Heart of Africa Safari Tours and Lodge — Hotel in Arusha

This review is for the hotel only, not for any of the Safaris they arrange. I wish I had read the reviews more carefully when I booked a one night stay at Hear of Africa Lodge because it really is a location meant to host groups of people on Safari. Opps. The location is not near anything aside and unlike other hotels, you can't step out and wander, experience the culture, and find food to eat ... which means the only food options are at the hotel which cost $20 per person, including children. ||The rooms were more like a small apartment which was nice but the workmanship wasn't the best as you can see in the photos. The bathrooms were small but clean. Although due to the size, the toilet and floor would be very wet if someone showered. The air conditioning worked and there are plenty of outlets to charge your devices. But you have to go to the reception in order to use wifi. The grounds are pretty but there are a lot of mosquitoes. They ended up letting us have a late check out which we greatly appreciated since our flight didn't leave until the afternoon. The car service to Kilimanjaro was expensive ($75 USD) in comparison to other taxis we took during our trip to Tanzania and the driver was terrible (taking us into town so he could pick something up and literally checking his phone every few seconds, even when I told him to stop).||The two big issues we had were:|1.) Mosquitoes in the room. We stayed here on our last night in Tanzania. We saw more mosquitoes here than we did in the prior 29 days in Tanzania, including on Safari, camping, etc. They leave the windows and door open to the rooms when they are not occupied. Therefore when you arrive, your room is filled with mosquitoes, and they do not have any mosquito room spray. We killed at least 25 mosquitoes within the first hour we were there. So if mosquitoes like you, you might not want to stay here.||2.) Dishonest pricing. I emailed them about the availability for a room and they replied saying they had a room available and that their prices are different than online prices, implying a better rate than hotels.com. We were then offline camping with the Hadzabe until we arrived. When we arrived, I asked how much the room would be, they asked what I had seen online, I said I didn't exactly remember but around 150 (this is where I didn't specify the currency - maybe they thought it was USD but I was quoting shillings, which is how I paid for the room). She said she would charge 230,000 shillings. I was a bit surprised as I was expecting the room to cost 200,000 shillings.||After checking in, I looked up the rate on hotels.com because the price felt high and I wanted to see if I read the price incorrectly earlier. On hotels.com, it showed availability for that same day for 210,000 shillings. I asked reception why the rate she charged me was different than what was listed online, and she said that the price is different. She refused to honor the price that was online. At this point it was less of the 20,000 shillings, but more the principle of her making up a price when we arrived that was clearly above the market rate, and not honoring it. It was very...

Unforgettable Safari Experience – Absolutely Amazing! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Our safari week in Tanzania was an experience of a lifetime! Every detail was perfectly arranged, from the warm welcome to the well-planned itinerary that allowed us to see the best of Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. The lodges and camps were stunning, with warm hospitality, delicious meals and breathtaking views. Many thanks to Leanne🫶for the flawless organization, excellent service and for all valuable tips and suggestions that made our adventure in Tanzania so unique - we couldn‘t have asked for more!

The true highlight of our trip was our guide and ranger Ephata. His deep knowledge of wildlife, Tanzanian culture, warm personality and sharp eyes made every game drive truly unforgettable. Thanks to him, we spotted the Big 5 and every day brought something new and exciting. He always made sure we were comfortable, safe and having fun. We are so greatful to him for all these memories we‘ll treasure forever. It was already our second Safari with Ephata - and we’re looking forward to the next one!

I can highly recommend Heart of Agrica to anyone looking for an authentic and unforgettable adventure in Africa. Thank you Ephata, Leanne & the entire Team of Heart of Africa Lodge for the excellent service and unforgettable experience! Tanzania‘s wildlife, people and landscapes will stay in our...

I visited Tanzania in October 2022 and this was the first hotel I stayed at. Some part of the hotel was still under construction including the swimming pool and backyard area, however, this place is soooo good that it lifted my expectations towards Tanzania’s hotels. The staff are friendly and helpful.

The owner is a very sweet Lady who sat down with us before and after dinner, giving us abundant information on tourist activities in Tanzania, useful tips, general information and much more - It was wonderful talking to her.

The hotel is in a quiet, tranquil area, however, not far from the busy city part and the airport. The rooms are clean and well set, compact but well organized. It has a spacious front yard to spend some time with nature and relax as well as a soothing meal area with a peaceful dinner ambiance.

The best part of this hotel is the food. The chef cooks delicious, mouth-watering local as well as different cuisines. All meals were unlimited, with continuous service. The breakfast too was amazing with a variety of options including made-to-order eggs. They also have wildlife game-drive, camping & city tour options. On the last day, the staff put up a sweet song and dance show for us, making us participate with them.

I would definitely recommend this place and would love to go back there on my next trip...