An authentic property in the heart of Stone Town, a nice selection and well presented breakfast, the courtyard and small pool area are quaint. The staff were very smartly dressed and attentive. There was a water cooling machine on every floor, which was an added bonus on very hot humid days. We stayed at this property for its 15/20 minute drive to the international airport and a couple of days in Stone Town.

The noise overnight/early morning from the nearby busy port area, there was also a Mosque next door, which was loud at call to prayer, which we were used to. The stairs are old, step, and wooden and wouldn't suit everyone, although they were in keeping with the design of the building. However, the staff did help with the luggage (there is no lift). For use of the roof terrace there was a 5$ per couple additional cover charge for drinks/food, which for hotel guests is disappointing. In certain places like the bathrooms, they are in need of some TLC and the overall standard is not as luxurious as you would expect from the photos.

Beautiful character property, very thoughtfully furnished and decorated with great attention to detail. Attentive and helpful staff, lovely pool, nice roof terrace.

We were only staying two nights but were asked to move rooms after the first night because of some scheduled maintenance. This was pretty inconvenient. Be aware the beds are very firm. This is beyond the hotel’s control but very aware that the call to prayer from a nearby mosque is very loud. I was woken up every night at 4.20am, then again at 5am. This all adds to the local colour of Stonetown but is something to bear in mind.

It’s a beatiful building originating from the Oman empire which was restored and it has a lot of charm. The staff at the hotel were very nice and have helped us with everything: renting a car, booking a tour, showing us where to buy sunscreen… the location is great, very close to the Zanzibar ferry. We also liked the shampoos, shower gel and body cream which were good quality. Not a lot of hotels in Tanzania provide this.

The bed is made for short people. My husband couldn’t stretch his legs in it. Also the toilet is in the same room separated only by a few columns and a courtan. It would be nice to have it separate.

The welcome with information of the history of the building and the tour that was given as part of the welcome. They serve extremely good food. The small garden is so nice and cosy!

First, the property is quite beautiful and unassuming. You walk into a garden oasis from the brick and mortar of the city and are greeted with a delightful Rosella drink and Karibu. The owner is very personable and makes it a point to speak with everyone. He's also quite knowledgable about the history of Zanzibar which makes for great conversation. Breakfast was delightful and the staff very helpful. There was an error with my bill which they corrected right away. The only "issue" I had was that they would not bring an iron to my room. I didn't grasp exactly why, but I wasn't paying to get my clothes ironed. I'd 100% stay again! The room I was in had a pool, garden, ocean-port view which was nice. Oh, the Friday morning prayers may jolt you awake, but after awhile they lull you back to sleep.

The staff were extremely welcoming and took time to tell us about the history of the building and its renovation. The property itself is a beautiful building filled with lots of colour, texture and beautiful furniture. The pool and gardens are clean and relaxing and well maintained. I loved sitting out in the garden to eat after a swim in the pool in the middle of the city. The food was simple and delicious. Breakfast favourite was the fruit and yoghurt with honey. I had the best night’s sleep. We had a small balcony that overlooked the gardens and pool where you could relax and read or just enjoy the beautiful sights and sounds. There is a rooftop terrace too with nice views and relaxed atmosphere. It’s close to the port and the food market, about a three minute walk. The tours are very reasonable prices. The staff can’t do enough for you. It was amazing, thank you Khoelle House

Nothing to not like

I really like everything about Kholle House Boutique. What stood out for me was the first initial interaction with one member of staff who enlightened me with context and history about how Kholle House came to be and how the owner, a prominent figure in Zanzibar's history, is still around and comes to visit from time to time. The architecture, design and details of the house are incredible. I felt at home instantly and I loved how kind, bright and colourful (in their yellow suit my fav colour) staff member were, even people at reception were exceptional. The house's location is great, you just need to get into 1 -2 streets but it's very close to the port, beach and the night market. Can't complaint cause it's not too close and not too far from anywhere. The room, my room 11 had my heart - the spacious bathroom and the comfortable tall bed. Really I would have wanted to stay longer and enjoy more of what Kholle House Boutique had to offer. Excellent and totally recommend to everyone, couples and solo travellers like me.

Nothing really ..expect two things 1) I wish I could have stayed longer, like a good 5-7 days instead of 2 and swimming pool needed to be a bit cleaner and mosquito free, I guess it was a bit windy at the time despite the scorching sun, but staff was very accommodating and often ready to clean the pool.

Kholle House was the perfect place to spend a few nights in Stone Town. It’s a small and intimate property; we truly enjoyed everything about our stay. From the private rooftop where we could have sunset drinks or a traditional Swahili tea or dinner to the poolside breakfast, it was fantastic .The property is in the heart of the action in Stone Town but tucked away just enough to be quiet. The food was excellent and the staff was superb. We planned several excursions with Juma arranging and we felt like royalty on all of them. Albert, Dena, Jane, Fatuma and Juma are first class. Don’t miss out on this gem!

Returning a rental car was very hard as there is no parking lot at the hotel but that was our fault for not better understanding. The shower was not hot until the last day. Other than that, we loved everything about our stay!

An exceptional hotel! Every detail is thought through. We stayed at the suite to fit comfortably and it was definitely one of the most beautiful rooms we have ever stayed at (colorful, vibrant, original) - our daughter still refers to it as the princess house. :) They have a nice pool, beautiful rooftop terrace for tea/coffee or coctails, great food and excellent staff! Thank you for the stay - our only regret was staying for only 1 night 🙃

Can’t really think of anything - every detail was thought about, even environmentally-friendly policies applied (such as clean water access without plastic bottles), which we did not see too often in Zanzibar or mainland Tanzania.

The location was great to the ferry, sea front, night market and the stone town it self. Hotel and room are beautiful. The pool is lovely. Staff very nice. Family room is very big, beds are comfortable. The hotel's characters and the history of the house itself.

The family room can stay for four people. Only the main bed room has mosquito net. With old building windows have gaps there were few mosquitoes in the room. For my daughter sleeps in the sitting room, we had to put our own net up (we brought from home) and our own plug in mosquito killer.