Jan 17, 2020, 08:01am
Touring Tanzania In Total Luxury: The Gran Meliá Arusha
Duncan Madden
Contributor
Lifestyle
I write topical, environmental and experiential travel stories.
Tanzania is a country over endowed with natural wonders.
Think for a moment of the world’s highest freestanding mountain, the mighty Kilimanjaro, and its not inconsiderable nearby sibling, Mount Meru. Ponder a while over the gargantuan Serengeti stretching its precious wildlife-rich grasslands across some 12,000 square miles of national park. Think too of the gorgeous Zanzibar archipelago, picture perfect Indian Ocean spice islands lying just off the mainland that lent their name to mainland Tanganyika to create the United Republic of Tanzania.
Mighty Kilimanjaro shrouded in early morning clouds, as seen from my Ruka Africa scenic flight. DUNCAN MADDEN
Quite a roll call of wonders then, and one that righty entices people from all over the world to sample not just one, but all – often on a multi-stay trip. On just such a recent visit I took the wise decision to stay at three very different luxury hotels across three spectacular destinations under the umbrella of one brand –
Meliá. Over three articles I’ll be reviewing each of these Tanzanian properties, which together make up the ultimate tour of Tanzania and what it has to offer.
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The latest addition to the Gran Meliá collection, the
Gran Meliá Arusha opened in September 2019. Located in Tanzania’s second city and diplomatic hub, Arusha, it’s the ideal launch point for a Tanzanian tour thanks to its proximity to Kilimanjaro as well as the perfect location for visiting business people and diplomats.
The hotel's sizeable footprint is softened by clever design touches, natural materials and those ... [+]
GRAN MELIÁ ARUSHA
The hotel itself is a mighty edifice – 171 rooms and suites and four restaurants reaching up five stories around a vast open lobby – that frames 28 hectares of gated grounds crossed by a river and dotted with tea and coffee plantations.
Terrace views of the pool, grounds and Mount Meru on the horizon aren't to be sniffed at. GRAN MELIÁ ARUSHA
Despite its sizeable footprint, stepping into the Gran Meliá Arusha is an immediately warm and welcoming experience. Decor gives a hint of what’s to come – cool natural colours with pops of Africa beautifully integrated, all natural materials designed to complement and protect the environment it sits in.
This theme continues into the rooms and suites, running from a minimum 430 square feet (40sqm) up to the mammoth 2,570 square feet (239sqm) presidential suite, all are spacious and airy with big balconies, deluxe bathrooms and every mod con you might need. Again, good environmental policy is at the forefront here, from refillable glass water bottles to wooden-handled toothbrushes and combs with lots of stuff beautifully crafted locally by amazing charities like
Shanga.
Every room is finely detailed with locally crafted African artworks. GRAN MELIÁ ARUSHA
Take a stroll through the hotel and grounds and, if you resist the temptation of a dip in the vast infinity pool or a massage in the on-site spa, you’ll come across a bounty of eating and drinking options. Saba Saba is the all-day dining mainstay – an open buffet-style feast of foods from all four corners of the world showcased extravagantly and tantalizingly by the chefs that prepare them. Tables spill outside so you can dine against the backdrop of towering Mount Meru, should the clouds grant you the view.
There's always room and time for a little poolside R'n'R in between visits to natural wonders. GRAN MELIÁ ARUSHA
Yellow Chilli is the ground floor signature restaurant, a delicious Indian infused journey from Punjab to the Mughal Empire under the direction of chef Sanjeev Kapoor, while on the top deck the newly opened Rooftop Bar is fast becoming the place to be seen for sundowners in Arusha. Fusing Meliá’s Spanish heritage with Peruvian into a unique style of tapas to compliment the cocktails, eating and drinking while watching the sun’s last rays cast their unique light over the tapestry of Arusha rooftops and Meru’s green slopes is a highlight of any stay.
Stay: Choose a Red Level Deluxe Mount Meru View room – 430 square feet of deluxe living with spectacular views of Mount Meru and access to the Level lounge.
Do: Take a scenic flight over Mount Kilimanjaro from nearby Arusha Airport with
Ruka Africa – absolutely unmissable.
Price: Room rates start from $260
Gorgeous details offer a hint of what's to come at my next stop, the Meliá Serengeti Lodge. DUNCAN MADDEN
Next stop, read about the
Meliá Serengeti Lodge and greatest wildlife reserve on earth.
Tanzania has to rate as one of the world’s most spectacular countries, from the pellucid blue waters around Zanzibar to the brown-green grasses of the Serengeti. Here’s how to see it in style.