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Table of Contents
Where to Stay in Zanzibar: Backstory to This List
As I mentioned in my last post, I often like to say: you can do Zanzibar on any budget.
When it comes to where to stay in Zanzibar, you can very well splurge and stay in the lap of luxury at hotels such as the Park Hyatt Zanzibar or the Zanzibar Serena Hotel, but you can also find reputable places to stay for as low as US$9 a night.
Yes, I did say US$9, but the operative word in that sentence is reputable—you don’t want to be in a place as magical as Zanzibar only to stay in a hole-in-the-wall because you are pinching pennies!
That’s not what this post is about.
READ ALSO: Mzingani Hotel & 3 Other Things My Readers Find Interesting
What Can You Expect from the Establishments in This Post?
All the establishments listed above are nice places to stay even when you are watching your spend.
How do I know they are nice?
Well, I didn’t want you to take my word for it, so instead I crowd-sourced an opinion of what constitutes nice.
Found in this list are accommodation options that have a minimum guest rating of 8/10, or “Very Good”, on Booking.com.
This list features the best ranked accommodation options in Stone Town, Zanzibar with prices ranging from US$18 to US$480 a night.
Why Did I Come up with This List?
I originally came up with this list not to share with you, actually, but rather for a family member who will be having a destination wedding in Zanzibar in a couple of months.
I focused on Stone Town, rather than the entire island of Zanzibar, because that’s what made most sense for her guests and wedding location.
Luckily, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Stone Town is not only one of the main reasons visitors come to Zanzibar but is also the site of present-day Zanzibar City.
That’s why I thought this list would be useful to you too.
How Is This List Organized?
I’ve categorized the hotels on this list into five main categories based on budget: shoestring, budget, moderate, higher end, and upmarket.
You will find the price criterion for each category in the heading above the establishments in that category.
Furthermore, for each category, the establishments are ordered in a sort of value-for-money ranking, with those at the top of each category offering the best experience as inexpensively as possible, while those at the bottom perhaps cost more than the experience they offer justifies.
Where Do the Prices Shown in This List Come From?
The prices listed for each establishment were found on Booking.com for the weekend of my niece’s wedding which is in late-February.
February, however, is low season in Zanzibar, so prices may be higher when you travel.
Nonetheless, I believe the general price category for each hotel/hostel/guesthouse and how these accommodation options compare to each other should remain about the same all year round.
The prices listed are based on the lowest price I could find for one person during that specific weekend, so prices could be for a bed in a dormitory, a room with access to a shared bathroom, or a room with its own private bathroom.
READ ALSO: Zanzibar Palace Hotel & 3 Other Charming Places to Stay in Stone Town, Zanzibar
Photo Credits: Brocken Inaglory, Neiljs, Fanny Schertzer, Sima Safari