Mbalageti Serengeti
Built on the Mwamveni ridge with an enormous outlook — restaurant, pool and public areas all look out over open plains. Its real selling points are the position, the view and a thoroughly traditional African safari atmosphere; how good the stay itself feels depends largely on which room you take.
We use this hotel on the Comfortable Economic, Signature and Luxury tiers alike — the difference is the room type. The reason is simply that the Western Serengeti has very few hotels to choose from. If it bothers you that three tiers share one property, we can substitute an alternative (see "If it is full" below). The Ultra-luxury tier does not use it; that goes to &Beyond Grumeti Serengeti River Lodge instead.
Why we chose it
Mbalageti's great strength is its position and its view. The hotel is built on a low ridge with an enormous outlook, and the restaurant, pool and public areas all look out over the surrounding plains — combine that with the density of game in the west in June and the stay itself starts to feel like part of the safari. The style is traditional and rugged African safari, with a lot of timber, stone and natural materials. It is not the modern, polished route, but guests who like a classic African atmosphere usually love it.
It also offers several grades of room, which lets it fit very different budgets: with limited funds you still get the benefit of the location, and with more to spend you can improve the stay considerably by upgrading the room.
What to know
The entry-level Lodge Room really is basic. It covers everything you need, but the fit-out and hardware are plain, and some guests will find it a little spartan.
And because it carries several grades of room and is not a small property, this is not the kind of intimate luxury camp built around privacy and exclusivity — even in the better rooms, the restaurant, pool and other public areas are shared with guests on every budget. For higher-budget travellers who particularly want quiet, privacy and the feeling of a camp shared by only a handful of people, that is worth knowing in advance.
Rooms by tier
A masonry block building rather than a tent, about 500 m from the main lodge, with an en-suite bathroom and a small terrace. The most basic option here.
Raised on a timber deck, with a four-poster bed, bath and shower, and a large balcony. Spread along the sunrise or sunset side of the ridge, and genuinely spacious.
Two bedrooms with a separate living and dining area — the most private and the highest-specified room in the hotel.
If it is full
- · Comfortable Economic: upgrade to a Tented Chalet within the same hotel.
- · Signature: Lahia Tented Lodge.
- · Luxury: Kirawira Serena Camp; or step straight up to the Ultra-luxury tier at &Beyond Grumeti Serengeti River Lodge.
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