EA Booking · Tanzania travel
Zanzibar hotels in Stone Town, Nungwi and Paje
Choose the area first, then compare the room plan, meal inclusion and live total for your dates.
When you compare Zanzibar hotels, choose the area before the property. Stone Town suits heritage and walking, Nungwi fits a beach-first break, and Paje feels quieter on the east coast. UNESCO says Stone Town retains its urban fabric and townscape virtually intact (UNESCO).
For timing, Zanzibar tourism describes the dry season broadly as June to October or December, which is useful context for beach planning but not a guarantee of rain-free days (Zanzibar tourism). Compare live totals, meal plans and room conditions after you decide where to base yourself first.
Compare Zanzibar by area
| Area | Best for | Stay style | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stone Town | Culture, history and walking access | Hotels close to the old town | Room size, noise and whether breakfast is included |
| Nungwi | Beach time and a resort feel | Beach hotels and resort stays | Beach access, meal plan and transfer timing |
| Paje | A calmer east coast base | Smaller hotels and guest stays | Wind, tide timing and the walk to the beach |
| Budget stay zones | Lower-cost nights and simple bases | Cheap hotels in Zanzibar or hostels | Shared rooms, private bathrooms and exact location |
| Beach resort stays | Longer rests and meal-plan convenience | Zanzibar all inclusive resorts | What meals, drinks and activities are included |
This compares the main stay areas, not named properties or live room totals.
Choose the base that fits your trip first
Start with the part of Zanzibar that matches the way you want to spend your days. Stone Town is usually the right base if history, older streets, markets and walkable sightseeing matter most. Nungwi works better for a beach-first stay where the hotel and shoreline are central to the trip. Paje is often the better fit if you want an east coast base with a quieter rhythm and you are happy to compare how local conditions shape the feel of each day.
If you are unsure, compare season and trip shape before comparing rooms. Our guide to Zanzibar weather, tides and trip priorities helps with island timing, while this Tanzania season guide adds wider mainland context if Zanzibar is only one stop on a longer route.
What Stone Town hotels are best for
Choose Stone Town hotels when the town itself is part of the reason you are going. This area suits heritage-focused stays, short stopovers, restaurant access and travellers who prefer a place with streets, seafront views and character instead of a resort compound. Because many stays here sit within or close to the older urban fabric, room style, building age, layout and noise levels can vary more than they do in purpose-built beach properties.
Before booking, check whether your room is inside the historic lanes, near the waterfront or simply in the wider town area. That difference changes the feel of the stay. If Zanzibar follows a safari, our split-stay planning guide can help, and our Tanzania parks overview is useful if you are combining coast nights with mainland parks.
When Nungwi or Paje makes more sense
Nungwi beach hotels are easier to compare when your main priority is time by the shore, staying at the property and building the trip around a beach base. Paje Zanzibar hotels appeal more to travellers who want the east coast and a calmer setting, but the best choice depends on how you plan to divide your time between the hotel, the beach and nearby eating options. Neither area is automatically better. The right one is the base that matches your routine once you arrive.
For either coast, compare the meal plan carefully. Breakfast included, half board and room-only stays can create very different daily spending patterns. Our guide to Zanzibar trip costs and spending decisions explains those trade-offs, and our Dar es Salaam hotels guide helps if you are connecting through the mainland before or after the island.
How to compare budget stays, hostels and meal plans
If you are looking for cheap hotels in Zanzibar, cheap places to stay in Zanzibar or hostels in Zanzibar, do not judge value by the first price line alone. Start by fixing the area, then compare whether the room is private or shared, what bathroom setup is offered, whether breakfast is included and what the all-in total looks like for your dates and guest count. A lower headline rate can lose value quickly if the property is far from the part of the island you actually want.
This is also where meal plans matter. Zanzibar all inclusive resorts can simplify budgeting, while room-only stays may suit travellers who want more freedom. Our guide to building a Tanzania trip budget and our safari cost comparison page are useful if accommodation is only one part of a longer itinerary.
What to check before you confirm a booking
Before you confirm Zanzibar hotels, check the area, room conditions, meal plan, taxes and any arrival requirements that apply to your route. Hotel-only booking does not include safari transport, guiding, permits, transfers or activities unless those items are clearly listed in the selected offer. Your hotel booking also does not grant entry permission, visa eligibility or any separate travel authorization, so keep immigration and insurance checks separate from the room search.
From 1 October 2026, the official notice says travellers entering through Mainland Tanzania use NIC, while first entry through Zanzibar uses ZIC. NIC also says mainland cover excludes residents of EAC and SADC partner states (official notice; NIC FAQ). Check first entry and exemptions, rather than assuming every traveller pays twice.
How to narrow the right stay with EA Booking
Use EA Booking to compare Zanzibar hotels by base first, then narrow by room type and stay terms. Our booking flow shows live totals for the dates and occupancy you enter, which is more useful than guessing at one island-wide rate. Because inventory changes, the sample search is only a starting point. Change the dates and guests to match your trip, then read the room conditions carefully before you commit.
If Zanzibar is part of a wider route, you can move into our Arusha hotels guide, our Nairobi hotels guide or the broader travel guides hub. For how we present taxes and fees, see About EA Booking. The process stays simple: choose the area, compare the room, then confirm the live total.
Frequently asked questions
Is Stone Town better than a beach hotel for a short stay?
Usually, yes, if your plan centers on heritage streets, markets, restaurants and walking. Stone Town works well for one or two nights before or after the beach. If most of your time is for swimming or staying by the shore, compare Nungwi or Paje instead, because the base shapes the trip more than room décor.
Do all inclusive stays solve most meal-planning issues in Zanzibar?
Not always. All inclusive or half board can simplify dining in beach areas, but the best value depends on how often you plan to eat at the hotel. Check exactly which meals are included, whether drinks are separate, and whether room-only options leave you more flexibility to explore nearby restaurants during your stay each day.
Are hostels in Zanzibar always the cheapest option?
Not necessarily. A hostel bed may start lower than a private room, but value changes once you check breakfast, bathroom privacy, luggage space and transport costs from the actual location. For some travellers, a simple guesthouse or budget hotel in the right area costs more upfront but works better overall than the cheapest bed available.
Do I need both mainland and Zanzibar inbound insurance?
No. The official notice says first entry through Mainland Tanzania uses NIC, while first entry through Zanzibar uses ZIC. NIC also states mainland cover excludes EAC and SADC residents. A Zanzibar arrival does not automatically mean you pay twice later. Check the route, your status and the current official rules for your trip.
What does a hotel-only Zanzibar booking usually include?
It includes the room you choose under that offer's terms. It does not include safari transport, guiding, park fees, permits, transfers or activities unless they are clearly listed in the booking details. Always review the meal plan, taxes, fees, cancellation terms and any local charges so the hotel total matches what you expect on arrival.
Editorial destination illustrations are used in this guide; they are not photographs of named properties.