Shoki Shoki Hotel Stone Town — Hotel in Shangani

I relocated to Shoki Shoki Hotel after staying at a nearby hotel that felt like a rundown hostel—overpriced, dollarized, outdated, and plagued by leaking roofs. While Shoki Shoki was an improvement, the room I booked was small, dimly lit all day, and lacked natural light or ventilation. For $46 USD (converted at an unclear exchange rate), the inability to read or write comfortably due to poor lighting was a significant drawback.|Our room neighbored a staff changing area, leading to constant noise disruptions. Workers also occupied the shared salon for hours, resting and playing loud videos, which disturbed guests.|Security guards and other staff frequently browsed videos during work hours, prioritizing screens over customers services.|A breakfast server, though attentive, wore a short miniskirt more fitting for a bar than a hotel.|Mobile phone use and video-watching during shifts were rampant, even in guest areas like the breakfast room. Workers should have separate lodging (e.g., rented rooms outside the hotel adjacent to the area) instead of sharing spaces with guests.|Evening photo shoots by professional photographers blocked the hotel entrance, inconveniencing guests seeking discreet access.|Zanzibar’s "dollar syndrome" persists: Prices are quoted in USD and ambiguously converted to shillings, even for locals. |Positives:|• Breakfast was well-prepared, featuring fresh fruits and eggs.|• The hotel’s location in Stone Town is convenient.|My experience highlights a disconnect between the hotel’s prime location and its operational flaws, particularly around rooms, staff professionalism and guest comfort. Nevertheless, Stone Town was probably the LEAST impressive World Heritage I’ve seen, and I’ve seen hundreds upon hundreds in different places worldwide but dollarization and overpricing because of Stone Town and good beaches are common in Zanzibar and are still persisting for decades since I arrived on the Island 2 decades ago...

We stayed at Shoki Shoki House for one night to explore Stone Town before heading to Jambiani. We booked a Deluxe Double Room (Room 1) on the ground floor. Upon arrival, we couldn't enter our room immediately as the room had just been sprayed with insecticide for mosquitos, so we had to wait around 20 minutes in reception.||The reception staff were friendly, and the room itself was clean and comfortable, though quite basic. A nice touch was the complimentary minibar, which was a pleasant surprise.||Unfortunately, the biggest downside was the noise during the night. Firstly, there was noise from the streets outside which didn't bother us too much, but then at around 3:30 am, we were woken up by loud banging and moving sounds right outside our room, which sounded like maintenance or repairs. This lasted around 30 minutes, and I struggled to get back to sleep after that.||Breakfast the next morning was very good, with food cooked to order, plus a starter of fresh fruit and pastries. There was plenty of food and a nice way to start the day. The hotel's location is excellent, right in the centre of Stone Town, close to the beach and main sights, making it a great base for exploring. After checking out, we appreciated that the hotel stored our luggage for us while we...

We stayed at Shoki Shoki House for one night to explore Stone Town before heading to Jambiani. We booked a Deluxe Double Room (Room 1) on the ground floor. Upon arrival, we couldn't enter our room immediately as the room had just been sprayed with insecticide for mosquitos, so we had to wait around 20 minutes in reception.||The reception staff were friendly, and the room itself was clean and comfortable, though quite basic. A nice touch was the complimentary minibar, which was a pleasant surprise.||Unfortunately, the biggest downside was the noise during the night. Firstly, there was noise from the streets outside which didn't bother us too much, but then at around 3:30 am, we were woken up by loud banging and moving sounds right outside our room, which sounded like maintenance or repairs. This lasted around 30 minutes, and I struggled to get back to sleep after that.||Breakfast the next morning was very good, with food cooked to order, plus a starter of fresh fruit and pastries. There was plenty of food and a nice way to start the day. The hotel's location is excellent, right in the centre of Stone Town, close to the beach and main sights, making it a great base for exploring. After checking out, we appreciated that the hotel stored our luggage for us while we...