Morogoro Arc Hotel

We stayed at Arc Hotel Morogoro Tanzania for two nights on the way back from Dodoma to Dar es Salaam, based on the recommendation of a friend. We sent an email enquiry to the hotel and got a reply within ten minutes, filled with useful information and tips. We felt like we were staying with friends, the welcome was that warm. So many people came to check up on our enjoyment that we thought they might have us confused with a visiting ministor or ambassador!

Situated a little outside Morogoro town, the Arc hotel is a modern, 2-storey building on a dirt road with fields and some houses nearby.

The lobby is spacious and unpretentious, and rooms are on wings to either side. There is a restaurant at the back with an open area to possibly the hotel's strongest asset - the uninterrupted view of the magnificent Uluguru Mountains.

There is a constant breeze from the mountains and sitting in the open area during the evenings is one of the great pleasures of staying here.

The rooms are scrupulously clean and adequate but unremarkable otherwise. They are equipped with mosquito netting, airconditiong (unnecessary most of the time), TV, kettle and a small balcony with that remarkable mountain view - if your room points in the right direction.

It has its own generator - important given the frequent power cuts.

The restaurant is a surprise - it serves a good selection with excellent Indian food and the kitchen is very clean. Food is generally of a high standard. The hotel has a small garden at the back from which some vegetables are harvested.

The staff, once you get to know them, are a friendly bunch and service is generally excellent.

Overall, the hotel has a homely feel to it and you get the atmosphere of a country resort in the highlands rather than a hotel. I felt safe, comfortable and happy at the Arc hotel and privileged to wake up every morning to that mountain view which always brought a smile to my lips.

It's a distance from town, groceries and shops, but it more than compensates with the sense of tranquility, quiet and that gorgeous view.

I would recommend this hotel highly to anyone visiting Morogoro, especially if you're planning to stay for a while.