Reviews of Maru Maru Hotel 4 stars
Gizenga Street, Stone Town, Zanzibar City, Tanzania
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Reviewed: 28 August 2025 · Stayed in August 2025
Verified reviewLocation
Noisy depending on which room you stay.
Reviewed: 28 August 2025 · Stayed in August 2025
Verified reviewLocation
Noisy depending on room
Reviewed: 28 August 2025 · Stayed in August 2025
Verified reviewEverything and everyone was very kind and warm
Nothing
Reviewed: 23 August 2025 · Stayed in August 2025
Verified reviewFood menu was very limited
Reviewed: 19 August 2025 · Stayed in July 2025
Verified reviewMost of the staff were wonderful. The food, hotel and location.
Two of the staff were not very nice. The guy in charge at the restaurant, there were 2 and the african guy was really good. However the ?Indian guy was horrible to staff and NOT nice at all, I actually felt sorry for the staff when he was on. Also one of the reception staff (the girl in the blue uniform) had a bit of a bad attitude. All other staff were great.
Reviewed: 18 August 2025 · Stayed in August 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 18 August 2025 · Stayed in August 2025
Verified reviewGreat location and superb roof terrace with a pool and amazing views. Great breakfast buffet and sundowner drinks.
It's a bit noisy from the street, and they also have live music on the roof terrace until 11pm every evening
Reviewed: 14 August 2025 · Stayed in August 2025
Verified reviewLocation
Very noisy. Either the band which played every night or the early morning staff members making noise.
Reviewed: 14 August 2025 · Stayed in July 2025
Verified reviewGood location, comfortable room
Live music till 10 pm almost every day
Reviewed: 8 August 2025 · Stayed in August 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 8 August 2025 · Stayed in August 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 7 August 2025 · Stayed in August 2025
Verified reviewGood location, pool and good food with clean rooms.
Could be a bit noisy at times.
Reviewed: 6 August 2025 · Stayed in August 2025
Verified reviewThe hotel was great. The only issue I had was that it wasn't clear on Booking.com side that the charges did not include the tourist tax. It was only upon arriving that I was told that I had to pay the tourist tax. I'm happy to pay this tax, but it would be less confusing if this was clearly. Also, I originally clicked rooms with breakfast included, but when I went to pay, I was switched over to a room without breakfast, which I didn't realized till checking in.
Reviewed: 5 August 2025 · Stayed in August 2025
Verified reviewExcellent location as it is near the city attractions and market Roof top resturant offers great food
If you have kids the live music at the roof top resturant might bother them as they stop at 10:30 pm or 11pm . Otherwise it is perfect .
Reviewed: 1 August 2025 · Stayed in July 2025
Verified reviewThe location is wonderful, the rooms very clean, the staff were very kind. Josef on the resturant was very kind.
Nothing
Reviewed: 1 August 2025 · Stayed in July 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 1 August 2025 · Stayed in July 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 30 July 2025 · Stayed in June 2025
Verified reviewIt was such a great location, with a beautiful restaurant on the top floor
There is nothing I didn’t like about this hotel
Reviewed: 29 July 2025 · Stayed in July 2025
Verified reviewWe were allowed to check in and leave our luggage in a storage room on arrival. Our room was also ready early so we were grateful for this after an early flight. Room was nice, airey, cleaned every day and mosquito net closed each evening. Shower was good too. Pool was nice and had towels up there to use. Dining area had great views especially at sunset. Staff were great. Location was also amazing. Could walk anywhere and everywhere we needed.
Breakfast buffet wasn't included in our package which was disappointing as I think we were the only people not availing of it. Happens all over Tanzania but must be noted that the electricity/ power cuts are common. Unfortunately one such power cut happened when we were in the lift and we ended up being trapped in there for 5+ mins but got out eventually. Pool was on the roof next to the dining area so it felt a bit weird next to that.
Reviewed: 23 July 2025 · Stayed in July 2025
Verified reviewThe bathroom
The bed
Reviewed: 21 July 2025 · Stayed in July 2025
Verified reviewThe staff were very helpful. We wanted an extra bed for my child that was supposed to be charged extra but the staff were very accommodating and gave us for free. The location of the hotel in close proximity to the main attractions of Stone Town was a plus. The rooms and toilets were very clean and tidy with good toilet amenities.
If you are someone who likes to sleep early, then you are in for a very uncomfortable ride at this hotel. The loud and live music in the penthouse level - which is in the 4th floor - of the hotel starts at around 8 pm and goes all the way to around 11 pm EVERYT SINGLE NIGHT !. There is no way you can have a quite sleep before 11 pm !. And if they gave you a room in the 3rd floor, then you will be woken up at 4 AM with very loud, banging, and disturbing noises from the penthouse floor (again) from the restaurant staff who start preparing for breakfast. It seems to me that this hotel was constructed with very poor sound insulation system which allow - and perhaps magnify - noise from the 4th floor to penetrate easily to the lower floors. In our 3rd day at the hotel we could not bare this any longer and asked the reception to change our room to a lower floor level and they managed to do that. The lower floor rooms were noticeably better, particularly for the noises in the early hours of the day.
Reviewed: 18 July 2025 · Stayed in May 2025
Verified reviewNice play to stay
Nice place
Reviewed: 18 July 2025 · Stayed in July 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 16 July 2025 · Stayed in July 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 15 July 2025 · Stayed in April 2025
Verified reviewLocation is perfect for exploring Stonetown. Also a great place to meet friends for a sundowner at the rooftop even if you aren’t staying at the hotel. We have stayed at Maru Maru multiple times. If you are new to Zanzibar, the staff will help you plan excursions. Also they will pick you up from the airport which is super helpful upon arrival.
Most properties in Stonetown are not very accessible for people with mobility issues.