Emerson Spice

The staff at Emerson Spice were incredible. It felt like a 5 star hotel experience and I felt very taken care of during my stay. There’s someone waiting for you at the ferry to help with your bag and escort you to the hotel. The breakfast staff was top notch, and the breakfast was 3-course including fruits, eggs & toast, and a Tanzanian bread type. Everyone was kind and welcoming. I can’t speak highly enough of the various staff members that are there. Second - this was by far of the most unique hotels I’ve seen. It’s a historic building that’s been converted. I feel very fortunate, as a tourist, to be able to stay in such an architecturally beautiful, culturally significant, and historic place. Simply wow. Lastly, there’s deep spiritual presence here. I would recommend more exploration and honoring rituals of this.

A Captivating Stay at Emerson Spice Hotel: Honoring Zanzibar’s Rich Culture and Warm Hospitality During my stay at the Emerson Spice Hotel, I was captivated by its unique themed rooms. We stayed in the Desdemona Room and were given an information booklet that offered a truly insightful look into Emerson, who has sadly passed away. The booklet beautifully captures his vision and influence on the Zanzibar community, spanning music, culture, and hospitality. The staff were friendly, and the food served during the rooftop dining experience was pleasant, though I found the portions to be rather small. Since we were on our honeymoon, Russell, the General Manager, deserves a special shout out for his fantastic hospitality. He provided excellent recommendations for dining and sightseeing and even booked us a memorable city tour with Fahrid who was exceptional. Russell also surprised us by providing a bottle of sparkling wine that was waiting in our room and allowing us to enjoy it on the balcony at sunset which was a truly thoughtful touch. I loved the hotel’s stylish decor which beautifully combines historic charm with local Arabic influences. Its central location in Stone Town made exploring nearby attractions easy and convenient all while offering great value for the experience. We would recommend Emerson Spice Hotel to anyone visiting Stone Town.

It is truly one of the most beautiful experiences in my life. The place is very beautiful, with an old-fashioned style. The rooms are very spacious and the hospitality is truly wonderful, starting from the welcoming drink to the delicious seasonal fruit plate. If there was a rating higher than 10, I would have given them Thank you Emerson spice hotel for this amazing experience 🙌

The Emerson Spice hotel is very centrally located in Stone Town. It is an old building and there are many wonderful antiques in the hotel. The room we had "the Camille" was very large, with a nice bathroom. The bathtub was in the living room, we found it quirky but we didn't mind. It's a "must" to have dinner at the rooftop restaurant at sundown. The dinner was excellent! There are many mosques around and they start praying very early in the morning to it was an early wakeup call, but that is the case for all the hotels in Stone town. Great service by the staff. We would visit again if ever in Stone town.

Originally hadn't planned to stay in Stone Town, but arriving in Zanzibar a day earlier made for a cheaper flight, so we went for it. Stayed at the Emerson Spice, and what a pleasant surprise. Loved the rooftop restaurant, the courtyard reminding me of a Moroccan Ryad, the architecture, the kind staff. The hotel organized a guided tour of the old Stone Town and we made a lot of wonderful discoveries.

We made reservations based on website, travel agent recommendations and TripAdvisor. The place is highly rated. It is hard to believe this was the same hotel. We had to walk a few blocks since the van wouldn’t fit the narrow streets. Despite the cozy~looking internet pictures, the place is a musty dump furnished with well-worn furniture and rugs. The plumbing fixtures and electrical plugs appear recent. |The shower is in a long narrow tub that was narrow and rough. No curtain or glass to keep the water contained. Some kind of rough homemade soap. No shampoo. |We decided to get a car and head to the Park Hyatt nearby. |In spite of our abrupt but cordial departure, the staff was pleasant and helpful getting our luggage etc to the car we summoned. We tipped them and didn’t look back.

The hotel is very beautiful, located in the heart of Stone Town in an old renovated building with stylish authentic furniture with all modern comfort. The staff was absolutely fantastic and the level of service is highest possible. The kitchen is another point to mention- all the dishes we had were perfect (and we are very picky about food). Thank you, Russel and team!

Wonderful hotel that has worked hard to maintain the feel of Stone Town during the height of the spice trade and its Arab roots. Unique and interesting rooms, wonderful restaurants, incredible staff. Our room was on the top floor, as is the restaurant, with no elevators. worth the hike but not doable for everyone.