Tembo Palace Hotel — Hotel in Shangani

Very disappointed with Tembo Hotel. Due to the current political unrest in Tanzania, I asked to change my booking dates — a clear force majeure situation beyond my control. Another hotel on the island kindly changed my reservation without any problem, but Tembo refused and insisted I pay again. They even blamed Booking.com for not being able to change the reservation, but I confirmed with Booking that this was not true — they never replied to Booking’s messages. So the refusal came entirely from the hotel itself. This shows a complete lack of understanding and goodwill. Be careful before booking here — unlike other hotels, Tembo showed no flexibility or support, even in a serious situation like curfews and transport shutdowns. If they didn’t help me under these conditions, I can’t imagine how they would respond to a more...

Beautiful hotel! The rooms are huge with a bed, sitting area, closet, TV, fridge and kettle. The washrooms are also spacious and clean. We had issues with our shower and TV but the staff changed the shower head immediately and resolved the issue with the TV. The breakfast spread was lavish. The pancakes and waffles were really yummy! There are two pools, one of which overlooks the Indian Ocean. It is a beautiful sight. The hotel has direct entry to the beach so it is very convenient. Boats for the Prison Island, sand beach, snorkelling etc leave literally from the gate of the hotel. The dinner was also really delicious. It is located in the Stone town so it is very nearby to local shops and the Freddie Mercury museum. Many restaurants, clubs, spas are at a walking distance. The wifi in the...

While the location of the hotel is convenient, it is in urgent need of refurbishment and improvements in customer service. The property is spread across multiple buildings, but guests are not informed in advance which one they will be staying in. Room amenities fall short of even 3-star standards, and if you're placed in Tembo Palace, the views are disappointing, overlooking a narrow alley and old buildings. Issues such as a malfunctioning air conditioner, leaking wash basin, and unpleasant sewerage smells in the bathroom further detract from the experience, making the rooms far from...