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Tumaini Cottage: Traveller Reviews

Sakina Area, Arusha, Tanzania
Hotel amenities
Tumaini Cottage
Ranked #4 of 29 Arusha B&B and Inns
4.5 of 5 stars 56 Reviews
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56 reviews from our community

    Trip type
Traveller rating
    41
    12
    3
    0
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Date Rating
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Senior Contributor
22 reviews 22 reviews
Reviews in 17 cities Reviews in 17 cities
32 helpful votes 32 helpful votes
“A home by the avocado tree”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 11 February 2012

Let me just start this review by mentioning the avocados. They're delicious, so tasty and soft. You should definitely try them. The tree is discreetly standing in the neatly arranged garden, so close you might feel the desire to steal them. But don't, or Andy won't let you have all the other delicious comfort food he and his wife have to offer. Tumaini Cottage was a restful haven pre- and post-safari, a place where we could stop and take in the warmth of Tanzania, a great deal of it provided not only by the effervescent sun but also by Andy and his lovely wife, who run Tumaini with great care and attention. The rooms are spacious, equipped with comfortable beds and a good bathroom, all very clean. The food, as mentioned before, was deliciously homemade, and gave one a sense of coziness and spicy memories (masala tea!). Although not within walking distance of Arusha (unless you want to roast under the African sun), trips can be arranged, and you'll have the pleasure of sharing some time with Steve, a quietly charming taxi driver/guide who will take you to and fro without worries. As for Andy and wife, and Tumaini Cottage itself, we can only be thankful they are there, ready to greet the next traveler, and we can be sure they will give them as much joy and comfort (both physical and mental) as they have kindly given us. Thank you Andy, and good luck!

  • Stayed January 2012, travelled as a couple
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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Ask CalistoEloi about Tumaini Cottage
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
tumainicottage, Director of Sales at Tumaini Cottage, responded to this review
13 February 2012
hahahahaha "Home by the Ovacado tree it is" It's always a pleasure when our friends enjoy some natural treats grown onsite at Tumaini Cottage,We are so happy that you stayed with us and got to know our culture,our food and became part of the Tumaini family.The avocados sitting by the garden will always be here for you whenever you visit Tanzania again and yes as long as they are ripe, you better be sure they are included in your next meal.
We wish you all the best and happy valentine's day 2012,dont forget to learn a fresh Swahili daily on our twitter page,thanks.
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Washington DC, District of Columbia
Reviewer
5 reviews 5 reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
3 helpful votes 3 helpful votes
“Excellent, Restful Hotel in Arusha”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 1 February 2012

This review is long overdue but definitely well deserved.

We stayed at Tumaini Cottage for one night on Dec. 27th after a tiring four day safari and were welcomed by Andy and his wife, two very pleasant and friendly people. The hotel is a small, family run operation with a nice garden area. It is located a residential neighborhood in a not-so-central part of town, but is very secure with a huge gate and fences around. There isn't anything walkable in the vicinity. They are currently expanding to include a proper restaurant.

After being provided a refreshing drink we were shown to our spacious, clean, and cozy room. The dinner we had, which was cooked by Andy's wife, was delicious. I informed Andy that there was an issue with the hot water, which he promptly took care of. The next day we needed a ride to the shuttle to take us to the airport, and Andy already had his driver ready to take us there after our complimentary breakfast, which was basic but good.

All in all a nice experience and comfortable place to stay in Arusha.

  • Stayed December 2011, travelled as a couple
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 3 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 4 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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Ask shatta84 about Tumaini Cottage
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
tumainicottage, Director of Sales at Tumaini Cottage, responded to this review
13 February 2012
Glad you got home safe,On behalf of my family i would like to thank you for letting the world know about Tumaini Cottage and Arusha city,we are glad you enjoyed your stay with us and hoping your next African you will get a chance to stay at your second home (Tumaini Cottage)
We wish you and your family the best in 2012 and dont forget to learn a new swahili daily on our twitter page.Thanks
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Budapest, Hungary
Reviewer
5 reviews 5 reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
“Nice people, nice place”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 22 January 2012

Getting there at night especially on our first trip to Africa it was a bit freaky to drive down on the narrow streets to it in complete darkness, however our worries turned out to be not founded.The housing is great, with clean rooms, all needed amenities. Family run hotel, with 10 rooms, so not the industrial hotel feeling.They are people really concerned about the customer feeling good while on their premises, and this was positevly noted in all they were doing. It has very nice gardens, rooms with all that is needed for staying there. It is quiet, so it was a good stop-over before and after safari. Breakfast is basic, but good with fresh juices also, dinner was also very good.

  • Stayed January 2012, travelled with family
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 3 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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Ask dk12345678 about Tumaini Cottage
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
tumainicottage, Director of Sales at Tumaini Cottage, responded to this review
24 January 2012
Hello again,glad you made it home safe and sound.Nothing gives us much joy whenwe know that you our guests feel at home,relaxed and enjoyed yourselves.We are grateful that we opened our home to you and made you comfortable with the surroundings,food and yes the fresh juices.Please know that your second of in Africa is always open for you and your friends any day you visit Arusha Tanzania.Until we meet again, we just want to say thank you for being here,all the best. Asante sana
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Stockholm, Stockholms Lan, Sweden
1 review
“Nice and friendly place”
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 21 January 2012

Our family stayed here after five days of safari. It is a really nice place to stay at. The rooms are clean and there is also a nice garden. The family who runs this place is really friendly. So we can absolutely recommend this place!

  • Stayed January 2012, travelled with family
    • 3 of 5 stars Value
    • 3 of 5 stars Location
    • 4 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 4 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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Ask Stina N about Tumaini Cottage
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
tumainicottage, Director of Sales at Tumaini Cottage, responded to this review
24 January 2012
Hello Stina we are glad you got home safe.hope you and your family enjoyed every bit of Arusha and Tanzania.We are always so happy to hear that our guests enjoy our family oriented African hospitality and for that we thank you.Our home is always open for you and your family whenever you come back to our beautiful country.Pass our regards from my family to yours.Karibu sana
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New York City, New York
2 reviews
3 helpful votes 3 helpful votes
“Refreshing Oasis”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 13 January 2012
1
person found this review helpful

Tumaini Cottage is a refreshing oasis in Arusha. Andrew and Lillian have built a charming clean modern small hotel of approx 10 rooms. Located in a neighborhood, the grounds are nicely landscaped and perfect for sitting and relaxing. We had delicious home cooked meals prepared by Lillian in their dining room with a personal conversation sharing each others lives and discussing issues of the times in Tanzania. There is a lot of hospitality here, and we have been recommending Tumaini Cottage to our friends with well deserved praise.

Larry, Maria and Jenny

  • Stayed November 2011, travelled with family
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
Was this review helpful? Yes
Ask JennyKeku about Tumaini Cottage
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
tumainicottage, Director of Sales at Tumaini Cottage, responded to this review
17 January 2012
Hello Larry,Maria,Jenny thank you so much of staying with us and hope you whole African experience was all you dreamed it would be.Even more we are so happy that you had a relaxing time at Tumaini Cottage and got to experience our,home and our culture through conversations and meals.Now that you are part of our big family we want you to know your second home in Tanzania will always be here when you come back.Asante sana
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