Stone Town is where you stay for history, food and atmosphere rather than a swimming beach, from antique-filled heritage boutiques in the old-town lanes to a few big-name seafront hotels. Best for a night or two before the coast.
The heritage rooms are theatrically decorated, each one different. There is no pool or lift and the stairs are steep, so it is about atmosphere, not resort comfort. From about US$250 a night (2026, verify).
A beachfront resort-style hotel just south of the old city, with a pool, a spa and a hot tub. The catch is the location: you are a short drive from the historic centre rather than in it, so it is less walk-out-the-door than the old-town hotels. From around US$250 a night (2026, verify).
Stone Town's slickest luxury address, a Hyatt on the Shangani waterfront with an infinity pool looking straight out to sea, wrapped around a restored historic building. This is polished international luxury over local character, and priced to match, from roughly US$250 a night (2026, verify).
A tiny boutique hotel with a handful of individually styled rooms crammed with antiques and four-poster beds. Best if you want character over amenities, from about US$250 a night (2026, verify).
Rooms are simple and spotless, with a rooftop terrace over the town. There is no restaurant on site, but you are surrounded by cafes and the Forodhani food stalls, and at about US$99 a night it is strong value.
A big, green-minded resort on the coast north of the old town, built around a water park and pool, with a spa and a kids' club. Family-friendly and full-service, though a drive from the historic centre. From around US$250 a night (2026, verify).
An elegant boutique in a restored townhouse, with a handful of high-ceilinged rooms, a courtyard and a rooftop. Full old-Zanzibar character with proper service, but no pool, in keeping with the heritage buildings around it.
A small boutique of a few rooms above a popular cafe, in a restored coral-stone building with a roof terrace for breakfast. The ground-floor coffee house is the draw and the reason to book, though light sleepers should note it gets busy by day. About US$128 a night.
A seafront luxury hotel on the western waterfront, with a pool terrace over the water and one of the best sunset perches in town. Expect polished resort comfort rather than boutique quirk, from around US$250 a night (2026, verify).
A chain resort on the coast north of the old town, with a pool, a restaurant and easy family rooms. You are a drive from the Stone Town sights, so it is more a comfortable base than a walk-everywhere spot. Mid-priced, from about US$90 a night (2026, verify).
A larger seafront hotel on Mizingani Road, a short walk from the ferry port and the Forodhani night market. It sits on a busy stretch near the port, so pick a sea-facing room and expect town noise rather than a quiet retreat.
A four-star heritage hotel on the Shangani seafront, one of the few places in the old town with a pool and its own patch of sand. Traditional over modern, and the seafront rooms book out first.
A restored merchant's house set back in the old-town lanes, full of carved doors, brass lamps and antique four-poster beds. Mid-priced and a little cheaper than the seafront hotels, with a restaurant and a small gym. No sea view this far in, but you are a few minutes from everything.
A central mid-range hotel whose big draw is a rooftop pool and bar, a rare thing in the old town. It runs a tour desk for diving and day trips, and sits an easy walk from the main sights. Mid-priced, from about US$90 a night (2026, verify).
A small all-inclusive beachfront place north of the old town, near Maruhubi, with a pool and a restaurant. Better suited to a quiet beach stay than an old-town culture base, given it sits well north of the centre.
The budget pick, a simple guest house with air-con rooms, a shared kitchen and WiFi at about US$50 a night. It sits away from the old-town core, so factor in a short taxi ride to the sights and the seafront.
One of the cheaper four-stars in town at about US$97 a night, built around a green courtyard garden with a small spa. Some rooms have a kitchenette if you want to self-cater.
