Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
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Average
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About
4.5
#10 of 34 lodges in Karatu
Location
4.3
Rooms
4.4
Value
4.4
Cleanliness
4.4
Service
4.5
Sleep Quality
4.6
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Situated between the breathtaking Ngorongoro Crater and majestic Lake Manyara. Octagon Lodge is a perfect base for safari travellers on holidays in Northern Tanzania. Day trips may be arranged to Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara.
We were on a 6-day safari with BestDay Safaris and they put us up in the Octagon Lodge on three of the nights - while we were visiting Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Lake Manyara, and Tarangire National Park. The property is so incredibly beautiful; it’s like a little slice of paradise in the village of Karatu. Ismaeli was our host, our bartender, our man of all trades here, and he was fantastic; so friendly, so helpful, and so interesting to have a conversation with. Of all the great things here, he was the very best part of our stay. Our room was spacious, and the bed was so comfortable. The hot shower was so welcome after long days of game drives. The property even has a swimming pool and an Irish pub on the grounds! We loved having a drink in the pub after a game drive as our delicious dinners were being prepared in the restaurant. All the food was so tasty, but if you get the chance, ask for a local Tanzanian dinner of stewed goat with ugali and vegetables; it was my favorite meal we had! The whole stay was amazing, and we were sad to leave after three nights.
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Date of stay: November 2020Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lodges spread out in an area surrounded with bamboos, gardens, wooden bridge. It has an Asian-feel to it. The reception area looks small but cozy— they sell basic stuff— toothpaste, etc. Has a small area of used books you can buy for a small price. We were welcomed by a bright lad named Damien and had a quite good conversation with him during our short stay. The lodge we stayed at was No.7—- we loved the bright white lights inside the lodge, and the water pressure of the shower was great—-best shower I had in days of being out on a Safari. The food was great, and they served us a LOT of food. Will consider coming back here again!
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Date of stay: October 2023Trip type: Traveled with friends
Room Tip:If you feel like you need a bugs spray in your lodge, just ask the Staff and they will do it for...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Our safari company booked us here and we loved it! The staff went the extra mile (we especially loved the hot towel when we got there after a long, dusty day!) Our boys loved the pool and the darts, and loved the charming full bar. The dinner (especially the soup) was delicious, and they packed amazing breakfast and lunch boxes for us. The rooms are individual cabins and you walk through a gorgeous bamboo forest to get to your room. The lovely property and the excellent staff made it 5 stars.
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Date of stay: June 2023Trip type: Traveled with family
Room Tip:Make sure to stop by the bar for a drink, they have it all!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
While Octagon does the big things well it does lack in detail. The staff was very friendly but forgetful (forgot to bring a drink order, there was no water or towels brought in during cleaning). I would agree with other travelers that this is an ok place to stopover but does not compare to other luxury camps. It is situated on the outskirts of the village so while it is quiet most of the time, noise from town does filter in during the morning hours. The food was ok. We were given box lunches to take for our game drives. They left a lot to be desired.
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Date of stay: January 2020
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:I found it a bit pricey for what the accommodations provide.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from patrick596, Manager at Octagon Lodge
Responded Jan 28, 2020
Dear Rick Thank you for your feed back, we really value our customer review for service improvement, We have check with our staff to focus on customer and increase their efficiency and will conduct staff training these year low season - very sorry for all inconvenience during your stay Best regards Lodge Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Excellent team. Nothing was too much trouble. Paulo went the extra mile. Stayed in a far more expensive lodge the next day - Octagon was definitely better for service and the friendly nature of their team Only wish we had more time to explore the lodge
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Date of stay: June 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed here for 2 nights as part of a safari trip and what a charming little lodge this was! The rooms were clean and rustic and the staff were amazing, some of the best service we have had anywhere! They made us feel so welcome, taught us some words in Swahili and the food was delicious! The chef had great pride in his food and came out each night to talk to us! I am vegetarian and there was a good selection for me and my husband really enjoyed the fish curry! The packed lunches for safari were also great!
The octagon shaped bar was lovely to enjoy a cold beer after a day on safari!
A fantastic stay! ❤️
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Date of stay: October 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A piece of heaven on earth. The lodge is simply beautiful, and the service was excellent. The rooms are large and comfortable, they have their ow garden and the food was fresh and delicious! The employees were all super friendly and went out of their way to make us feel as comfortable as possible. I highly recommend the Octagon lodge.
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Date of stay: December 2022
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cute cottage with a good bathroom. The food was good, I’ve been unable to follow my strict vegan diet on this trip but usually can get vegetarian. I’m surprised at the lack of beans offered, usually only baked beans and those are at for breakfast. Fortunately, many places serve mushrooms and some offer eggplant so that helps.
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Date of stay: May 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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We spent 2 nights in this wonderful hotel in Karatu, before going on safari in Ngorongoro and upon returning after spending 2 nights in the Serengeti. The rooms are very cozy bungalows. Dinner and breakfast very good. It has a great bar area where you can relax and have a beer next to the fire. The second day we were able to enjoy the pool for a while, which offers towel service and although it is not very big, it is enough to relax after an exhausting day of safari.
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Date of stay: September 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Octagon lodge was attractive and comfortable. The charming room had a queen size bed with good mosquito netting and the shower was good. Everything was clean and in good condition. We enjoyed our buffet meals there and it was a great location to overnight before going to NgoroNgoro Crater
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Date of stay: October 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
There are more places to choose from in the Karatu area.
PRICE RANGE
$158 - $198 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
TanzaniaArusha RegionKaratu
NUMBER OF ROOMS
21
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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