Dar es Salaam Serena Hotel — Hotel in Dar es-Salaam

Where in the world are Philippe and Patrina: Serena Hotel Dar es Salaam: dinner

We are always excited to visit new places- so we took the ferry from Zanzibar and headed over to Dar es Salaam for a few days.

We have dined at Serena hotels in Rwanda and Zanzibar, so we continued this streak and dined in Dar. I was most excited to try the rack of lamb as I had been craving lamb and my partner wanted a nice steak.

10 min after our order was placed the server advised that there was frozen and they did not make it that day and perhaps I wanted a steak or fish, or ...I politely said no. But thank you. He went on to say ma'dam you don't want anything? I said I came for the rack of lamb- it's ok.

2 minutes later the chef was at our table and explained that he did not have the rack of lamb, it was hard to get, but maybe I would like to try lamb Rogan Josh as it is very good. Still I said no thank you. He then said what about pork ribs?

By this time I'm getting upset and said with a very different tone- no thank you! And I was done ...I didn't want anything as I was so put off by the oversell and dismissiveness.

My husband enjoyed his steak and we left...

This could have been a very different experience had the staff properly understood guest services. Instead of offering me different items, he could have returned with a menu and said- I am sorry, we don't have lamb, perhaps you would like to take a moment with the menu to see if anything else interests you.

It was a poor dining experience in a very...

I was attacked/mugged with a knife just outside the hotel, after coming out from Pizza Hut. It was two of us and we were just about crossing the road to get into the hotel. This happened across the road and I was screaming for help. Even though the other lady with me called the security men's attention, they just watched! It was the security at the other office buildings around that came out in pursuit of the man who mugged me. It took several minutes before Serena hotel security showed up. No one cautioned us about the security risk just outside the gate and neither was the security at the gates of the hotel helpful. The hotel first aid did not even have pain killers for my wounds. They only had iodine, not even spirit to clean the wound. Some other guest who had a fever came to where I was tended to close to the reception to ask for medication and the first aid person told him they had no paracetamol, then added he will have to go outside across the road to the filling station where there is a pharmacy to get drugs himself! And there I was just recently mugged outside not far from the filling station, seated there bleeding. They were so mean to even ask a guest to go outside in that same vicinity just after I was attacked. During the period we were waiting for the police to arrive, one of the hotel staff mentioned that it was a regular occurrence to be mugged around the area. So its not safe outside at night and they don't warn guests who walk across the road...

Wow experience immediately turned into big disappointment! Felt being scammed!

Got my phone snatched while walking, I didn’t even plan to go to police because I knew I was not gonna get it back. But receptionists were so kind and even called their hotel internal security and assured me he would take me to police with this own vehicle so that I don’t have to worry with my laptop being stolen again. I was very impressed on how organized they are. But Police took so much time just to make a single report, I even asked him that we just go back to hotel and I don’t care about the report anymore because police made me more furious than the thief. Anyway after we came back, driver made me signed vehicle usage form which I thought was just formality.

But voilà, upon check out, they said I have to pay 60000 shillings (26$). I should be informed about it prior and give me an option. If I was informed prior, probably, I would still go or I might just choose to relax at the hotel because I knew I was not going to get it back; but most importantly, to bring a surprise like that while I was already traumatized, it really felt like the hotel scammed me out of my misery, and my experience immediately turned from WOW to big big disappointment! Sent feedback about it manager but no respond. All employees were nice but charging me with my prior consent was...