Outdoor pool, pool umbrellas, sun loungers

Reviews of Zanzibar Serena Hotel

5 out of 5
Zanzibar Serena Hotel
Kelele Square, Stone Town, Zanzibar Town

Reviews

9.2

Wonderful

Rating 10 - Excellent. 136 out of 203 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 49 out of 203 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 10 out of 203 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 5 out of 203 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 3 out of 203 reviews" "

9.6/10

Cleanliness

9.4/10

Staff & service

8.2/10

Amenities

9.0/10

Property conditions & facilities

8.4/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Nancy

Traveled with group, Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very friendly staff, beautiful hotel.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2024
Response from Zanzibar Serena Hotel on Mar 20, 2024
Dear Nancy, We greatly appreciate your thoughtful review! We hope to welcome you back again soon for another memorable stay! Best Regards, Zanzibar Serena.

10/10 Excellent

Susan

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Excellent
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2024
Response from Zanzibar Serena Hotel on Feb 3, 2024
Dear Susan, Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a 5 star rating- it's much appreciated and looking forward to hosting you again in the future! Zanzibar Serena Hotel.

8/10 Good

Kimberly

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
I was not offered a room Upgrade or acknowledged for VIP on Expedia like usual . At check out I asked about bottle of wine and 10 usd credit . They forgot the wine and they usually give a fruit basket instead of 10 dollars credit . I didn’t receive the fruit basket after discussing they agreed to take 10usd off the restaurant bill. I rather be given the options stated when booked then ask for it . Also no elevator . One party member couldn’t use the stairs and this we didn’t realize . We had lunch at hotel and the food was amazing . The staff is not terrible just not aware of what’s going on . Also we booked the same morning for the room why there was confusion maybe . location is good . Property is old . It’s on the beach which is a plus . Breakfast is good . Room was clean and ac worked well .
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024
Response from nop on Feb 4, 2024
Dear Kimberly, Thank you for taking time to write your comments and appreciation always we welcome feedback from our valued guests to help us maintain and improve our product and services. we have taken note of the shortfalls for correction. we hope you will return soon and give us chance to serve you better. Zanzibar Serena Hotel.

10/10 Excellent

Kara

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Property is immaculate. Staff are utterly courteous. The hotel itself is beautiful and carefully maintained.
Stayed 6 nights in Jan 2024
Response from Zanzibar Serena Hotel on Jan 24, 2024
Dear Kara, Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a 5 star rating and an excellent review- it's much appreciated and looking forward to hosting you again in the future! Zanzibar Serena Hotel.

4/10 Poor

Ann

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Old glory and poorly managed
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2024
Response from Zanzibar Serena Hotel on Jan 17, 2024
Dear Ann, We sincerely appreciate your feedback and would like to extend our apologies for falling short of your expectations during your recent stay at our hotel. We take all guest feedback seriously as it helps us in our continuous efforts to improve our services. Again, thank you for sharing your feedback , and we hope to welcome you back for a much-improved experience in the future. Sincerely, Zanzibar Serena Hotel

10/10 Excellent

Alka

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Superbly helpful and friendly staff. Located in a very central area….easy to walk to nearby attractions like Freddie Mercury house etc. Plenty of taxis right outside the hotel. Hotel staff very very friendly and helpful for organizing any tours/taxis.
Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2023
Response from Zanzibar Serena Hotel on Jan 17, 2024
Dear Alka, Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a 5 star rating and a great review- it's much appreciated! Zanzibar Serena Hotel.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Excellent
Excellent service from the time we arrived to the time we left.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023
Response from nop on Dec 31, 2023
Dear Guest, Thank you so much for taking the time to leave an excellent rating. We really appreciate your business. regards Zanzibar Serena Hotel.

10/10 Excellent

Aateqa

Traveled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful, historic property with amazing views. Everyone working there was friendly.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023
Response from nop on Dec 17, 2023
Dear Aateqa, Thank you so much for taking the time to leave an excellent rating. We really appreciate your business. i hope you will return soon. Zanzibar Serena Hotel.

4/10 Poor

Dialla

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
they give expedia customers the rubbish rooms, i had to fight to get my room changed, they gave me a horrible room.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023
Response from no on Nov 4, 2023
Dear Dialla, We sincerely appreciate your feedback and would like to extend our apologies for falling short of your expectations during your recent stay at our hotel. We take all guest feedback seriously as it helps us in our continuous efforts to improve our services. please know that we are actively addressing the issue of service with our team to ensure that guests’ requests are attended to promptly and with the highest level of professionalism. Again, thank you for sharing your feedback , and we hope to welcome you back for a much-improved experience in the future. Sincerely, Zanzibar Serena Hotel

10/10 Excellent

Anne G

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The Zanzibar Serena Hotel is a gem. The staff is extremely helpful and courteous. They helped us find guides, get to Prison Island, find places to shop for certain items, the list goes on. The room was quiet and very comfortable with a large balcony. The food was excellent. The location is fabulous -- right on the water. Also, we had a late flight out and were able to store our luggage and use the all the amenities of the hotel. We could even shower before leaving! I highly recommend this hotel. I can't imagine finding a better one.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023
Response from no on Nov 4, 2023
Dear Anne, Thank you so much for this review. We really appreciate you being a customer, it our pleasure to know that you enjoyed our service. I will share this with the team to let them know to keep up the amazing work. thank you for visiting, I hope you will return soon. Zanzibar Serena Hotel.

8/10 Good

Mitsuru

Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jean A, Webster

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Wonderful staff. Responsive and friendly. Charming room. Well furnished and cared for. Pool is clean and attractive.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023
Response from no on Aug 13, 2023
Dear Jean, Thanks so much for sharing your experience with us, We really appreciate you being a customer and helping to share the word about our hotel & it is good to know that you have enjoyed your stay. I hope I will see you again. Zanzibar Serena Hotel.

10/10 Excellent

Ron and Cynthia

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
An elegant traditional African hotel with a gorgeous setting right on the Indian Ocean. The views were spectacular with all of the colorful boats passing by. The breakfasts were great. The selection was extensive and well prepared. Our only complaint is that evening dining wasn’t very good, which may have explained why the place was nearly empty at 7:30 pm. Fortunately there are other excellent dining options in the neighborhood.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2023
Response from no on Jul 16, 2023
Dear Ron and Cynthia, hank you for taking time to write your comments and appreciation on Expedia.We always welcome feedback from our valued guests to help us maintain and improve our product and services. we have taken note of your evening dining experience, we thank you for visiting and we hope to see you soon. Zanzibar Serena Hotel

10/10 Excellent

Lucille

Business traveler
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The Zanzibar Serena is a lovely hotel in StoneTown. I wish I had stayed there for my leisure/personal visit as well. The staff are lovely. The pool is wonderful. The food is nice. All around, a terrific place to stay and conveniently located.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023
Response from no on Jun 6, 2023
Dear Lucille, Thank you for your feedback, We are glad to know you had an enjoyable stay with us. We hope to serve you soon in near future.Zanzibar Serena Hotel.

10/10 Excellent

Lisa

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023
Response from no on May 27, 2023
Dear Lisa, thank you for being our customer, see you soon Zanzibar Serena Hotel

8/10 Good

Jim

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Property is at best rustic, we had heard Serena is a top brand hotel group, not based on what this hotel looks and feels like
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023
Response from no on May 27, 2023
Dear Jim, We are grateful that you took the time out to leave us a review. Your feedback helps us to improve service for everyoneZanzibar Serena Hotel

10/10 Excellent

Ashley

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great location on the water perfect for sunsets. The staff was very friendly and the location was perfect to be able to walk to Stone Town to explore.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2023
Response from Kurwa on Mar 8, 2023
Dear Ashley,Thank you very much for taking your time to rate and review our hotel. We are very happy to see that we met your expectations.We are looking forward to seeing you again in future.With Best Regards,Zanzibar Serena Hotel

2/10 Terrible

MUSLIM

Business traveler, Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Needs a serious upgrade The room was not worth the price paid
Response from General Manager on Jan 6, 2023
Thank you very much for your feedback following your recent stay at Zanzibar Serena Hotel. Sorry that you did not find the room to represent good value, and we take your critique positive and we will address it; explore the right improvements without affecting the heritage of the hotel under the Unesco World Heritage sites. We are grateful for giving us the opportunity to serve you. We hope that we will impress you better the next time you visit.

10/10 Excellent

Ed

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Love Serena
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2022
Response from no on Nov 27, 2022
Dear Ed. Thank you for visiting

10/10 Excellent

Miriam, Pleasantville

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Zanzibar Serena Hotel is a gorgeous property with spacious, sea-front balconies complete w hammock, chairs, and tables. All staff greeted me by name and went out of their way to ensure I was comfortable and happy. Wonderful service on all levels.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2022
Response from no on Aug 22, 2022
Dear Miriam, thank you for taking your time to share your positive comments on Expedia.com, we really appreciate and it is good to know that you enjoyed stay with us we that we will see you soon.regards,Ayoub Msoffe,Assistant Manager

10/10 Excellent

Eric

Stayed 1 night in May 2022

10/10 Excellent

Alicia

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A beautiful beachside gem!
My stay at Serena was a lovely finale to my trip to Zanzibar. The hotel is beautiful with wonderful historic charm and breathtaking oceanviews. The staff is exceptional and make you feel at home. The location is perfect with shops, restaurants, and landmarks within walking distance.
Sunset view of the terrace
Gorgeous oceanside promenade
Lovely touches throughout the hotel.
Executive Chef Issac personally oversees every detail of the sumptuous breakfast offerings
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2022
Response from AAA on Jan 13, 2022
thank you very much - is always our pleasure hosting you.

10/10 Excellent

C I

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Wonderful stay
What a lovely hotel! Checked into my room early which was so appreciated. I got to enjoy sweeping views over the ocean - just incredible. The whole hotel is beautiful and charming. The pool area is especially good, with wonderful staff. I also enjoyed a very good massage. Highly recommend this property for a safe and comfortable stay in Stone Town.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2021
Response from Duty Manager on Nov 22, 2021
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave an excellent rating & review. We really appreciate you being our guest and sharing kind words about our Hotel. We hope to see you again soon. Regards, Zanzibar Serena Hotel

10/10 Excellent

DANIEL, TULSA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This was really a fantastic property, however I think the service was even better. The doorman has been at this property for 25 years - and wow does he have a servant's heart! Made a lasting impression on my trip. Great service, great room, great food - overall this place exceeded my expectations.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2021
Response from - on Oct 27, 2021
Dear Guest! Thank you for taking time to write your comments and appreciation We always welcome feedback from our valued guests to help us maintain and improve our product and services. It gives us great pleasure in knowing that you had an enjoyable stay. We have also noted your comments about the rooms, food, and staff. Thank you for visiting and we hope you will return soon. Regards, Ayoub Msoffe Hotel Assistant Manager

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
All about the people... everyone was extremely helpful and reasonable. Yusuf went the extra mile to save us time and money outside the hotel even...
Stayed 4 nights in May 2021
Response from AAA on May 23, 2021
Thanks for staying with us and the very useful comments - very much appreciated. keep well and stay safe.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We enjoyed being right by the ocean on one side and
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2021
Response from Wilfred - GM on Feb 9, 2021
Thank you very much for sharing, we are so happy that you enjoyed being here at Zanzibar Serena Hotel and we reaffirm our commitment to give every guest the best experience and happy memories of Serena Hotel and Zanzibar.

6/10 Okay

Moebal, Montréal, Canada

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
The hotel location is excellent and within a walking distance from every thing you want to see and visit in stone town. The hotel staff are very friendly and helpful. The rooms are dilapidated and in need of renovation. Bathroom facility are very old. Mattresses have passed their useful service life by years! I booked a room with a sea view. The bathroom in the room I was offered was in a miserable shape. Rusty bathtub and faucet. When I complained to the receptionist, they moved me to a room with renovated shower but no view. I complained again and I was moved the following day to a “better rooms” with a view and partially renovated bathroom. In a nutshell, this not a 5-star hotel AT ALL. In it’s current condition, should be 2-3 stars max. To be noted that there are no elevators in case of any movement challenge. For the price I paid, I could have gotten a much better deal elsewhere. It was my first time in Zanzibar and next time I know better. I will NOT stay there again.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2021
Response from Wilfred Shirima on Feb 9, 2021
Dear Moebal Thank you for sharing detailed feedback of your experience with us. Accept my sincere apology on the disappointment with our room facilities. We are addressing these setbacks and we have rooms already made as samples and mattresses changed. We are sure that they meet the 5 star status of the hotel and with the view, location, service and the people we have we would like to reassure every guest of a memorable stay at Zanzibar Serena.

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The staff were very friendly and helpful. The hotel was clean
Stayed 5 nights in Jan 2021
Response from Wilfred Shirima on Feb 9, 2021
Thank you very much for taking the time to comment on our hotel, we are very happy that the team was personable and helpful. Zanzibar Serena Hotel practices improved hygiene and cleaning procedures to ensure that all our guests and staff are safe in our environment.

8/10 Good

Patrick

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2020
Response from AAA on Jan 8, 2021
Thanks for staying with.

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2020
Response from AAA on Jan 8, 2021
thanks for staying with us.

10/10 Excellent

Karl&Emmela, Edmonton

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful architecture, location and the most wonderful staff! The food was also top notch.
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2020
Response from AAbbas on Dec 2, 2020
Dear Karl& Emmela, thank you for taking your time to share your positive comments on our propery and service, we really appreciate and we shall share the good news with our staff.

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Location was fantastic on the water and the pool was wonderful. It is a bit old and for the expensive price I did not feel it was a good value for money. To charge these prices they need to do do more renovations and educate staff to be more attentive. They are very disorganized at reception and staff in the restaurant are very slow.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2020
Response from msoffe on Mar 9, 2020
Dear Guest! Thank you for taking time to write your comments and appreciation on expedia. We always welcome feedback from our valued guests to help us maintain and improve our product and services. It gives us great pleasure in knowing that you had an enjoyable stay.We have also noted your comments about service and required renovations. Thank you for visiting and we hope you will return soon. Regards, Ayoub Msoffe Hotel Assistant Manager

4/10 Poor

Verified traveler

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Property wasn’t well maintained, we received the honeymoon suite which was above the bar. Couldn’t sleep at night
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2020
Response from Wilfred Shirima on Feb 20, 2020
Thank you very much for sharing your experience and accept our sincere apology that we did not meet your expectations. We work hard to give our very best BUT we are disappointed that you did not enjoy your honeymoon to the level that we work so hard for. Your comment is opportunity to improve and we will address this accordingly. Sincerely GM

10/10 Excellent

Robert

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Relaxing seaside oasis
Relaxing seaside oasis in Stone Town. Welcoming and helpful staff, nice restaurants, very pleasant rooms.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2020
Response from Wilfred Shirima on Feb 20, 2020
Dear Robert Thank you very much for the kind review, we are delighted that you had a great time with us and thank you for being our guest. We hope to see you again at Zanzibar Serena Hotel. Sincerely GM

8/10 Good

Zsazsa, Somerset

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Staff were very helpful and friendly. Paid a lot of Money for a double sea view room and yes we had a sea view but also a view of the laundry and no balcony.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2020
Response from Wilfred Shirima on Feb 20, 2020
Dear Zsazsa We are delighted that you enjoyed our hospitality and grateful for your feedback. We are sorry that you did not like the back view from your room and that your room had no balcony. There were limitations with the extent of improvements on the original buildings during restoration because they are protected by UNESCO Heritage Laws, however we have made plans for addition of balconies to the four rooms on the North Wing, without compromising on the heritage, and we hope that we will give better value of your money the next time you stay with us. Sincerely GM.

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The staff in Zanzibar Serena Hotel was superb. They were all so very helpful, delightful, and wonderful. I enjoyed the breakfast the most. Each day there were many selections of breads, cereals, fruits, juices, yogurt, and hot foods. There was even an omelet station. The only thing that was a damper during my stay was the mattress in our room. The mattress was firm, but springy. I felt the spring as I slept and when I woke each morning, my back ached.
Stayed 5 nights in Jan 2020
Response from Wilfred Shirima on Feb 20, 2020
Thank you very much for taking the time to share elaborate feedback on Zanzibar Serena Hotel. We are happy the the staff, service and meals were delightful. We are sorry that the mattress was uncomfortable, we are changing them to new pocket spring mattresses this month and we assure you of a comfortable sleep next time you visit. Thank you for being our guest. Sincerely GM

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
It is right in Stone town so it was East to walk around town and visit Restuarant in town. It has a beautiful sunset views. The staff were extremely pleasant and helpful. The Swahili decor was nice. The welcome gift basket was very nice. I was disappointed that it’s private beach was closed. That should be removed from the web site. The mattresses were uncomfortable, bathroom seats broken, chair and stool in room need new cushions and you new new brighter bed covers. So the rooms need some updating.
Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2019
Response from Wilfred Shirima on Jan 11, 2020
Thank you for sharing your nice experience. Indeed we all loved Mangapwani beach and have many good memories of the place. Recent developments have created difficult circumstances beyond what we could do to maintain its tranquility and assure our guests of the comfort and experience of a Serena facility. We had to close it down. However, with our location being at the heart of Stone town, our guests have the perfect opportunity to enjoy various activities and excursions, Management is working on introducing exciting and active day activities on the beach, the sandbanks and sunset cruises.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great room, great location. Helpful staff. Right on the water and rooms have scenic sunset views.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2019
Response from Wilfred Shirima on Jan 6, 2020
Delighted that you enjoyed your stay at Zanzibar Serena Hotel and that our staff were helpful. Thank you for taking the time to post the review, it means so much to us. General Manager

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2019
Response from Wilfred Shirima on Jan 6, 2020
Thank you for rating Zanzibar Serena Hotel, your support is most appreciated. Hopefully we will see you again soon? General Manager

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 6 nights in Nov 2019
Response from Wilfred Shirima on Jan 6, 2020
Thank you for rating Zanzibar Serena Hotel, thank you for your support and we look forward to seeing you again. General Manager

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Food was a real letdown. On our week stay had dinner on the first night & decided that would be our last at Serena. Maybe because this is not a western based chain staff have no idea about wine or alcoholic beverages. Buffet breakfast was poor & limited after South Africa. Room servicing in contrast was of a very high standard. Nice pool.
Stayed 7 nights in Nov 2019
Response from Wilfred Shirima on Jan 6, 2020
Thank you very much for the review of Zanzibar Serena Hotel. We have noted of your experience which is certainly not representative of the high quality standards and principles that we stand for and we are very sorry for the disappointment, kindly accept our most sincere apologies. We have shared this feedback in detail with the team and addressed all the issues of service inconsistency and the food quality. Please rest assured that we have taken the appropriate action. We hope that you can give us another opportunity to be of better service to you in the future. General Manager

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2019
Response from Ellieta Mbisse on Nov 24, 2019
We gladly appreciate rating us highly and looking forward hosting you again in the near future.

10/10 Excellent

Richard

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2019
Response from Abdallah on Sep 9, 2019
Dear Richard, we really appreciate your positive feedback, looking forward to welcoming you in future.

10/10 Excellent

Rachel

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2019
Response from Ellieta Mbisse on Aug 19, 2019
Dear Rachel Thank you for taking the time to share your fabulous experience of Zanzibar Serena Hotel. We are delighted that it was a wonderful one. Thank you for appreciating our unique qualities - location, atmosphere, views and our hospitality / staff. Your comment encourages us in our mission to provide outstanding experiences and memories of any visit to Zanzibar. We look forward to seeing you again. Kind regards, Ellieta Mbisse

10/10 Excellent

David

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely exotic, historic seaside hotel!
Our group of 4 (2 American couples) stayed 4 nights at the Zanzibar Serena in July, 2019, as a follow-up to a Serengeti photo safari. The hotel is right on the Indian Ocean and gorgeous, with loads of character. Our rooms had fabulous ocean views from the rooms themselves and from the spacious lanais, which had very comfortable chairs, tables, and even hammocks! Our rooms were very clean. The food was excellent. A delicious daily buffet breakfast was included in the price. We had breakfast while viewing the sea, watching young people playing soccer on the beach and older people walking & doing yoga. On the weekend, there was a local group performing Zanzibarian music -- clearly much influenced by middle eastern culture and excellent. We had arranged several tours of the area in advance, and added another at the hotel. Lots to see in Stone Town and on the island! There was a nice-looking pool (that we didn't use), and a well-stocked gift shop. We asked for and received a late check-out on our last day. The management was very accommodating. If you want to have dinner on their rooftop restaurant, you'll need to make a reservation in advance. We didn't, and we couldn't get in; but we just walked next door to the Hyatt and had one of our dinners there. We loved the Zanzibar Serena Hotel and highly recommend it.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2019
Response from Aabbas on Aug 17, 2019
Thank you very much for your valued time and comments

10/10 Excellent

Cee

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stone town review.
Fantastic location. Great service. Easy access to all the touristy things. Great pool. Location right on the ocean
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2019
Response from Abdalla Abass on Jul 18, 2019
we are honored for the vote of confidence, if there is any thing more we can improve on to make your stay more convenient please advise

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great location, helpful staff, super tasty breakfast. Loved it!
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2019
Response from General Manager on Jun 26, 2019
We are truly honored and delighted to hear that you enjoyed your stay with us and that you find our staff friendly and our food tasty. This is encouraging to the whole team and we pledge to continue offering the very best of the Serena Hospitality and Service.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Stayed 1 night in Jun 2019
Response from Abdalla Abass on Jul 18, 2019
Thank you for taking your time positively comment on our product and servises

8/10 Good

David

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Stayed 1 night in May 2019
Response from Ellieta Mbisse on May 23, 2019
Dear David Greetings from Zanzibar Serena Hotel and thank you for rating us highly and an opportunity to serve you during your stay with us. Looking forward to seeing you again. Kind regards, Ellieta Mbisse Assistant Hotel Manager

10/10 Excellent

Heidi

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great service in beautiful setting
The hotel is absolutely beautiful and has so much character that one doesn’t often find in a hotel. From the moment of check in, staff made me feel welcome. The fruit juice upon arrival was very welcome. The Serena hotel is a comfortable oasis in the chaos of Stone town. Although there is no elevator, there are first floor rooms if stairs are an issue. Highly recommend The Serena.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2019
Response from Ellieta Mbisse on May 12, 2019
Dear Heidi Thank you for taking the time to share your fabulous experience of Zanzibar Serena Hotel. We are delighted that it was a wonderful one. Thank you for appreciating our unique qualities - location, atmosphere, views and our hospitality / staff. Your comment encourages us in our mission to provide outstanding experiences and memories of any visit to Zanzibar. We look forward to seeing you again. Kind regards, Ellieta Mbisse Assistant Hotel Manager