Meru House Inn

Dinner was the highlight for me, really tasty and incredibly cheap. At about $10 per person per night, it’s a decent budget stop, though the quality isn’t the best. Breakfast was disappointing compared with other places in Tanzania, and the bathrooms in both rooms we used badly need renovating. Still, budget travellers should be happy enough here for a night.

The staff were so kind and looked after me when I got sick after safari, and the food was tasty and affordable. I stayed in two rooms, one before and one after safari. In the first, the tap didn’t work, but I managed with the foot-washing tap and could have asked to move if it had been a bigger issue. The second room had a huge pipe that made a lot of noise whenever water went through it, maybe four times a day, including once at midnight. Ask for a room without that pipe if you can. You can also hear other guests, though earplugs should be fine for a night or two. Arusha itself seems lively in the evenings. The hotel was pretty good, and I’m grateful to the staff.

The staff were really friendly, and the room was okay for one night. But it was noisy from both the street and the accommodation courtyard. The bathroom smelled bad and had no curtains, so people could see through the window while you showered or used the toilet.

The location is very close to the center, and the manager and staff were wonderful. They were ready to help with anything, and the hot water worked. Wi-Fi was good in rooms on the right side of the hostel, so ask for one of those. It didn’t work at all in the restaurant. Check the sheets, though. Ours weren’t clean, and I think I may have spotted bed bugs. It seemed possibly connected to the wool blanket, but after I changed the sheet, things were okay.