In the heart of the busy and noisy Kariakoo area of Dar-es-salaam once stood ‘The Palace,’ hotel, which was accredited ‘One Star,’ property.
“The Palace,’ was among the properties owned by ‘Riki Hotels,’ which also runs the ‘Riki Hotel’ near Mnazi Mmoja which also bears the East African Community’s insignia that granted the property a ‘One Star,’ grading.
At the moment, the Palace no longer exists and in its place stands a hotel called ‘Palemo,’ which operates more or less like an ordinary guest house. It however opened shop but using the same building.
Previously implemented under the East African Community (EAC), the hotel grading exercise in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and other EAC member states was conducted between 2010 and 2016.
Later, Tanzania, through the Natural Resources and Tourism Ministry decided to go about it alone.
The second time round Hotel Grading exercise in the country ruffled a few feathers.
In fact, in 2018 the former Tanzanian Natural Resources and Tourism Minister, Dr Khamis Kigwangalla nullified all results.
As far as the minister was concerned, the second phase ‘Hotel Grading’ exercises, left a lot to be desired.
And the decision to scrap the results was done in response to complaints that the process to grade such properties were ‘dubious.’
And he made the declaration as he held an audience with stakeholders of Travel, Tourism, Conservation and Hospitality Industries in Arusha City.
The ‘hotel grading exercise,’ whose second instalment results were announced in late 2017 reportedly raised more questions than answers regarding how the process was conducted and decisions reached.
Most people complained that hotel owners were being subjected to pay US $ 3500 in order for the grading teams to measure their properties; this, according to observers, was just like bribing operators in order for their facilities to get higher accreditation.
According to the former Minister, there was a great possibility that many of the higher ranked hotels did not even qualify to get the so-called ‘Stars!’ while those that could have gained higher ratings failed to be acknowledged because they were unwilling to pay.
The second instalment of ‘Hotel Grading,’ exercise covered Arusha, Manyara and Dar-es-salaam regions.
Arusha managed to get a total of ten properties that were accredited with ‘Five-Star,’ rating certificates and these include, the Mount Meru Hotel in the town hotels category and Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge in the Vocational Lodges category.
Other declared five-star properties were all lodges, mostly located in National Parks or in surrounding areas such as Karatu and these include Ngorongoro Oldean, The Elewana Manor of Ngorongoro, the Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge, Tarangire Sopa Lodge, Legendary Lodge, Acacia Farm House and Lake Manyara Lodge.
There were also 19 four-star properties, 65 three-star properties, 81 properties with 2 stars and three properties accredited with the lowest single (1) star grading.
The Manyara property grading exercise had two hotels that managed to reach 4 stars’ category, 11 others earned 3 stars, four properties got 2 stars and their other accommodation premises were reported still under refurbishment but likely to earn at least a single star badge each.
The ‘And Beyond’ operated, Lake Manyara Tree Lodge,’ was declared the best property earning the company 4 stars.
AndBeyond is also behind the mega luxurious Ngorongoro Crater Lodge in Ngorongoro and Kleins Camp in Serengeti.
Properties that earned 3 stars include the Tarangire Safari Lodge, Kirurumo Under-Canvas Lodge, the Eco-Science, Science Centre & Luxury Lodge, Un-Lodge En Afrique Tented Lodge, Tarangire Treetops Lodge, Maramboi Tented Lodge and Roika Tented Lodge.
Campsites were also not left behind with Kikoti Safari Camp getting 4 stars, Sanctuary Swala Tented Camp earning 3 stars, Balloon Tarangire Tented Camp also getting 3 stars. The three stars also went to Maweninga Tented Camp, and Tarangire River Camp.
Oliver’s Camp, Manyara Ranch Conservancy Tented Camp and Lake Burunge Tented Camp all earned 2 stars as far as camping properties were concerned in the Manyara grading exercise.
The exercise enrolled a total of 32 hotels and lodges for the initial evaluation but only 12 of them were found to be sub-standard leaving 20 properties to undergo hospitality property standardization exercise which led to a number of them being badged with stars.
But now with Hotel Grading exercise shelved since 2027 how can one determine the quality of currently existing accommodation properties?