Located in Stone Town, a neighbourhood in Zanzibar Town, House of Spice is near the airport and near the beach. Masingini Forest and Nakupenda Beach reflect the area's natural beauty and area attractions include Kariakoo Amusement Park and Siso Spice Farm. Visit our Zanzibar Town travel guide
24-hour return airport shuttle on request for a surcharge
Area shuttle (surcharge)
Free self parking on site
Limited on-site self parking
Conveniences
Limited-hour front desk
Luggage storage
Safe at front desk
Guest services
Housekeeping (daily)
Outdoors
Garden
Rooftop terrace
Accessibility
No lift
More
3 floors
Smoke-free property
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 and check-out are available
Minimum check-in age - 18
Check-out
Check-out before 10:00 AM
Contactless check-out
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
No pets or service animals allowed
Children and extra beds
Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available.
Cots (infant beds) are not available
Payment types at the property
Important information
Optional extras
Airport shuttle fee: USD 25 per vehicle (one-way)
In-room safe fee: USD 5 per stay
The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may 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 cots/infant beds
This property accepts credit cards; cash is not accepted
We should mention
This property does not have any lifts
Only registered guests are allowed in the guestrooms
No pets and no service animals are allowed at this property
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 House of Spice pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
How much is parking at House of Spice?
Self-parking is free at this property.
What time is check-in at House of Spice?
Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; check-in end time: 11:30 PM.
What time is check-out at House of Spice?
Checkout is at 10:00 AM.
Does House of Spice provide a shuttle to the airport?
Yes, there's an airport shuttle that runs on request. A fee of USD 25 per vehicle applies.
Where is House of Spice located?
Located in Stone Town, this guesthouse is steps away from Mbweni Ruins, Marahubi Palace and People's Palace Museum. Freddie Mercury Museum and Shangani Beach are just steps away.
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Reviews
House of Spice Reviews
8.6
Excellent
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travellers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.More informationOpens in a new window
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.
maria dolores
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2020
6/10 Okay
Lusubilo
16 Feb 2021
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.
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
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.
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
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.
Jolie hôtel, avec sa terrasse pour le petit petit-déjeuner, c'est agréable de ne pas se retrouver directement dehors.
Gros coup de coeur pour les meubles authentiquesen bois massif de cet hotel.
Bon petit-déjeuner, personnel agréable et souriant.
Je n'ai pas aimé stone town dans son intégralité. Mais l'hôtel était plutôt bien placé dans le centre ville et un peu en retrait du tumulte des commerces. Cependant il y avait des travaux autour donc ce n'était pas très agréable à contempler (la ville de manière générale est en assez mauvaise état de toute façon)
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!
Verified traveller
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2019
6/10 Okay
Verified traveller
25 Sep 2019
Location was good. We got the deluxe double room and it was very small.
Clean boutique hotel right in the middle of Stone Town. Great daily breakfast provided.
Adam
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2019
6/10 Okay
Verified traveller
10 Sep 2019
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.
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.
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!!
Bel emplacement (accès à pied) en dehors des ordures qui s'entassent sur le terrain entourant la tombe devant l'hôtel.
Chambre propre, confortable et peu bruyante. Décoration sobre mais typique. Dommage que le coffre de la chambre soit payant (5$)
Service soigné, souriant et familial. Bon petit déjeuner.
Une terrasse sur le toit de l’immeuble (découvert par hasard le matin du départ)
Prix des excursions un peu chères.
Une belle expérience pour sortir des chaines standards.
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!
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.