Jafferji House & Spa

OVERVIEW:

Before it became a boutique hotel, Jafferji House & Spa was home to Javed Jafferji, a well-known photographer and tour operator. Javed sought to turn his home into a hotel while retaining the building’s style, and the result is very impressive! Something of a hidden gem in the streets of Stone Town, Jafferji appeals to clients who want to do more than simply pass through the town on their way to the beaches. Accommodation is booked on a B&B basis, and the hotel is open all year round.

ACCESS & LOCATION:

The hotel is accessed via 10 minutes’ road transfer from Zanzibar’s international airport. It’s situated behind the Old Fort, in the heart of Stone Town.

ACCOMMODATION & FACILITIES AT JAFFERJI HOUSE & SPA:

Guest accommodation consists of just ten suites, exquisitely styled and available in three categories – Signature, Superior, and Superior Deluxe. Each suite has a theme, as shown by their names, which include Spices House, Out of Africa, Livingstone, and Kama Sutra! All are individually decorated, with carefully selected furnishings and artworks. There are ample modern amenities too, such as air conditioning, a telephone, a 32-inch flatscreen television, a tea-and-coffee station, complimentary mineral water, and free Wi-Fi. En-suite washrooms generally contain a flush toilet, twin washbasins, and a Moroccan-style bathtub. Bathrobes, slippers, and toiletries are provided free of charge. Guests can ask Reception staff for electrical adaptors and chargers, and a laundry service is available.

Communal spaces at Jafferji House & Spa begin with the hotel’s welcoming reception area, accessed from the busy streets of Stone Town. This has a sumptuous yet homely palette of reds, browns, and golds, with plenty of interesting artefacts to admire. Javed Jafferji’s own photographs adorn the walls here and in other areas of the hotel. At the top of the building, you’ll find the Terrace Rooftop Restaurant. Here, staff serve delicious Swahili-style dishes with a continental twist, flavoured with some of Zanzibar’s most exciting spices. The restaurant also offers wonderful views over Stone Town! Every Friday, diners enjoy live traditional Zanzibari music in the form of taarab, a style blending Middle Eastern, Indian, and Western elements. Finally, if you feel in need of a little pampering during your stay, you need only pop across the street to Cinnamon Spa, for relaxing massages, skincare treatments, and more.

ACTIVITIES AT JAFFERJI HOUSE & SPA:

The hotel is very well positioned for guests to get out and explore Stone Town and farther afield! Here are just a few examples of things to do in the town and on Zanzibar:

• Stone Town tour

  – An excellent introduction to the town, this expertly guided tour takes in famous attractions such as the Anglican Cathedral, the House of Wonders, the Sultans’ Palace Museum, the Old Arab Fort, and today’s bustling markets, featuring piles of seafood, freshly baked bread, and colourful yields of fruits and vegetables.

• Spice tour

  – For centuries, the island of Zanzibar has been renowned for its fragrant spices. These tours involve trips out to a farm, to find out how the likes of cardamom, turmeric, and vanilla are grown, and to look around the farm in the company of a knowledgeable guide.

• Forest excursions

  – Wildlife fans will love spending time in Zanzibar’s Jozani Forest, where you’ll have opportunities to see red colobus monkey, Sykes monkey, Aders’s duiker, civet, and the charming bush baby too! The forest is also home to over 80 species of bird.

• Prison Island tour

  – This is a great cultural and wildlife add-on to your holiday. Once used to hold rebellious slaves, and later to quarantine sufferers of illnesses such as yellow fever, these days the island has a conservation zone for endangered Aldabra tortoises. It’s also a pleasant destination for snorkelling, swimming, or simply sunbathing on the soft white sands.

• Dhow cruises

  – If you’d like to explore the coastline and seas around Zanzibar, you can board a dhow and enjoy sailing the sparkling waters. Both day and sunset cruises are available, and a picnic can be included if you wish.

• Jafferji House Signature Activities

  – The hotel offers a fine assortment of experiences that aim to familiarise guests with aspects of Zanzibari culture. They include cooking lessons, an introduction to henna, attending a coffee ceremony, and trying out some Tinga Tinga painting. There are drumming lessons for children too! For more information about these activities, or anything else to do with staying at Jafferji, please contact a member of our team.