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, flat-screen TVs, and large, modern, luxurious bathrooms that have bathtubs as well as showers. Large windows allow in plenty of light and fresh breezes. The rooftop dining area is magical under the town lights reflected off the stylish copper and brass fixtures.