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Jafferji Beach Retreat

3.5 star property
VIP Access

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Photo gallery for Jafferji Beach Retreat

View from property
Lobby sitting area
Front of property - evening/night
Sea View Room | In-room safe, soundproofing, iron/ironing board, free WiFi
On the beach, white sand

Reviews

8.8 out of 10
Excellent

Popular amenities

  • Pool
  • Spa
  • Free WiFi
  • Restaurant
  • Air conditioning
  • Laundry

Explore the area

View in a map
Matemwe, Matemwe, 1111
  • Place, Kigomani Beach
    ‪6 min drive‬
  • Place, Muyuni Beach
    ‪10 min drive‬
  • Place, Kendwa Beach
    ‪40 min drive‬
  • Airport, Zanzibar (ZNZ-Zanzibar Intl.)
    ‪79 min drive‬
VIP Access
Curated for quality and service, VIP Access stays consistently receive our highest guest ratings.
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  • Extra savings and perks for Rewards members
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Room options

View all photos for Standard Room

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

Standard Room

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(1 review)
  • Sea view
  • 258 sq ft
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

View all photos for Sea View Room

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

Sea View Room

  • Sea view
  • 258 sq ft
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

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About the neighborhood

Matemwe

Jafferji Beach Retreat places you 2.7 mi (4.3 km) from Muyuni Beach. This 14-room, 3.5-star hotel has conveniences like a full-service spa, an outdoor pool, and free in-room WiFi.

What's nearby

  • Kigomani Beach - 6 min drive - 1.7 miles
  • Muyuni Beach - 10 min drive - 3.0 miles
  • Kiwengwa Beach - 25 min drive - 10.2 miles
  • Nungwi Beach - 39 min drive - 12.0 miles
  • Kendwa Beach - 40 min drive - 14.8 miles

Getting around

  • Zanzibar Intl. Airport (ZNZ) - 99 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Mzee Husa Restaurant - ‬13 min drive
  • ‪Zanziblue - ‬13 min drive
  • ‪Sunshine Marine Lodge - ‬8 min drive
  • ‪Twende Tukale Kolekole - ‬10 min drive
  • ‪Sofia Sea View - ‬16 min drive

About this property

Jafferji Beach Retreat

Guests staying at Jafferji Beach Retreat enjoy access to a full-service spa, an outdoor pool, and free WiFi in public areas. Airport transportation is made easy with an airport shuttle for a fee. Multilingual staff at the front desk are standing by 24/7 to help with dry cleaning/laundry, tours or tickets, and luggage storage. Other amenities at this beach hotel include a terrace, laundry facilities, and a gift shop.
Guests can expect free WiFi and 32-inch flat-screen TVs with cable channels. Bathrooms have hair dryers and free toiletries. Sitting areas, coffee makers, and safes are other standard amenities.
Recreational amenities at the hotel include an outdoor pool.

The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.

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

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  • Breakfast included
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Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • No onsite parking available
  • Roundtrip airport shuttle (surcharge)

Food and drink

  • A restaurant

Things to do

  • Full-service spa
  • Outdoor pool

Family friendly

  • Laundry facilities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Soundproofed rooms

Conveniences

  • 24-hour front desk
  • Gift shop/newsstand
  • Laundry facilities
  • Luggage storage
  • Safe at front desk

Guest services

  • Concierge services
  • Dry cleaning/laundry service
  • Housekeeping (daily)
  • Multilingual staff
  • Tour and ticket assistance
  • Turndown service
  • Wedding services

Outdoors

  • Garden
  • On the beach
  • Picnic area
  • Pool loungers
  • Terrace

Full-service spa

  • Couples treatment rooms
  • Facials
  • In-room massages
  • Manicures/pedicures

Accessibility

  • No elevator

More

  • Designated smoking areas
  • Mosquito nets

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer
  • Private bathroom
  • Shampoo
  • Shower
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • 32-inch flat-screen TV with cable channels

Food and drink

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Electric kettle
  • Free bottled water
  • Limited room service

More

  • Air conditioning
  • Iron/ironing board on request
  • Safe
  • Separate sitting area
  • Soundproofed rooms

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 2 PM; Check-in end time: midnight
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before 10 AM

Special check-in instructions

Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Access methods

Staffed front desk

Pets

  • This property doesn't allow pets

Property payment types

Important information

Fees

You'll be asked to pay these charges at the property:

  • A tax is imposed by the city: USD 4.00 per person, per night
  • An effective city/local tax rate of 12.00 percent will be charged

These are all of the charges provided to us by the property.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards; cash is not accepted
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher
  • Check-in: 2 PM—-midnight
  • Check-out: 10 AM
  • Minimum check-in age: 18
The front desk is open 24 hours a day. For convenient arrivals and departures, you can take advantage of the airport shuttle (fees apply).

We should mention

Details about charges, deposits, or other important information:

  • This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business, or profession.
  • Charges for extra guests may apply and vary depending on the property's policy.
  • A cash deposit, credit card, or debit card for incidental charges, as well as a government-issued photo ID, may be required at check-in.
  • Special requests are subject to availability at the time of check-in and can't be guaranteed. Certain requests may come with additional charges.
  • No parking is available onsite.
  • This property accepts credit cards. Cash is not accepted. 
  • Onsite safety features include a fire extinguisher.

Additional information about polices, regulations, and more:

  • Reservations need to be made in advance for spa treatments. Contact the hotel at the phone number listed on your booking confirmation.
  • There are no elevators.
  • No cribs or infant beds are available.

Property is 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

What can I see around Jafferji Beach Retreat?

This hotel is located in Matemwe, close to Mnemba Island, Muyuni Beach, and Kigomani Beach. You'll also find Pwani Mchangani Beach and Fukuchani Ruins & Cave nearby.

Is parking available on site at Jafferji Beach Retreat?

No, this hotel doesn't offer parking.

Is a spa located at Jafferji Beach Retreat?

There is a full-service spa available for guests to enjoy and services include couples treatments, body treatments, mani/pedis, and massages.

Does Jafferji Beach Retreat have a casino?

No, Jafferji Beach Retreat doesn't have a casino.

Is there an indoor pool at Jafferji Beach Retreat?

No, this hotel doesn't have an indoor pool; however, there is an outdoor pool.

Is Jafferji Beach Retreat a good place to stay for couples?

This beachfront hotel offers many amenities for couples, including in-room massages as well as a restaurant and an outdoor pool.

Does Jafferji Beach Retreat have a hot tub?

No, this hotel doesn't have a spa tub.

Does Jafferji Beach Retreat feature a restaurant that includes a breakfast menu?

Yes, Jafferji Beach Retreat serves breakfast for a surcharge from its restaurant.

Does Jafferji Beach Retreat allow pets to stay free of charge?

No, pets aren't allowed at Jafferji Beach Retreat.

Does Jafferji Beach Retreat have connecting rooms available?

No, there aren't connecting guestrooms at this hotel.

What is the closest airport to Jafferji Beach Retreat?

The closest major airport to Jafferji Beach Retreat is Zanzibar Intl. Airport (ZNZ), which is about 28.1 mi away.

Are there rooms with balconies that I can book at Jafferji Beach Retreat?

Yes, some guestrooms at this hotel offer a balcony where guests can enjoy ocean and garden views.

Does Jafferji Beach Retreat host weddings?

If wedding bells are in your future, take advantage of the wedding venue at Jafferji Beach Retreat.

Jafferji Beach Retreat Reviews

Reviews

8.8

Excellent

Rating 10 - Excellent. 24 out of 38 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 8 out of 38 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 4 out of 38 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 38 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 38 reviews

9.6/10

Cleanliness

9.2/10

Staff & service

8.6/10

Amenities

8.8/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

aisha

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Lovely place to stay. Food was ok. Room very spacious and beautifully decorated. Massage was absolutely beautiful. The staff were very attentive and friendly, the manager was a bit of an opportunist and will try get extra $$ when he gets a chance. Overall beautiful place. Would definitely recommend.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Ileana

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
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!
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2024

6/10 Okay

Daniel

Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2023

6/10 Okay

Kelnor

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Stayed 11 nights in Feb 2023

10/10 Excellent

Larno, Doha

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Good holiday option for this part of Zanzibar. Very friendly and helpful staff. Good food and options.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Renata

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
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.
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2021

8/10 Good

Verena

Business traveler
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice place, beautiful beach. Extra plus for reusable glass bottles for water!
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2021

10/10 Excellent

Chad

Traveled with group, Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Property is well kept. Pool looks a little larger in the photo than in reality but otherwise everything is as pictured on their site.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2021

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
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.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2021

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with group, Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
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!
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2021

4/10 Poor

Verified traveler

Traveled with partner
nothing
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2021

10/10 Excellent

Andriana

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
The hotel has a great location and views. Spacious room, friendly staff, ready to assist with anything.
Stayed 9 nights in Mar 2021

10/10 Excellent

Nathan

Traveled with group, Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2020

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
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!
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2019

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Staff & service, room comfort

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.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2019

8/10 Good

Sherry, Dar es Salaam

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
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.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2019

10/10 Excellent

Clinton

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

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.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
gorgeous property right on the beach! We spent three nights here and loved it.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2018

8/10 Good

Toby

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

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.
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2018

2/10 Terrible

agostino

Traveled with partner
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
La camera era discreta il bagno invece faceva schifo, sporco, maleodorante e mancante di tutti gli accessori. Spesso è mancata l'elettricità e quindi anche l'acqua ed il wifi. Ristorante sufficiente ma carente sul menu. Personale attento e disponibile. L'Hotel ha bisogno di urgente ristrutturazione,
Stayed 6 nights in Jan 2026

10/10 Excellent

Marie-Josée, Cantley

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Super belle place et staff incroyable. Merci à Munis pour nous avoir donné un si bon service. Je recommande fortement cette place.
Stayed 5 nights in Jan 2026

8/10 Good

Patrick

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very nice setting; friendly personnel; large and clean rooms; OK restaurant
Stayed 6 nights in Dec 2025

6/10 Okay

Christian

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Nettes Hotel, nettes Servicepersonal, leider im Dachumbau, was den ruhigen Strandnachmittag etwas beeinträchtigt hat. Hotel verfügt über eigene Liegen und ist direkt am Strand. Dadurch ist man direkt am Strand und doch privat. Das ist auch nötig, da der Strand an sich zwar schön ist aber für die wenigen Touristen kaum nutzbar. Gefühltes Verhältnis Strandverkäufer zu Tourist 10:1. Das beginnt spätestens am 2.Tag zu nerven. Zimmerreinigung ist sehr gewissenhaft und sticht mit ihrem Arbeitseifer heraus. Preise für Essen und Getränke, eher hochpreisig und für die Region übertrieben. Es gibt aber kaum Alternativen.
Sicht vom Hotel über Privatstrand zu öffentlichem Strand
Öffentlicher Strand
Stayed 7 nights in Nov 2025

10/10 Excellent

Arnaud

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
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.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2023

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