Tanzania Hostels

Arusha Backpackers Hostel in Arusha … I lived in Tanzania for six months in a small Maasai village called Longido (about eighty kilometers from Arusha -- well worth a visit for climbing Mount Longido, meeting and interacting with the Maasai people, boma visits, jewelry purchases, and a true sense of traditional Tanzanian life). Some of my friends introduced me to the Arusha Backpackers (previously known as the Da Costa) and I stayed there every weekend I lived in Tanzania! It is a superb hostel the staff are beyond compare when it comes to customer service and will do everything they can to help you. There is an excellent rooftop bar where meals are served and you can have an early evening Tusker watching the sunset over Mount Meru whilst watching the hustle and bustle of Arusha town life. It is well situated for the main bus station and taxis are always available outside. There is also a safari company based on the ground floor in the reception area of the hostel -- see Alex for a very good safari deal. I have done two…

Grant's Lodge in Tanga … I loved it here. It had great food, friendly staff, and good hiking trails.

Sakina Campsite in Arusha … I just want to second my wife's comments. We really enjoyed our stay at Sakina. It's a bit out of town, but easy to get to. If you want to go out and enjoy the nightlife maybe it's not the best place, but if you just want to relax at night and watch a movie or read a book, it's perfect. Very clean, and very friendly staff.

Green Hostels in Moshi … Fabulous hostel. really close to central moshi. We walked around and had no problems at all. They offer airport pickup too, although we arrived by bus from nairobi. Go to El rancho, best indian restaurant I have ever been to, and about a ten-minute walk from there! Staff are wonderfully friendly, it is very reasonably priced, and the beds are softer than marshmallows! they will cook for you if you want, and provide breakfast of bread, jam, tea, and coffee. They also have a selection of cold drinks available. Really lovely place. Beware the 10 p.m. curfew though.

Sakina Campsite in Arusha … My husband and I stayed in a double with a shared bathroom. Room was very clean and the staff were very friendly. Zipporah, the owner, is full of energy and knowledge of the area and beyond. The food was also quite good. Not in the city center, which we liked, but Arusha is easily accessible via dalla dalla. Would recommend staying here if you're in the area.

Arusha Backpackers Hostel in Arusha … I arrived in Arusha by bus from Dar Es Salaam without an advanced hotel booking. The Hotel Da Costa was the first decent looking hotel I came across walking away from the bus station. It is centrally located and convenient for most things in town. It is not en-suite, but the rooms, corridors, and showers are extremely clean and the showers are generally hot and powerful. Be warned though, after power cuts or intense use the showers retain their power but turn cold! The hotel is very secure and the staff are extremely helpful. They have a lockable room to keep your things when you are away on safari. The breakfasts are included in the price and are good. The evening meals and bar are not included, but are reasonably cheap and also good. I went to stay for one night on a temporary basis and stayed for seven nights. Now to the downside. It is next to a very noisy main street with poor sound insulation. You will need earplugs! That aside, you will not get better value accommodation in…

Arusha Backpackers Hostel in Arusha … I lived in and around Arusha for four months. Arusha backpackers is really modern. Nice showers! Clean. But the single rooms are really small and most of them are near the main road (near shoprite), causing a lot of noise. Bring some ear plugs. The advantage is the roof terrace with the restaurant/bar and free internet for guests.

Cristal Resort in Zanzibar Island … We stayed at the Cristal for seven nights in February 2006. Our time there was just delightful. The accommodation, food, and service was excellent. Their website is no exaggeration. The owners very helpful and pleasant. When we were there, many would walk down the beach simply to eat lunch/dinner at the Cristal and be spoiled by the owners.

Casa Del Mar Hotel Jambiani in Zanzibar … We spent ten nights at Casa del Mar during our honeymoon. The personal, incredibly friendly, and charming impression will last as a memory forever. We truly miss all the people we met during our stay at Casa Del mar. They made us feel so comfortable and they all shared our happiness of being newlyweds. We would want to recommend all to check this hotel out. There's no risk that you will regret it. Just remember that they don't acept Visa card.

KAYA in Dar es Salaam … Felicia, our host was wonderful — a mother away from home. She was very welcoming and helped us to reorient ourselves after the calm of Zanzibar and the prospect of downtown Dar Es Salaam. Plus, and this is a big plus, she cooked us a wicked dinner and sat and chatted with us. Good value all round! The house is lovely — thoughtfully and lovingly redesigned and furnished. Kaya means home, Felicia told us, and it certainly was that.

Tamarind Beach Hotel in Zanzibar … We are a family of four from southern Sweden, and we stayed at Tamarind for one week in February 2004. It was great; we liked the beach and the village. The staff at Tamarind were very nice. They told us a lot about their island, and also showed us their village. We have built a sunbed like the ones at Tamarind, and we think of Zanzibar and the hotel when we are lying there.

Coral Rock Hotel in Zanzibar … Coral Rock definitely has some great views. The place is rustic and laid back and has decent facilities like a pool and air-con in the rooms. Staff are friendly and try hard but need a bit more skills training. If you're looking for action and nightlife skip Coral Rock, it's more for people looking to relax and escape crowds. If you're looking for luxury you may be disappointed although for Jambiani it's one of the more upmarket hostels. Overall it's good value, food is decent, and arrives really quickly (fifteen minutes) when compared to most other places we tried in the area (over one hour). Tours are a bit expensive, but in line with everywhere else. No dive center at the hotel, no TV in rooms (we liked that), no baths in the bathrooms -- only showers, which I suppose saves water and space. Great fishing to be had there.