Seronera Wildlife Lodge

Food was so so. They had a little problem finding our reservation. They aren’t use to people coming without organized safari. All worked out fine.

Stayed two nights here and loved it. The staff were friendly and welcoming, the food was fresh and delicious, the rooms were comfortable and clean. We watched the sunrise each morning and saw animals roaming the grounds while we ate breakfast. Enjoyed every minute of our stay and look forward to our return.

The best things about this place is the location and it’s views. Also the swimming pool, bar area and viewing platform are great too. All staff we came across were lovely and friendly. The negatives were the bedroom/s. Can’t speak for them all of course. But ours was very small and pokey. The view was lovely however. Food in the resturant area was good enough. But the boxes we were given for lunch were the poorest we have had on our trip. We were a vegetarian and a vegan and on the final lunch box day the vegan dish was chicken. Not the best that. There with a few other options within our boxes so we got around it. It’s still a stunning place but just a few things let it down. But not enough to leave us with a disappointing experience. The positives out weigh the negatives.

A very nice, conveniently located lodge. Just five minutes away from the animals who may visit. Elegantly done up in wood. Some great views from a raised viewing deck. Well trained professional staff. Good restaurant. But: Room amenities need an upgrade. For instance , we found one, well hidden place where we could connect our chargers (after disconnecting the fridge). Internet is ok for text and mail (and is available in the rooms). There are windows (louvers) behind the curtains for circulation of air. But they are of the cheapest design and get caught in the curtains, thereby tearing them. And since the tap water is not potable, bottled (or other potable) water needs to be made available on demand.

We visited the lodge for lunch. This is very close to the seronera airport. This being the oldest lodge in Serengeti, it’s being looked after well. I am unable to comment on the rooms as I did not use any rooms. The restaurant was very spacious and overlooking the plains. Food was very delicious and a decent spread. Most of all the top deck over the rock is worth the visit.

I would definitely not call Seronera a resort. It holds much promise. It’s smack in the middle of the Serengeti NP and perched on top of a rocky outcrop that oversees the plains. The staff are also upbeat when it comes to service, and food spread while not big, is overall delicious. They would also try to serve up dishes if you have particular requested, and staff puts up a lively performance over dinner. However a lot more work is required, especially with the hardware and maintenance. The development is old style and rundown. Its wooden floors are creaky and curtains tattered (we looked at multiple rooms with similar conditions). We checked in with dead and half-dead bugs on the floor, and a bug ran across my daughter’s arm. The management explained that bugs are attracted to light but still, maintenance I think could be better. They eventually moved us to a family room which was marginally better, but same problems persist. The beds are stiff, our room couldn’t get wifi and hot water wasn’t reliable. Reminds us very much of a motel in the US rural, certainly not a resort. On the electricity, it indeed cuts off at 12am (11.30pm on our first day) and only comes back on close to sunrise. The management explained that this is because the airport is nearby and the authorities have rejected their request to put up solar panels (for backup batteries). And leaving the electricity on the whole night is not permitted either so as not to disturb the wildlife. So you will need to be diligent at charging up all devices early as they can’t be charged overnight. Seronera will need a lot more work and investment before it can become a viable resort.

Our self drive car broke down on the journey several times, suspension totally gone among other issues, we finally arrived here after 13 hours driving 8pm. They couldn’t find our reservation but checked us in ( we realised 4 days later it wasn’t where we meant to be ,but in retrospect we couldn’t have driven the further 2 hours to our booked hotel!) The room was a welcome oasis and we gratefully accepted the hard beds, and long wait for hot water from the showers. The electric being turned off for periods during the day and night didn’t pose too many issues, although the lack of fans did mean the rooms got a little warm- netting on windows and mosi nets mean you can sleep safely with windows open. Lunches were very good, breakfast and supper buffets with choices to suit most diners, although the quality mediocre. The mechanics attached to the hotel were brilliant , quickly repaired the electrical fault, and then fitted the new suspension shocks when they arrived from Arusha. The hotel is situated in a good place for game viewing with a great raised terrace looking out over the savannah.