Reviews of Kholle House
Wildlife sightings and reviews
19 independent comments and wildlife information from our travellers who have visited Kholle House and kindly agreed to share their thoughts. They do not necessarily represent the views of Expert Africa
Miss L
Bedford
"Good stay at Kholle House"
1 night Arrived 19 Oct 2013
"We stayed at Kholle House for one night (bed & breakfast) which completed our holiday to Tanzania. We did this so that we could spend some time in Stonetown. Although we were not overly impressed with Stonetown itself, we feel happy to have experienced a stay here and Kholle House was centrally situated for this.
The room accomodated all our needs, however we did not have the "best" nights sleep. We were kept awake by loud music coming from a local italian restaurant until 2.30am. Although understandable and unavoidable, we were also awoken by sounds from a cockerel and the local mosque.
For our final day, we had arranged 2 trips out & around Stonetown. As check out was at 10.30am, the hotel did kindly keep our bags locked away and also let us use a room to freshen up before leaving for the airport later that day." See all these reviews: 4n in Tanzania; 1n in Zanzibar
The room accomodated all our needs, however we did not have the "best" nights sleep. We were kept awake by loud music coming from a local italian restaurant until 2.30am. Although understandable and unavoidable, we were also awoken by sounds from a cockerel and the local mosque.
For our final day, we had arranged 2 trips out & around Stonetown. As check out was at 10.30am, the hotel did kindly keep our bags locked away and also let us use a room to freshen up before leaving for the airport later that day." See all these reviews: 4n in Tanzania; 1n in Zanzibar
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location:
Good
Service:
Good
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Average
Facilities:
Good
Mick and Jan
Shrops
"Kholle house"
1 night Arrived 26 Sep 2013
"This was a quirky hotel!
Breakfast seemed quite disorganised in that service was slow and we were brought coffee but had no cups or milk and had to ask for them to be brought. A cooked breakfast was ordered and brought to the table and the waiter said the baked beans would come soon. The beans were so slow in arriving the breakfast was Eaten by the time the waiter brought them to our table. He was apologetic but it did seem rather odd. We think that the restaurant needed. 2 people waiting on at breakfast time.
A hair drier in the room and tea and coffee making facilities would have been a good improvement to our stay- especially when we had to wait so long for the coffee at breakfast time.
The staff were warm and welcoming, and very accommodating to our late afternoon departure." See all these reviews: 8n in Zanzibar; 4n in Tanzania
Breakfast seemed quite disorganised in that service was slow and we were brought coffee but had no cups or milk and had to ask for them to be brought. A cooked breakfast was ordered and brought to the table and the waiter said the baked beans would come soon. The beans were so slow in arriving the breakfast was Eaten by the time the waiter brought them to our table. He was apologetic but it did seem rather odd. We think that the restaurant needed. 2 people waiting on at breakfast time.
A hair drier in the room and tea and coffee making facilities would have been a good improvement to our stay- especially when we had to wait so long for the coffee at breakfast time.
The staff were warm and welcoming, and very accommodating to our late afternoon departure." See all these reviews: 8n in Zanzibar; 4n in Tanzania
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location:
Average
Service:
Poor
Rooms:
Average
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Average
Mr & Mrs C
NL
"Unusual Kholle House"
2 nights Arrived 18 Aug 2013
"very different hotel - very convenient location for walking into town. Great choice of hotel - staff very friendly."
See all these reviews: 12n in Tanzania; 2n in Zanzibar
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Good
Mr & Mrs M
Tadley
"Kholle House review"
2 nights Arrived 22 Feb 2013
"Kholle House is a lovely, small hotel situated at the top end of Stone Town. It has been sympathetically restored and our room was lovely and had a small balcony overlooking the pool and restaurant area. The (small) pool was a godsend after a day spent walking around Stone Town in intense heat and humidity.
Management and staff were friendly, welcoming and very helpful. They pointed us in the right direction to explore Stone Town on foot.
The location is not perfect: it is quite a walk to reach the middle of Stone Town and it is very close to the Docks where (noisy)work loading ships goes on for most of the night. The Call to Prayer wasn't a problem: we are in an Arab town, after all, and this is a part of life there!
On our second night there, because we had an early (5 a.m) start, we opted to have dinner in the hotel and this was not brilliant, although served in the very nice garden adjacent to the pool. The so-called fillet steak turned out to be a very tough piece of stewing steak, inadequately cooked and fairly unpalatable. Having enjoyed some really delicious fillet in other parts of Africa, we were underwhelmed by this. We wished we had gone to the nearby Mercury (overlooking the harbour) which would have been much more fun and probably cheaper.
But, again, lovely friendly staff and a great blessing to be in an air-conditioned room so we could sleep properly." See all these reviews: 9n in Zanzibar
Management and staff were friendly, welcoming and very helpful. They pointed us in the right direction to explore Stone Town on foot.
The location is not perfect: it is quite a walk to reach the middle of Stone Town and it is very close to the Docks where (noisy)work loading ships goes on for most of the night. The Call to Prayer wasn't a problem: we are in an Arab town, after all, and this is a part of life there!
On our second night there, because we had an early (5 a.m) start, we opted to have dinner in the hotel and this was not brilliant, although served in the very nice garden adjacent to the pool. The so-called fillet steak turned out to be a very tough piece of stewing steak, inadequately cooked and fairly unpalatable. Having enjoyed some really delicious fillet in other parts of Africa, we were underwhelmed by this. We wished we had gone to the nearby Mercury (overlooking the harbour) which would have been much more fun and probably cheaper.
But, again, lovely friendly staff and a great blessing to be in an air-conditioned room so we could sleep properly." See all these reviews: 9n in Zanzibar
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location:
Average
Service:
Good
Activities:
Good
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Average
Facilities:
Good
Meerkats
Thame
"Kholle House review"
3 nights Arrived 15 Jan 2013
"Good location in Stone Town, just right for access to the sights, restaurants and shops.
Quiet, small hotel, friendly and efficient staff. Great swimming pool. The restaurant was not available while we were there so we had to go out for dinner each evening." See all these reviews: 3n in Zanzibar
Quiet, small hotel, friendly and efficient staff. Great swimming pool. The restaurant was not available while we were there so we had to go out for dinner each evening." See all these reviews: 3n in Zanzibar
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location:
Excellent
Service:
Good
Rooms:
Good
Facilities:
Average
The M family
DC
"Kholle House review"
2 nights Arrived 21 Dec 2012
"Kholle house shows that in concept it was a valiant effort to restore a house with some historical pedigree as a luxury destination, but in execution it has succeeded only in restoring the house. The staff are not trained in hospitality, so don't expect service here. Attitude is somewhat sullen too, for Africans - who by in large are friendly and accommodating people in the tourism industry. It would appear that Expert Africa's arrangement with Kholle House provides what little trade it receives.
The place, while not that large was largely empty during our stay. It is located between two mosques, while makes early morning prayer quite easy for the traveler. Since it is not located particularly near to any of the tourist destinations (except Mercury's restaurant (over-priced, but OK menu), it has a certain non-tourist attractiveness, but this is overshadowed by the sterility of the accommodation and lousy service. "You're cooking my corn flakes?"
Recommending this booking is my only complaint with the arrangements made for me by Expert Africa." See all these reviews: 7n in Zanzibar; 4n in Tanzania
The place, while not that large was largely empty during our stay. It is located between two mosques, while makes early morning prayer quite easy for the traveler. Since it is not located particularly near to any of the tourist destinations (except Mercury's restaurant (over-priced, but OK menu), it has a certain non-tourist attractiveness, but this is overshadowed by the sterility of the accommodation and lousy service. "You're cooking my corn flakes?"
Recommending this booking is my only complaint with the arrangements made for me by Expert Africa." See all these reviews: 7n in Zanzibar; 4n in Tanzania
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average
Location:
Average
Service:
Terrible
Activities:
Average
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Terrible
Facilities:
Good
Feedback Response
We were sorry that these guests didn't enjoy Kholle House as much as we had hoped. We most recently stayed at here in February 2012 and really enjoyed our stay, so we were surprised to hear this negative feedback. We sent the feedback onto the owner who was upset to read it, and immediately looked into how they could improve. We will continue to monitor Kholle House, however it is worth bearing in mind that it is one of the least costly options in Stone Town, and so for those on a tight budget it may still be a good option.
"Innovation Manager"
Mr & Mrs R
Crawley
"Kholle House review"
2 nights Arrived 15 Aug 2012
"The Kholle House was very different and has been refurbished well. The owner., Francis showed us round and explained the history of the house. Our room was fine.
The main problem was the close vicinity to a mosque and the call to prayer in the night which was very loud. We also had difficulty trying to pay our bill as the man on reception was unable to understand us.
The hotel organised a very good guide for us to do a walking tour of Stone Town. This was very interesting and enabled us to see more and be more informed than if we had been walking on our own." See all these reviews: 6n in Zanzibar; 3n in Tanzania
The main problem was the close vicinity to a mosque and the call to prayer in the night which was very loud. We also had difficulty trying to pay our bill as the man on reception was unable to understand us.
The hotel organised a very good guide for us to do a walking tour of Stone Town. This was very interesting and enabled us to see more and be more informed than if we had been walking on our own." See all these reviews: 6n in Zanzibar; 3n in Tanzania
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average
Location:
Good
Service:
Good
Activities:
Good
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Good
Mr & Mrs H
Canada
"Kholle House review"
1 night Arrived 18 Feb 2012
"Kholle House was beautiful although I'm not sure we would have found it without our driver, but that's Stonetown. It's a bit off the main road, down a couple of allys, which was just a bit foreign to us, but once we had our bearings, it was fine. It is an exceptional old home and the hostess took time to give us a history of the house when we arrived. Unfortunately we were only there for one evening and really didn't have time to enjoy its ambiance.
The room was quite authentic to a grander time in Zanzibars history and we were quite impressed as it was a stark contrast to the street below." See all these reviews: 8n in Tanzania; 1n in Zanzibar
The room was quite authentic to a grander time in Zanzibars history and we were quite impressed as it was a stark contrast to the street below." See all these reviews: 8n in Tanzania; 1n in Zanzibar
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location:
Good
Service:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Mr V
Switzerland
"Kholle House review"
1 night Arrived 21 Oct 2011
"Lovely hotel, charmingly decorated in an old palace in shown town.
Great location with walking distance to the main attractions ( on a narrow street so the last stretch you have to walk on foot)
Fantastic breakfast.
Lovely common areas: Small but beautiful pool and garden, simple but charming roof terrace.
Highly recommended." See all these reviews: 4n in Tanzania; 3n in Zanzibar
Great location with walking distance to the main attractions ( on a narrow street so the last stretch you have to walk on foot)
Fantastic breakfast.
Lovely common areas: Small but beautiful pool and garden, simple but charming roof terrace.
Highly recommended." See all these reviews: 4n in Tanzania; 3n in Zanzibar
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
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Other lodges in Stone Town
Alternative places to stay in this same area.
Zanzibar Coffee House
The Zanzibar Coffee House is a small quiet hotel tucked away in the back streets of Stone Town, with lovely, simple rooms.
Serena Inn
Now trumped by the nearby Park Hyatt, the Serena Inn, in its historic building, was formerly Stone Town's only international-style hotel.
Zanzibar Palace Hotel
The Zanzibar Palace Hotel is a highly regarded boutique hotel with very personal service and just nine rooms, all of them Zanzibari in style.
Beyt al Salaam
The Beyt al Salaam is a pleasant, boutique hotel with only six rooms and atmospheric and stylish Zanzibari décor.
Dhow Palace Hotel
The Dhow Palace is a very good-value, mid-range hotel, full of Swahili character, and the pool makes it appealing to families.
Emerson Spice
Emerson Spice is a beautiful small hotel in the heart of Stone Town with individually designed rooms adorned with gorgeous fabrics.
Jafferji House
Jafferji House is a converted old house that blends modern facilities with traditional style. The ten, unique rooms are show great attention to detail.
Swahili House
Swahili House is a traditionally styled boutique hotel furnished to a high standard with a convenient location in the centre of Stone Town.
Tembo Hotel
The Tembo Hotel is a good-value, family-friendly hotel right on the seafront in Stone Town, with 36 rooms and a good-sized swimming pool.
Emerson on Hurumzi
Emerson on Hurumzi was Stone Town's first boutique hotel, featuring antique furniture, unique, stylish rooms and a superb rooftop restaurant.
Mbweni Ruins Hotel
Mbweni Ruins Hotel is very convenient if you want to stay on the beach, but very close to Stone Town, or visit Chumbe Island.
Maru Maru Hotel
In the heart of Stone Town, Maru Maru combines contemporary style and creature comforts with a Zanzibari twist.
Park Hyatt
The Park Hyatt Zanzibar is a high-quality example of this group, with excellent facilities and service.
Kisiwa House
Kisiwa's central location in the heart of Stone Town's Shangani area makes it a great base to explore this fascinating town.
Seyyida Hotel
The Seyyida is a characterful old hotel near the seafront in Stone Town, with the rare bonus of a swimming pool.
