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House of Spice

3.0 star property

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Photo gallery for House of Spice

Deluxe Suite | Premium bedding, individually furnished, blackout drapes, free WiFi
Breakfast area
Terrace/patio
Staircase
Front of property

Reviews

8.6 out of 10
Excellent

Popular amenities

  • Parking included
  • Free WiFi
  • Air conditioning
  • Housekeeping

Explore the area

View in a map
Uwanja Wa Shaba, Zanzibar Town
  • Place, House of Wonders
    ‪3 min walk‬
  • Place, Old Fort
    ‪3 min walk‬
  • Place, Forodhani Gardens
    ‪5 min walk‬
  • Airport, Zanzibar (ZNZ-Zanzibar Intl.)
    ‪11 min drive‬

Room options

View all photos for Deluxe Double Room

Premium bedding, individually furnished, blackout drapes, free WiFi

Deluxe Double Room

  • City view
  • 240 sq ft
  • 4 bedrooms
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

View all photos for Deluxe Suite

Deluxe Suite | Premium bedding, individually furnished, blackout drapes, free WiFi

Deluxe Suite

  • City view
  • 325 sq ft
  • 2 bedrooms
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Double Beds

About the neighborhood

Zanzibar Town

Located in Stone Town, House of Spice is next to Mbweni Ruins and Marahubi Palace. This 6-room, 3-star guesthouse has conveniences like free in-room WiFi, free self parking, and a rooftop terrace.
View more Guest Houses in Zanzibar TownOpens in a new window

What's nearby

  • Nakupenda Beach - 2 min walk - 0.1 miles
  • House of Wonders - 3 min walk - 0.2 miles
  • Old Fort - 3 min walk - 0.2 miles
  • Forodhani Gardens - 5 min walk - 0.3 miles
  • Slave Market - 8 min walk - 0.5 miles

Getting around

  • Zanzibar Intl. Airport (ZNZ) - 21 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Forodhani Park - ‬6 min walk
  • ‪House of Karafuu - ‬4 min walk
  • ‪Livingstone Beach Restaurant - ‬3 min walk
  • ‪Zenji Garden Café - ‬6 min walk
  • ‪Mama Mia Gelato - Stone Town - ‬4 min walk

About this property

House of Spice

At House of Spice, guests have access to a rooftop terrace, free WiFi in public areas, and a terrace. There's free parking, and an airport shuttle (available 24 hours) for USD 25 per vehicle one-way. Front-desk staff can assist with luggage storage and securing valuables. This smoke-free guesthouse also has a garden.
Guests can expect to find free WiFi. Beds sport premium bedding and bathrooms offer free toiletries. Ceiling fans are also available.

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Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • 24-hour roundtrip airport shuttle on request for a surcharge
  • Area shuttle (surcharge)
  • Free self parking on site

Conveniences

  • Limited-hour front desk
  • Luggage storage
  • Safe at front desk

Guest services

  • Housekeeping (daily)

Outdoors

  • Garden
  • Rooftop terrace

Accessibility

  • No elevator

More

  • 3 floors
  • Smoking not allowed

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Blackout drapes
  • Premium bedding

Bathroom

  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer (on request)
  • Private bathroom
  • Shower
  • Towels provided

Food and drink

  • Free bottled water

More

  • Air conditioning (climate-controlled)
  • Ceiling fan
  • Individual furnishings
  • Safe

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; Check-in end time: 11:30 PM
Contactless check-in available
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM
Contactless check-out available

Special check-in instructions

This property offers transfers from the airport (surcharges may apply); guests must contact the property with arrival details before travel, using the contact information on the booking confirmation
The front desk is open daily from 9:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Guests must contact the property in advance for check-in instructions; front desk staffed during limited hours
To make arrangements for check-in please contact the property at least 24 hours before arrival using the information on the booking confirmation
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Access methods

Front desk (limited hours)

Pets

  • This property doesn't allow pets or service animals

Property payment types

Important information

Optional extras

These fees and deposits will be charged at check-in, check-out, or the time of service.

  • Airport shuttle fee: USD 25 per vehicle (one-way)
  • In-room safe fee: USD 5 per stay

This list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits might not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Guests must contact this property in advance to reserve cribs/infant beds
This property accepts credit cards; cash is not accepted
  • Check-in: 2:00 PM—-11:30 PM
  • Check-out: 10:00 AM
  • Minimum check-in age: 18
The front desk is available during limited hours. For convenient arrivals and departures, you can take advantage of the airport shuttle (available 24 hours), which is offered for a fee. Driving? This property offers free parking.

We should mention

Details about charges, deposits, or other important information:

  • This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business, or profession.
  • Charges for extra guests may apply and vary depending on the property's policy.
  • A cash deposit, credit card, or debit card for incidental charges, as well as a government-issued photo ID, may be required at check-in.
  • Special requests are subject to availability at the time of check-in and can't be guaranteed. Certain requests may come with additional charges.
  • Guests must contact this property in advance to reserve cribs/infant beds.
  • This property accepts credit cards. Cash is not accepted. 

Additional information about polices, regulations, and more:

  • Registered guests are the only ones allowed in guestrooms.
  • There are no elevators.
  • No cribs or infant beds are available.
  • No rollaway or extra beds are available.

Property is also known as

Shaba Boutique Hotel Zanzibar Town
Shaba Boutique Zanzibar Town
Shaba Boutique
Shaba Boutique Hotel
House of Spice Guesthouse
House of Spice Zanzibar Town
House of Spice Guesthouse Zanzibar Town

Frequently asked questions

Is a free cancellation option available at House of Spice?

House of Spice offers free cancellation on certain room rates. For more details, look at the cancellation policy on our site.

What is there to do near House of Spice?

This guesthouse is situated in Stone Town, just steps from Nakupenda Beach and Mbweni Ruins, and within a short walk of Shangani Beach. You'll also find House of Wonders and Old Fort less than a mile away.

Is there parking available at House of Spice?

Yes, self parking is offered for free at the guesthouse.

Does House of Spice include a casino on the premises?

No, House of Spice doesn't have a casino.

Is there an indoor pool at House of Spice?

No, there is no indoor pool at this guesthouse.

Is House of Spice good for couples?

Couples staying at this guesthouse will value amenities like premium bedding, a city view in some accommodations, as well as a rooftop terrace.

Does House of Spice have a hot tub?

No, there isn't a spa tub at this guesthouse.

Does House of Spice have a restaurant that serves breakfast?

No, House of Spice doesn't have a restaurant that serves breakfast.

Does House of Spice allow pets to stay free of charge?

No, pets and service animals aren't allowed at House of Spice.

Does House of Spice have connecting rooms available?

No, this guesthouse doesn't feature connecting guestrooms.

Where is the closest airport to House of Spice?

The closest major airport to House of Spice is Zanzibar Intl. Airport (ZNZ), which is 5 mi away (21 minutes by car).

Are there rooms with balconies at House of Spice?

No, there aren't any accommodations at House of Spice that offer a balcony.

House of Spice Reviews

Reviews

8.6

Excellent

Rating 10 - Excellent. 34 out of 69 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 22 out of 69 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 11 out of 69 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 2 out of 69 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 69 reviews

9.2/10

Cleanliness

8.8/10

Staff & service

7.4/10

Amenities

8.4/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

6/10 Okay

Lusubilo

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Room comfort

Avoid room number 1 at any cost!!

Generally, my stay was great with EXCEPTIONAL of the bed. What I saw in the picture when booking is not what I got. I was given room number 1 which is the decker bed where you need to climb a steep stair and I found it very risky. At least they should ask a guest in advance if someone is capable of climbing those stairs regularly. I commend the two receptionists, they are very kind and helpful.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2021

8/10 Good

maria dolores

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities

SHABA very good area..

THE HOTEL IS HANDLED BUT ONE GIRL..PRICILLA who IS VERY NICE AND ACCOMMODATING THE OTHER GIRL IS NOT... but when I tried to book 3 more nights, tha tnight that might be booked but she could give me the other 2 fllowings nights ....she made me wait for the owner's response but never came back to me...the next day I went personally very early to the hotel...She was on leave and was the other girl..who said it was fully booked even the next 2 following nights that I was tld I could be confirmed... not very responsible --make sure to make booking through hotels.com there was a confusion doing the booking through hotels.com....I wanted to confirm using the 2 nights rewards not used at Kiponda... was rejected the booking...but nevertheless I was charged for 2nights... that Priscilla wasnt aware.... she charged me 2 USD for the 2nights instead if accepting a cash deal whcih had been cheaper.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2020

10/10 Excellent

JAI

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Shaba dabba do

Good hotel lovely decor and some interesting rooms and in a central location . Hard to access with a taxi but not far from main street. Priscilla was the star , thoughtful attentive and hard working this lady made the place worthwhile and special . Overall decent budget one night stay location
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2020

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2020

10/10 Excellent

Orbel

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2020

10/10 Excellent

Pav

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Excellent stay
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2020

10/10 Excellent

Pav

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

very nice place

Great location and a very pleasant hotel - recently renovated. I enjoyed my two nights there
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2020

4/10 Poor

Verified traveler

Liked: Amenities
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
The building was interesting, but the hotel had two problems. The first issue was the tourist tax. Although Expedia explicitly says on their webpage that the tourist tax is included in the final price charged to us, they insisted that I pay the tourist tax. They told me that “many people complained” about the tax and they couldn’t communicate with Expedia” through emails or phone calls. So they have been making everyone pay the taxes despite Expedia had already collected the taxes. I told the guy at the reception when I checked in that I paid all the taxes, then the next day another woman came to ask me for the taxes, and yet again. I had to talk with her for 30 minutes until I found the Expedia chat function and the Expedia staff clarified that I didn’t have to pay. It seemed like the boss was making them insist on paying the taxes. Another issue is that they have the dining space in their garden, which is a good idea in theory, but in reality, there were five or six mosquitoes buzzing around me while I was having breakfast. I got five mosquito bites in fifteen minutes. They might need to move their breakfast location elsewhere indoors or upstairs to avoid this problem. The second day, I went with a piece of cloth to cover up my legs and a jacket to cover my arms, despite the humidity. The swarm of mosquitoes still bit my hand.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2020

8/10 Good

Michael

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Overall good...upon arrival I was asked to pay a dollar tax when though I booked through hotels.com... The wifi was very poor on the 1st level of the building..ie my room
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2020

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Traveled with family and small children
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
There is no refrigerator in the room. Safety box usage is also charged.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2019

10/10 Excellent

Isabel

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Great cozy place in stone town

The room that we stayed was beautiful and very clean. The top terrace is falling apart, they should change the wood. It was a great place to stay in the middle of stone town. Easy to walk around. Only one street gets pretty dark at night when you are returning to the hotel. The service was good, they were really friendly and polite. They even made us breakfast at 5am because we needed to leave at 6am. It was a great place to stay in an affordable hotel.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2019

6/10 Okay

Christopher

central

Very central, basic, did the job.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Is was in a great location in the heart of stonetone. Just what we needed for the night.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Nice location. Interesting rooms with great woodwork. I think there are only 6 rooms which is nice. Staff could have been a bit more friendly. Good rooftop spot!
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2019

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Location was good. We got the deluxe double room and it was very small.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2019

10/10 Excellent

Adam

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Clean boutique hotel right in the middle of Stone Town. Great daily breakfast provided.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2019

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities
Nice decor in the room and a very decent size as well. I appreciated the complimentary bottle of water. Breakfast was very good. WiFi a bit patchy. My room was on the ground floor behind a lovely carved door, but the lock on the door left a big gap at the sides and I didn’t feel as safe as I’d have liked for myself or my belongings. The lock on the outside was also very stiff for opening and closing and on the inside was only a latch.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2019

8/10 Good

paul

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities

Beautifully decorated

Shaba is a nice, clean hotel. The rooms are clean and nicely decorated, but very small. No place to put your suitcase except on the floor and then you step over it to get anywhere else in the room. We had two carry on suitcases and were struggling. There is nice outdoor space for relaxing as you enter the hotel and also a sunset watching outdoor space at the very top of the hotel. Everyone was kind and helpful. They booked our taxi to the airport and also will book tours for you. air con was good and wifi was also good.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2019

10/10 Excellent

Ilze

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Stone Town Gem

Great boutique hotel in the best part of Stone Town. Clean, spacious room with great service and delicious breakfast included in the price. Value for Money!!
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great breakfast. Good location. Rooms very nice and comfortable.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2019

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Perfect location. Friendly staff. But not muh to do in stone town one night is enough.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2019

10/10 Excellent

Daniel

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Beautiful Hotel in Stone Town

This hotel is located in a beautiful area of Stone Town and close to all the nearby attractions. The building is full of character and the small nature of the hotel really helps it feel like home. The rooms are very clean and comfortable and the staff are very friendly and welcoming!
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2018

10/10 Excellent

Juho

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Nice hotel in central location in Stonetown

We staid 1 night with my wife and were extremely happy with this small, clean and pretty hotel with a nice rooftop view. Very friendly and helpful staff, and good breakfast. Central location in Stonetown, although as everything in Stonetown, a bit tricky to find.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2018

10/10 Excellent

gmbound, Colorafo

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Great location to shops, water and sites

We stayed in Stone Town for 3 days at Shaba. They were very welcoming and arranged for hotel transport even when we arrived at 1:30am. The rooms are comfortable and breakfast was good. They were also able to help arrange activities. The staff was wonderful!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2018

6/10 Okay

Evelyn

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities

Very bijou!

Room much smaller than expected. Didnt like the hard sell from the taxi driver who then checked us in and seemed to be connected to the hotel. A map of Stonetown would have been helpful. Breakfast was fine and they let us leave our luggage for a few hours.
Stayed 1 night in May 2018

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