This Serena hotel is located on the rim of the Ngorongoro crater, close to the nearby descent road with excellent views of the famous caldera.

For such a large hotel the clustered boulder-built buildings of the Lodge blend quite well into the landscape, whilst all the rooms and public areas are linked by rope-lashed timber walkways.

The dining and bar area are split levelled and take full advanatage of the view on offer but it is all a bit bland and impersonal. The food for such a large hotel is good and like all of the other Serena properties it is functional and good at handling high volumes of mainstream tourists on group safari tours.

The rooms are quite small and dark with their own own rock-enclosed balcony. The interiors are somewhat unimaginative with brass lamps, leather headboards, wildwood mirrors, Maasai carvings and wall motifs depicting fleeing giraffes, stylised gazelle and plunging buffalo.

If you really must have a crater rim location, but are not happy with the more expensive options of Crater Lodge or Lemala Camp then this can be a good option.

Service, comfort and cuisine will all be ok but nothing exceptional.