Reviews of Zanzibar Coffee House

We loved the traditional style of the building. Old features had been left, and maintained. The staff were all incredibly helpful and smiley. The breakfast was superb.

The rooms were beautiful, the beds were comfortable, the bathrooms were lovely to look at too. The cafe on the roof and breakfast were perfect. The service was really friendly and helpful

It was a delightful experience that perfectly captured the charm of this historic city. Housed in one of Zanzibar’s old buildings, the hotel exudes a sense of history and romance with its authentic Arabic architecture, antique furniture, and rich fabrics. Located in the heart of Stone Town’s maze-like alleys, the hotel is ideally situated for exploring the vibrant markets, the Darajani Market, and Forodhani Gardens; which is perfect for immersing yourself in the culture, with restaurants and shops right at your doorstep. However, the narrow lanes mean you’ll need to walk about five minutes from the nearest drop-off point, so light pack or arrange a a bajaji (tukutuk) from the last drop off. There are eight rooms, named after coffee varieties like Arabica and Espresso. Our room was clean, and tastefully decorated with a traditional Zanzibari four-poster bed, mosquito net, and antique lamps. The air conditioning was a blessing in the humid climate. The hotel’s coffee-themed atmosphere is warm and inviting, with the ground-floor café serving exceptional coffee. The rooftop terrace is a gem, offering 360-degree views of Stone Town’s rooftops and a serene spot for breakfast. The breakfast itself was a standout—fresh, generous, and paired with delicious Karak (masala chai). The café’s homemade cakes and light meals are also worth trying. The lack of a full restaurant or extensive facilities (it’s more of a B&B) keeps things simple. The staff were the heart of the experience—gracious, professional, and genuinely warm. From the welcoming Juice on arrival to the attentive service at breakfast, they made us feel like family. The early morning beautiful call to prayer from nearby mosques added to the cultural immersion. The hotel isn’t ideal for those with mobility issues due to multiple stairs and uneven floor levels. The absence of an elevator and the historic layout might be challenging.

Breakfast was phenomenal. The staff were delightful and kind. The coffee is so good- I have been a barista in the UK and this place was top notch. My room was very sweet- quaint and clean. Had AC which was a blessing. Cleaned every day and the bed made for me. No security issues whatsoever.

Sometimes felt like the guy who stays up at night to let you in/ out wasn't very pleased with me, but could have just been communication issues. Also, it is impossible for a taxi to take you to the coffee house so you have to be careful if you have a lot of stuff/ book a tour

The building is beautiful and quirky and in a fantastic location within Stone Town. The staff are super friendly and helpful.

Not their fault, but the construction across the alley was quite loud well past 17:00.

Very friendly and helpful staff. Wonderful coffee. The building had great character.. well-located in the labyrinth of Stone Town.

Rooftop Terrance for breakfast and welcome drink with coffee options.

Could not enjoy breakfast fully due to early check out and hotel unable to accommodate for earlier breakfast time

Lovely breakfast one the roof and very friendly staff.

Bad experience with one of the drivers they booked for me.

Breakfast on the rooftop was wonderful and felt so exotic.

We couldn’t get the air conditioner to work on the second night, so the room got hot but it may have been user error. And the overhead fan worked great!

I loved the location, the building, and amenities. The staff were amazing, so kind and helpful. I had to leave early due to a family emergency and the staff could not have been more helpful and sensitive.

My only complaint is really out of their control. There was loud construction just across the narrow street until 19:00. Difficult to rest or even enjoy a meal and coffee.

Beautifully preserved and maintained house. Stylishly Decorated with all kinds of coffee related items. Rooftop breakfasts incredibly friendly and caring staff.

That I had to leave

Fabulous hotel. 100% recommendation

The rooftop terrace was magical and the rooms were very well set up and elegant. The breakfast was excellent.

Kind people. Beautiful architecture. Lovely roof top breakfast!

This is more a problem with booking.com than the property. We thought we had elongated our stay in the same room because the booking picture was the same, but we instead had to switch rooms by surprise.

Authentic building and charm.

They were disorganized. I had cancelled our arrival shuttle and had confirmation in writing but they still sent one and then asked for payment. I showed the written cancellation and they accepted it. We booked a double room with an additional twin bed understanding that the room cost was for 3 people since it was advertised as a 3 person room and more expensive than a double. However they requested 50$ more dollars which we paid.

Location, super friendly staff, breakfast was served on the roof top. The room was beautifully Arabic/ Indian decorated, comfy bed

I liked everything

The originality of the the décor and the friendliness of the staff, made up from 100% local people made it all more pleasant.

The uniqueness of the rooms, cafe, rooftop - all of it. The staff are super friendly and accommodating.

A lot of stairs, but that’s also part of the charm.

Lovely rooms, charming staff, excellent breakfast!

Wonderful friendly staff, great location in a historical building

I was a little too tall for the bed (I'm 6'2) and couldn't lay straight - air con was also very loud

Amazing building. Leah a great team member up at the top coffee restaurant. Good Aircon and room fan.

No natural light from the windows as they were blocked by blinds you couldn’t tie back/up Chairs in the room were broken. Damp smell in the room.

The roof top was lovely for breakfast

We arrived by car and got very little help on where to park, how to get our luggage to the hotel etc. despite the hotel being in quite a difficult area to access. The room was not practical at all for a family. The beds were not comfortable.