Plantation Lodge

A beautiful lodge in the Ngorongoro Highlands

Five hearts from 25 votes

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Review

As discussed in the Ngorongoro Sopa review, often the choice at the crater is whether to pay for the view (by staying on the crater rim) or for the accommodation (staying in the Highlands). In the case of staying in the Highlands, then we recommend Plantation Lodge. This great little lodge is set in its own gardens and looks out over the verdant Ngorongoro Highlands as the sweep out towards the Rift Escarpment. Offering great value for money and really good food and service, it is one of our favourites!

Location

The great thing about staying in the Ngorongoro Higlands is that, unlike around the Ngorongoro Crater, where the options for lodges is fairly slim, there is a wide range of great value options that all give you superb service, great rooms and great food. Plantation Lodge is certainly our pick of the best of these as, from a location point of view, it is a short drive back to the main road that then takes you up to the crater, it has wonderfully simple and elegant rooms, and the overall experience is right up there.

Layout

As mentioned, the rooms offer a simple but elegant luxury. All of them open out onto their own balconies and give views out either to the Highlands or to the beautiful gardens that surround the property. In particular the suites have the added benefit of a little extra room and vast baths that are almost plunge pools!

Coupled with the really friendly and helpful management, Plantation Lodge just about edges it over its neighbours such as Gibb's Farm or the Ngorongoro Farmhouse.

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We have a price match guarantee on this property that means, as preferred suppliers, we can guarantee you the best rate available for the property.

Feedback

The plantation lodge accommodation and food and drink was fantastic, but it was a bit of a drive to and from the crater.

- Skylar and Hannah, February 2019
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The beginning of the trip to Ngorognoro Crater, as you already mentioned this is a must visit. The landscape is stunning. We managed to see pretty much everything including a black rhino. Plantation Lodge was excellent. As we were the only ones there, we were upgraded to a larger apartment/house. The food here was very well prepared, the staff extremely friendly.

- James and Sarah, March 2018
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Plantation Lodge was outstanding. Fantastic food and wonderful staff.

- David and Alice, January 2018
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We very much enjoyed the Safari; Multichoice looked after us very well and Plantation Lodge made a lovely birthday cake for Alex although we were too full to eat much of it!

- Rob and Alex, July 2017
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Plantation Hotel was lovely and provided the base for our visit to the Ngorongoro caldera. The route taken to get there from Maramboi via Manyara Park meant a long day, which I have to say was not worth the detour. This was due to the fact that we had seen the lake from our camp and had a walking safari down to the lake shore.

- David and Linda, September, 2016
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After being in the crater, the next day we went to the Coffee Plantation back down on the plain. We loved this place, with a great pool, and an intimate atmosphere despite having quite a few rooms itself, and feeding a large number of people (we had gotten used to the 12 or so for dinner at the Mara Under Canvas). The next day we went to the local park and saw baboons and other wildlife on our way back to Arusha.

- Scott and Kassandra, April, 2014
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Facilities

Plantation Lodge Facilities:

ROOMS- 16 rooms
SAFARI ACTIVITIES- driving in the Crater and Manyara NP, walking around the crater
OTHER ACTIVITIES- visit to coffee plantation, visit local farm, massage
CHILD POLICY- all ages
POOL- yes
PRIVATE DINING- yes
AIRCON- no
INTERNET- yes