Swahili Chic With Your Comfort In Mind
Welcome to Habari House
Some places put you up. Habari House puts you in.
In the heart of Stone Town, where the old city breathes through its carved doors and ocean air, Habari House is a boutique hotel, a café, a rooftop, and a gathering place — all woven into one.
The house itself carries history. Built by the Al-Busaidi Omani Royal Family and once home to Emerson Skeens, one of Stone Town's most beloved patrons, it has always been a place where people gather, create, and belong. Now it's in the hands of GG, Lucy, and their daughter Loloma — and they're continuing that tradition in their own way.
Five rooms, each one its own world — designed in Swahili chic with modern comforts, so every stay feels unique. Or book the whole house and make it entirely yours — ideal for families or groups who want Stone Town to feel like home, not a hotel.
A botanical café serving healthy Swahili food, fresh juices, coffee, and pastries inspired by flavours from across the globe. A rooftop for slow afternoons and long views.
But what makes Habari House what it is isn't the rooms or the menu. It's the feeling that you've arrived somewhere that actually means something — a space where Swahili heritage, local culture, and genuine community meet.
This is who we are. Come as you are.
Habari is our warm family greeting—an invitation to pause, share, and connect. Enjoy local coffee in our café, sip fresh juice on the rooftop, indulge in a relaxing and a calming massage.
Most of all, we invite you to stay, unwind, and lala salama—(Swahili for 'sleep peacefully')—within the cozy embrace of our culturally-inspired rooms.
Karibuni Sana,
Gillead, Lucy and Loloma Mziray
The front of Habari House.
Our Beloved Mini Dhow.
The front of Habari House.
Make Yourself at Home
There's No Place Like Habari.
A garden.
A rooftop.
Five rooms full of character.
A café that feels like a friend's kitchen.
And a community that makes it all mean something.
This is what we've built.
Come see it for yourself.
Your Window into Stone Town
The old city is right outside.
The call to prayer, the ocean breeze, the rooftops that have stood for centuries.
From inside Habari House, you're not just visiting Stone Town — you're waking up inside it.
