Africa Hotel Tips by SirRichard Top 5 Page for this destination

The Spice Inn

The Spice Inn is one of the classical local pensions in Stone Town (Zanzibar). It has a wide and long reputation among travellers, but is a bit old fashiones, hasn't been refurbished in many many years and right now is a bit uncomfortable and overpriced (25 USD the room).

But is still a classic and retains some of its faded elegance. My favourite part was the magnificent veranda where you have the breakfast, on a 1st floor, from where you can observe the bustling activity of early morning in the old Stone Town...

Comparison: less expensive than average

Directions: To get there follow the signs you will find in many corners at the Old Stone city.

Price: US$20-40

Theme: Pension/Guesthouse

Equator Hotel (Arusha, Tanzania)

This hotel in Arusha is one of those typical medium range african hotels, all built in concrete, hardly painted, with huge empty corridors and very simple amenities.
One of those in which you find african businessmen drinking alone at the bar, the staff watching TV all day and plastic curtains everywhere...

Unique Qualities: Anyway, it was not bad, we spent there one night, coming from the border and previous to a safari to the Parks.
The place was clean though very basic.

From 33 to 76 USD.

Address: Boma Road

Comparison: less expensive than average

Other Contact: Fax 255 57 2674

Price: US$20-40

Theme: Hotel

Hotel Ali (Marrakesh)

A backpackers classic, in the very very center (you can see Djema el Fnaa). Simple but clean. 15 euros double, 4 euros for sleeping on the roof. Buffet in the evenings for 70 euros.

Address: Rue Moulay Ismail

Comparison: least expensive

Directions: 50 metres south of Djema el Fnaa, in front of Foucauld Sq.

Other Contact: hotelali@hotmail.com

Phone: 044 444979

Price: less than US$20

Theme: Hostel

La Maison Arabe (Marrakesh)

A dream cozy hotel, really a background for the "1001 Nights". All the rooms are different, each one has its own name and personality (have a look at the web page). They have a swimming pool for clients but is 30 minutes outside Marrakesh (free shuttle).

Unique Qualities: I didn't sleep there, but passed by and entered to have anafter lunch tea... wonderful!

Address: 1 derb Ashebe, close to Bab Doukkala Mosque

Comparison: more expensive than average

Other Contact: Fax 044 387221

Phone: 044 387010

Price: US$80-120

Theme: Bed and Breakfast

Website: http://www.lamaisonarabe.com

Wasini Mpungu Lodge (Kenya)

This tiny wonderful pension is a hidden secret in the Wasini Marine Park, near to Shimoni, in the South Coast of Kenya. It's got several independent bungalows, very simple but clean. No electric light, No running water, showers "african style". Good home-made food (usually the fish is caught the same day by local fishermen). About 18 USD.

Unique Qualities: We arrived to the coast looking for the marine park, but had no idea of where were we gonna sleep. Then suddenly 3 kids appeared and started talking to us, offering us accomodation. Our first reaction was ignoring them, but after 30-40 minutes of wandering around the village, we hadn't found any place to stay so we jast gave up and accepted what the boys were offering.
It turned out to be a wonderul paradise by the coast, with basic but clean rooms and wonderful cuisine. The place is surrounded by gardens and they organize diving trips to the Marine park.
The showers are common, and consist on a big barrel of water on top of you, from where you open a tap and get the water (cold, of course!).

Address: P.O.Box19. Shimoni.

Comparison: least expensive

Price: less than US$20

Theme: Pension/Guesthouse

Ngorongoro Park Camping (Tanzania)

Of all the lodgings I have had in Africa, the camping at the Ngorongoro crater is one of my dearest.
We hired a safari in the town of Arusha, not far from the Park. It included a jeep, a guide, a cooker and the tents. So we left Arusha and visited a few parks. The Ngorongoro is a huge volcanic crater and all the accomodations (3 lodges and a camping) are on the edge of the crater.
As is considerably high, nights at the the campground are cold, much colder than I could expect in Africa. I wasn't prepared, I admit. My previous nights in Africa had been mild, if not hot. But up there was more than chilly, it was really freezing! We started the night with a fire camp, but when going into the tent, you began to feel the cold. I put on gradually ALL the clothes I had, 3 socks, the swimming suit + long sleeves pants + jeans and 2 T-Shirts, a long sleeve shirt, a sweater and a polartec jacket!!

But what I remember most of that night was the wild animals yawnings, the roars, the bellows, the hawlings. I imagined monkeys, lions, wildebeets, elephants, leopards... And I say "imagined" as I didn't dare to peak out and see... not even to go to the toilets!

... and the following morning we saw footsteps all around the tents!!

Address: At the crater edge

Comparison: least expensive

Price: less than US$20

Theme: Campground