The purpose of this category is to house websites related to the hospitality industries of Tanzania. Hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, guesthouses, vacation rentals, lodges, hostels, campgrounds, and other guest accommodations are the focus of this category.
The economy of Tanzania is the second largest in East Africa. Although its economy is currently dependent largely upon agriculture, its government is taking steps to encourage international investment in the nation, including movement away from socialist controls toward private sector participation. Economic opportunities bring business travel to the country, which brings the added benefit of supporting Tanzania's business hotels.
China has demonstrated an interest in developing Tanzania's mineral deposits, including investments in its coal, iron ore, and gold mining operations. Chinese, and other foreigners coming into the country will be investing in Tanzania's hotels and service economy, as well.
Another driver of visitors to Tanzania is tourism. Almost forty percent of the country has been set aside for conservation, including sixteen national parks, almost thirty game reserves, and forty controlled conservation areas. Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa, is in northeastern Tanzania. Kilimanjaro National Park brings in about $50 million each year, and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, further to the northwest, is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.
Guest accommodations in Tanzania range from dingy rooms with communal bucket baths to impressive safari and island lodges, and 5-Star luxury hotels, and everything in between. The choices in guest lodging are very good in the larger cities in in the more popular tourist areas, but may be limited in other parts of the country.
July, August, and the Christmas and New Year holidays are considered to be the high season for Tanzania's more expensive hotels, so a peak-season surcharge may be attached to the regular high-season rates from late December to early January. During the low-season, March to early June, it might be possible to negotiate a significant discounts.
Some visitors to Tanzania may opt to carry a tent and save money on camping fees, as well as to allow for flexibility. Parks in Tanzania will probably have public or special campsites, and most of them will also offer simple huts or cottages, sometimes referred to as bandas. Some parks have hostels for student groups, or for overflow in the event that other guest facilities are full.
Public campsites will probably have pit latrines for toilets, and there may or may not be a source of water nearby. Most of Tanzania's public campsites are said to be in reasonable conditions, and some are deemed pleasant.
Special campsites are smaller, more expensive, and generally more remote than public campsites. The function of a special campsite is to allow campers to spend the night in a more pristine place. Reservations are generally required, and most will reserve a campsite exclusively for a group.
Permanent tented camps remain in one place from season to season, offering comfortable beds and most of the comforts of a hotel room.
Most towns in Tanzania will have at least one guesthouse, but they are not at all equal. On the lower end of the scale, a guesthouse might consist of a cement-block room with poor ventilation, a foam mattress, shared bathroom facilities, mosquito net, and a fan. Others may be cleaner and brighter, and perhaps include a private bathroom, and possibly running water. Nevertheless, they may be good choices for someone visiting Tanzania on a budget, or who finds himself partway between one place and another.
In some parts of Tanzania, water can be scarce during the dry season, so budget accommodations may provide nothing more than a bucket bath, and some won't have hot water available.
Although we use the word "hotel" here, and it will be recognized as such in Tanzania's urban areas, in Swahili the word that translates to "hotel" doesn't mean accommodation; rather, it means a place for food and drink. The more common word used in Tanzania for an accommodation is "guesti," which means guesthouse.
There are a lot of mission hostels and guesthouses, intended primarily for missionaries and mission organization staff, although some will accommodate travelers.
In the coastal areas, there may be guest bungalows, also known as bandas, which are thatch-roof cottages with wooden or stone walls.
Larger towns and urban cities will have a range of hotels. On the bottom end are midrange hotels with self-contained rooms, hot water, and a fan or air conditioner. In the larger cities, or high-trafficked business or tourist regions, there are fine hotels and lodges with all of the convenience and amenities you might expect to find anywhere else in the world.
Recommended Resources
Established in 1973, the Arusha, Tanzania hotel has twenty-one rooms, in the center of the city, and has a rental car company on the property which gives hotel guest first priority in selecting safari packages of their choice, with the option of driving themselves or being driven by an experienced guide. The hotel and lodge are highlighted, along with its restaurant, company profile, and contacts.
http://www.arushanaaz.net/
Situated on Mbulu Road in Karatu, Tanzania, the guest lodging facilities are surrounded by tropical gardens and includes a bar, lounge area, and dining room in a wooden building that resembles a tree house. Featuring twenty rooms, including en-suite singles, triple, and family rooms that may be available on request, each room includes a writing desk and seating on the veranda. A photo gallery, guest comments, and reviews are published.
http://www.eileenstrees.com/
Overlooking the Great Rift Valley and Ngorongoro Forest, Gibb’s Farm was one of the first guesthouses in Northern Tanzania. Originally a coffee farm, in the late 1920s, it was refurbished as a luxury guest inn. Located near the village of Karatu, the main guesthouse and seventeen cottages hosts an artist-in-residence program each year and employs a team of naturalists and guides to accompany guests on safaris, walks, and cultural programs. Testimonials are posted.
https://www.gibbsfarm.com/
The hospitality company manages Lake Manyara Wildlife Lodge, Ngorongoro Wildlife Lodge, Seronera Wildlife Lodge, Lobo Wildlife Lodge, Zanzibar Safari Club, Changuu Private Island Paradise, and Bawe Private Island, the last three on the Zanzibar islands. Each of its properties is highlighted and shown in photographs, brochures are available for downloading, and a profile of the country is set forth.
http://www.hotelsandlodges-tanzania.com/
Located along the Old Moshi and Simeoni Road, Kjenge in Arusha, about two minutes from the center of the city, the hotel offers a hundred and seventy-seven rooms, which include junior suites, executive suites, and deluxe suites., all with en-suite bathrooms, minibars, coffee-making facilities, wireless Internet, and other features, amenities, and services, which are outlined here. Rooms may be booked online.
http://www.impalahotel.com/
Lemala Authentic Camps and Lodges
The company offers classic safari tented camps and lodges in the Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area, which comprise a large part of the Northern Circuit, a region of Tanzania where there is a large concentration of wildlife. Its locations are posted, and a gallery of photographs, downloadable brochures for each, its regular prices, special offers, and available locations are shown. Reservations may be made online.
http://www.lemalacamp.com/
Moivaro has eleven lodges and tented camps in Tanzania, three in the Arusha Area, one in Tarangire National Park, one in Lake Manyara National Park, one in Ngorongoro Crater & Conservation Area, two in Serengeti National Park, one in Lake Eyasi, and one in Lake Natron, each of which are featured here. Reservations may be made through the site, and job opportunities are posted to the site.
http://www.moivaro.com/
Situated in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, in the Serengeti eco-system, the lodge offers a base from which a range of habitats can be explored, and wildlife may be viewed. Featuring thirty-four stone cottages with an open-sided bar, lounge, and dining room in the center, each room has en-suite facilities. A history of the lodge, a description of its policies, availability, and photographs, video, and guest photos are included.
http://www.ndutu.com/
The Ngorongoro Crater Lodge is located in Tanzania, on the end of the World Heritage Site of the Ngorongoro Crater. The design of the lodges follows the Maasai mud-and-stick homestead style, its rooms furnished with antiques, plump cushions, silk curtains, and tall, leather-back chairs. An overview of the region is set forth, and a description of the facilities, distances, and contacts.
http://www.craterlodge.com/
Located near the entrance to Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the Lake Manyara National Park, and not far from the Serengeti and the Tarangire National Park, the guest lodging facility offers rooms and suites, as well as a house with four double bedrooms. A gallery of photographs, a list of amenities and other features, awards, fact sheets, maps, and a history of the facilities are put forth.
http://www.plantation-lodge.com/
Situated in downtown Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, within walking distance to several major attractions, the Zanzibar Ferry Terminal, major banks, and places of worship, the guest inn offers suite accommodations, each equipped with private bathrooms and hot water facilities. Descriptions and photographs of the guest rooms and common areas are posted, its location is shown on a map, and reservations may be made online.
http://www.safariinn.co.tz/
