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Reviewed 28 July 2008

Although the staff were very friendly, our room at the Impala Hotel was pretty dreadful and I'd suggest staying somewhere else if your tour operator can arrange it.

The Impala Hotel looked nice enough when we arrived, but once we got to our room we were disappointed. After 36 hours of travelling, we just wanted a shower, a bed and dinner. Unfortunately, the shower didn't work; water just dripped down the wall and onto the bathroom floor (none of the water made it into the tub). There was a huge hole in the wall where the water had clearly been draining for a long time. There was also mold in the bathroom. It was one of the worst washrooms I've ever seen.

The walls between the rooms were paper thin. We could hear everything going on in the room next to us. We were fortunate to get an end room, so we only had to listen to one set of neighbours. If you know you'll be staying here, bring earplugs-- that should help.

Finally, the TV didn't work--possibly because none of the plug-ins for electricity worked in the room. Not a big deal, since we didn't go to Arusha to watch TV--but don't count on catching up on the news at home.

The one great thing about the Impala Hotel, as indicated in the Lonely Planet, was the Indian food restaurant. And the staff were also very friendly.

It is Africa, so we felt guilty complaining considering how most people live in Arusha. As we walked by other people's rooms we heard showers working--so they're not all broken. Just make sure you check yours as soon as you arrive and ask to be moved to a new room if you need one that works.

Date of stay: July 2008
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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1  Thank travellingscubafiend
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 16 July 2008

If you put everything in a 3rd world context then the Impala is an average to above average hotel. If your context is 1st world you will be sadly disappointed.

There is not much from which to pick in Arusha. Rooms at the Impala vary (we stayed twice), one pretty poor (my wife slept in her clothes), one average at best.

The bathrooms have windows near the ceiling, these windows open on to the corridor and many cannot be closed. This means you keep the bath door closed to keep the cooling from the A/C in your room and not venting to the corridor, which by the way is open to the outside on every floor.

Our rooms did not have mosquito nets. Take DEET with you. We found 100% DEET at Target in the sporting goods dept.

The water carries lots of minerals so the shower heads may be clogged. The hotel will send someone up to take it apart and clean it for you on request. Hot water is available in the morning for 3 hrs and in the evening for 3 hrs. You can only shower and wash in this water. The water is not safe so you cannot brush your teeth in it or drink it, you must use bottled water.

The hotel has an Internet room, no wifi. The cost is reasonable.

The morning breakfast buffet includes eggs cooked to order, most of the rest is consistent with third world offerings ie. substandard. Coffee is good and unlimited. The hotel restaurant(s) are OK. They offer Indian, Chinese and "other" which includes some Italian items, some American fare. The calamari is awful, the pizza not bad.

As in other places in Tanzania, don't eat the fruit unless you peel it yourself, don't eat fresh veggies because they will have been rinsed in contaminated water. Cooked food only. Bottled beverages only. Take pro-biotics daily (Whole Foods) to help defeat any unwanted bacteria in your gut. We took "pearls" and did not have a single instance of "traveler's illness" in the two months we traveled.

Date of stay: June 2008
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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    • Business service (e.g., internet access)
Thank TomCincinnatus
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 15 June 2008

I have been coming to Tanzania for years and have seen this place go down hill-yet their prices seem to keep increasing! The Impala back in the day was nice and they had great staff and great food. But the owner built a lodge in Moshi and took his best staff there and Impala never recovered and from what I hear-with the opening of his new place in arusha (forget name-has the word springs in it though I think) he has sold the place. Speaking of the new place-giant blue tower that opened last month-rooms without beds and even some missing toilets, incompetent staff- 80 people walked out in first week (not hearsay-I am here ion Arusha)..... Anyhoo- Other than a few of the older porters-noone will lift a finger to help you. As for the rooms....If anyone ever says they had a nice room at Impala-it could be true-Impala does have a few nicer looking rooms that are almost worth the price ( at least the resident rate price of several yeasr ago). However, the vast majority are in poor condition, small, musty, horrible mattresses, torn mosquito nets, ancient bed sheets, broken TVs that when they do work only have 3 channels, no hot water., water that trickles out of the faucet. I could go on but I move on to the food. The Indian restaurant used to be one of best places in Arusha to eat. They got a new chef a few years ago-I use term chef lightly. The food is no longer good and more importantly, I got sick one night and a friend got sick the second time we ate there. There are several good indian places now that I would never eat there again. The chinese-Id walk next door to Dragon Pearl. As for the italian-last time I ate there I had pasta with cheese in it-the cheese was coagulated in a giant clump and they didnt take off all the plastic so I was stuck picking it all out-I pointed it out to staff and all they said was "oh". There are so many nice places in Arsuha for less or comparable prices-why on earth stay here?

Date of stay: June 2007
  • Trip type: Travelled on business
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1  Thank serval_girl
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 2 February 2008

Will never return to this awful hotel. You don't even get a towel at the sunbeds unless you have been swimming in the pool. The staff do not understand the term "service".

Date of stay: January 2008
1  Thank Kurtgregor
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 17 January 2008

Stayed at Hotell Impala for three days instad of a planned Safaritrip due to sickness. It is definently not the worst place to spend three days although it has several issues that should be sorted out.
The lobby is really nice although the Africa theme is very visible. The rooms although clean have seen better days but nothing to complain about. Power went out now and then but was always restored within minutes. The hotel has a very nice pool and relaxation area and the restaurants, gift shops and internet cafe is professional and good.

It is a hotel that has seen better days but this does not make it a nice place to stay while in Arusha.

Date of stay: January 2008
  • Trip type: Travelled with friends
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    • Business service (e.g., internet access)
3  Thank chrishau
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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