expedia guest rating 9.4/10 · 286 reviews · Zanzibar City, Tanzania. Oceanfront Stone Town hotel with pool and spa; compare breakfast and sea-view room terms.