Ngorongoro Lodge Member of Meliá Collection

The hotel provides updated, comfortable rooms with stunning crater views. Guests enjoy the spa facilities, friendly staff, and serene location at the crater's edge. However, some may find the decor slightly overwhelming.

In this review, I provide comments on the recently opened spectacular Ngorongoro Lodge situated on the Ngorongoro Crater rim, now a part of the Spanish Meliá Hotels International collection of luxury hotels. I introduce some historical context which might add to visitors’ interest in this lodge since it is more than just the new lodge—it has a history in the story of parks and tourism in Tanzania and at the Ngorongoro Crater. I stayed at the original old Wildlife Lodge on this very site, in 1987. This was early in the history of Tanzania’s development of safari and wildlife tourism and the lodge was characteristic in its rather austere form of mostly concrete and basic décor. There were only a few lodges in those days. A similar example was the still-open Lake Manyara Lodge perched right on the cliff-edge of the rift, overlooking Lake Manyara. My memories of the old lodge on the Crater rim remain, however, as its prime feature was the wall of windows overlooking the Crater with a breathtaking view of the Crater floor and walls, almost of the entire 360-degree circumference. Many other lodges provide views of the Crater but not as complete as this view. I have never forgotten the old lodge and that view. In a sequence of visits to the Crater (in 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023), I still saw that old lodge high on the crater wall, but sadly it was closed and abandoned for many years as the tourism sector developed around it and as the plethora of newer lodges took over. Attached to this review is a view of the lodge structure in 2023 (image attached). Several entities and companies were involved in efforts for potential acquisition of the lodge to bring it back to life, but as of 2023 there was a locked gate on the property and the only sign of life was a zebra walking through the undergrowth at the fence. It was very sad to think that the lodge that occupied the prime position on the rim of the crater had been lost, left derelict and off-limits. By the time of our visit to the Crater in March 2024 we were overjoyed to experience the resurrected lodge in the form of the magnificent new Ngorongoro Lodge which is now part of the international Meliá Collection. In place of the old concrete structure, there is now a sleek now modern building but with some of the original structural elements retained. Perhaps most significant is the fact that the wall of glass, the breathtaking view of almost the entire crater floor, has been retained but upgraded to be a verandah or terrace where one can look out or also have drinks. Behind this is a large lounge area and restaurant that is gaining a reputation for its cuisine. An infinity pool perches on the front edge of the structure adjacent to the main area, and the area of rooms has been reconstructed. The décor is sophisticated with African “safari” elements and artwork. In short, it is a beautiful new luxury hotel/lodge that one could see in any large city, or resort, but this one is special because it i