Arusha Planet Lodge

10/10

Exceptional

17 Jan 2025

Avi

Best cost benfit

great services like I got during my stay. The check in was while sitting in a living room, they explain me all of the option for a day tour, the took care of my laundry after treking the Kilimanjaro. The lodge looks is wonderful, all is green beautifully plants, the room is wide, clean cacfully and really nice, the food is diverse and delicious. Even the manger came to talk with you and welcome you. I have traveled all over and never enjoyed stay in lodge like I did this time. It considered 3 stars but it’s much much more !!! The best cost benefit. Strongly recomended

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

07 Mar 2024

Sean

Good all round.

Business

10/10

Exceptional

25 Jan 2024

maria teresa

No decent restaurant in area so in evening you have to dine at the lodge

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

13 Nov 2023

Jeremy

The experience here was truly unique. My wife and I felt taken care of from start to finish, even though we only had one night there. On any return trips to Arusha, this will be our preferred lodging.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

28 Sep 2023

Jerome

Exceptional Service

Planet Lodge Arusha was a joy to stay in. Rooms were great, service was outstanding. Would highly recommend this hotel and will stay here if I ever return to Arusha

Self

10/10

Exceptional

13 Sep 2023

Jeri

Lovely place and people

Everyone was absolutely lovely and extremely helpful. I screwed up the arrival and they handled everything with such grace. Sorry we didn't start longer

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

06 Jun 2023

serena

Second stay and i will be back!

I enjoy this place the rooms are so comfortable, the location suits me, the food is always good! The staff are fantastic eqch and everyone!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

30 May 2023

Shamshil

It was great stay, everyone was welcoming and very courteous. The food was very good too.
The only issue we faced at the time was construction going on around the pool area, so we couldn’t use that. And the internet was not available in the room for the evening, had to go to the lobby and use it.
Other than that we had an amazing stay, and Alan the assistant manager was always available to make sure we had everything we need. Will come back here for sure!

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

03 Apr 2023

Harry

Staff was excellent and very professional. 2 rooms per \"hut\" like building but very quaint. Definitely would go there again.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

07 May 2022

Jun

The staff is so friendly and helpful. The entire property so well maintained. Great experience.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

18 Feb 2019

Verified traveler

The staff is incredible! They are all so friendly, welcoming and helpful. We only stayed three nights, but I wish I could have stayed longer. The food in the dining room is delicious and the rooms are very spacious, clean and nice. It’s a little outside of Arusha city, but it’s the best!!

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

17 Feb 2019

Verified traveler

This is an amazing property! The rooms are in separate looking huts on the property and they are beautiful and clean. The mail building is beautiful as well. We loved it!

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

22 Dec 2018

Verified traveler

Helpful staff clean rooms excellent food great location very safe.

8/10

Excellent

21 Nov 2018

Jonathon

Nice stay in Arusha

Very nice stay just outside of the downtown of Arusha city. It's quiet, comfortable and the property is absolutely gorgeous. Provides a relaxing stay and a great alternative to the hustle and bustle of Arusha. We flew into Kilimanjaro airport and the lodge arranged our shuttle ride (for extra). It took about 80 minutes to get to the lodge given new speeding laws that were recently put into place but overall it was an easy process.

The staff took extra care with our room since this was the start of our honeymoon and we really enjoyed our time there. From there we headed to a safari in the Serengti but we arranged to have some laundry ready for our return which it was. Staff was always open and accommodating when we needed it including a later departure time from the hotel. WiFi is a bit spotty (as in most properties in Tanzania from what I've seen), but works well in the lobby and restaurant. Great stay even for a short period.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

09 Jun 2018

CK

Very friendly staff. Rooms and main building are in great condition. Gardens are beautiful.

8/10

Excellent

20 Jun 2017

Verified traveler

Worth the drive from the action of Arusha

It's a bit off the beaten track, but a very pleasant property. Lots of great birdlife. 5% extra is charged if you use a credit card.

10/10

Exceptional

12 Dec 2016

Susan

Absolutely beautiful grounds which are very well kept. Property is very quiet and peaceful. Villas are huge and the king bed was very comfortable. Staff were polite and helpful and the service was very quick. Breakfast was okay and Internet was not always great. Lovely pool.

Family

8/10

Excellent

19 Nov 2016

Verified traveler

Quiet, beautiful gardens and great pool!

After 5 days of safari this was a great place to finish the trip and relax!
The breakfast, included in the room rate, was excellent.

8/10

Excellent

05 Sep 2016

Guy

nice place

Very nice property with a lovely garden. The rooms are clean, very big and has a nice private balcony.The food is pretty basic but quite good. The service is very good, nice and helpful staff. Located quite far from the center of Arusha so if you need to run errands you will need to get to the city center by transport.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

20 Aug 2016

Ms Avrill

Our stay at the Planet Lodge was exceptional, the staff were all most helpful and welcoming, they did over and above to make our stay comfortable and relaxing. Lovely helpful and cheerful staff, we wish them all well, and many thanks for a memorable stay at Planet Lodge.

Family

8/10

Excellent

12 Aug 2016

John

Comfortable, reasonably priced place to stay

Hotel staff was wonderful and responsive. Although it's a bit off the beaten path, it was pretty quiet and peaceful. You can't walk to dowtown Arusha but they did provide a shuttle that went downtown at 10am and picked you up at 4pm. Hot water was at times not sufficient for two peaple to take hot showers. Food was reasonable and the wait staff were friendly and cheerful!

10/10

Exceptional

02 May 2016

Sterwin

What a way to begin a Safari

All I can say is that the beginning and ending of my safari couldn't have been any better with Planet Lodge. Love the staff and service they provided

8/10

Excellent

14 Apr 2016

Titus

Great Hotel

Very nice place with very welcoming and courteous staff. Met all of our needs as traveling tourists. Laundry, bar, restaurant, massage, shuttle service all available. Very nice rooms and staff made me & my friend wish we could stay so much longer. Great price for what you get.

10/10

Exceptional

01 Feb 2016

Marilyn

Highly recommended

Fabulous 2 night stay. Wonderful staff throughout the hotel. Very clean everywhere, beautiful gardens and pool area was great. Service was fantastic and food very tasty and fresh.
Cannot wait for my return visit next year.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

30 Jan 2016

Rafael

The staff makes the place ROCK

Hotel is nicely hidden outside busy Arusha. Its perfect to start and end a safari. Rooms are nicely set within gardens and nature. Breakfast is very well sorted and food in general was great. Above all, the staff was just incredibly friendly and helpful. I would stay here again mostly becuase of the way the staff made us feel: Hakuna Matata!

Family

10/10

Exceptional

04 Oct 2015

Emily

Beautiful oasis in Arusha town.

The service was incredible. They'll make you feel like royalty. A non-stop cleaning crew keeping things sparkling clean and lovely.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

21 Sep 2015

SUSAN

I loved my stay at the Planet Lodge. The rooms were large and well furnished, although the beds were a little hard, the cleanliness of the rooms and common area were excellent, the staff was very friendly and helpful. The pool and air conditioning were an added bonus. The value for the money was excellent. I would heartily recommend this hotel. The location is a bit far from the center of town, but they provide a once a day shuttle to town.

10/10

Exceptional

18 Sep 2015

CJ

I was very pleased with this property. The price and quality of service, food, cleanliness, grounds and pool were excellent. From the moment you check in, the friendliness of the staff and service were outstanding. It is located a bit away from the center of town which was not an issue for me since I was picked up by my safari company and they do offer a shuttle to town once a day. The beds are a bit hard as the mattress is on a wood stand. That being said, I slept very soundly. This hotel does have air conditioning and the showers are wonderful. I truly enjoyed my stay and would come back again.

10/10

Exceptional

13 Sep 2015

Karen

A charming, peaceful and attractive place.

We stayed here before and after a safari whilst we relaxed and spent some time exploring the Meru /Arusha area. We also met up with some friends. Getting about was a little tricky as you can't walk anywhere easily from Planet lodge. However the hotel runs a complimentary shuttle bus into Arusha daily, and we gained confidence using the Dalla dalla(local bus).We enjoyed walking around the slopes of Mount Meru and reached the waterfall
with the help of a local guide. We also visited a local school known as Fareson school based in Moshono. This vision needs/deserves all the support anyone can give.
We loved every minute in Tanzania,from the outstanding landscapes and wildlife, to the warm and charming people we met. We will be returning as soon as we can.

6/10

Pleasant

08 Jun 2015

foster

Planet Lodge\n

A quiet oasis away from the hubbub of Arusha.
Lovely gardens, nest pool.
Excellent price.

4/10

Poor

05 Jun 2015

Francis

Be careful of the food and the service

My wife and I stayed here for a night after our safari before we flew out of Arusha. Unfortunately, it was a sharp contrast to the accommodations we had stayed at during our safari. We had no issues with any of the food during our 6 days out on safari but after eating dinner here at the Planet Lodge, we both immediately felt nauseous and ended up taking cipro. Given that there are no other places to eat around this hotel, I'd warn travelers to take this into consideration. Additionally, the concierge tried to rip us off when we tried to buy postage stamps to send two postcards back to ourselves and our family. The cost of sending an international postcard is 1600 Tanzanian Shillings (TSH). The concierge tried to sell us four 600 TSH stamps for $1 each and then told us we only needed to put 1200 TSH on each postcard. During our stay, the exchange rate was $1 USD to 2167 TSH. Our $4 could have bought at least 8668 TSH of postage instead of just 2400TSH. So not only did he try to overcharge us for the stamps, but our postcards wouldn't have made it home due to insufficient postage. When I confronted him on the disparity, he tried to laugh it off before I asked for my money back. Some people might think, it's just a $1 or two, but it's the principle. Just because you're a tourist, doesn't mean you should get ripped off. We had written our memories on those postcards and they would've been lost forever because of his greed and indifference.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

12 Apr 2015

Verified traveler

Well worth a visit.

Nice quiet hotel set in lovely grounds. Friendly and helpful staff. Spacious rooms but no tea making facility. Food not very exciting. Local menu is better. Good choice at breakfast but predictable if a long stay. Very well priced. Would definitely return.

8/10

Excellent

17 Feb 2015

francisco

great style outside of town

great place outside arusha.
the staff wee excellent. and either i was lucky, but the wifi was very good (limited to lounge area fro free) and able to upload my pics to cloud quickly, or not alot of people were using it at the same time.

i was leaving for airport early, they mad sure i had a good breakfast even if it was before the scheduled time.

10/10

Exceptional

17 Jan 2015

Jim

A pleasant surprise!

We were waiting to join a safari.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

14 Jan 2015

Cheryl

Beautiful, safe, quiet

A gorgeous property!!! Don't be deterred by the location. I was looking for a hotel close to the city center but those simply don't exist. Arusha is spread out and all decent hotels are 5-10 miles outside of town. This was a very clean, friendly, beautiful hotel. Very good service, lovely rooms (AC, mosquito net, balcony, pool, tv, wifi). I wouldn't hesitate to stay here again.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

03 Jan 2015

Photoguy

Very pleasant

The Lodge is located in a very scenic location with an excellent (distant) view of Mt Meru. The gardens are soothing to stroll in. Staff is humorous and very accomodating.

2/10

Poor

21 Oct 2014

Verified traveler

Reservations cancelled!!

I had to give Planet Lodge a poor rating. I made reservations weeks ago on hotels.com, and less then 48 hours before I arrived I got an email ( while traveling to TZ) that they had overbooked!! I had three rooms booked, and now they were somehow not available. This put me into a huge panic, because I was leading a trip to TZ and this was our first stop. They ended up booking us into another hotel, but it was a very confusing difficult change! The other hotel was wonderful, but the meals were much more expensive, and they were fixed price, so I was stuck paying the higher bill for the dinner. I had picked Planet Lodge after much research, I wanted a place where we could see the mountains, our new hotel was deep in the forest, with no view at all. It may be a wonderful hotel, but if you can not be 100% sure your reservation will be honored, do bother booking!

Family

8/10

Excellent

18 Oct 2014

Chandra

pleasant stay

Large clean rooms. Great breakfast. Grounds well kept with nice pool. Food's on the expensive side but tasty. The hotel is not near much so stock up on water before you get there.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

02 Sep 2014

kili

Nice hotel very clean

Stayed there for 6 days while my husband was climbing Kilimanjaro
The staff were very friendly and hepfull
It is a little way out of town but they have a free shuttle bus
Overall a very pleasant stay would use this again

4/10

Poor

29 Aug 2014

Verified traveler

Not good value

Hotel is adequate but not good value. Worse part is they only give 330ml bottle of water per person per day and you have to buy additional water. Hotel is too far from town center. They provide a shuttle but it only takes you into town in the morning and picks you up in the afternoon. Room is good but shower didn't work properly and with limited hot water. Dinner is okay but expensive considering quality but no other options. In end I would pay a bit more for a hotel in town like Arusha Hotel which is very nice with reasonably priced quality food.

10/10

Exceptional

12 Aug 2014

Pride

Pleasant escape

This is a wonderful little place to relax and get away from the hussel & bustle of Arusha. I have stayed here 4 times.

10/10

Exceptional

20 Jul 2014

Verified traveler

Truly a joy.

After a long safari, this is the place to rest up. Quiet, peaceful, attractive gardens, attentive staff.
Very clean room, comfortable bed and lots of warm water. I only wish they had a laundry service to wash dusty clothes. The lodge is away from noisy, traffic-clogged Arusha.

8/10

Excellent

13 Jul 2014

Nipun Jetley

Great place to stay on budget

Much nicer, neater and better breakfast than other budget lodges in Arusha. It is a bit out of city centre but it doesn't really matter in Arusha. The only problem with the location is that if u need a cab to go around it is a bit of a problem finding one. Other than that it's a great place for the price they charge

10/10

Exceptional

10 Jul 2014

Gill

a great hotel

this hotel is well run and very comfortable. an ideal stop before or after a safari. The staff were fabulous. I would highly recommend it.

10/10

Exceptional

14 Jun 2014

Jules

Quiet Place just outside of Arusha

A friend and I just recently stayed overnight at Planet Lodge in route to the Serengeti. It was a haven of landscaped gardens, and rooms that were spacious and light with a veranda on one side. It has a pool that was well maintained and one could have dinner or drinks inside or out. Lunch was very good, I had a fresh green bean salad with soup all homemade. Dinner was good, although the pork loin was not really a pork loin but a pork chop. We had a bottle of KWV Chenin Blanc that was marked up too much, price was $25 U.S. I went for a 30 minute run outside of the lodge down and dirt road that was quiet and beautiful with Mt Meru in the background. All in all I would stay here again and recommend to others.

10/10

Exceptional

02 Jun 2014

Sandy

Lovely hotel away from the busy centre

Planet Lodge were great with communication from the first online contact. We had not arranged pickup but closer to the time I emailed and they said they would send a car to the Riverside shuttle stop. This was a cost to us of $8US but was worth it to avoid the taxi touts.
There is a free shuttle daily except Sunday into Arusha. We also booked a cultural tour to Malulu Womens Coop through the helpful front desk which was a highlight of our stay in Arusha.
We stayed 5nights here due to a World Vision visit and before the start of our Kilimangaro Climb. Most people we saw stayed 1 or 2 nights before and after safaris.
Due to the longish stay we did start to find the food to be a little repeatative, but the helpful, friendly and imformative staff more then made up for that and sveral times we went into Arusha to eat.

10/10

Exceptional

19 May 2014

Alice Davison

Great staff,friendly laid back place

The receptionists were so helpful and spoke great English as well as trying to teach us some Swahilli. The rooms were clean and very comfortable with hot showers. They also have a nice outdoor pool with a bar which is set in the lush gardens of the lodge.

10/10

Exceptional

04 May 2014

Baystars

Friendly staff, Good quality

Staffs are very friendly and provided good service. Room quality is very good. Location is little bit far from town, but it is very quiet and good scenery.

10/10

Exceptional

02 May 2014

tbg123

Very Enjoyable & Relaxing

Had a great time after climbing Kilimanjaro - Perfect Hotel.

Family

8/10

Excellent

12 Apr 2014

John

Nice Choice in Arusha

Nice hotel out of town. Friendly staff. Accommodated our early check in and provided breakfast boxes for our early departure. Food was OK. Lots of choices. Had to be separated into 2 non-conecting rooms to fit our family of 5.

10/10

Exceptional

07 Apr 2014

Barbara

Perfect place in Arusha!

A bit remote from downtown Arusha, but they can shuttle you into town. We ended up taking the dala dala which was a great experience. This hotel has perfect bungalows, great service, lovely flowers/birds in the garden, and good food at their restaurant. I would recommend this hotel and stay in it again.

Family

8/10

Excellent

21 Mar 2014

Joel

Great until midnight

The beach was beautiful and close to the cabins. Unfortunately no one could sleep on Full Moon Festival because the music ;played loudly until 4am and then the drunks talked outside the cabin.

10/10

Exceptional

28 Feb 2014

Gitte Jørgensen

Best choice for overnight in Arusha

We had a fantastic stay at The Planet Lodge. The lodge is close enough to go downtown Arusha to settle business or for travelguides to meet with you at the lodge. But the lodge is located so far from downtown that one is not bothered with the noise and you feel like staying in nature. The staff is intelligent and service minded, they can also help you to arrange tours, and the food is good. we say its the best choice for overnight near Arusha.

10/10

Exceptional

23 Jan 2014

min

oasis in dessert

hotel and staffs themselvs too good. but location is problem. To the hotel be aware of unpaved road.

10/10

Exceptional

23 Jan 2014

GCC

Comfortable hotel with good facilities

We stayed at Planet Lodge for 11 nights while I was working in the area. The delightful room, part of a rondavel, was well appointed and clean with a balcony looking out over the tropical gardens towards Mt. Meru. Wifi was provided both in the main lodge and the room at no extra cost. The food was good with plenty of choice and the staff were warm and friendly.

8/10

Excellent

23 Jan 2014

Angela

Attractive garden bungalows

Property is a little bit outside the city, with the last section of the trip on a dirt road, but the compound itself is nicely landscaped and isolated from the surrounding neighborhood. They are trying for \"5 Star\" service, and not quite reaching it, but it would probably be less appealing if they did. It was a relaxed and rather fun little property. The food was surprisingly good.

6/10

Pleasant

19 Jan 2014

Tony M

Nice except for the cold showers

Room was nice with a small balcony at the back. Gardens were lovely. Dinner menu was a small selection although very tasty. Showers were unpredictable. water was hard to adjust then went cold midway through shower. Helpful service although few of the staff smiled.

8/10

Excellent

15 Nov 2013

Tony

Interesting hotel in Arusha

I liked this hotel. I got a good deal through Expedia that was about twenty bucks less than the hotel's email quote. It was significantly less expensive than other Arusha-area hotels. It has a creative design where people stay in buildings that from a distance look like Massai huts but are really modern hotel rooms. It could look a little Disneyish, but it works. Mount Meru makes a nice backdrop. Visitors should know, however, that this is outside Arusha and someone isolated. If you have business in Arusha, that makes it a little bit of a hassle. The restaurant is solid, and the staff made every effort to make me comfortable. It's worth staying here if you get a good price.

6/10

Pleasant

26 Oct 2013

Alex

Decent hotel for a stopover

Decent hotel with some individual emnployees going out of their way to make it a good stay... and others not so much. Overall the price is right, the rooms are clean, and the food quite good. A fine choice for a brief layover in Arusha.

8/10

Excellent

26 Sep 2013

Verified traveler

Satisfied Customer

With only the location as a minus all the rest is a fantastic choice, very good value for money.

10/10

Exceptional

23 Aug 2013

Verified traveler

Nice hotel well run with friendly staff

So glad we booked here as opposed to cheaper accommodation in Arusha town, which was quite noisy. Planet Lodge was really peaceful with great facilities including a small, clean pool with lovely views of Mt Meru. The reception area and dining area were first class, with good food and very welcoming staff. Very good value and highly recommended. Try using a few Swahili greetings and you get loads of brownie points!

10/10

Exceptional

20 Aug 2013

Brooke

Great night before flying out of JRO

Great great great Wonderful after a Kili climb and safari and the people were wonderful. Amazing food, great pool. Perfect day.

10/10

Exceptional

03 Aug 2013

Verified traveler

Quiet & relaxing retreat from Arusha

Beautiful lodge, beautiful rooms. Wonderful restaurant as well which is great cause there's not much nearby. The staff is wonderful! Free wifi and computers. Highly recommended!

10/10

Exceptional

27 Jul 2013

Miki

Peaceful friendly hotel with great view of Mt Meru

We are very happy to stay at the Planet Lodge in Arusha. Friendly Service, wonderful facilities and lovely view of Mt Meru from our cottage. Highly recommended.

Family

8/10

Excellent

14 Jul 2013

Verified traveler

Rooms are big, comfortable, and private. Beautiful grounds.

8/10

Excellent

12 Jul 2013

Oliver

Comfortable Lodge in nice garden setting

It has been a while with a room without a TV but the setup with several cottages has a special charm. I would stay here again.

8/10

Excellent

24 Jun 2013

Hawkeye

Fantastic Service

Once again we had a very pleasant stay at Planet Lodge over a period of 3 days. The food was generally good and the Breakfast was first class. There were a number of small problems with the room but these were dealt with very swiftly. Our welcome at the Lodge was most friendly and the staff attention was beyond reproach. Will certainly visit again.

8/10

Excellent

05 Apr 2013

Traveller

Convenient for a few nights stay

It was comfortable, quiet and with beautiful surroundings. Getting to the hotel from Arusha was abit of a struggle as directions were not very clear but we managed eventually. Overall - a pleasant stay with very friendly staff

8/10

Excellent

25 Mar 2013

Verified traveler

A very nice compound in a not very good area

We had a very pleasant stay at Planet Lodge, and the attention of the staff was absolutely first class. Everything possible was done to make us feel welcome The accommodation was simple but clean and satisfactory, and generally very good value for money. The food was also quite satisfactory The only problem we had was in locating the Lodge and would suggest better direction to solve this problem...An indication of the distance of the Lodge from the center of the town would help considerably

Family

8/10

Excellent

19 Mar 2013

Verified traveler

Difficult staff, no fan or AC, no neighborhood

the room was ok except for the mosquito net was ineffective and torn, and there was no fan or AC. The pool was nice. the reception wouldn't honor a deal they had posted online after we had already booked. there is nothing within walking distance of the hotel. they charge more in person than online.

6/10

Pleasant

17 Mar 2013

Verified traveler

ok

Rooms were ok but no AC and the shower was very poor

10/10

Exceptional

01 Mar 2013

Verified traveler

Relaxing stay with a very nice hotel

We stayed 2 nights at planet lodge and we definitely enjoyed it very much. We had just finished climbing Mt Kilimanjaro so Planet Lodge was just the perfect place to relax especially with the pool. The place is a little outside Arusha so its good to be away from the town in a nice surrounding with view of Mt Meru. The staff was very nice and helpful, the room was spacious with a working shower and hot water.Some power cuts sometimes but well, it's Africa, it happens. Would definitely stay there again!

Family

6/10

Pleasant

24 Feb 2013

Verified traveler

Budget hotel for overnight stay

Planet Lodge was fine for a one night stay on a budget. Room was clean and the staff were quite friendly but don't raise expectations of food quality or mod cons like air conditioning.

10/10

Exceptional

20 Feb 2013

Dottie

Lovely grounds and comfortable rooms

Had an excellent experience at Planet Lodge. The common ground areas were spacious and comfortable. Our room was clean, and the staff was excellent. I really wanted to stay at Ilburu Hotel but it was booked, and we were able to book 1 night there after safari. I am so glad I was at Planet Lodge, and not stuck at Ilburu for the four days prior to safari. No comparison.

10/10

Exceptional

18 Feb 2013

mlutley

I enjoyed the staff and the views from the hotel. I just hope the road to the hotel will be paved soon!