The Swahili House

We came here for lunch as part of our walking tour with a guide. The roof top shows views of Stonetown but aside from that, there is nothing good to say about this restaurant. I asked for a bacon, lettuce and tomato cheese burger. The waitress informed me that they had no bacon which was not an issue. When the food arrived, I was surprised to find no beef but rather a very poor sandwich with a tiny amount of bacon. When we came to pay for the meal, we were told at reception that they would accept card as we didn’t have enough cash on us. When we asked to pay by card, the waitress laughed and said they only accept cash as the machine was broken. They asked for our card details in which they would use to transfer money later. We refused to provide our details as we didn’t trust what they would do with our details. We were told that we had to go to an ATM which was a 10 minute walk away. Eventually we paid and the waitress continued to laugh the whole time. The whole restaurant seems like a huge scam with terrible food. This is a huge tourist trap and if your guide says to go here, don’t.

Staff at the entrance were very unfriendly. USD2 demanded ‘visitors permit’ at entrance only payable in cash. But refunded against drinks/food. Explained we had no cash to lots of muttering. Rooftop sitting area dirty and service poor. Not recommended. There are many more good rooftop establishments in Zanzibar to enjoy.

Great friendly staff Unique well kept older building with a central location and access to the markets right outside the door

Atendimento foi incrível, o prédio é antigo mas relativamente bem conservado

A great stay in a beautiful and historic building. We came to The Swahili House after a week-long safari in Tanzania. Our guide happened to know the manager at Swahili House and we met him upon check in. Our experience was great start to finish -- staff was so kind, a welcome drink on the rooftop terrace upon arrival, the room was clean and large, and the staff helped us arrange a city tour and transportation from the airport and to our next destination.

Super séjour Super séjour au cœur de stone Town . Idéalement situé pour visiter la ville . Établissement et décoration typique . Petit plus pour le rooftop au petit déjeuner qui est super agréable . Nous avons adoré notre séjour !