Spice Palace Hotel

Clean, Quiet, Polite and Helpful staff. The Maasai guards were extremely kind and helpful.

The location is excellent—nothing in Stone Town is more than a 10-minute walk, which made it easy to get around. The only drawback is that the hotel is located down an alleyway where cars cannot access. If you’re traveling with luggage, you’ll need to ask your taxi driver to arrange for a concierge to come and assist. The first room we were given was very small and extremely hot and never properly cooled down. After the first night, we requested a larger room. While we appreciated being accommodated, we were charged more than what the upgraded room would have cost had we booked it that way initially, which was disappointing. In the new room, the air conditioning unit wasn’t ideally positioned, so the sleeping area never cooled as effectively as we would have liked. That said, the bed itself was very comfortable. The staff were a highlight of our stay. Everyone was pleasant and helpful, with special thanks to Habibi at the front desk and Luca, the Maasai concierge. Luca, in particular, went above and beyond—he carried our luggage multiple times to assist us, which we truly appreciated (even if we felt a bit bad for all the effort he put in!). The main drawback for us was the breakfast setup. The dining area is not enclosed, and birds were a significant nuisance. On several occasions, we saw them eating directly from the buffet and from the bowl used by staff to prepare omelettes. Ugh! That presented hygiene concerns for us.

Great and friendly staff who made me feel at home!

Now there are hotels for staying only, convenient location, etc., but this one excels in the long-forgotten personal touch and the joy of hosting and servitude. I have experienced greater care, postcard messages, and cookies to wish you good night. It is also in the best location in Stone Town, where you can access all the highlights of the place within 10 to 20 minutes. Beautifully decorated and a great place to stay.