Kirawira Serena Camp

Kirawira Serena Camp stood out most among the six Serena hotels we stayed at in Tanzania. Its tented rooms were amazing, with real luxury in the bush and incredible Serengeti views, and the food was superb. Across the stays, the rooms were generally very good, the staff excellent, and the food and drinks good. Some people might appreciate local dishes on the menus. The one real drawback after 11 nights at different Serena hotels was the coffee. It was the same weak, tasteless American drip style at every one, just dirt water.

A glamping safari camp in a gorgeous wilderness setting.

We only stayed two nights and wished we could have stayed longer. The tents have breathtaking views, and the rooms are stunning. The property is beautiful and way out in the bush, with excellent staff. Also, a bonus shoutout for what was probably the best massage I’ve ever had. Highly recommend.

The way the hotel handled our missed flight was awful. My wife and I had booked a few days there last month, but border problems meant we missed our flight. We told the hotel that morning and said we’d try to fly in the next day. They later said we had to pay for a car that had waited at the airport all day. Apparently they arrange cars from Arusha, about an eight-hour drive away. That seemed bizarre, especially since we’d already told them about the flight issue. They were also confused about our booking, telling my wife there was only one guest, though every document we received showed two. The staff were incredibly rude when we questioned the pickup, hung up on us, and refused to answer our calls. This was after they charged our credit card. If you’re going to Serengeti, choose another hotel that treats you like a paying guest. The entitlement and unprofessional handling of all this have put me off this chain for good. Don’t even look into this place.