View of the Tembo Hotel

View of the Tembo Hotel, originally uploaded by oreoluwa.

I think I was sitting by the poolside or the patio of our hotel when I took this picture. I loved our hotel. The Rough Guide mentioned something about rude staff, but the hotel manager was very friendly and talked to Funke and I at great lengths about Zanzibar's history. He also recommended quite a few places for us to see and things to do. The rest of the staff was also very approachable. The food wasn't bad, though the dinner, as we later found out, was relatively expensive.

The Tembo Hotel sits by the water and apparently used to be the US Consulate building. I am guessing that being by the water constituted something of a security risk. The hotel decor reflected the strong Arab influences on the island, from the ottomans, to the rugs and the tiles. I would definitely recommend this hotel.