My Husband & I will be spending the night in Dar Es Salaam the first night we arrive in Tanzania. We have an early flight to Arusha the next morning, so can someone please recommend a hotel? Is it best to stay along the coast or in town?

Thanks!

Chloe:
You can consider the Holiday Inn, the new Kempinski, perhaps the Sea Cliff. We used the Holiday Inn for a "day room" on our trip at the recommendation. I would probably try the Kempinski my next time. I have seen all 3 hotels in propoised itineraries.

Other folks may have less expensive suggestions.

There is a poster on Trip Advisor who is very knowledgeble about Dar--you might post there as well.

Chloe6, we spent first nite at the Holiday Inn in 2005 trip thru Dar. Arrangements made by our tour Company. Rooms were quiet and clean. Breakfast was filling. Staff pleasant.

Dear Chloe6,
An alternative to the pricey Sea Cliff Hotel but on the same Msasani Penisnsula and by the ocean is the Coral Beach Hotel. It used to be privately owned accommodation for an international buisness operating in TZ. It became a "boutique" hotel a few years ago. There are very nice sea views. Taxis are available to take you to the airport. Website is: coralbeach-tz.com. Last email was: [email protected]. Ask for a reduction on their posted rates.
MT

bat,
Were your transfers to/from the Holiday Inn and airport arranged through your tour operator? Do you remember how much you paid? Thanks.

Patty:
No they were not. Our package ended with our flight from Zbar to Dar. My ATR rep had mentioned the Holiday Inn as a place to go to have dinner before returning to te airport for the midnight KLM flight.

During the trip from Matemwe Bungalows to the Zanzibar airport (which was part of the package) we asked our driver if the Holiday Inn made sense or did he have another recommendation. He called his office and they made arrangements for a transfer and day room at the HI.

I cannot recall the exact price but I am sure that getting a cab at the airport would have been less expensive. Frankly, price was not a priority--at that point I wanted to be met by someone and I wanted AC {which we had not done when we arrived in Zbar and we had a language problem and a hot drive after a hot airplane trip.)

Thanks, bat. I was quoted $120 for the two transfers (airport to Dar/Dar to airport) which I thought was high. I think I'll just suffer through an un-AC cab ride as I may be putting every last cent of my budget toward a charter flight (see my other thread which I'll be updating soon).

I was going to guess $50-$60 but I do not know how that compares to a taxi. Charter? I'll watch for your thread.

In January we took a cab from the airport to the Kempinski in downtown Dar. Prices were posted in the airport (no bargaining), and I believe it was $20 or $25. The vehicle was decent and air-conditioned.

Leann

Thanks, Leann.

You shouldn't be paying more than $15.00 for taxi,AC included,from airport to Dar city center. $20.00 tops.

Any updates to hotels in Dar? My company is recommending the Kempinski. Anyone stay there?

When I was there I stayed at the Movenpick and Golden Tulip - would not recommend either of them to my best or even worst enemies. For more info on my "wonderful" nights there see http://www.bombasticlife.com/paf-africa

I should update this thread. We ended up paying $20 for a taxi from the airport to the Holiday Inn in December. That was the posted price outside the Coastal Aviation terminal. Our driver asked if we needed a ride back to the airport, so we arranged with him to pick us back up later that evening.

We stayed at the new Kempinski in January 2006 and thought it was a wonderful hotel with a well trained staff and excellent food. They also have a superb buffet breakfast--brunch, really--included in the room rate, so if you stay there, allow enough time for a leisurely meal. We found a really good room rate by going to the general Kempinski webpage and then selecting the Dar hotel. I don't know if it still applies, but it was a much lower rate (around $120 for two people) than we found on any other site.