Materuni Homes — Hotel in Kilimanjaro

A Magical Experience with the Chagga Tribe

This was our favourite place to stay out of all six hotels during our three-week trip — and for good reason. The views of Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru are absolutely breathtaking, and the staff are just incredible. Nothing was too much trouble, and their warm, welcoming nature made us feel right at home.

Before our arrival, we had a lot of questions, and the communication beforehand was excellent — quick, clear, and very informative. They gave such a good first impression, and we could tell it was going to be a great stay thanks to how attentive they were even before we arrived. They also arranged our onward taxi to the airport in a very nice, comfortable car, making our journey stress-free from start to finish.

The home-cooked food was delicious, everything was spotless, and the beds were wonderfully comfortable. We’ll be recommending Materuni Homes to all our family and friends.

We especially loved spending time with the Chagga tribe, particularly Sylvester, who looked after our every need during our stay. He was brilliant with our 7-year-old son and made us all feel relaxed in his company.

Unlike the Maasai, the Chagga tribe may not wear traditional dress daily, but they keep their ancient customs and culture alive in beautiful ways. They welcomed us into their village with open arms, sharing breathtaking mountain views, mouthwatering local dishes, and the stunning Materuni Waterfall.

One highlight was the “tree-to-cup” coffee experience — they guided us through every step, showing how singing together makes the hard work lighter and more joyful. Their warmth, humour, and strong sense of community made it an experience we’ll never forget… and yes, the coffee was absolutely delicious 😋

A heartfelt thank you to Sylvester and the whole team at Materuni Homes for making our stay so memorable. You made us feel part of your family, and we’ll carry those memories with us always.

Good luck and best wishes, Lacey, Martel...

Materuni Homes was one of the best places my friends and I stayed at during our entire trip!!! Everything was amazing. Our rooms were so nice and clean. Bed was comfortable, the views were fantastic, and the bathrooms were large and spacious. Consistent hot water the whole time. We were extremely impressed with how nice the accommodations were. The bedroom even had house shoes and bathroom shoes available that were such a nice surprise!! The accommodations have also been upgraded from what you see in the pictures, and it's in an entirely new white/tan building (looks like a home) that is soooooo nice.

But the best part was the people and the food they had prepared for us. Everyone working there was so kind and friendly. They took great care of us. And the food was absolutely DELICIOUS. They had traditional and western meal options. But I highly suggest trying everything they offer. We loved the banana soup! Every meal was 10/10. I still look back at my food pictures from this place, and I miss it so much.

HIGHLY recommend Materuni Homes, you won't regret it and you'll leave with...

This was a great experience for us. You live very close to the beautiful nature, and the whole experience of living here for a few days was magical! This is not a luxury hotel, but a very comfortable country retreat / farm-stay, and we loved it here. The local food they prepared for us every day was delicious, and the staff was very knowledgeable about the local area, and they were very helpful with everything we needed. Especially Sylvester was a fantastic host. Do the coffee experience and definitely visit the waterfall if you plan to go here. I can definitely recommend...