Jafferji House

Utterly enchanting- from our 5am arrival until our departure 3 days later we were looked after so incredibly well. The hotel organised our airport pickup and opened up with a gentle tap (you may need help to find it as it’s in the narrow streets of old Stonetown). The front of house was superb and Peter took care of us. The hotel has so much atmosphere, full of antiques and lush vegetation. Breakfast is in the roof balcony. Excursions can be organised. I had read a few unpleasant reviews but I can’t think why, cleanliness was first class and the hospitality was outstanding. I hope you are lucky enough to find a room - we stayed 3 nights it was so good.

the staff were friendly, really nice stay, hotel was in the middle of stone town close to everything

You can't judge a place from the front, or from where it's located. This was a little gem of a B & B (for us). We ate out for lunch & dinner, but really enjoyed their breakfasts. More on the service & rooms first. The front desk manager, which varied, was always very kind & attentive to our needs. The rooms were very nice, beds super comfortable, and having a TV was not a necessity until I got a little sick (possibly from eating out at lunch?), and then I could watch sports. Having a safe for valuables was a bonus. I saw some reviews on Google maps that did not put the hotel in a good light, but our group was there for 4 nights and we never had anything stolen, or any bad experience. Just be wise & careful. The rooms were cleaned daily and the working fan & AC were really nice! The architecture is really cool with lots of old wood, nice decorations, and interesting design. The rooftop was nice, with a great view of the harbor to the west. It is next to a mosque, but that didn't bother us. We had breakfast up there every morning and they had a couple of juice choices, plus really good masala tea, and bottled water - would be nice if they could not use SO MANY plastic bottles, and maybe get those larger ones & dispense into glass pitchers, but I can only suggest. The freshly made maandazi were amazing and there were several fruit choices, yoghurt, and bread - I've lived in Portugal and really appreciate nice, freshly baked bread and this was just the cheap store-packaged white bread, but bread is not a huge part of this culture. We could order eggs and my omelet was always very good. Coffee is pretty basic, so I did masala tea instead and they also make a nice lemon grass tea. As is true with all of Africa where I've lived & traveled, all the staff are super friendly & patient. The location is perfect - right next to the Old Fort and Mama Mia (gelato), as well as Forodhani Food Market, but easy walking distance to everything in Stonetown proper. We had a guide take us around & give us a tour of Darajani (the bazaar or market area), the Anglican church and slave market site (very sobering), the Fort, and other places.

Great staff friendly huge room and courtyard. After some reviews I got worried but this is in the centre of everything you need for trips museum of f mercury island trips markets resteraunts bars. Remember we r in Africa so cannot be compared with Europe. Only fault internet crashes a lot so confirming onward flights is a worry.

Utterly enchanting- from our 5am arrival until our departure 3 days later we were looked after so incredibly well. The hotel organised our airport pickup and opened up with a gentle tap (you may need help to find it as it’s in the narrow streets of old Stonetown). The front of house was superb and Peter took care of us. The hotel has so much atmosphere, full of antiques and lush vegetation. Breakfast is in the roof balcony. Excursions can be organised. I had read a few unpleasant reviews but I can’t think why, cleanliness was first class and the hospitality was outstanding. I hope you are lucky enough to find a room - we stayed 3 nights it was so well located.

Overall a great experience but Air conditioner was not working my entire stay. I originally purchased a superior room but was offered a single without compensation or adjustment for what I paid. Was ultimately given the room I paid for yet without functioning air conditioning. This made my stay very comfortable especially considering the high heat and humidity in the area.

We wanted to stay in Stonetown in an authentic hotel. Dating from the 1880s we found our place. It was just down a very narrow street from the Freddy Mercury House. It helped to have their staff pick us up from the airport. The rooftop restaurant had a great view of the ocean and town. We ate the special dinner. It was expensive but with so many authentic courses and flavors it was well worth. This is not a glamorous place, but very real. The AC worked well and the room was comfortable.

If you are looking to stay in Stone Town, this location is ideal. My room was large with plenty of hot water. The staff were friendly, and the continental breakfast was filling. Also close to the port. I had a problem with the morning call to prayer at 4:40 AM. The WiFi is horrible. In the six days I was there, it worked for less than an hour. To be consisted, I had to remove one star. I did not like the hidden charge on my arrival. Also the roof leaked in heavy storms. I hope this review helps.