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Jafferji Beach Retreat

3.5 star property
Beachfront hotel in Matemwe with spa and outdoor pool

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your current months are December, 2024 and January, 2025.
December 2024
January 2025

Photo gallery for Jafferji Beach Retreat

Outdoor pool, sun loungers
Exterior
Exterior
Exterior
Aerial view
VIP Access

Reviews

9.2 out of 10

Wonderful

Popular amenities

  • Airport transfer
  • Spa
  • Pool
  • 24/7 front desk
  • Laundry facilities
  • Air conditioning
Main amenities
  • Daily housekeeping
  • On the beach
  • Restaurant
  • Full-service spa
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Airport shuttle
  • Terrace
  • 24-hour front desk
  • Air conditioning
  • Garden
  • Front-desk safe
Feel at home
  • Private bathroom
  • Separate sitting area
  • Television
  • Garden
  • Terrace
  • Daily housekeeping
The price is $152
includes taxes & fees
$125 per night
Dec 23 - Dec 24

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 2 of 2 rooms

View all photos for Sea View Room

Sea View Room | In-room safe, soundproofing, iron/ironing board, free WiFi

Sea View Room

Highlights

Separate sitting area
Soundproofed
Air conditioning
Flat-screen TV
Separate bedroom
Hair dryer
Private bathroom
Bathrobes
  • 258 sq ft
  • Sea view
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

View all photos for Standard Room

Standard Room | In-room safe, soundproofing, iron/ironing board, free WiFi

Standard Room

Highlights

Separate sitting area
Soundproofed
Air conditioning
Flat-screen TV
Separate bedroom
Hair dryer
Private bathroom
Bathrobes
  • 258 sq ft
  • Sea view
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

Similar properties

Front of property

Double A Nungwi Beach Hotel

Pool
Free breakfast
Spa
Free parking
9.4 out of 10, Exceptional, (34)
The price is $274
includes taxes & fees
$230 per night
Dec 23 - Dec 24
Double A Nungwi Beach Hotel
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About the neighborhood

Map
Matemwe, Matemwe, 1111

What's nearby

  • Kigomani Beach - 12 min drive
  • Muyuni Beach - 14 min drive
  • Mapenzi Beach - 25 min drive
  • Nungwi Beach - 37 min drive
  • Kendwa Beach - 51 min drive

Getting around

  • Zanzibar Intl. Airport (ZNZ) - 90 min drive
  • Airport shuttle (surcharge)

Restaurants

  • ‪Sofia Sea View - ‬16 min drive
  • ‪Villa Kiva Garden Restaurant - ‬10 min drive
  • ‪The Bridge - ‬8 min drive
  • ‪Garden Bob Swahili - ‬9 min drive
  • ‪Zanzibar Queen Restaurant - ‬8 min drive

About this property

Jafferji Beach Retreat

Situated by the ocean, Jafferji Beach Retreat is a great choice for a stay in Matemwe. You can grab a bite to eat at the restaurant and visit the spa to be pampered with massages, facials, or mani/pedis. An outdoor pool, a terrace, and a garden are other highlights.

Languages

English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Swahili

At a glance

Hotel size

  • 14 rooms

Arriving/Leaving

  • Check-in start time: 2 PM; Check-in end time: midnight
  • Minimum check-in age: 18
  • Check-out time is 10 AM

Restrictions related to your trip

  • Check COVID-19 restrictions.

Special check-in instructions

  • Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival

Required at check-in

  • Credit card, debit card, or cash deposit required for incidental charges
  • Government-issued photo ID may be required
  • Minimum check-in age is 18

Children

  • No cribs (infant beds)

Pets

  • Pets not allowed

Internet

  • Free WiFi in public areas
  • Free WiFi in rooms

Parking

  • No onsite parking

Transfers

  • Airport shuttle*

Other information

  • Designated smoking areas

Property amenities

Food and drink

  • Restaurant
  • Room service (limited hours)

What to do

  • On the beach
  • Horse riding nearby
  • Boat tours nearby
  • Scuba diving nearby

Services

  • 24-hour front desk
  • Concierge services
  • Tour/ticket assistance
  • Dry cleaning/laundry services
  • Luggage storage
  • Wedding services
  • Multilingual staff
  • Pool loungers

Facilities

  • Safe-deposit box at front desk
  • Garden
  • Picnic area
  • Terrace
  • Mosquito nets
  • An outdoor pool
  • Full-service spa

Room amenities

Be entertained

  • 32-inch flat-screen TV
  • Cable TV channels

Home comfort

  • Air conditioning
  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Electric kettle
  • Iron/ironing board (on request)

Sleep well

  • Soundproofed rooms
  • Turndown service
  • Bed sheets provided

What to enjoy

  • In-room massage
  • Separate sitting area

Freshen up

  • Private bathroom
  • Shower only
  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer
  • Towels
  • Toilet paper

Stay connected

  • Free WiFi

Food and drink

  • Free bottled water

More

  • Daily housekeeping
  • In-room safe

Special features

Spa

The onsite spa has couples treatment room(s). Services include facials, body treatments, and manicures and pedicures.

Dining

Onsite venue - This restaurant specializes in local and international cuisine and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Fees & policies

Mandatory fees

You'll be asked to pay the following charges by the property at check-in or check-out. Fees may include applicable taxes:
  • A tax is imposed by the city: USD 4.00 per person, per night

Optional extras

  • Airport shuttle service is offered for an extra charge

Pool, spa, & gym (if applicable)

  • Reservations are required for spa treatments and can be made by contacting the property before arrival at the number on the booking confirmation

Policies

This property does not have elevators.
This property accepts credit cards. Cash is not accepted.

Also known as

Jafferji Beach Retreat Hotel Matemwe
Jafferji Beach Retreat Hotel
Jafferji Beach Retreat Matemwe
Jafferji Beach Retreat Hotel
Jafferji Beach Retreat Matemwe
Jafferji Beach Retreat Hotel Matemwe

Frequently asked questions

Does Jafferji Beach Retreat offer free cancellation for a full refund?
Yes, Jafferji Beach Retreat does have fully refundable room rates available to book on our site. If you’ve booked a fully refundable room rate, this can be cancelled up to a few days before check-in depending on the property's cancellation policy. Just make sure to check this property's cancellation policy for the exact terms and conditions.
Is there a pool at Jafferji Beach Retreat?
Yes, there's an outdoor pool.
Are pets allowed at Jafferji Beach Retreat?
Sorry, pets aren't allowed.
Is parking offered on site at Jafferji Beach Retreat?
Sorry, there's no onsite parking at Jafferji Beach Retreat.
Is airport shuttle service offered by Jafferji Beach Retreat?
Yes, an airport shuttle is available.
What are the check-in and check-out times at Jafferji Beach Retreat?
Check-in start time: 2 PM; Check-in end time: midnight. Check-out time is 10 AM.
What is there to do at Jafferji Beach Retreat and nearby?
Have fun with nearby activities like boat tours, horseback riding, and scuba diving. Indulge in a treatment at the spa and enjoy a swim in the outdoor pool. Jafferji Beach Retreat also has spa services and a picnic area, as well as a garden.
Are there restaurants at or near Jafferji Beach Retreat?
Yes, there's an onsite restaurant that offers local and international cuisine.

Reviews

9.2

Wonderful

9.6/10

Cleanliness

9.2/10

Staff & service

8.8/10

Amenities

9.0/10

Property conditions & facilities

8.8/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Exceptional

We had a great stay and a wonderful time at J.B.R. The property is well kept, cozy and very pretty; our room was clean, spacious and comfortable. The restaurant is excellent! The service is a little slow (no issue for us), the staff is friendly, the food is delicious and not expensive. Cherry on the cake: 1. We loved the shampoo & body wash offered by the resort; 2. The live band on Wednesday was a great surprise and so much fun!
Ileana, 4-night romance trip
Verified Expedia guest review

6/10 Good

Daniel, 3-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review

6/10 Good

Kelnor, 11-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review

10/10 Exceptional

Good holiday option for this part of Zanzibar. Very friendly and helpful staff. Good food and options.
Larno, 2-night trip
Verified Expedia guest review

10/10 Exceptional

The whole setup of this property is amazing. The staff from the manager to the wait staff were super welcoming and helpful. Best seafood pasta i have had hand down. The location is quiet remote however. If you're ok spending time with yourself totally do it. I will be booking again.
Renata, 4-night trip
Verified Expedia guest review

8/10 Very Good

Nice place, beautiful beach. Extra plus for reusable glass bottles for water!
Verena, 1-night business trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review

10/10 Exceptional

Property is well kept. Pool looks a little larger in the photo than in reality but otherwise everything is as pictured on their site.
Chad, 4-night romance trip
Verified Expedia guest review

10/10 Exceptional

We were immediately upgraded to a huge suite with spectacular furniture with ocean view, because we booked with Expedia. MJ and the staff treated us royalty. As a boutique hotel, the menu was limited but fresh and the breakfast service choices were enjoyable.
2-night trip
Verified Expedia guest review

10/10 Exceptional

I hadn't been to Zanzibar in many years and was afraid that the road from Stone Town (we took the ferry from Dar es Salaam) would be rough but it was a pleasant surprise to see the road was completely smooth, well maintained all the way to Matemwe. There were 6 of us staying at Jafferji Beach Retreat and were warmly welcomed on our arrival by manager "MJ" with a nice cool drink. Our rooms were very spacious and clean. The pool was very clean and nice to relax at. The breakfast each morning was excellent with a range of choices. We had dinner at Jafferji each evening and every meal we had was well-prepared - they have a great chef! Grilled octopus is a great choice as well as the prawns, if you like seafood. There are only small resorts bordering the Jafferji so this portion of the beach in Matemwe is very quiet. Most of the activity we could see were fishermen fishing with nets in the reef, which goes out several hundred meters. The reef is rough with a lot of sea urchins so if you venture out on the reef, make sure to wear thick diving boots or shoes you don't mind getting wet. If you head to the right on the beach, you will find a small fish market that is very active around noon. There are also a couple other resorts and restaurants down that way if you want to try lunch or dinner someplace else to mix it up. My wife had a pedicure and we all had a massage at the spa. Great massage! The masseuses come from Cinnamon Spa in Stone Town. MJ did a great job managing!
2-night family trip
Verified Expedia guest review

4/10 Fair

nothing
2-night romance trip
Verified Expedia guest review

10/10 Exceptional

The hotel has a great location and views. Spacious room, friendly staff, ready to assist with anything.
Andriana, 9-night trip with friends
Verified Hotels.com guest review

10/10 Exceptional

Nathan, 2-night family trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review

10/10 Exceptional

One must travel a short distance on a bit of a "safari" road to reach Jafferji Beach Retreat, but this only adds to the charms of this remote gem! Once there you will be warmly greeted by Mr. Munisini (spelling?) who is the quintessential host--his answer to most requests: "Why not?" The room was splendid and the staff very attentive. The property is sheltered from a string of resorts up the beach by a coral outcropping and affords a view of Mnemba Island. The restaurant serves the best food in Zanzibar! I hope it never changes!
1-night trip
Verified Expedia guest review

10/10 Exceptional

5-night trip
Verified Expedia guest review

6/10 Good

Unfriendly management but very nice staff
Our trip was spoiled by an overbooking situation. This was then handled very poorly by the manager, Anna. Overbooking is just unacceptable, and worse, our second night was somehow the one overbooked. So the proposed solution was to kick us out of the room that we were already in. Everything could have been handled much better, but Anna was not the person to do it. While she did accommodate significantly, and give us a better room for the first night, and eventually "find" a room for us for the second night, she left a very bad taste in the mouth. Even after everything was agreed, she missed a detail in our agreement, and came to our dinner table to further accost us during our last night, after we had finally started feeling good about our vacation again. Accommodating, yes, but poor demeanour from Anna. The property itself is not worth the price. I would put this at the upper range of the mid-level properties on the island in terms of price, but it was not in terms of amenities and interior comfort. The beach was not cleaned and had loads of seaweed buildup, while other properties had this cleaned. Even the sand area that is raised and not part of the public beach did not have pristine sand as it should. The food was simply tasteless, and we tried it all because it was free as part of our agreement. Not to mention the shame on the owner, and honestly all of us staying there to have a place where we pay more per night than the locals 3 feet away may make in years.
2-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review

8/10 Very Good

I really liked the property itself. The rooms were great, with an amazing aesthetic. I definitely knew I wasn't is some boring chain hotel! The grounds and pool were nice. The food was good and so was the service. Location was good but you are in the middle of a fishing village.
Sherry, 2-night family trip
Verified Expedia guest review

10/10 Exceptional

Relaxing
The Jafferji Beach Retreat was a very relaxing place to visit. I was there for a weekend and it turned out to be an enjoyable experience. The retreat was quiet and comfortable, in fact at one point we were the only ones at the resort. The location was perfect, secluded and quiet. From Stonetown, it was about an hour and a half drive, costing roughly $45. Something to keep in mind as you go off the main road is that the road isn't finished at all and very slow moving, in most cases we were traveling 5 mph You travel through a village or two that's somewhat depressing and sets the picture from the have's and have not's. Once we got to the resort it was what we imagined -- tranquil and beautiful. The room was out of this world. It was what you dream of in a romantic, retreat sort of room. It was clean and everything worked perfectly. The dinning area was on the beach and the view while eating was amazing. Also, the food was great and there was nothing on the menu that wasn't appealing. If you want to venture out, take a right on the beach and head to Zanzibar Queen hotel, about a 10 minute walk. They also have great food. Lastly, Jafferji was unexpectedly amazing. I was blown away by the cleanliness of the resort and the rooms. The staff was always helpful and went out of their way to make the stay as enjoyable as possible. I highly recommend this resort and will stay in the future if we ever make it back to Matemwe.
Clinton, 2-night trip with friends
Verified Hotels.com guest review

10/10 Exceptional

gorgeous property right on the beach! We spent three nights here and loved it.
3-night trip
Verified Expedia guest review

8/10 Very Good

Off the beaten path, but comfy and relaxing
The staff at Jafferji is fantastic. They go out of their way to be friendly and welcoming. In particular we had a local guide for a snorkeling excursion booked through the hotel and he was amazing. We were able to swim with a pod of wild dolphins because he knew their habits so well. The people are great. BUT. Jafferji really needs to work on nickel and diming. Things like charging two dollars for water with lunch or dinner really sends a negative signal. Thirty dollars for sunscreen is also pretty atrocious. Water and sunscreen are two things you can't really negotiate on and they seem to know it. I'm sure that these practices are par for the course in Zanzibar, but they left a bad taste in my mouth. Other than that, a great trip and I do recommend it.
Toby, 4-night trip with friends
Verified Hotels.com guest review

10/10 Exceptional

We really enjoyed our stay in this hotel. The staff was really friendly and helpfull. Everything was easy there we book some trips with them and it was good. The breakfast is good and the restaurant part serve good food. The view on the beach from the pool is beautiful. I highly recommend this place to whoever want to go in Zanzibar.
Arnaud, 7-night romance trip
Verified Expedia guest review

8/10 Very Good

Good hotel.
Good hotel. Clean, very friendly and helpful staff. I think the description of Boutique hotel does not correspond to reality, a good 3 star hotel, well decorated, but which has had its day, at the moment well used. The location was good for our purpose, scuba diving on the island of Mnemba. The beach in front of the hotel is full of boats and (this may change) full of sea urchins. Not the most pleasant place to swim. For breakfast you get a plate of fruits, juice, water, coffee or tea and you can choose a dish: English or Omelette or Porridge, etc. If you want anything else, you will have to pay US$10.00. Few good options for lunch or dinner outside the hotel, 1 restaurant very close, and another one you have to walk about 20 minutes by the beach. We ate a few times at the hotel during our stay, the food was good. Drinks reasonably priced, not exaggerated like other hotels.
Adriana, 3-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review

8/10 Very Good

Hotel calme, personnels adorables, cuisine delicieuse.aurait besoin d un coup de neuf, eloignement important
Verified Expedia guest review

8/10 Very Good

Claudie, 2-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review

10/10 Exceptional

I stayed in the hotel for two weeks in the off-season, I was able to fully enjoy the magical rest. I had a massage, swam in the pool and in the ocean with the dolphins and long walks on the beach every day. The staff always made me feel comfortable and never let me lack anything. Always courteous, smiling and helpful. The food was delicious. The room spacious, bright, with a special view directly over the ocean. I would highly recommend staying at Jaffery Beach Retreat to anyone who wants to get away from stress and enjoy days of absolute relaxation and hakuna matata! Thank you so much for your hospitality. Best regards from Italy Sara
Sara, 14-night trip
Verified Expedia guest review

10/10 Exceptional

Geneva, 6-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review