Renovated in 2002, The Arusha Hotel is the only 5-star accommodation in central Arusha. Situated in large wooded grounds running down towards the Themi River, it is a stately hotel with an Edwardian feel about the décor, befitting its status as the oldest hostelry in Arusha. The Arusha Hotel offers 86 hotel rooms and luxury accommodation suites, two restaurants, an atmospheric bar, conference centre and health facility with temperature controlled outdoor pool.
Location
The Arusha Hotel is in the centre of Arusha town (right opposite the Clocktower). The main local entry point is Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA), which lies roughly two-thirds along the 80km road that runs eastward from Arusha to Moshi. KIA is connected to Europe by daily international flights and internally by a range of regional airlines. A number of express bus services run between Arusha and Dar es Salaam (10 hours). Minibus shuttles also run between Nairobi and Arusha (5 hours). Arusha National Park is a 45 minute drive from the centre of known.
Accommodation
The Arusha Hotel offers 86 rooms (inclusive 20 Executive Rooms and 4 Suites), all of which are spacious and ensuite (satellite TV, mosquito nets, in-room internet access, safes, tea and coffee-making facilities, AC, non-smoking rooms available, 24-hour rooms service, business centre, 24-hour satellite internet access, airport shuttle service).
Dining and bars
The Arusha Hotel offers the Parachichi Restaurant (international buffet) and the Hatari Tavern, first frequented by John Wayne during the filming of the 1962 film Hatari. The hotel also offers the Msumbi Coffee Shop.
The Arusha Hotel menu will typically include a wide selection of East Africa, Tanzania and traditional safari choices as well as numerous international choices.
Conferences and events
The Arusha Hotel caters for both business meetings and private events with three fully equipped conference rooms, private syndicate rooms, marquees and a number of indoor and outdoor areas. The hotel also offers a business centre and WiFi connectivity throughout.
Weddings and honeymoons
The Arusha Hotel makes an ideal Tanzania wedding destination.
Child-friendly facilities
The Arusha Hotel welcomes children and will be pleased to supply additional beds.
What to see and do
The Arusha Hotel offers a lounge, gymnasium (with temperature controlled outdoor swimming pool), WiFi throughout, Safari Casino and selection of gift shops.
The History of the Arusha Hotel
Steeped in history and East African tradition, The Arusha Hotel is possibly the oldest hotel in East Africa dating back to the late 1800’s. Its life started as a mere two bed roomed German guest house at the exact halfway point between the Cape and Cairo but was later replaced by a more lavish single story building.
Kenyon Painter, a wealthy American Ohio banker, and a personal friend of Teddy Roosevelt was a keen hunter and purchased much of Roosevelt hunting gear and became a regular hunter on the northern circuit. He is believed to have described the hotel as a whitewashed mud brick building with a roof of corrugated iron sheeting. It had a dozen bedrooms, a chintzy lounge and a bar cum dining room overlooking a fast snowmelt stream called the Themi River. Painter went on to purchase the hotel in 1907 naming it The New Arusha Hotel and in 1927 is was then leased to Raymond Ulyate, who had a grand opening in December 1927 which was attended by the Prince of Wales. The hotel went on to become home to many a traveler including Baron Von Blixen of the Out of Africa fame. During the filming of the 1962 movie, Hatari, the cast including its lead actor, John Wayne, would regularly frequent the hotel bar making it a regular watering hole and today the bar is affectionately named Hatari.
The Arusha Hotel remained as one of the region’s most notable landmarks throughout the 1900’s and up until early 2001 when it started to go through a major development evolving into the only 5-star hotel in Arusha.