Budget
Jambo inn Hotel
Tel [+255 22] 211 4293, on libya street close to econolodge, double room with fan with private bathroom for 26000tsh per night, single 20.000 tsh. internet and restaurant in hotel. this place is the primary backpacker hotel in the centre. good restaurant slow internet.
Transit Motel Ukonga
(http://www.transitmotels.com), tel +255 22 2843300. located close to the dar es salaam international airport. handy for guests with early departure flights. small but clean houses with private showers, split acs in each room. rate from us$30.0 per room per night, b&b.
Holiday Hotel
Located on jamhuri street. an old colonial-era building that has been managed by the same indian family for three generations. singles with shared bath for around 15,000, en suite doubles for 25,000. lot of character but a bit run down and the mattresses are sweaty.
Econo Lodge
Tel [+255 22] 211 6048, close to the safari inn, has nice single rooms with private bathroom for 20000tsh per night.
Transit Motel Airport
(http://www.transitmotels.com), tel +255 22 2842177. also located close to the dar es salaam international airport. handy for guests with early departure flights. clean houses with private showers, split acs in each room. rate from us$30.0 per room per night, b&b.
YMCA
Round the corner from the ywca, opposite the new holiday inn on makataba street. rooms are 20'000 / 25'000/- for single / double, less if you are a tanzanian resident.
Tamarine Guest House
Sofia kawawa street, single from 10000 tsh, double from 15000 tsh. slightly better than the pop inn, but often fully booked.
YWCA
Just next to the ymca, offers singles with fan and shared bathroom for 10 000tsh per night and "family rooms", which can be had by one person, with small fan for 8000tsh. rooms and bathrooms are rather clean. breakfast is included, but not very tasty. they are developing a reputation for not honouring bookings. very noisy with doors being slammed repeatedly.
Elsewhere:
Q Bar and Guest House
Tel +255 22 211 2667, +255 754 282 474, [email protected], [email protected], haille selassie road, oysterbay area. a little further out of town in the oysterbay area. q bar and guest house has very clean rooms starting at usd $35, and a backpacker room for usd$15. downstairs a large bar and restaurant which can get crowded and noisy when major football games are shown on giant screens or on friday night when there is live music.
Safari Inn
Tel 022-2138101, around libya street, has singles with private bathroom from usd 20000tsh per night with simple breakfast. the hotel has an internet cafã©, and there are restaurants nearby.
Pop Inn Hotel
Sofia kawawa street, single from 10000 tsh, double from 15000 tsh. it might be a dump of a place with tiny, dirty, windowless rooms, but clearly the cheapest in town, and it seldom gets fully booked. due to the hiking price of oil both pop inn and tamarine have increased the prices per room per night to 10.000 for a single; double or triple: 15,000. same rates apply to tamarine as well. also it is important to note that both places are conveniently located only 10 minutes away from the city center, walking distance. both places have lockpads so bring your locks with you.
City Centre:
Dar also has many inexpensive guest houses outside of the city centre, particularly in the area south of the university. If you feel like experiencing Dar as most of its residents do, ask for help finding a cheap "gesti" and be prepared to go off the beaten track.
If you're coming or going by bus there's a number of basic guestis in the Sinza area just around the corner from Ubungo bus terminal. A taxi driver should be able to help you find one in your chosen price range.
Midrange
Peacock Hotel
About 5 km north of the US Embassy, on New Bagamoyo Road, is the Peacock Hotel formerly Millennium Towers Hotel. An a/c room at this 5 star hotel can be had, with a bit of haggling, for $75, including breakfast and internet access. Although this beautiful hotel has a swimming pool, a number of bars and restaurants, a small shopping mall right next door, and a cinema within walking distance, be warned that there is nothing else worth seeing or doing within 5 km, and traffic can get so bad at certain times of the day that going anywhere, especially by dalla dalla, requires Herculean patience, copious amounts of water, and a copy of War and Peace, which should be just about right for the ride to and from the hotel.
Heritage Motel
(http://www.heritagemotel.co.tz), tel +255 33 211 7471. located in bridge street, just off samora avenue and near the zanzibar ferry station. new hotel with very clean rooms starting from us$66. includes breakfast at the lebanese restaurant downstairs.
Rainbow Hotel
On morogoro road just down the street from heritage motel. similar to heritage, but a little cheaper and less upscale. clean rooms. opened october 2010. rooms from us$45; high floor doubles from $65 have excellent harbor views. second floor restaurant has good indian meals. roof deck with panoramic city views. free wi-fi. very friendly staff.
Harbour View Suites
(http://www.harbourview-su...), tel: +255 22 2124040. harbour view suites on samora avenue occupies the top floors of a modern office building. rooms are large and very comfortable and have a fully fitted kitchen. rates start at us$110. excellent breakfast for us$7,50. on the ground floor a well stocked supermarket, an italian pizza and coffee house for take-outs and a subway sandwich shop. internet access in all rooms and in the business center. harbour view is currently october 2007 fitting out two more floors and should have a restaurant and fitness center soon.
Slipway
On the peninsula. Rooms for $90. In a small complex of shops and restaurants.
South Beach Resort
(http://www.southbeachreso...), tel +255 22 282 0666/67/68. the south beach resort is situated in kigamboni along the south coast of dar es salaam, 8 km from the east ferry terminal. amenities include a/c, a private balcony overlooking the indian ocean every room, satellite tv, and in-room safes. also swimming pool, 22 seater jacuzzi, pool tables, sheesha, sports and beach bars. weekends offer great music and great atmosphere. water sports such as jet skiing and beach sports such as volleyball are also available. weekdays & offdays as low as $65. double bed & breakfast is $100. sbr also offers camping facilities for $10/night and cabana rentals for $30 per couple per night.
Peacock Hotel
The Peacock Hotel in Dar center is an air conditioned hotel with a small reception but some luxurious rooms. For $80 after a small bit of haggling you will have a double room overlooking the park. The hotel has a restaurant but no swimming pool and wireless internet access.
Starlight Hotel
Next door to the Peacock is the Starlight Hotel, which isn't luxurious but very secure. You can get a double room for under $40.
Mediterraneo Hotel & Restaurant
Is in kawe about 15km north of the city center, overlooking the indian ocean. rooms have: air conditions,television, safe locker in the room. the swimming pool is 10 m from the beach, and there is a free internet point at the reception, and wireless access around the bar & the lounge area.
Exclusive Lodge
Is in the heart of mikocheni situated at msikiti street opposite st. laureate international school, kwa warioba, [+255] 22 278 0440 ext.126. 10km from the mbezi beaches, 20km from the airport and 10km from the city center. all rooms have a mini-bar, a tv set with satellite channels, ironing board and mosquito nets.
Msasani Peninsula and beyond:
Pugu Hills
A 6 hectare nature centre, just 12 km from dar es salaam airport. there is a pool and hiking opportunities. the centre also has a short 1 km nature trail on the premises. for overnight stay there are 4 lovely elevated bandas in the forested area which cost 80 to 100usd including breakfast for 2 persons. camping with your own tent is possible for 10usd per person. for visiting pugu hills booking is required by phone +255 0 754 565 498 or via the website (http://www.puguhills.com).
There are plenty of expensive hotels in and around Dar but here are some modern hotels which are reasonably priced:
City Centre:
Triniti | GuestHouse
(http://www.triniti.co.tz/guest) tel:+255 756181656. triniti is a home away from home located in the peninsula. only a few minutes from downtown, you feel a total different vibe. mostly because of their magnificient omnipresent garden. next to the uganda embassy. they have 12 unique rooms which vary from 75000tsh single, 90000tsh double or 105000tsh en suite. all rooms include a/c, large and comfy bed, mosquito net, fridge, tv, free internet wi-fi all around the site and freshly renovated bathrooms. to book go to their new website or contact erika at [email protected]
Top end
Golden Tulip
Along toure drive on the way to sea cliff. nice pool-side bistro. was used by klm to billet flight crews until one time they got sick and cost the airline a fortune in rescheduling costs.
Movenpick Royal Palm
+255 22 211 2416. on ohio road at the edge of city centre. used to billet klm and british airways flight crews.
Holiday Inn
Near posta. opened mid-2010.
Amani Beach Hotel
Is around 30km from dar es salaam and between a mid price and a splurge and prices start from $167 per bungalow which sleeps two adults and includes breakfast. there are only 10 beach bungalows so it feels quite exclusive and private and each bungalow overlooks the ocean with a big terrace and hammock. two extra beds can be put in the bungalow for a small additional fee. lots of facilities are available on site like a tennis court, petanque, swimming pool and nature walks but you'll need to book horse riding, massages and village walks with a bit of notice. the best thing about amani beach hotel is the environment - beautiful tropical gardens with monkeys running around, fish eagles soaring overhead and there is even turtle hatching on the beach in season.
Sea Cliff Hotel
Includes a beautiful pool and gym with sea view. it also includes an outpost of the excellent alcove restaurant, serving food similar to the one downtown.
Southern Sun
Tel +255 22 213 7575. a bit far from city centre but still fine to walk during the day.
Ras Kutani
This is part of the selous safari company and is more of a safari lodge on the beach than a hotel. it is within easy reach of dar es salaam next to amani beach with a private landing strip. it has 9 ensuite cottages and some bigger suites on the hill all made with traditional materials. it is a very peaceful and totally relaxing place with an almost deserted long sandy beach in front.
Hyatt Regency Dar es Salaam - The Kilimanjaro
(http://www.kempinski.com) tel +255 22 213 1111. on the harbour, located conveniently in city centre, this luxury hotel offers rooms for usd$225 and up. great breakfast buffet, and a world class spa with thai masseuses.
If you're wanting to escape the city, there are a few upscale hotels just outside of Dar. Just off the road to Bagamoyo, New Bagamoyo road, about a 45 minute drive from the city center, without traffic of course, there is the White Sands Hotel. Some people may like this option as there are several scuba diving schools situated in and around the hotel.
There are also some good hotels on the South Coast via the Kigamboni ferry. The beaches here are better than north of the city and have long expanses of white sand next to turquoise waters.
Msasani Peninsula:
Phone: +255 82 41 00 33 or +255 786 77 55 66, Email: [email protected] (http://www.amanibeach.com)
Dar also has its fair share of hotels which cater largely to foreigners traveling here for work. The rates for these hotels are typically near or start slightly above the maximum per diem accommodation rates for NGOs such as the United Nations or USAID. As with most things in Tanzania, there is often room for negotiation.
City centre:
The cost of accommodation can vary from 10000 Tzs a night for very basic rooms to hundreds of dollars for the Holiday Inn Hotel. The YMCA near Posta daladala stand is the main place to stay and meet fellow backpackers. It fills up quickly.