Location
The Zanzibar Serena Inn has a fantastic position right on the Shangani waterfront with the public town beach immediately in front of the property. You can walk along the beach all the way to Forodhani Gardens. There is a quiet and leafy square where local lads kick a football about in the late afternoon, at the back.
The hotel’s position offers you a very convenient base from which to explore the area while also providing a quiet and welcome refuge in the heat of the day. Taxis can drop you off or pick you up from the front door. The airport is only 15 minutes taxi ride away. The historic centre of Stone Town is accessible on foot. There is a good selection of bars and restuarants in the adjacent streets including the trendy 6 Degrees South.
History
The hotel itself was opened in 1997. Two historic buildings were extensively renovated – the 18th Century Chinese Doctor’s House and the 19th Century ex-Telecoms building – to create the Zanzibar Serena. Many original features were maintained with echoes of Arab, Swahili and colonial architecture throughout. Artefacts adorn the walls. Steeping inside from the street on to the cool tiled floor of the lobby, you can see glimpses of the ocean beyond. The wooden shutters were all open allowing for a lovely breeze.
Rooms
There are 51 rooms arranged over two floors, all with ocean views, although these vary in size from standard rooms to suites. The balconies provide a good spot in the afternoon as the sun begins to set for watching the dhows sail past. The rooms were comfortable, equipped with television, WiFi, air-conditioning, drinking water and mosquito nets, fresh white walls and dark wood furniture – we also had a small stained glass window in our room. Louvered doors opened out on to the balcony which had two wooden chairs with comfy cushions and fabulous views.
The bathrooms were a bit dated but there was plenty of hot water and some complimentary toiletries.
Pool & Terrace
There is a large pool on the terrace surrounded by palm trees and frangipane. Some of the public areas looked a little tired but admittedly it is a bonus to have a secluded pool of this size, right in the heart of Stone Town. Parasols and sun loungers are arranged around the terrace and there are views out to the ocean.
Conclusion
We enjoyed our stay at the Serena. It is an old building with history and character, and because of this you can forgive it for looking a bit dated, especially next door to it’s shiny new neighbour, the Park Hyatt (opened in 2015).
With the Serena, even though it is part of an International chain of hotels, you are left in no doubt that you are in Zanzibar…
We found the staff to be welcoming and helpful, and the location was fantastic.
Transfers to the airport, organised by Serena, were expensive. We arranged for a taxi ourselves which was $20 USD although up at Forodhani Gardens we heard fares ranging from $10 to $20. We did not eat or drink at the Serena, although there is a choice of bars and restaurants.
If you’re planning a trip to Zanzibar you may also be interested in our blog on Stone Town here.
To explore trips to Tanzania please click here.
Sara stayed at the Zanzibar Serena Inn in November 2022 for one night.
