The Mt Meru Hotel reopens tomorrow after nearly five years of closure. This is a positive development that adds to the chain of tourist accommodation in Arusha.
About eight accommodation facilities have been opened in Arusha in the last five years reflecting the growing numbers of tourists visiting the northern circuit of Tanzania.
The national parks and game reserves that make up Tanzania’s northern circuit are the most popular and accessible attractions in the country. All the big names of mainstream Tanzanian safaris are located in the north, from the plains of the Serengeti to the lofty peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Most safaris to the northern circuit begin in Arusha.
Lake Manyara National Park and Tarangire National Park are little more than three hours away. The most visited part of the northern circuit is the Ngorongoro Crater, where wildlife graze and hunt in one of the largest volcanic craters in the world.
Since 2006 big hotels as Kibo Palace, The East African, Naura Springs, Silver Palm, Corridor Springs, African Tulip and Snow Crest have been opened.
The opening of Mt Meru hotel will also increase employment in Arusha. Hotel officials say more than 270 people are set to be employed in various departments of the hotel.
With a glossy new look and added facilities, the refurbished Mt Meru hotel which has been taken over by a South African-registered enterprise is expected to reclaim its past glory of hosting major events in the region.
President Jakaya Kikwete is expected to grace its reopening that will be followed by a bash party.
Mt Meru Hotel was first opened in 1977 at the climax of 10 years of Arusha Declaration. In its heyday, it frequently played host to the EA region’s elite including heads of states who held their meetings there.
The hotel has several conference halls and meeting rooms that can hold between 200 to 500 people depending on the nature of the function. A golf course on the southern terraces lies within 15 acres of the hotel land.
