Fodor's Expert Review Kisiwa House

This stylish boutique hotel, housed in a beautifully restored 19th-century Zanzibari town house, manages to combine old-fashioned authenticity—steep wooden staircases, high ceilings, an inner courtyard, and pretty rooftop restaurant—with modern touches, such as the contemporary art on the walls, flatscreen TVs, and large, modern, luxurious bathrooms that have bathtubs as well as showers. Large windows allow in plenty of light and fresh breezes. There's a lounge on each floor with plenty of space to relax, and the breakfasts are terrific. The courtyard restaurant is open to nonguests.