236 Hurumzi

Formerly called 'Emerson and Green', a sumptuously restored merchant's mansion with renowned rooftop restaurant in the heart of Stone Town

For some people, a hotel is a business. For others, it’s a pleasure. For Emerson Skeens and Thomas Green, American founders of Stone Town's most famous hotel, it was a true labour of love. Taking on the tropical rain and sun, African pace and a poor socialist infrastructure, they managed over 10 years to turn a pair of crumbling merchants’ houses into a stylish and luxurious little hotel.

Their ways have now parted but their legacy remains, in some of the most opulent rooms in Zanzibar. Stained-glass windows and wooden lattice-work throw mysterious patterns over marbled bathtubs and oriental rugs, while vast mosquito nets drape langorously from chandeliers and down over carved four-poster beds. The view from the towertop restaurant over the motley rooves of Stone Town forms a magical backdrop for a Swahili dinner served at knee-high tables by robed waiters. Over the years it has gained a third building with 6 spacious suites, new management and a new name - but it's still a magical glimpse into the exotic Zanzibar of old.

Highs

• Central location on busy but traffic-free lane
• Rooftop restaurant with great atmosphere
• Exotic style and artistic detail
• Every room has something special: an open-air bathtub, a galleried balcony overlooking town, painted wooden fretwork or, quite simply, palatial dimensions

Lows

• Noise from the streets (inevitable)
• The hotel is often full, so book ahead
• Some rooms are less charming than others
• Steep stairs and no elevator or phone
• Don’t expect Stone Town to have the wealth and style of, say, Marrakech: it’s simple and rundown, but charming nonetheless (see Local Info)