With its stained-glass windows, wooden latticework balustrades, tinkling fountains and soft-hued colour scheme, Emerson Spice is one of the most stylish and atmospheric hotels in Stone Town. Created from a 19th-century mansion with wide steps leading down to a small square in the narrow street outside, it has 11 rooms filled with antiques, quirky decorations, rich textiles and deep bathtubs.
The set-course dinner in the rooftop teahouse is deeply memorable, as is the Secret Garden – with lush plants decorating the romantic ruins. Both are open to non-residents.