Lutheran Uhuru offers an excellent value in a relaxed and beautiful setting. It is located a few kilometers out of Moshi on a large campus that includes a restaurant, cafe, small shop, chapel, outdoor BBQ and Internet cottage. The rooms are spotless and include everything you'd need, from well-tended mosquito netting to plentiful hot water to complimentary bottled water upon arrival. It's not a luxury place, but there's nothing missing, and for $40-$55/night, depending on the room, I can't imagine finding better. The location is also a good balance. It's a very pleasant walk down tree-lined streets into town, but far enough away to provide an almost rural feel. In the evenings, Mt Kilimanjaro is often visible either from your room (in one of the buildings) or from a comfortable look-out point open to everyone.

The true secret to Lutheran Uhuru, however, is their truly TOP-NOTCH safaris. Look no further for a budget-minded, high-value, superlative-quality safari than this low-key place. We emailed our itinerary requests about 45 days in advance and it was all set within a week. We received a very professional spreadsheet that detailed every cost. During our safari, we stayed in both basic lodges and high-end places--whatever was the best accommodation available (and for the high-end places, we paid much less than what was quoted on the Internet). The safari car was well-maintained and in excellent working condition. My friend and I had a private safari (just the two of us) for about the same cost as a budget safari with 3-4 strangers.

Our guide, as guides usually do, made the trip. Jessy was informed, friendly, experienced, professional and welcoming. He made suggestions but was also flexible and aware of our preferences. We had some incredible luck with animal sightings--but I suspect it wasn't "luck" at all. Rather, Jessy's expertise helped make our experience truly unforgettable. Uhuru has two guides--and they are both very good, but I suggest requesting Jessy!

Because it is typical to pay for safaris in advance via wire transfer, I felt totally comfortable wiring the money for our safari up front to Lutheran Uhuru. I highly recommend both the hostel and the safaris to anyone.

After climbing Kilimanjaro for 7 days, we paid $50 (a lot in Moshi) for a shower, sleep and a tiny bit of relaxation....no such luck. STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE!!!!

A quick balanced summary of the cons and pros ....

CONS

1. No hot water. After trying to turn on the switch for 2 hours, they finally agreed to let us move rooms. Four rooms later, we had hot water... for about 6 minutes.

2. Noise. Only sleep remedy here is a 2x4 to the noggin. Loud parties, a noisy parking lot in the center of the hotel, roosters, farting pigs, crows with fog-hornesque crowing, and bells, senseless bells, early....and more..

3. Broken toilet. No flushing. Might as well camp.

4. Broken fan. Would not switch on. Reception could care less.

5. Location. This place is out in the sticks. After negotiation, the cheapest taxi one way into town is still around $3, $6 return, despite what your guide book says. A bit annoying if you need to go into town more than once in a day.

6. Mosquito nets are too small to fit around the bed, leaving you in an exasperated sweaty mess as you try to untangle yourself around 4am after not sleeping. And somehow there are more mosquitos here than in the city (perhaps because you're in the countryside). The little pirahanas were lapping up my 60% deet spray like warm milk.

7. Price. I was quoted 50,000 Tanzanian shillings on the phone - approximately $42. When I arrived, the price had changed to $50.

8. Customer service. There is none. When the water was broken, and we were clearly 7 days unwashed, delirious from all the climbing, no one was willing to help until I started demanding my money back. For a Christian hotel, they do not treat you as they'd like to be treated.

PROS

1. Food. Tasty, reasonable portions and semi-reasonably priced. Based on the earlier review, I guess we got lucky.

SUMMARY

The previous night we stayed at Zebra Hotel, which was only $35 ($15 cheaper), and had hot water, decent plumbing, and the staff was pleasant. It's very new and very, very decent. Please save your money and go to a place that delivers on the price.

In short, DO NOT PAY EXTRA FOR AMENITIES THAT DON'T EXIST (ie fan, tv, mosquito net, plumbing, etc)

Hope you have better luck....

We stayed in the northern block of rooms on the second level and these were more than adequate - clean and comfortable with a nice balcony looking towards Kili. The grounds of this hotel complex are large yet simple, but well tended. I have to say however, that the restaurant service was beyond belief! We waited so long for our lunch out in the garden restaurant that we thought the staff had gone to buy the chicken from the market! And this happened every time we ate there!! This wasn't for anything fancy - it was for a cheese sandwich - which, once it arrived was so totally unremarkable you had to wonder what they had been doing in the kitchen all that time! Overall, good hotel (if you don't need a beer after climbing Kili!) but don't go to the restaurant hungry!

Fancy staying at a hostel full of missionaries, that doesn't serve alcohol!? Then this is the place for you! Seriously though, this is an excellent choice if you don't want a beer after a long, dusty day (the hostel is totally dry) and would instead prefer somewhere peaceful, clean and safe. That said, there are other places in Moshi which are peaceful, clean and safe as well as serving alcohol!

The grounds at the lutheran are well kept, the staff are reasonably friendly and the food (when it finally arrives) is above average. The rooms have reliable hot water in the morning, fresh linen and the pillows are the best in Tanzania.

If you're coming into moshi by public transport then don't stay here - it's too far out from the centre to walk (and not safe to walk to alone at night) , so it's only really practical if you have your own transport.

Oh, and did I mention they don't serve alcohol....?