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Reviews of Al-Minar Hotel

3.5 out of 5
Al-Minar Hotel
Plot 96 Shangani, Zanzibar Town

Reviews

8.6

Excellent

Rating 10 - Excellent. 124 out of 274 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 109 out of 274 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 28 out of 274 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 8 out of 274 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 5 out of 274 reviews" "

8.8/10

Cleanliness

9.2/10

Staff & service

8.2/10

Amenities

8.2/10

Property conditions & facilities

8.4/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

8/10 Good

Rembrand

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
No nonsense hotel with good service
We enjoyed our 2 night stay at Al Minar. Good value for money, located close to all the 5 star hotels, but this one is affordable. Especially the family room which fitted us nicely.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2023

6/10 Okay

Zororai

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness
Stayed 4 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Carol A

Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Al

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Location is excellent. Manager is great. Facilty requires upgrades.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2022

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2022
Response from Alminar on 25 Feb 2022
Dear Guest, thank you very much for your wonderful review score. we look forward to seeing you again. Best Regards Team Alminar

10/10 Excellent

Daniel

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Excellent management and customer services
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2022
Response from Santos on 9 Feb 2022
Dear Daniel, Thank you very much for taking your time to review your recent stay with us. We are proud and happy that your stay with us was beautiful. we look forward to welcome you back again. BestRegards Team Alminar

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Travelled with group
Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Room comfort
Overview for a 9 days stay at the hotel.
Friendly staff ,green energy for water heating systems ,flexibility with prices to help a client who wishes to extent their stay,great rooftop breakfast restaurant,safe location,ease of available assisted information on tours of the island. The beddings &rooms were smelling damp most times with indications of repeated beddings and towels or lack of proper air at ion.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2021
Response from Santosh Giri on 7 Jan 2022
Dear Guest, Many thanks for your constructive review. we will immediately start working on to make sure that this does not happen again, however had you mentioned this during your stay we would have promptly resolved the issue. we also would like to thank you for highlighting our facilities and services. upon your next visit i can assure you that your stay with us will be more comfortable and as memorable as possible. we look forward to seeing you soon. Best Regards Santosh Giri General Manager

10/10 Excellent

Daniel

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Awesome location and staff.
Al Minar feels like my home-away-from-home after 7 times to Zanzibar (I run a nonprofit working on the mainland). Very cozy rooms in an incredible Shangani location surrounding by high-rent luxury hotels that cost many times as much. Staff is wonderful and service excellent, steps away from beach and great dining options.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2021
Response from Team Alminar on 6 Dec 2021
Dear Daneil, Thank you very much for your encouraging words. And thank you for choosing to stay with us. we look forward to see you soon. Best Regards Team Alminar

10/10 Excellent

Mary

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely!
I had a lovely stay at Al-Minar. It is off the main road, but easy to find, unlike some hotels in the labyrinth of historic Stonetown.The room (while a bit on the small side) was beautifully decorated, with a very comfortable bed and a good shower. I loved having a mini-fridge and kettle in my room to make my own coffee! Breakfast was excellent, and all the staff were OUTSTANDING! Welcoming, helpful, and friendly. Highly recommended.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2021
Response from santosh giri on 2 Dec 2021
Dear Mary, thank you very much for such a wonder and encouraging review. we hope to see you soon again. Best Regards Team Alminar

10/10 Excellent

Daniel

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Al Minar has been my favorite stay in Zanzibar for 5 trips since 2015. Great service, location, and comfortable rooms. Good rooftop breakfast cooked to order. Very inviting and cordial staff.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2021
Response from Team Alminar on 29 Nov 2021
Dear Daniel, Thank you so very much for such a wonderful encouragement. it was our pleasure to be your host. we look forward seeing you soon again.

8/10 Good

Dorian

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Nice hotel with friendly helpful staff. Very good breakfast with a nice rooftop view to match. I had a pleasant stay.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2021
Response from Team Alminar on 22 Nov 2021
Dear Dorian, Greetings of day !! Thank you very much for taking your time to review your stay with us. we are very glad that your stay with us was comfortable and memorable. we look forward to hosting you again soon in future.

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Nice & helpful staff, great breakfast, clean room. Very pleasant stay overall!
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2021

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Great location, friendly and helpful staff. Breakfast was plentiful and tasty. Good budget choice for Stone town.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2021

8/10 Good

Alexander D

Stayed 1 night in Jan 2021

8/10 Good

OWEN

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2021

8/10 Good

Bakenam

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2020

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2020

10/10 Excellent

SM, US

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Staff was EXTREMELY friendly and super helpful!! My original tour to Prison Island was abruptly cancelled without notice one day. So I asked the front desk if they knew of any tour guides. They immediately hooked me up with a great guide and matched the price of my original tour. Facilities were good. My only issue was that the hot water only lasted for a few minutes (didn’t go straight to cold though), but it was already so hot outside that lukewarm water actually felt pretty nice.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2020

8/10 Good

Tshepo

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A well spent stay
It was a pleasant experience Very friendly staff Juma and Sebastian.....bery helpful guys
Stayed 7 nights in Feb 2020

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2020

10/10 Excellent

Daniel

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Affordable gem in an upscale hotel area
Always an awesome choice for location, service, and room quality, this was my 4th stay and probably not my last.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2020

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Nice, clean comfortable place to stay in Stone Town for business.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2019

8/10 Good

Ana

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great Place near everything at Stone Town
Amazing...just need to replace worn out towels
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Very nice hotel, right in Stonetown! Easy walking distance to Forodhani Gardens, to the OneOcean dive center, to the ocean, all around Stonetown! Very friendly, helpful staff.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2019

10/10 Excellent

Douglas

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A Brilliant and reasonable Hotel in Zanmzibar
I have stayed in hundreds of hotels around the world, and this one stands out as special. A boutique-sized hotek, I was greeted by the manager, the room was excellent, then decor was classic Arabian Nights, the location st Shangani is sublime. An absolute recommendation.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2019

10/10 Excellent

Douglas

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A Fantastic Hotel at a Great Price
Classic Wood decor, spacious room, excellent staff and helpful manager, good food too breakfast, boutique-sized hotel, just 2 minutes from the waterfront in a very peaceful part of town. Totally recommended.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2019

10/10 Excellent

Tino

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Superb customer service
Customer service at the hotel is excellent. The hotel is located at the heart of the old town so all sights, shops and restaurants are within the walking distance. The two different rooms I used during my stay both had a good air conditioning, comfortable bed and all other necessary facilities. Breakfast was fresh and filled the stomach well. I fully recommend the Al-Minar hotel for a visit to Unguja island if you seek a reasonably priced hotel with good service.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2019

8/10 Good

Jess

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
All essentials were provided and comfortable particularly A/C in hot Zanzibar. The staff was incredibly helpful via email beforehand and in person. The location is convenient for sightseeing but not being hounded as soon as you step outside. The winner had to be the lovely rooftop breakfast spot.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2019
Response from Santosh on 30 Jul 2019
Dear Guest, thank you very much for taking your time out to review your recent stay with us. we are so motivated and more determined to excellence in providing the best service to the guest. we look forward to seeing you in near future

10/10 Excellent

LIM

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
good service, kind man.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2019
Response from santosh giri on 30 Jul 2019
Dear Guest, thank you very much for wonderful review score. we look forward seeing you soon again. Best Regards Santosh Giri

8/10 Good

AM

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in May 2019

10/10 Excellent

Thomas

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Good value for money!
Excellent little hotel in the centre of Stonetown. Great management team, who are friendly, attentive, accommodating and provide excellent service. My only complaint was the bedside lamp, which had faulty electrical wiring (wires were jerry-rigged), the light went out at one point, and though I requested to get the lamp switched with one from another room, I was told it wasn't possible. As a result, difficult to read in the room. But other than that, no complaints. Great shower with good water pressure, comfortable beds, clean room, and good amenities. Drinking water provided free of charge, great breakfast buffet on the rooftop.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great Location
It may seem to be positioned at one end of tone Town, but it is the correct end. The best venues for watching the sun go down are within a 2 minute walk. To get to the other end of Stone Town only a 15 minute slow walk anyway. This hotel is friendly, clean and tidy, the showers work well, the beds are passably comfortable and the internet, whilst not the fastest in the world is adequate.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I loved my stay. The room was great, the breakfast was delicious and the staff/service was excellent !
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice hotel, very comfortable, the staff are amazing .very welcoming and caring .will stay again.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2019

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Good breakfast options; towels are old/dirty - need to be replaced
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2018
Response from Santosh Giri on 23 Jan 2019
Dear Guest, thank you very much for the constructive feedback. we will for sure work on it and we promise that you will not be disappointed on your next visit. Best Regards Santosh Giri General Manager

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Authentic gem in Stone Town. Priced well and located close to the beach and alley markets without any city noise. Furniture and style is Zanzibarian. Staff is incredible. Each and every single one of them. Special mention to my host Cecilia. Stunning lady with the biggest brightest personality, exceptional attention to detail, on the ball and knowledgeable on everything you need to know about Zanzibar. Big thumbs up and thank you for making my stay one to remember
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2018
Response from Santosh Giri on 23 Jan 2019
Dear Guest, thank you very much for the love and support. we will share this review with all our team members. we look forward to seeing you again. Best Regards Santosh Giri General Manager

10/10 Excellent

Deon, Dar es Salaam

Travelled with family, Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The quality and service I experienced is far better that I expected for the price that I paid. The first day we had to play golf with a very early T-off time and could not make breakfast. We were given take away fruit baskets without requesting it. The following days breakfast was not a five star buffet but it was well prepared and excellent. The Reception was friendly, helpful and efficient. The bedding was clean good and the bed comfortable. The bathroom was clean, not very modern and the shower was hot with good pressure. There is a small fridge in the room and it froze the water in the freezer compartment. The fresh water coffee and tea was complimentary. We play golf and Seacliff resort in Zanzibar is one of the few courses that we can visit within a reasonable distance from Dar es Salaam. I will definitely stay in Al-minar again in future visits to the island.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2018
Response from Santosh Giri on 23 Jan 2019
Dear Deon, Greetings of the day !! Thank you very much for such a wonderful way of encouraging us. we look forward to seeing you again soon. Best Regards Santosh Giri General Manager

8/10 Good

Bhash, UK

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
I would recommend this lovely well managed hotel for a pleasant and enjoyable stay in Stone Town.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2018

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great staff as they were all friendly and willing to help make the stay wonderful.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2018

10/10 Excellent

Heather, Derbyshire

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely quiet hotel in the centre
We stayed here for two nights in September on arriving in Zanzibar. The hotel arranged an airport pickup for us $15 which I think is pretty standard. The driver was outside waiting when we arrived. The hotel would be pretty difficult to find by yourself – it’s down a small alleyway near the Double Tree – anyway the taxi driver parked up and lead us to the hotel. (The taxi driver did try it on and ask for $20 but didn’t flinch when I said – no, the hotel told us $15). We arrived very early in the morning – well before check in but luckily they had a room ready for us – and after the journey it was great to be able to clean up and get settled. The room was quite small but had everything you needed. They then provided us with a map and we went out to explore. The hotel also arranged a trip to Prison Island for us - $25 each. We could have arranged this ourselves but I don’t think we would have saved much and this way they came to collect us from the hotel and showed us where to go (it’s 5mins walk to the boats). Breakfast was lovely – on the roof terrace. You start with a plate of fruit, then eggs and American breakfast, toast and jam. The scrambled eggs and toast I had were lovely. And of course tea and coffee. We met the owner who we found very helpful and friendly. All the staff at reception as well made us feel very welcome. I’d not hesitate to recommend this hotel and if we go back to Stone Town we would definitely stay here.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2018

10/10 Excellent

Nynke, Netherlands

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great hotel, with a nice location and the kindest staff!
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2018

10/10 Excellent

ADEBAYO

HOME AWAY FROM HOME
IT WAS GLOBALLY GREAT THANKS GUYS FOR THE HOSPITALITY
Stayed 6 nights in Aug 2018

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2018

10/10 Excellent

Alex, Canada

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Excellent experience. My girlfriend and I stayed for 3 nights and couldn't be happier. The location is perfect. In a quiet part of Stonetown but still right near all the action. Santos and his staff were extremely nice and willing to help all the time. Santos helped us get a good deal with hotels on the other side of the island. If we come back to Stonetown, we'll forsure be staying here.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2018
Response from Santosh Giri on 16 Aug 2018
Dear Alex, Thank you very much for your kind words, we look forward seeing you soon. Best Regards Santosh Giri General Manager

4/10 Poor

Desire

Liked: Room comfort
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Good location, once you find it. TERRIBLE internet. If you're on a business trip or rely on consistent and strong wifi, this is absolutely not the place to stay. The staff are very kind but the manager was quite rude. Decent rooms but the towels are very rough. I won't be staying here again.
Stayed 8 nights in Jul 2018

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
The manager , Mr Santos, was excellent , very professional , helpful and welcoming . I liked the roof top restaurant .
Stayed 3 nights in May 2018

10/10 Excellent

Cheri

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 4 nights in May 2018

8/10 Good

Heinrich

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
It is a nice hotel very central. The staff is very friendly and helpful. The breakfast was not so my thing. But that might be personal. The room was pretty small.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2018