Emerson Spice Hotel: Stone Town, Zanzibar
The last Swahili ruler of Zanzibar once owned a mansion in Stone Town, a unique coastal city influenced by hundreds of years of Swahili, Indian, Arab, and European cultures. From the structural remains of the mansion (plus a merchant’s house) came a boutique hotel hosting ornate rooms that each vary in style.
One is named Kate, and it opens onto a private balcony overlooking Stone Town. Another room is called Semele, which has a hand-painted mosaic embedded into the floor. Lamour Toujours is inspired by Hollywood and decorated with “Road to Zanzibar” film posters, while Mimi has frilly balconies and stained-glass windows.
Whatever style strikes a visitor’s fancy, they can likely find it in one of the 11 glamorous rooms at Emerson Spice Hotel. The rooms are set around an airy central courtyard and adjacent to two distinct restaurants. The Secret Garden offers live music and the Tea House, which is on the hotel rooftop, is known throughout Africa for its food, views, and ambience. Hotel guests have their breakfasts here.
Emerson Spice blends with the town heritage as it melds two buildings and several styles of architecture into its appearance, meant to give visitors a feeling of stepping back in time. It’s decorated throughout with antique Zanzibar furniture. Even travelers who aren’t staying at the hotel or eating at its restaurants can often be seen stopping to take photos of the building and its latticed balconies.
Guests who have stayed at Emerson Spice frequently call it their favorite hotel.
“The rooms are simply spectacular, the staff is helpful and friendly, and our meals (breakfasts on the rooftop, seafood dinner in the Tea House, and dinner next door at the Secret Garden) were all incredibly delicious,” a Google reviewer wrote recently.
However, this is not a place for guests who are fussy about details like water pressure and crumbling plaster. Some of the lower ranked reviews said the hotel should invest in updating its infrastructure. But even these reviewers appreciated the hotel’s ambiance and location.
Visitors also highlighted the customer service at Emerson Spice, with one Google reviewer writing that the “staff’s warmth and welcoming smiles created an atmosphere where we felt not just guests, but a part of a larger, welcoming community.”
The hotel employs only native Zanzibaris instead of bringing in workers from the mainland. It also supports Emerson’s Zanzibar Foundation, which honors local artists for music, writing, film, and visual arts.
For more information about Emerson Zanzibar; made up of the foundation, two hotels (including Emerson Spice), three restaurants, and four dining experiences, go to: https://emersonzanzibar.com/
You can view a suggested itinerary for Zanzibar, including Emerson Spice, here. Also read our Streets of Stone Town post for ideas on what to do in Stone Town.
