Arusha changes
Page 145: Arrival
The shuttle bus terminus is no longer at Hotel Mount Meru, as this is closed for
renovation. Instead, it is at Hotel 77, a place we mentioned in the first edition
but dropped from the second as it is not the nicest place in town, and wev'e never
met anybody who's stayed there. Anyway, you'll find it to the north of the Spices
and Herbs Ethiopian restaurant, and indeed north of the new Bella Luna Italian Restaurant
(see below) on what is now called Simon Road - but which used to be called Moshi
Road (the name given to it in the second edition of the guide).
Page 146: Orientation and getting around
There have been some bizarre road-name changes in Arusha. Actually, what we think
has happened is that Arusha's Department of Roads has put up some road-signs at the
major junctions with the names of the roads on - only they've put them in the wrong
place! (I''ve looked at several maps of the city, and the names correspond with the
names on the town plan in the second edition of the guide - so I can assure you it's
not a fault with the guidebook.)Unfortunately, the road signs no longer match the
corresponding roads in the book. For example, the name Simeon Boulevard (also spelt
Simon) has become Simeon (Simon) Road and has moved one block east, so it's now the
road running north from the Impala Hotel roundabout, where you'll find Kijenge Self-service
supermarket and the Ethiopian restaurant Spices and Herbs. In the book it's labelled
Moshi Road. In the book Simeon (Simon) Boulevard/Road was the thoroughfare running
past the AICC and Immigration Department. It's now called Barabara Afrika ya Mashariki.
Services
Page 147: Banks
Barclays now have a branch with ATM at the Shoprite complex, and there is a second
cashpoint near Kodak Express.
The Bureaux de Change with the best rates in Arusha are the Sanya 2 and Sanya 3 offices;
the former lies about 50 metres down the hill from the patisserie, the latter lies
next to the Metropole Cinema on Sokoine.
Page 147: Communications
TTCL now have internet, for which they charge Ts500 for 30 minutes.
Page 147: Airline offices
Kenya Airways shares its office with its Tanzanian partner Precision Air, situated
in the New Safari Hotel Building on Boma Road.
Page 150: Shopping
Safari Care This good little trekking shop in the Shoprite complex is the best place
to pick up trekking equipment in town. That said, it is still far, far better to
bring as much as you can from home – their choice of boots, for example, is derisory
– but by the same token it's the first place to head if you’ve forgotten anything.
Travel Market Also in the Shoprite complex, is best place for souvenirs, with a photo
gallery upstairs, while the ground floor is filled hand-made cards and a good selection
of locally made goods.
Where to stay
Page 151: Budget: under US$15
The Da’ Costa Hotel, that we recommended in the last edition of the book as the best
budget choice in Arusha, has now been rebranded as Arusha Backpackers (tel 027-2504474,
web www.arushabackpackers.co.tz). It remains by some distance the best and most popular
choice for those on a budget. Rooms with breakfast are currently US$6/12 sgl/dbl,
with a spot in a 4-bed dorm currently US$5. Note that their phone number has also
changed since the book was published.
Safari Lodge, to the north of the bus station, is now closed.
Page 153: Mid-range: US$15-50
Page 154: The equally pleasant Arusha Naaz has a new website: www.arushanaaz.net
The pleasant Le Jacaranda Hotel has a new website: www.chez.com/jacaranda/Default.html
Page 154-5: Out-of-town hotels
Citylink Hotel (tel 027-2544444; web www.citylinkhotel.com). This out-of-town hotel,
just a few hundred metres east of the Philips Roundabout (the junction of the Nairobi-Moshi
Road and Simon Road, the road leading down to the Impala Hotel), is a pleasant surprise.
From the outside it's clearly aiming to attract local businessman's than trying to
grab a share of the tourist market, and the inside confirms that, yet this is still
a smart, tidy place and it makes a change to find yourself surrounded by (well-heeled)
locals rather than fellow holidaymakers. That said, the only reason you'd end up
here is if your trekking agency or tour operator needs to find somewhere for you
and their other, more foreigner-orientated places are full. Rates are sgl/dbl/tpl
US$40/45/55.
Onsea (tel 0784 833207; web www.onseahouse.com) If money was not a concern, this
would be where I'd stay in Arusha - or rather, about 5km outside it. To put it succintly,
this place is just about perfect, with everything - from the locally made furniture
to the outdoor pool and jacuzzi, the friendly Belgian designer-manager whose vision
led to the Onsea's creation and the tranquil setting on Namasi Hill with views across
to Meru - just spot on. Honestly, it makes me want to get married just so I can have
my honeymoon here. And I haven't even mentioned the food yet, prepared by the owner's
talented cousin who has been cooking since he was twelve, working in Michelin-starred
restaurants since he was 16 and can count the Emperor of Japan as one of his clients.
Really, I could go on for ages about just how gorgeous the Onsea is but then a) you'd
start to suspect I was in their pay (which I can promise you I'm not); b) I believe
there is a limit of 100mb to my website; and c) I don't want too many people to find
out about it, because they have only four rooms and a guest cottage and availability
can be hard to come by. Not cheap by Arusha's standards, but still the best value
going.
Page 154: Upmarket: above US$50
Kibo Palace (tel 027-2544472/2548887, web www.kibopalacehotel.com) Glitzy, shiny
hotel on the Old Moshi Road that opened its doors in January 2006. In atmosphere
it seems more of a buisnessman's hotel than one that caters specifically to tourists,
but such is the shortage of top-class accommodation at certain time of year, don't
be too surprised if you book a package and find yourself put up here for a night
or two. There's nothing wrong with the Kibo Palace; indeed it's all very polished,
clean and agreeable, with 63 smart rooms from suites to singles, all with satellite
TV and all mod cons - though it is, it must be said, rather soulless too. The swimming
pool's nice, however. The hotel stands just to the west of the Everest Chinese restaurant
on the opposite side of the road. Rates are currently sgl/dbl US$145-155/165-175,
suites sgl/dbl US$260-385/290-435, though booked through an agency should be cheaper.
Page 156: New Mount Meru Hotel is currently under renovation and is closed.
Hotel Aquiline (tel 0732 0972196, web www.hotelaquiline.com) Surprisingly smart hotel
given a location overlooking the bus station at the ‘rough’ end of Arusha. Boasting
that they are the best in the 'western part of town', the Aquiline consists of 48
en-suite rooms with internet and TV, a reasonably stocked bar and restaurant and,
thankfully, some smiling receptionists. Rates start at US$50/75 for sgl/dbl rooms
with continental breakfast.
Where to eat and drink
Page 156: Pizzarusha This favourite with backbackers has now relocated one block
south and now stands next to the Monjes Hotel, which, incidentally, now has rooms
on both sides of the street.
Page 157: Big Bite by the market has now closed.
New restaurants
Bollate Haile Selassie Road. This is more like it, a smart restaurant that actually
manages to be good value too! Situated on (or rather, just off) Haile Selassie Road,
north of the turn-off to the Flame Tree restaurant (see below), Bollate describes
itself as a Mexican/Italian/Continental restaurant. And while we didn't sample everything
on the menu (which, given its size, would have taken many months), we can vouch that
the Mexican dishes are fine, filling and, given the fact we're a few thousand miles
from Central America, fairly authentic too. A serious contender for those looking
to celebrate - though you'll need to get a taxi to and from it as the streets around
here are dark.
Chopstix Shoprite Complex. Decent little Chinese restaurant with good spring rolls
and, errr, pizzas. Food fair and portions prodigious. Unfortunate location in the
rather sterile Shoprite Complex is the only drawback.
Crossroads Clean and busy joint just south of the bus terminus, serving usual African
fare; the best place to hang out while waiting for your bus to leave, or just to
recover after the mayhem of the station.
Flame Tree Haile Selassie Road. Perhaps the smartest and certainly the most tasteful
restaurant in town, the Flame Tree sits on Haile Selassie Road, one block west of
the Jacaranda. There's no disputing the calibre of the food here, nor indeed the
care taken to prepare it, with tomatoes carved to look like rosebuds and baskets
that teem with fancy bread. Nor, for that matter, can the quality of the service
be criticised, with the waitresses polite, attentive and good-natured. So far, so
good, then. What stops the Flame Tree from being entirely satisfactory, however,
is that their food, while undoubtedly tasty, is fancy rather than filling; and that,
from the point of view of trekkers who, having spent the best part of a week suffering
various deprivations and dreaming of being face down in a trough full of calorific
nosh, is one large and definite drawback. Their puddings, with chocolate a main ingredient,
provide some compensation - but overall, this is a place to bring your (rich) elderly
aunt, rather than a venue for a post-trek knees-up.
La Bella Luna Standard if smart pizza restaurant with enormous open-sided hall attached
where top acrobatic and musical acts perform at weekends. Food is fair and service
as efficient as you can expect from a place this size; hesitate to recommend it during
the week - if only because it doesn’t really stand out from its many rivals - but
do drop in at the weekends to see if anything’s going on.
Masai Café Simon Boulevard. Part Italian-owned pizza and pasta joint that’s chockablock
with expats and well-heeled locals during the day – thanks largely to its location
opposite the AICC building, just above the Immigration Office – but which can be
deathly quiet in the evenings. A bit of a shame, as the food is fine and the service
satisfactory.
Sahan Old Moshi Road. As far as I am aware this is Arusha's only Japanese restaurant,
a new place that's presumably looking to capitalise on the increasing numbers of
Japanese tourists flocking to Tanzania's national parks and who are reluctant to
try the local cuisine. Whether there are enough of them to warrant a whole restaurant
is a moot point, but it is nice to see a place that's willing to serve up something
other than pizzas, which seems to be the speciality of every other new eaterie in
town. The restaurant lies by the Kibo Palace Hotel on the Old Moshi Road.
Sidewalk Café India Street. No-nonsense place in the tourist heart of town that's
ideal for those seeking quick, cheap portions of food and can't be bothered to walk
to the other side of town.
Nightlife
Page 159: Colobus Club This long-running club is now under Swiss ownership (it's
owned the same guy who’s currently running Via Via). A French manager has also been
installed. Still open Fri and Sat only.
Crystal Nightclub This has now been renamed Silks
Via Via This popular travellers' cafe has live music on Thursday nights, movie night
on Wednesdays in the warm, dry season (ie starting September) and still hosts the
Washarusha Music Festival in December. It has, however, lost its pool table, so Masai
Campsite, Colobus and Sega (see above) are now the best places for a game now.
New bar
Sega Bar Seedy joint to the east of the bus station, with no sign outside (though
locals will know where it is), good for those seeking decent pool tables (Ts500 per
game) and cheap Konyagi gin. Definitely a locals’ bar but there’s nothing wrong with
that. There's also a local chicken grill joint across the road that seems to open
at weekends only, but has the distinction of being the last place to close at night
- handy if you arrive in Arusha late.
Trekking agencies
Page 162: Mauly Tours (web www.mauly-tours.com), one of the oldest agents in Moshi,
now has a branch on the first floor of the Shoprite complex. Their phone number there
is tel 027-2548448.
Page 167: Getting away
Buses
Scandinavia have moved their offices away from the hurly-burly of the bus station
to the equally chaotic Mako Mapya Road. This is the road that runs north from virtually
opposite Shoprite, which is west off the Arusha map (but only by a couple of hundred
metres) on p148-9 of the second edition. Scandinavia's office is about 5 minutes
up the road on the right-hand side. Their reputation for punctuality has been tarnished
in recent years, though their service is still far safer and superior to other companies.
They currently have three buses per day to Dar es Salaam, two at 8.30am (with the
cost either Ts20,000 or Ts24,000 depending on the quality of the bus) and one at
11.30am (Ts24,000), as well as one per day to Nairobi, at 4pm (Ts15,000) and one
al the way to Kampala (4pm; Ts40,000).
The Easy Coaches office has gone, as have the company.
The Royal Coaches office is now home to Kilimanjaro Express. They have two buses
per day to Dar, at 7 and 8am.
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