The Zanzibar Serena Hotel is the traditional grand hotel of Stone Town and still one of its most atmospheric. It opened in 1997 in two restored seafront buildings in Shangani: an eighteenth-century house that once belonged to a Chinese doctor and the nineteenth-century Extelcoms House, the old telegraph office. Their careful restoration is credited with helping Stone Town win its UNESCO listing. Inside, the hotel is full of carved Zanzibari doors, brass-studded chests, Persian rugs and antique furniture, arranged around courtyards and terraces facing the sea. There are 51 rooms and suites, the best of them Prime rooms with four-poster beds and L-shaped balconies over the ocean. A large illuminated pool sits among palm trees by the water and hosts a Swahili Nights evening every Friday. The Maisha Spa offers massages including hot stone, the Baharia restaurant serves international and Swahili dishes, the rooftop Terrace Seafood Restaurant looks over the bay, and the Masahani Bar often has live taarab music.
Location and getting around: the hotel stands on the Shangani seafront at the western edge of Stone Town, next to Park Hyatt and a few minutes on foot from the Forodhani Gardens, the Old Fort and the main lanes of the old town. Cars can reach the entrance, and the airport is a short drive away.
Rooms: Standard rooms have either Stone Town or ocean views and large windows or balconies, and Standard Triples suit families with older children. Prime King, Prime Twin and Honeymoon Prime rooms are seafront rooms with four-poster beds and balconies, and the Executive Suite adds a sitting area, an airport transfer and a massage. Ask for a Prime room for the sea views.
Who it suits: travellers who want old-world Zanzibar character with a pool, couples and honeymooners, and families who want a central base with space to swim.
Good to know: breakfast is served in the Baharia restaurant from early morning, and the rooftop seafood terrace is open for dinner. Friday Swahili Nights by the pool are a highlight. The hotel arranges Stone Town heritage walks, and its seafront is ideal for watching the sunset over the harbour with a drink.
Why stay here
- ✓Palm-fringed outdoor pool
- ✓Maisha Spa
- ✓Baharia restaurant
- ✓Rooftop Terrace Seafood Restaurant
- ✓Masahani Bar with live taarab
- ✓Friday Swahili Nights
- ✓Seafront rooms with balconies
- ✓Heritage walks arranged
Good questions
How old is the Zanzibar Serena Hotel building?+
The hotel opened in 1997 in two restored seafront buildings, an eighteenth-century house and the nineteenth-century Extelcoms House. Their restoration helped Stone Town gain its UNESCO listing.
Does the Zanzibar Serena Hotel have a pool?+
Yes, it has a large illuminated pool among palm trees by the sea. A Swahili Nights evening is held there every Friday.
Which rooms have sea views at the Serena?+
The Prime rooms are seafront rooms with four-poster beds and balconies over the ocean. Some Standard rooms also have ocean views.
