Zanzibar Serena Inn Hotel Stone Town

Zanzibar Serena Inn Hotel Stone Town is idyllically situated on the seafront of ancient Stone Town. Flanked by an exotic mix of sultan’s palaces, Portuguese forts, ancient dhow harbors, and bright bazaars, the hotel is a haven of tranquility and opulence amidst the bustle of one of Africa’s most ancient and enchanting towns.

Opened in 1997, the hotel was created by meticulously restoring two historic buildings: the 19th-century Extelcoms building and the 18th-century “Chinese doctor’s residence.” This respectful transformation preserved the buildings’ original architectural integrity and was one of the factors that led UNESCO to declare Stone Town a World Heritage site. As a member of the prestigious Small Luxury Hotels of the World, the property reflects a blend of early 19th-century cultural influences typical of the Sultans of Zanzibar.

An ambiance of relaxed sophistication permeates the resort, capturing the elegance of a grander era. Guests experience the true “Zanzibar Style” with wood-framed louver doors opening onto private balconies with uninterrupted Indian Ocean views. Cool white walls, high ceilings, and crisp royal blues create a sense of coastal serenity, making it the ultimate escape from Stone Town’s heat and hustle.

Location & Accessibility

Zanzibar Serena Inn is idyllically situated on the seafront of ancient Stone Town. Flanked by an exotic mix of sultan’s palaces and bright bazaars, it offers a tranquil oceanfront retreat with immediate access to the historic city’s winding lanes.

By Road:

✓ Distance: The hotel is located 7 km (4.5 miles) north of Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ) and just minutes from the center of Stone Town.
✓ Drive Time: The journey from the airport to the hotel takes approximately 15 to 20 minutes by taxi or private vehicle, passing through the scenic outskirts of the old city.
✓ Transfers: Airport shuttles, limousine services, and meet-and-greet porter/concierge services can be easily pre-arranged upon request to help guests seamlessly navigate the bustling streets of Stone Town directly to the hotel entrance.

By Air:

✓ Main Gateway: Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ) serves as the primary hub for the island.
✓ International Flights: The airport also receives direct international flights from major global hubs, making it easy to connect from Europe, the Middle East, and beyond.
✓ Domestic & Regional Flights: Zanzibar is highly accessible from the mainland. It is just a quick 20-minute flight from Dar es Salaam. There are multiple daily scheduled flights linking Zanzibar with Arusha, Tanga, Mount Kilimanjaro, the northern safari circuit airstrips, and direct connections to Nairobi, Kenya.

Accommodation

A union of coastal elegance and classic Swahili design, the hotel features 51 rooms and suites. High ceilings, shuttered windows, and arched niches are complemented by traditionally carved basket-weave furniture with ceramic inlays.

Room Categories:

✓ Standard Room (King, Twin, or Triple): Presented in traditional Swahili style with fretwork cabinets and a cool blue and white color scheme. Features include beds with mosquito netting (15 King, 20 Twin, and 6 Convertible/Triple rooms available)

✓ Prime Room (King or Twin): Exceptionally spacious seafront rooms featuring brightly colored coastal cotton furnishings. The four-poster beds are draped in mosquito nets and open onto magnificent L-shaped balconies with panoramic ocean views, an alfresco cocktail area, and a double hammock

✓ Honeymoon Prime Room: Ideal for couples and honeymooners. Features an ocean view, a four-poster king-sized bed, and a magnificent L-shaped balcony with its own alfresco cocktail area and double hammock

✓ Executive Suite: The ultimate coastal luxury featuring magnificent four-poster king-sized beds, a sumptuous bathroom with bath and shower, and a relaxing sitting room with a TV and mini bar

Room Amenities:

✓ Satellite TV
✓ Fully air-conditioned
✓ Electronic in-room safe
✓ Tea/coffee making facilities
✓ Private balconies with ocean views
✓ Free Wi-Fi internet and in-room modem hook-up
✓ Hairdryer, bathrobes, slippers, and shaver sockets
✓ Power supply 220V/50Hz (Type G power plug sockets)
✓ Fully stocked mini-bar and complimentary mineral water
✓ 24-hour room service and direct-dial phone with voice mail

Dining & Culinary Experience

With stunning ocean views and an emphasis on fresh-caught seafood and local spices, the hotel specializes in exquisite cuisine served in extraordinary settings.

Restaurants:

✓ Mdele Coffee Shop: Adjacent to the pool, offering traditional Swahili coffee, fresh-baked pastries, and a wide range of international snacks
✓ Mangapwani Beach Barbeque: A short drive from the Inn, Serena’s exclusive beach hideaway offers a superb Swahili seafood lunch buffet
✓ Dining by the Sea: Exceptional individual dining experiences set right on the beach, allowing guests to listen to the waves while enjoying their meal
✓ Terrace Seafood Restaurant: An exclusive open-air rooftop restaurant offering fresh-caught seafood and extraordinary views of the bay. Perfect for unwinding after a day in Spice Town
✓ Baharia Restaurant: Located steps from the Indian Ocean surf, offering all-day international dishes and inspired interpretations of Swahili recipes. Guests can also enjoy weekly Swahili banquets by the pool

Bars & Lounges:

✓ Pool Terrace: Indoor and outdoor seating overlooking the pool, where drinks and snacks are served all day long
✓ Masahani Bar: A celebration of Swahili heritage serving signature cocktails, wines, beers, and light bites. Features live performances by traditional Taarab orchestras

Experiences, Sports & Maisha Spa

Water Excursions & Marine Life:

✓ Dolphin Safari: A trip to Kizimkazi fishing village to watch and swim with bottlenose dolphins
✓ Other Boat Trips: Dhow cruises, Ngalawa rides, glass-bottom boat tours, and sunset boat cruises
✓ Safari Blue / Menai Bay: A full-day sea adventure on a traditional wooden dhow featuring swimming, guided snorkeling, and dolphin watching, complete with a seafood BBQ
✓ Pange Sandbank & Prison Island: A boat trip to the historic Changuu Island to see Aldabra giant tortoises, followed by snorkeling and a seafood BBQ on the turquoise waters of Pange Sandbank

Land Tours & Culture:

✓ Jozani Forest: Nature walks to spot the endangered Zanzibar red colobus monkey
✓ Spice Island Tour: A sensory journey through Zanzibar’s famous spice plantations
✓ Freddie Mercury Museum: Visit the first-ever museum dedicated to the rock legend, located in the heart of Shangani
✓ Stone Town Evening Walk: A guided tour of the UNESCO site visiting the Darajani market, former slave market, House of Wonders, Sultan’s Palace, and the Old Fort

Maisha Spa & Wellness:

✓ Wellness Activities: Beach yoga and traditional henna body painting
✓ Massage Treatments: A variety of Maisha massage and beauty treatments

Family Friendly Features

Zanzibar Serena Hotel provides a vibrant experience for all ages with programs designed specifically for younger guests.

✓ Excursions: Family-friendly day trips including dolphin, turtle, and whale spotting, and island hopping
✓ Accommodation: Family rooms available, with adjoining room options, extra beds, and cots. Babysitting services are available on request
✓ Dining: Generous buffet-style meals with children’s menus and baby-friendly food. Early meal times (12:00 Noon and 6:30 PM) and highchairs are provided
✓ Kids Entertainment: A lifeguard-supervised swimming pool, a selection of board games and cards, and a children’s playground located in the square in front of the hotel

Events, Weddings & Conferences

Weddings:

The hotel offers unforgettably romantic backdrops for destination weddings.

✓ Services: Traditional henna decoration, Swahili cultural entertainment, Taarab orchestras, photography, and special accommodation packages
✓ Historic Venues: Receptions can be hosted at the former Sultan Hamoud’s residential palace (House of Wonders) or the beautifully renovated Old Dispensary
✓ Locations: Flower-bowered sea-terrace ceremonies, Swahili-bedecked receptions by the pool, traditional dhow weddings, or ceremonies on a deserted island in the Zanzibar Channel

Conferences:

✓ Equipment: Full audio-visual and technical support services, multi-lingual secretarial support, and 24-hour global connectivity
✓ Capacity: The Chaza Conference Room accommodates up to 40 guests in theatre or classroom style, and 25 guests in a boardroom or U-shape setup

Highlights of Zanzibar Serena Inn Hotel, Stone Town

✓ Cultural Immersion: Easy access to the Freddie Mercury Museum, the Old Slave Market, and dedicated Spice Island tours
✓ Swahili Elegance: Features authentic Arabic and Swahili opulence, including arched niches, antique brass lamps, and traditional fretwork cabinets
✓ Exclusive Beach Access: Offers trips to the Mangapwani Serena Beach Club for a private, sun-soaked day with a Swahili seafood lunch buffet and cave exploration
✓ Historic Restoration: Masterfully created from two restored 18th and 19th-century buildings, contributing directly to Stone Town’s UNESCO World Heritage status
✓ Prime Seafront Location: Idyllically situated on the waterfront, providing a quiet haven that is still within walking distance of Stone Town’s winding lanes and bazaars
✓ Exceptional Dining: Home to the rooftop Terrace Seafood Restaurant and the atmospheric Masahani Bar featuring live, traditional Taarab music dating back to the 1820s

Zanzibar Serena Inn Hotel Stone Town Accommodation Rates;

Notes;

* Lunch 25 US Dollars
* Dinner 30 US Dollars
* Children under 2 may share a room with an adult free of charge
* Young adults ages 15 to 17 years are charged 75% of the per-person adult double rate
* Prime view rooms – An additional charge of 50 US Dollars is applicable per room per night
* Children ages 3 to 12 years are charged 50% of the per-person adult double rate, sharing with an adult
* Children and young adults ages 13 to 17 years are charged 75% of the per-person adult rate when occupying their own room

Zanzibar Serena Inn Hotel Stone Town is idyllically situated on the seafront of ancient Stone Town, and flanked by an exotic mix of sultan’s palaces, Portuguese forts, ancient dhow harbors, and bright bazaars, the Zanzibar Serena Inn is a haven of tranquility and opulence amongst the bustle of one of Africa’s most ancient and most enchanting towns. 

Zanzibar Serena Inn is a member of the prestigious Small Luxury Hotels of the World and has been styled to represent the epitome of Swahili style, ethnic elegance, and Arabic opulence. 

Zanzibar Serena Inn Resort is in Stone Town, the ‘Old Town’ of Zanzibar City, which lies on the western side of the island of the same name. Zanzibar has an international airport, about a 20-minute flight from the mainland. 

There are daily flights linking Zanzibar with Dar es Salaam, Tanga, Arusha, the northern safari circuit airstrips, and Nairobi (Kenya). Ferries and speed boats link Zanzibar with Dar es Salaam daily and with Pemba several times weekly. 

The airport is 7 Kilometers south of Zanzibar Town, and the journey takes 15 minutes by taxi. Airport transfers are available upon request with African Spice Safaris.

Zanzibar Serena Inn Rooms and Suites 

Zanzibar Serena Inn Hotel, Stone Town Rooms and Suites are havens of cool and shade after the heat and dust of Stone Town. With high ceilings, shuttered windows, and cool white walls, they are constructed in the traditional Swahili manner, in which the size is dictated by the length of the mangrove poles that form their ceilings. 

Zanzibar Serena Inn Rooms and Suites are adorned with arched niches, antique plates, and brass lamps, and feature traditionally carved furniture with basket weave and ceramic inlay. The rooms are predominantly royal blue and white. 

Four-poster, net-draped beds dominate, offset by delicate side tables, vanity units, and louver doors giving onto balconies, some of which feature massive free-standing hammocks. Zanzibar Serena Inn offers Standard Rooms, Prime Rooms, or Suites. 

Zanzibar Serena Inn rooms and suites are equipped with 24-hour room service, air-conditioning, WIFI, direct-dial phone, in-room satellite TV, mini bar, private safe, 240V/3 pin (square)sockets and shaver sockets, hair driers, mosquito nets, bathrobe and slippers, umbrellas, porter/concierge, airport shuttle, and limousine service. 

While most rooms are designated non-smoking, a number are available for smokers, but these should be booked in advance. 

Zanzibar Serena Inn Standard Rooms 

Zanzibar Serena Inn 39 Standard Rooms are presented in traditional Swahili style, featuring niches, fretwork cabinets, and a cool blue-and-white color scheme. Each room has either a king-sized bed with mosquito netting or twin beds. All rooms and suites are equipped with 24-hour room service 

Zanzibar Serena Inn Prime Rooms 

Zanzibar Serena Inn’s exceptionally spacious Prime Rooms are presented in traditional Swahili style, featuring traditional niches, fretwork cabinets, and brightly colored coastal cotton soft furnishings in cool blue. The four-poster beds are draped in mosquito nets and are either generous twins or king-size. 

Zanzibar Serena Inn Suites 

Zanzibar Serena Inn Suites are cooled by the breezes of the spice island, located in the heart of romantic Stone Town, with sweeping views across the Zanzibar waterfront and access to its own private beach facility. The magnificent Zanzibar Inn offers the ultimate escape from reality. 

Zanzibar Serena Inn Dining 

Zanzibar Serena Inn dining is constructed so that the waves lap to within inches of its open windows and the lateen-sailed dhows pass within meters of its tables. The Baharia Restaurant features fretwork screens, Omani carvings, Persian rugs, and bright Swahili artifacts. The Zanzibar cuisine, meanwhile, blends freshly caught seafood, fresh spices, luscious fruit, and delicately flavored vegetables. 

Zanzibar Serena Inn Baharia Restaurant 

Lapped by the waves of the Indian Ocean, the Baharia Restaurant offers all-day international and Swahili cuisine. Weekly Swahili banquets are also held around the pool. 

Zanzibar Serena Inn Terrace Restaurant 

On the roof of the Inn is our exclusive open-air Terrace Restaurant, which looks out over the bay and features a supreme selection of freshly-caught seafood. 

Zanzibar Serena Inn Masahani Bar 

Presented in traditional Swahili style, the Masahani Bar also offers performances by traditional Taarab orchestras. 

Zanzibar Serena Inn Pool Terrace 

Indoor and outdoor seating overlooks our pool terrace, where a wide range of drinks and snacks are served all day long. 

Zanzibar Serena Inn Mdele Coffee Shop 

Adjacent to the pool, the Mdele Coffee Shop offers traditional Swahili coffee, fresh-baked pastries, and a wide range of international beverages and snacks. 

Zanzibar Serena Inn Mangapwani Beach Barbeque 

A short drive from the Inn, Serena’s exclusive beach hideaway offers a superb Swahili seafood lunch buffet.

Zanzibar Serena Inn Activities 

Zanzibar Serena Inn Hotel, Stone Town, offers many things to do on the enchanted island of Zanzibar, making it impossible to list them all. Below are just some of the ideas: 

* Take the famous Spice Tour
* Take a dhow cruise or a dolphin cruise
* Take an evening stroll around Stone Town
* Enjoy a sumptuous seafood banquet at our exclusive rooftop restaurant
* Take in a day’s diving around the magnificent coral reefs and wrecks of the Zanzibar coast
* Take a trip to the Jozani Forest Nature Reserve, the last red colobus monkey sanctuary in the world
* Cultural Centre, the Old Slave Market, the Old Dhow harbor, the bazaars, the winding lanes, and more
* Sample some of our beauty and massage treatments and indulge in some traditional henna body painting
* Enjoy a cultural tour of Stone Town – visiting the Sultan’s Palace, the House of Wonders, and the Old Dispensary 
* Enjoy nightly performances of Taarab Music – a combination of African, Arabic, and Indian influences that was first played in the 1820s at the Sultan’s palace. Taarab is usually performed by a singer and accompanied by an orchestra comprising the Kanun (similar to a zither) , accordion, the nay (flute), and drums.
* Spend a day at the exotic Mangapwani Serena Beach Club and enjoy the sun, sand, sea, sumptuous seafood, and the exploration of the Mangapwani Slave Caves. 
* Spend a day on the white sand beaches of Grave Island, Prison Island, Snake Island, and the sandbanks of the Zanzibar channel 

Mobile: + 254-721-242-711
WhatsApp: +254-721-242-711
Reservations: +254 718-179-967
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://africanspicesafaris.com