The Neela Boutique Hotel Stone Town
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Hotel Details
Location
The Neela Boutique Hotel Stone Town · Zanzibar, Tanzania
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Key Highlights
- ✓The Neela Boutique Hotel offers two exceptional dining venues: the Breadfruit Restaurant & Cafe and the Views Rooftop Bar & Lounge.
Expert Review: The Neela Boutique Hotel Stone Town
The Neela Boutique Hotel Stone Town, a Michelin Key Selected property in Zanzibar, Tanzania, consistently receives high praise from guests, blending historic charm with modern luxury and exceptional service.
Overall Rating & Sentiment
The general consensus for The Neela Boutique Hotel Stone Town is overwhelmingly positive, with ratings frequently in the "Superb" to "Exceptional" range (e.g., 9.0-9.7 out of 10 on various booking platforms). Guests describe it as one of the best hotels they have ever stayed in, highlighting its unique experience and warm atmosphere.
Key Highlights
Guests consistently laud the hotel's exceptional service and staff, often remarking on how they are made to feel like family. The interior design, which seamlessly blends modern luxury with local craftsmanship and Zanzibar's rich cultural heritage, is another major highlight. Its prime central location in the heart of Stone Town offers easy access to major attractions. The Views Rooftop Bar & Lounge, offering breathtaking panoramas and delicious cocktails, is frequently mentioned as a favorite spot. The quality and deliciousness of the breakfast and overall dining experience also stand out.
Room Quality
The hotel features 14 meticulously restored Deluxe and Superior rooms, conceptualized by internationally renowned interior designer Nelly Levin. Rooms are described as clean, comfortable, and beautifully designed, imbued with elements from Stone Town's African, Arabic, and Indian heritage, featuring handpicked vintage and contemporary furniture and earthy colors. Standard amenities include air conditioning, flat-screen TV with satellite channels, a mini-bar, a writing desk, and free Wi-Fi. Bathrooms are luxurious, often featuring a walk-in shower, separate toilet, free toiletries, and bathrobes. Superior King Rooms also boast a luxurious standalone bath within the room.
Dining Experience
The Neela Boutique Hotel offers two exceptional dining venues: the Breadfruit Restaurant & Cafe and the Views Rooftop Bar & Lounge.
- Breadfruit Restaurant & Cafe: An al fresco restaurant set in a tranquil courtyard, it serves a delightful array of international dishes infused with local flavors. The daily à la carte breakfast is consistently praised for being generous, delicious, and top-notch quality, featuring fresh tropical fruits and local specialties like the "Lobster Brekkie Bun."
- Views Rooftop Bar & Lounge: This intimate rooftop spot provides breathtaking panoramas of Stone Town, serving international cuisine and expertly crafted cocktails. Dinner at the rooftop is considered a "special treat" with excellent quality, including standout dishes like the Zanzibar classic "Zanzicuterie" and Swahili Seafood Curry. The hotel also has the Parlour Lounge for light bites and specialty brews.
Service & Staff
The service at The Neela Boutique Hotel is consistently highlighted as a major strength. Guests frequently use words like "remarkable," "incredibly friendly," "attentive," "helpful," "cheerful," and "kind." Many reviewers emphasize that the staff go above and beyond, anticipating needs, providing personalized assistance, and making guests feel genuinely at home and like family. Examples include preparing personalized early breakfasts for excursions and providing assistance with luggage late at night.
Location & Accessibility
The hotel boasts an excellent central location in Stone Town, making it ideal for exploring the historic city on foot. It is within minutes' walk of numerous attractions, including the Old Fort of Zanzibar, Christ Church Cathedral, House of Wonders, Darajani Market, and the Freddie Mercury Museum. The beach is also just a 2-minute walk away. Abeid Amani Karume International Airport is approximately an 8 km or 10-minute drive away, and paid shuttle services are available.
Value & Pricing
The Neela Boutique Hotel is considered a 5-star property offering good value with quality service. Prices typically start from around USD 360 to USD 551 per night, depending on the room type and booking period. Guests generally feel the experience justifies the cost.
Common Complaints
While overwhelmingly positive, some minor points of feedback have been noted:
- Stairs: The hotel is located in a historic building with multiple floors and no elevator, which might be an accessibility concern for guests with mobility issues.
- Bathroom Layout: One review mentioned that some rooms have an open bathroom concept where the toilet and shower are in the same open space as the room, separated by a wall but lacking a full door, which some might find less private.
- Isolated Security Issue: A single review reported a significant security problem involving alleged credit card photography and attempted charges by staff, resulting in card cancellations and missing personal items. However, this appears to be an isolated incident amidst hundreds of glowing reviews focusing on exceptional service.
Sources
- expedia.com
- booking.com
- booking.com
- michelin.com
- zanzibar-hotels.com
- trip.com
- kilpathafricansafaris.com
- visi.co.za
- hoteldesigns.net
- timbuktutravel.com
- travelated.com
- neelacollection.com
- newsday.co.zw
- tablethotels.com
- boutiquhotel.com
- neelacollection.com
- neelacollection.com
- booking.com
- luxury-hotels.com
- zanzibarhotelstoday.com
- trip.com
- hotels-zanzibar.net
- traveloka.com
Points to Consider
- •Stairs: The hotel is located in a historic building with multiple floors and no elevator, which might be an accessibility concern for guests with mobility issues.
Google Reviews
168 reviews
Recent Guest Reviews
Csilla Végh
Arrived to the hotel as a walk in guest. Enjoyed the professionally prepared coffee in the morning. Than right away booked a spot for dinner on the rooftop. It has a great view to the harbour. Specially for sunset a good choice. Food was superfresh (seafood), and the small plates are more than enough if you are not super hungry. Just recommended !
misa k
The hotel was new, very clean, and comfortable throughout our stay. Personally, I especially loved the beautiful view of the blue sky and the ocean from the rooftop—it was truly relaxing. Above all, the staff were absolutely wonderful. We asked for assistance with exchanging Japanese yen and arranging a late check-out, and in every situation, they responded sincerely and thoughtfully, taking the ...
Response from the owner
Dear Misa,<br><br>Thank you so much for sharing such a thoughtful and heartwarming review. <br><br>We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the comfort and cleanliness of our hotel, as well as the rel...
majed photos
We stayed at The Neela Hotel in Stone Town and had such a wonderful experience. A big thank you to all the staff for their elegance, warmth, and professionalism — especially Samuel and Othman. The food was extremely good, especially breakfast — I highly recommend ordering the avocado with eggs and toast. Dinner up on the rooftop was also excellent: the mushroom risotto was fantastic and the sala...
Response from the owner
Dear Majed,<br><br>Thank you so much for your kind and detailed review.<br><br>We are delighted to hear that you had such a wonderful experience at The Neela Hotel. Samuel, Othman, and the entire team...
Janet Black-Heaven
This is an amazing hotel. The staff are great. So helpful and cheerful. A special mention to Elizabeth who helped me when I returned from an excursion with sea urchin spines in my foot. She went out of her way to go to the local shop to purchase something to ease the spines out of my foot. Asante Sana. The food here is second to none. We ate at 7 different restaurants every day we were here and n...
Response from the owner
Dear Janet,<br><br>Thank you so much for taking the time to share such a generous and detailed review. We are truly grateful for your kind words and for choosing to stay with us at Neela.<br><br>We’re...
Captain Crunch
I wanted to love this hotel more because 90% of the staff are so lovely and the design of the hotel is immaculate. On top of that, it’s probably the best room cleaning/maid service I’ve ever experienced in a hotel. The beds are comfortable, and the water pressure from the shower is perfection. Coffee from their cafe is also pretty decent Now onto the cons… the hotel is expensive, some would call ...
Response from the owner
Dear Captain Crunch,<br><br>Thank you very much for taking the time to share such a detailed and thoughtful review. We truly appreciate both your kind words and your candid feedback.<br><br>We’re deli...
Bright Light
Great spot to land in Stonetown. Perfect location to explore from and very quiet to get a good night’s rest. A beautifully designed hotel and great staff to welcome you. Special shoutout to Pili who took great care of us during our stay. Breakfast selection has options for both culinary indulgence as well as healthy and nourishing.
Response from the owner
Dear Bright Light,<br><br>Thank you for sharing such a wonderful review. We're delighted to hear that our location made the perfect starting point for exploring Stone Town, while also offering the pea...
