Manyara Best View Lodge — Hotel in Arusha

The most uncomfortable and inconvenient stay we had during our Tanzania trip. It's very strange that none of the reviews mention the real problems with this property. Over the past 10+ years of being a Google reviewer I must have only given a handful of 1 star reviews, but this property is one that truly deserves it.

Firstly, the higher category rooms are quite a distance away from the reception and dining areas and you have to take a tuk-tuk down a hill to get to them (which they do provide). For a party of 4, one person has to sit near the driver of the tuk tuk which is quite uncomfortable. And getting to and from your room to the restaurant for breakfast or dinner is time-taking and inconvenient.

Secondly, as you get into the room, it feels like it was designed by someone with absolutely no experience designing hotel rooms. The lighting at night is very very poor - it strains your eyes trying to do anything. There is no light bulb for the entire section of the room where the coffee table is kept. We ended up using the flashlight of our mobile phones to unpack our bags. The bathroom is the same - you have to take a shower in near darkness (see attached image). There are sharp corners on the beds (in the concrete blocks no less), so be very careful if you're traveling with children.

Thirdly, anyone can enter your room from the outside through the sliding doors of the balcony with the plunge pool. I see that some people have mentioned in their reviews that their stuff got stolen. I don't doubt it because there are no locks on the sliding doors. What's worse, anyone from the next room can easily access your room through the drain area in the balcony by just walking across (see attached image). I would personally like to bow to the genius who made this design.

Fourthly, the amenities and basic comfort: beds are hard. No amenities except some cotton pads and earbuds. No dental kit, no shaving kit, no slippers in the room, not even a hair dryer. Wifi is bad and not available in all parts of the room.

Fifthly, no AC in the room (even in the hugest category room). We had to request them to get us two standing fans so that we could have some respite from the heat and sweat. And once you plug these fans in, there are no usable plug points anywhere in the room. The ones next to the bed are used up by the telephone and a lamp, and the other two are used up by the fans. The number and placement of the plug points is atrocious. I had to ask for an extension cable (see image) to just charge my basic devices.

Sixthly, the flush in one of our rooms broke and there was no water in it, so after we did our business, someone had to come and pump the sh*t out. Great experience.

Lastly, the food is mediocre at best. The vegetable pie we got for dinner was undercooked (the bread was half baked). The breakfast buffet had almost no variety - we had stayed in a migration camp in the middle of Serengeti which had a better spread.

The 1-star is for the staff, who tried to manage all these issues as best as they could (otherwise I would give 0 stars if I could). Alas, no amount of service can make up for the bad design and management decisions.

I feel sad because this was the only property that we chose due to recommendations from our tour operator. All the other properties we stayed at in Tanzania were chosen by us and they turned out to be excellent. It seems to me like these guys are extremely good at their marketing and/or provide a good commission to tour operators to ensure bookings. But the product doesn't...

We stayed one night at Manyara Best View Lodge on 4th March 2025 after our Ngorongoro Crater drive as part of our Tanzania Safari trip as recommended by our travel company. This is the only property in our entire tour duration in Tanzania which we did not like at all. In fact, that one night stay was most uncomfortable even in their upgraded Diamond room category. The approach road to the property was horrible to say the least, even inside the property, you have to take a Tuktuk ride and take multiple flight of stairs to reach your room from the main area and vice versa. The room felt super stuffy and was not well ventilated. The private small pool attached to the room was unclean and the sitting area inside the room was so dim-lit it gave me headache. There was no amenities inside the room except earbuds, locker box and bathrobes and not enough charging points to charge your laptop, mobile, etc. The wifi did not work most of the times and flush in room 17 did not work in the morning. It took almost 7-8 minutes to have hot water in the shower and food during dinner set meal was average and next day morning breakfast had very limited spread. There is a wide gap in service, food and comfort factors between other properties in the same price range in Tanzania. Our concerns were taken up with the property manager and Mr Suddy took note of all the points that we discussed. We will not return neither do we recommend this property to...

Unparalleled Service and Stunning Views at Manyara Best View Lodge!

Our stay at Manyara Best View Lodge was nothing short of extraordinary. From the moment we arrived, the level of service we received was truly unparalleled. The staff welcomed us with genuine warmth and went above and beyond to ensure every aspect of our stay was perfect. Whether it was arranging excursions, accommodating special requests, or simply greeting us with a smile, their attention to detail and commitment to excellence made us feel truly special.

The rooms were another highlight. Spacious, tastefully decorated, and offering breathtaking views of Lake Manyara through large windows. The blend of modern comforts with traditional Tanzanian design created an inviting and relaxing atmosphere. Waking up to the sunrise over the lake was an unforgettable experience.

The lodge’s location is ideal for exploring Lake Manyara National Park. Despite being just a short drive away from the park’s entrance, the lodge feels secluded and peaceful, offering a perfect retreat after a day of adventure.

We can’t recommend it highly enough for those seeking an unforgettable and...