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Jacob's Inn Zanzibar
Star rating : 2.0
We create dreams, experiences and memories. You come as a guest and leave as a friend.
Rooms
See AllDouble Deluxe Room King-size cmfort room room for 2 adults with private bathroom, air conditioning and free Wi‑Fi. Includes a seating area, tea and coffee facilities, complimentary drinking water, and extra space for a relaxing stay in Stone Town.Double Room Cozy king-size room for 2 adults with private bathroom, air conditioning and free Wi‑Fi. Features a table and chairs, tea and coffee facilities, complimentary drinking water, and everything needed for a comfortable stay in Stone Town.Quadruple room Spacious room with 2 king-size beds for up to 4 adults, private bathroom, air conditioning and free Wi‑Fi. Includes a seating area, ceiling fan, tea and coffee facilities, complimentary drinking water, and refreshing sea breezes. Ideal for families and small groups visiting Stone Town.
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About Us
Read MoreJacob’s Inn is a small guesthouse in the peaceful Vuga district of UNESCO-listed Stone Town, within walking distance of major attractions, restaurants, markets, the ferry terminal, the waterfront, and beaches.
Our three comfortable guest rooms, all with private en-suite bathrooms, are located on the second floor of a traditional townhouse. Guests enjoy free Wi‑Fi, air conditioning with a dehumidifier, ceiling fans, solar power backup, complimentary chilled drinking water, a shared lounge, secure bicycle parking, and self check-in/check-out.
Breakfast is available and includes continental and local options, fresh fruit, juice, coffee and tea.
A public bus stop is nearby, while airport transfers and public parking are available for an additional fee.
Experience local culture with traditional music next door and nearby yoga and Afrofusion dance classes.
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Attractions
See AllOld Portuguese Arch Over 500 years ago, Portuguese sailors became the first Europeans to reach Zanzibar. After the voyage of Vasco da Gama along the East African coast in 1498, Portugal established control over many trading ports in the Indian Ocean, including Zanzibar.For nearly two centuries, the Portuguese influenced trade in the region, using Zanzibar as an important stop for ships sailing between Europe, Africa, India, and Asia. However, their control was often limited, and local Swahili communities continued to play a major role in commerce and daily life.One reminder of this period is the Portuguese Arch in Stone Town. Located in a narrow street near Vuga, the arch is believed to date from the Portuguese era and is one of the few surviving architectural traces of their presence in Zanzibar. While much of Stone Town's architecture reflects later Omani, Indian, and Swahili influences, the arch offers a glimpse into a chapter of Zanzibar's long and diverse history.In 1698, the Omani Arabs defeated the Portuguese and took control of Zanzibar, beginning a new era that would shape the Stone Town we see today.Today, the Portuguese Arch stands quietly among the winding streets of Stone Town, reminding visitors of the many cultures and peoples who helped create Zanzibar's unique heritage.Darajani Darajani: The Bridge Between Stone Town and Ng'amboOn one side was Stone Town, the political, commercial, and cultural center of the Sultanate. Its residents included Arab, Indian, Swahili, and later European merchants and officials. The area was characterized by coral-stone buildings, narrow alleys, grand merchant houses, mosques, and palaces. It was a small peninsula, separated by the other part of Zanzibar Island by a tidal creek called Pwani Ndogo ("Small Beach").On the other side was Ng'ambo, which literally means "the Other Side." Historically, Ng'ambo was home to the majority African population, many of whom worked in Stone Town as laborers, craftsmen, port workers, and servants. Houses were generally simpler, often built from mud, poles, and thatch rather than coral stone. The physical separation by the creek also reflected social and economic differences between the two communities.At the end of 19th century the Sultan built a bridge to connect Ng’ambo to the Stone Town and the surrounding area became known as Darajani, meaning "at the bridge" in Swahili. The bridge connected the historic town with the communities and farmland beyond. Traders, laborers, fishermen, and merchants crossed it daily, carrying goods to the Stone Town. The bridge was more than a piece of infrastructure. It connected two very different parts of Zanzibar City.By the early 20th century, the area around Darajani had become the commercial heart of Zanzibar. Later,, the creek was filled in and replaced by roads and public spaces. The bridge disappeared, but its memory survives in the name Darajani Market, which remains Zanzibar's main market today.Today, visitors can walk from Stone Town into Ng'ambo in only a few minutes without realizing that water once separated them. Yet understanding the history of Darajani Bridge helps explain how Zanzibar developed as a city of many cultures, communities, and social traditions.Fun fact: Recent roadworks in the Darajani area reportedly revealed parts of the original bridge structure buried beneath modern streets, offering a rare glimpse into Zanzibar's past.
