Dhow Palace did feel like a palatial residence. Comfortable accommodations, with a historical feel. We were in a separate building from the main one. Each of our two units had a large sitting room with a sofa for sleeping, a refrigerator, a balcony, and a large bedroom with king sized bed, and additional furniture. The large bathroom featured an elegant, tiled tub with a shower. The main hotel building had common rooms with historic furniture, a pool, and a restaurant. The breakfasts were varied, with many options from which to select. The staff were all friendly and helpful WiFi was good, and there were plenty of outlets in the rooms. The location was a great place from which to explore Stonetown without getting lost

I liked everything.

The rich history of Dhow Palace was showcased in its architecture, furnishings and decoration. It was located an easy walk from the waterfront, and the street food night market in Stonetown. Breakfast was exceptional including a station to cook fresh omelettes and many African choices. They helped us organise car hire and transport yo the airport.

The offered $8USD transfer from the ferry to Dhow was cancelled just before we arrived resulting in us struggling through the throng of porters vying for our support and paying more for a taxi. We used the in house laundry service but it took 24 hrs longer to return than was promised.

The room was spacious, the decor was stunning and authentic. The buffet breakfast was very good also. Im not so sure of the bread items. Eggs and other dishes were yummy. Stone Town is quite something the alley ways and stalls were amazing to look at and the prices very good some were quite pricey and others particularly the lady stalls were accommodating and easy prices. Safe and fairly near and clean. You can walk for kilometres in the alleys and not realise it.

The religion and different culture creates a barrier and it seems the people find it hard to relate etc. Can be very impersonal. Zanzibar has quite a strong Muslim cluster up north but South has more humble Swahili people who are friendly and humble. I did have moments of feeling harassed and frowned upon. All in all an amazing experience.

Very conveniently located in the middle of Stone Town's old town. Easy walk to the beach/waterfront. Hotel is extremely charming and beautifully decorated. Our suite was huge, very comfortable, excellent bathroom and balcony. Wifi was strong (!). Breakfast was good, lots of options to choose from, including omelette station.

Our room's floor was very dusty, needed a really good clean. The elevator was very slow, and our room was a climb up a ladder. I found it charming, but perhaps not accessible for all.

This hotel has an excellent location and is absolutely beautiful – thoughtfully decorated with charming antique furniture that gives it an authentic and unique atmosphere. Every corner feels special and full of character. The breakfast was very good, with a nice selection to start the day, and the staff were incredibly kind and welcoming throughout our stay. The pool area is also lovely and perfectly fine for relaxing. One small downside was the Wi-Fi, which wasn’t very stable at times. We also booked several activities through the hotel, which turned out to be great choices – not only were they well organized, but also much better in terms of price and value than what we found online or through local providers. All in all, a truly delightful place to stay!

This is a lovely little gem of a hotel, perfectly located in the heart of Stonetown and within easy walking distance of all the main attractions. Unfortunately, due to inefficiencies with Kenya Airways and a 12-hour flight delay, we were only able to enjoy the hospitality at the Dhow Palace for a few short hours. That said, we still managed to enjoy a pleasant breakfast and stayed through lunch before continuing our journey. We wish we had more time to experience everything this charming hotel has to offer!

Nothing

The Dhow Palace is a historic building in the heart of Stonetown and a 15 minute walk to almost anywhere in the old centre of the city, less if you don’t get lost. I have stayed there twice before and have always been impressed by the friendliness of the welcome and helpfulness of the staff. It is looking smarter than when I last stayed there and they have added a roof terrace, which I never got round to visiting. They have also expanded to create a set of apartments in a building 20 metres or so from the main entrance and I stayed in one because it offered much more space for roughly the same price. It consisted of a kitchen/lounge with a sink and a kettle but no other facilities for self-catering, a very large bedroom, and a decent sized bathroom with a magnificent shower set in an enclosed pedestal. The a/c was good and the only downside was that the windows overlooked what looked like a building site, although there was little evidence of work. I heard but did not see goats. Luckily the kids didn’t keep me up at night. I would recommend the apartments. They do not have quite the historic feel of the main building but that is more than compensated for by the extra space. The apartment building also features a fantastically ornate traditional door, complete with protruding studs which are apparently designed to deter charging elephants. As ever, the staff were outstanding, arranging an early check-in and retrieving a pair of bathing trunks which fell out of my window, where they were drying, onto an inaccessible roof.

The only downsides to the hotel are that the pool is small and in an open courtyard and is not the type of pool where you can spend a day on a sun lounger. Most visitors are too busy getting lost in Stonetown and it is absolutely perfect for cooling off after a bit if sightseeing.

We booked the premium room called Langi Langi. It had a wonderful row of windows with ocean view and a balcony. What came the most pleasantly surprising is the renovated bathroom. It had the European marble look with a shower under the night sky.

The windows were very old, but it's not really a negative thing just adds to the vibe.

Dhow Palce Hotel is an amazing, unique hotel, full of endless charm and character. It is very central and within easy walking distance of most of the key cultural points of interest in Stone town. All the staff were very welcoming, friendly and helpful, My room was spacious and clean, and the restuarant served delicious food throughout the day. As a solo traveller I felt very realaxed and at home. I hightly rate and recommend Dhow Palace Hotel, and can’t wait to visit again.

Nothing not to like, it was all perfect

Beautifully and culturally designed. Love the main house. Very nicely decorated with traditional and old ornaments. Easily accessible by foot to the main sights.

Had dinner but expected better food. No teaspoons for breakfast and the sugar bowls came after we finished our breakfast. A toilet paper holder would be good in the apartment.