Zanzibar Serena Inn

The Zanzibar Serena Inn is one of the most luxurious and scenically located hotels in Stone Town, Zanzibar. At high tide we felt like we were on a splendid cruise liner as the seawater laps against the boundary rail of the hotel. Dhows and outrigger canoes glide by providing a serene outlook from the splendid pool and dining terrace. Facing west, it’s a superb place to be sipping cocktails at sunset.

The hotel is situated in two historic seafront buildings (the old Telegraph Building and the Chinese Doctor’s House), which have been beautifully restored. You’re cosseted away from all the noise and bustle of Stone Town, even though the labyrinth of streets starts just across the road from the hotel. 

An immaculately dressed doorman welcomes you into the cool and spacious reception lobby, which features high ceilings, marble floors and a water fountain in the centre. The interiors are beautiful, with a strong Arabic influence. Although some people bemoan the lack of Zanzibari authenticity in architecture and décor, we don’t find this hotel out of place with its surroundings.

The staff, dressed in Arabian outfits, usually provide efficient and genuinely warm, friendly service. 

The hotel offers trips to a private beach at Mangapwani, 30 minutes away, where there is a watersports centre (snorkelling, fishing, dhow and catamaran sailing) and recreational centre (restaurant and bar). It’s a beautiful spot which we highly recommend visiting. From here you can also visit the infamous caves where slaves were hidden during the illegal slave trade which took place after slavery was abolished by Britain in the late 1800s.

The Serena Inn offers a peaceful and refreshing haven in which to unwind after a busy day. However, if you need further encouragement to relax, the hotel has a new beauty salon which offers a selection of massage treatments using aromatic tropical oils.

If you’re after lavish comforts, excellent service and fine dining, the Zanzibar Serena Inn is one of the most stylish places to stay in Stone Town. It, however, does belong to one of the largest hotel chains in Tanzania, Serena Hotels, so if you’d prefer something more intimate and personal this may not be the hotel for you. 

You can enjoy a sea view and all the mod cons you’d expect to find in an upmarket hotel. The en-suite bedrooms have a mini-bar, air conditioner, satellite television with in-house movies, telephone, hairdryer and safe. 

The rooms are decorated with taste and elegance using reproduction Zanzibari furniture, rather than the genuine antiques found in many of the other Stone Town hotels. The dark wood of the furnishings is offset by the cheerful blue and yellow tones of the bedspreads and curtains. 

The hotel comprises 51 rooms, including a state suite, two executive suites, six prime suites and one honeymoon suite. The prime and honeymoon suites have their own hammocks on the balcony.