Tanzania's accommodation scene is world-class, anchored by some of the finest safari lodges and tented camps anywhere in Africa. From intimate luxury camps perched above the Serengeti plains to the remarkable Ngorongoro Crater Lodge hanging over the caldera rim, and from boutique Stone Town hotels to beachfront villas on Zanzibar's north coast, Tanzania caters brilliantly to every level of traveller.
Tanzania's accommodation scene is world-class, anchored by some of the finest safari lodges and tented camps anywhere in Africa. From intimate luxury camps perched above the Serengeti plains to the remarkable Ngorongoro Crater Lodge hanging over the caldera rim, and from boutique Stone Town hotels to beachfront villas on Zanzibar's north coast, Tanzania caters brilliantly to every level of traveller.
Serengeti Safari Camps
The Serengeti contains some of the world's most celebrated safari camps. Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti and &Beyond Kleins Camp represent the permanent lodge end of the spectrum — extraordinary locations with full facilities. The finest experiences in the Serengeti are typically at smaller, more intimate tented camps: Singita Grumeti (on a private 350,000-acre concession in western Serengeti), Nomad Tanzania's Lamai Camp (north Serengeti, perfectly positioned for river crossings), and Alex Walker's Serian camps — mobile camps that follow the migration across the ecosystem. Mobile camps are struck and rebuilt as the migration moves, ensuring guests are always in the most relevant location. Rates typically run USD $800–2,000 per person per night inclusive.
Ngorongoro Crater Lodges
The Ngorongoro Crater Lodge (&Beyond) is one of Africa's most theatrical accommodation experiences — a series of "Masai village" thatched towers built on the caldera rim, combining baroque decor (crystal chandeliers, carved antiques) with a view directly down into the largest intact volcanic caldera on earth, where lions, elephants, and rhinos move in the distant bowl below. It is deliberately excessive and magnificently so. Lemala Ngorongoro Tented Camp and &Beyond Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge offer more restrained but still exceptional alternatives on the crater rim.
Stone Town, Zanzibar
Stone Town has excellent boutique accommodation in restored Swahili merchant houses and Arab mansions. Zanzibar Serena Hotel (in a converted 19th-century colonial building on the seafront) and Park Hyatt Zanzibar are the town's premier addresses. Emerson Spice Hotel in a restored Arabian townhouse has one of Africa's best rooftop restaurants. Budget travellers will find Stone Town well-supplied with clean, characterful guesthouses at €30–70 per night in the historic alleys.
Zanzibar Beach Resorts
Zanzibar's north coast (Nungwi, Kendwa) has the most developed beach resort infrastructure — lively, social, with excellent watersports. The east coast (Paje, Jambiani) is quieter with a more local character and excellent kiteboarding. The southeast (Bwejuu) offers isolated luxury villas. Top properties include Zuri Zanzibar (Kendwa), The Residence Zanzibar (southwest coast), and the extraordinary Mnemba Island Lodge (&Beyond) — a private island with 12 banda suites on coral sand, surrounded by some of the finest snorkelling in East Africa.
Booking Advice
Tanzania's peak season accommodation requires long lead times — book the Serengeti migration camps 9–12 months ahead for July–October travel. Ngorongoro Crater Lodge is similarly competitive. Zanzibar peak season (June–October and December–January) fills quickly at the best north coast properties. Consider a specialist Africa operator for combined Serengeti-Zanzibar itineraries — the logistics of internal flights (Kilimanjaro, Arusha, Zanzibar) are straightforward with local knowledge but complex to self-organise.