I stayed at the Arusha Giraffe lodge before and after a Northern Tanzania safari that I had booked. Upon arriving, the staff greeted me warmly with a warm, moist towel (I realized it was to allow me to wipe the dust off of my hands and face--not necessary from the ride to the airport but warmly welcomed following the safari!) and a glass of refreshing pineapple juice.
The room exceeded expectations given the price I paid, complete with an ensuite bathroom, television, mini fridge, large comfortable leather chair, and large bed with mosquito netting. Air conditioning was provided as well. Showers were hot, though you did need to call the front desk for them to turn on the water pump--hardly a hassle though. The WiFi was also very accessible.
I availed myself of the wet bar which was well stocked with local Tanzanian beers at a very reasonable price compared to the beers that I was charged on safari.
The restaurant offered both a la carte and prix fixe three-course menu options. I went with the prix fixe menu both nights and was delighted with a delicious meal both times for only 20,000 TSH (~$9 USD). Breakfast both nights was standard and consisted of fresh fruit, delicious pancakes, toast, and sausages.
My only criticisms were that the local area didn't appear that walkable and there was a considerable amount of noise from the local church and school.
