Luxury hotels in Zanzibar City

Hey! When I travel I love to stay at luxurious hotels - especially the kind of places that offer over the top extras and really spoil their guests with great service, nice spas, awesome restaurants and beautiful views. What more can you want? To save some time, I've put together this list of my favourite 5-star hotels and resorts in Zanzibar City. I hope you will like it!

• 1 Zanzibar Serena Hotel Zanzibar City, Tanzania

  

  Hotel. Located on the sea-front of ancient Stone Town, Zanzibar Serena Inn offers 5-star accommodation with a view of the Indian Ocean. There is an outdoor pool with sun loungers, a café and 2 restaurants. Zanzibar Serena Inn offers free private parking. All rooms are decorated with traditional furnishings and feature a satellite TV, mini bar and a tea and coffee maker. Each has a private bathroom with a bath and shower with free toiletries. There is 24-hour room service and free Wi-Fi. The Terrace Seafood Restaurant features an open-air rooftop terrace and has ocean views. International and Swahili dishes are available at the Baharia Restaurant. The Pool Terrace Bar and coffee shop serve a wide selection of drinks, snacks and traditional pastries. Guests can relax and sunbathe poolside or on the beach. Other local activities include swimming, snorkelling, kayaking and diving. House of Wonders is a 5-minute drive away. Zanzibar International Airport and Zanzibar Ferry Terminal are within a 10-minute drive away. Show full description Guest review score 8.4, rooms from around $345.

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• 2 Madinat Al Bahr Business & Spa Hotel Zanzibar City, Tanzania

  

  Hotel. Featuring an outdoor swimming pool and a fitness centre, Madinat Al Bahr Business & Spa Hotel is set in Zanzibar City, 6 km from Peace Memorial Museum. Built in 2015, the property is within 8 km of The Zanzibar Curio shop and 6.5 km from Stone Town. Guests can enjoy a drink at the on-site bar. All rooms are equipped with air conditioning, a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, a coffee machine, a hot tub, free toiletries and a desk. The rooms come with a private bathroom with a bath, while some feature sea views. Guest rooms provide guests with a fridge. A continental or buffet breakfast can be enjoyed at the property. The hotel offers 5-star accommodation with an indoor pool. You can play billiards at this 5-star hotel,a car hire is also available. Staff at the 24-hour front desk speak German and English. Karume Institute of Science and Technology is 2.2 km from Madinat Al Bahr Business & Spa Hotel. Guest review score 8.0, rooms from around $194.

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• 3 Zanzi Resort Zanzibar City, Tanzania

  

  Resort. Zanzi Resort is situated on the shore of the Indian Ocean, 15 km from the historic town of Stone Town and a 30-minute drive from the Zanzibar International Airport. Each spacious villa and bungalow offers an intimate environment. Ocean-front villas have a private patio with a pool, a lush tropical garden, and a gazebo draped in mosquito nets. The bungalows are located in the garden area with access to the main swimming pool. A guest relations attaché is available to help plan day trips and excursions. Guests can choose to have breakfast, lunch, and dinner in their private villa or bungalow, in the restaurant, or on the beach. We offer local cuisine prepared for an international palate with fresh seafood accompanied by organic vegetables and spices picked from our own eco-plantation. Massages are offered beside the ocean with water sports facilities available on site. Free bicycles are available and excursions can be arranged at the tour desk. Show full description Guest review score 9.5, rooms from around $317.

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• 4 Park Hyatt Zanzibar Zanzibar City, Tanzania

  

  Hotel. Featuring a seafront location in Zanzibar City, Park Hyatt Zanzibar offers an outdoor pool and a restaurant. This air-conditioned hotel comes with free WiFi access and has a spa and wellness centre. All rooms are equipped with a flat-screen cable TV, a minibar and tea and coffee making facilities. Private bathrooms comprise a bathtub, free toiletries, a hairdryer and a bidet. Views are provided from all rooms. Guest staying at Park Hyatt Zanzibar are also offered a fitness centre, a tour desk and a luggage storage. Activites like snorkeling, diving, golf and various other can be enjoyed on site or in the surrounding area. The Hotel is 43 km away from Jozani Chwaka National Park and 11 km from Masingini Forest. Abeid Amani Karume International Airport is 8Km from Park Hyatt Zanzibar. Zanzibar Ferry Terminal is 1 km away. Show full description Guest review score 8.9, rooms from around $509.

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• 5 Hotel Verde Zanzibar - Azam Luxury Resort and Spa Zanzibar City, Tanzania

  

  Hotel. Located in Zanzibar City, 5.2 km from Peace Memorial Museum, Hotel Verde Zanzibar - Azam Luxury Resort and Spa provides accommodation with an outdoor swimming pool, free private parking, a fitness centre and a garden. Among the facilities of this property are a restaurant, a kids' club and room service, along with free WiFi throughout the property. Certain units at the property include a patio with pool view. At the hotel every room has air conditioning, a desk, a balcony with a garden view, a private bathroom, a flat-screen TV, bed linen and towels. All rooms include a safety deposit box, while certain rooms here will provide you with a terrace and others also provide guests with sea views. All units will provide guests with a wardrobe and a kettle. A buffet, Full English/Irish or vegetarian breakfast can be enjoyed at the property. Hotel Verde Zanzibar - Azam Luxury Resort and Spa offers a children's playground. Guests at the accommodation will be able to enjoy activities in and around Zanzibar City, like canoeing. Guests will find a 24-hour front desk, a shared lounge, a business centre and ironing service at the property. Cinema Afrique is 4.1 km from Hotel Verde Zanzibar - Azam Luxury Resort and Spa, while Old Dispensary is 4.4 km away. The nearest airport is Abeid Amani Karume International Airport, 10 km from the hotel. Show full description Guest review score 8.4, rooms from around $216.

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• 6 Sea Cliff Resort & Spa Zanzibar City, Tanzania

  

  Resort. Overlooking the Indian Ocean, this resort is 25 kilometres from Zanzibar Airport. All rooms feature a flat-screen TV with satellite channels also 4 bars and 3 restaurants are offered on site. Offering a private balcony with a view. Each room at Sea Cliff Resort & Spa Zanzibar contains an en-suite bathroom fitted with a shower. Mangapwani Restaurant serves local and international cuisine, Terrace Restaurant offers casual dining and Kobe Restaurant provides guests with a light lunch at the swimming pool at Zanzibar Sea Cliff Resort & Spa. A bar on a private beach, the Kobe Poolside Bar and the Jetty Bar are also offered. The Zanzi Bar features views of the Indian Ocean. Guests can relax at the Shwari Spa or enjoy kayaking, windsurfing, sailing and water skiing at Zanzibar Sea Cliff Resort & Spa . A recreation centre with billiards, table tennis and 2 tennis courts are also available. Stone Town is 18 kilometres from Sea Cliff Resort & Spa Zanzibar. Show full description Guest review score 7.9, rooms from around $319.

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I try my best to keep this guide up to date and I last refreshed it in November 2022. Did I miss a luxury hotel that should be on this list? Send me an email and let me know!