This hotel has a great personality and is decorated with a colorful charm. The rooms are spacious and well lit. Head-up to the rooftop terrace for a pot of tea. It is tempting to just visit the beach when in Zanzibar; however, Emerson Spice makes a few days in Stone Town a good choice.

I had stayed at Emerson Green ten years ago and while transiting through Zanzibar en route to Mafia Island stopped in for a night to see Emerson's latest place.

The reviews are spot on: this is a great place. Unusual, with character, central and with staff trying hard to please. My e-mails were promptly responded to. I had booked a transfer from the airport and I was glad I called to confirm as the receptionist sounded a bit unsure, but Solomon was there to collect me. He was also ten minutes early to collect me to bring me to the airport the next day and brought the dive bag I was unable to take to Mafia with me due to weight restrictions from the hotel to the airport as I transited before flying out of Tanzania. A very reliable man!

I was in Desdemona just below the rooftop restaurant. Great room and had the choice to breakfast on my terrace or on the roof. Very good breakfast (fresh juice, fresh plate of fruits, eggs, toast).

The only issue was checking out. I had made it clear the night before that I needed to leave for the airport at 8:30 AM, but there was no one to check me out. I had prepaid my room so the only issue was paying my transfers which I could have paid the driver directly, but somehow I had to wait ten minutes while they tried to find someone to come and collect my money. (Other guests I met at Mafia also told me that they had expected to find a receptionist in the early morning to give them directions to walk around town and were surprised there was no one.)

This hotel is not yet listed in the latest version on Lonely Planet and had heard about it through a friend of mine.

It was an amazing experience on every level. It is owned by an American guy and English woman and they are both great. It is this recently renovated space with care and love put into every detail. There is a great rooftop that has a restaurant and is perfect for relaxing and watching the sunset. And the dinners have to be one of the best in Stone Town.

The staff is welcoming and attentive to all of your requests. They were able to arrange a tour for us on less than one day's notice and our guide, Simai, was fantastic. The rooms are magnificent and truly make you feel like a king. Our room had two floors, an outdoor dining area and another living room type area. One of the best places that I have stayed in quite some time.

One thing that might be worth mentioning is that the hotel and the rooms do not have air conditioning. The rooms are cool at night and there is a fan so it really was not bad at all.

Other than that the hotel is fantastic and would highly recommend to anyone looking for luxury in the heart of Stone Town.

Based on Trip Advisor reports, we chose to stay at Emerson-Spice for three nights right after completing our safari on the Northern Circuit in Tanzania. I must admit I was a bit worried that the descriptions of "quirky" and "unique" might have been hiding a place that was a little ramshackle. But our experience was exactly the opposite. It was fantastic service and quality as well as being quirky and unique.

It’s located in an old traditional Stone Town building with huge rooms, very high ceilings (about 15 feet) located around a central courtyard with a fountain playing below. Even though the building has been rebuilt, the staircases and beams are all in refinished wood giving the place an architectural grandeur of times past.

To get to our room we had to climb right to the top of the hotel (about 8 sets of stairs!!) but wow was it worth it when we got there. The room is huge with a queen sized bed and two day beds on either side, furnished in Indian sari silks to fit with the theme of Katherine Hepburn (the room is named “Kate”) and what the owner calls the Holly/Bollywood style. In addition to a beautiful rosewood dresser, two large round armchairs and footstools, a desk and a fridge, there is a huge bathroom and two large verandahs, one of which has an outside shower (in addition to the inside shower). Both have splendid views over the surrounding Stone Town to the Indian Ocean beyond.

This is definitely my kind of luxury. Not the packaged “Hilton” type but the unique, inspired, creative type of luxury that so well describes the idea of a boutique hotel. Really beautiful!

I have reviewed the restaurant separately but should add here that diner is served on the rooftop terrace with spectacular views accompanied by sundowners and followed by dinner. The food was first class - such that we went there for dinner twice and we also had an excellent lunch in the cafe on the ground floor. We also organized a 2 hour walking tour of the City for $15 each with the hotel; it gave us a great overview and set us up for finding our way around later. Also, our guide spoke excellent English and provided an interesting overview of the history and architecture. I would recommend that also.

Emerson made sure that a driver met us at the airport and brought us to the hotel. He also offered to keep our bags while we were on Pemba Island and if possible to deliver them to the other side of the island. Nothing seemed too much for the owner and staff at this hotel. Top marks all round!