Where to stay in Dar
Our recommendation: Masaki & Oyster Bay
Dar es Salaam is a big city, so where you stay makes a difference.
For your trip, we strongly recommend looking for accommodation around Masaki and Oyster Bay.
This part of the city sits along the Msasani Peninsula and is a convenient base for first-time visitors. You'll find plenty of restaurants, cafés, supermarkets and places to go for a drink or food nearby, shops as well as the coast and places such as The Slipway, Sea Cliff Hotel, and Bravo by Coco.
More importantly, you'll be staying relatively close to where most of the wedding activities will take place. Dar traffic has a mind of its own and can turn a seemingly short distance into a much longer journey ;)
Airbnbs
For most guests, our first recommendation is to look at Airbnb.
There are plenty of apartments around Masaki and Oyster Bay, including one-, two- and three-bedroom options. If you're travelling as a couple, family or group of friends, sharing an apartment can be both comfortable and easier on the wallet.
It can also make the trip feel a little more relaxed. Having a living room, kitchen and washing machine is very handy if you're staying for several days or continuing on to Zanzibar or safari after.
When comparing Airbnbs, we'd look for:
Air conditioning — essential.
Reliable Wi-Fi
24-hour security or a staffed building
Backup power/generator — worth checking, if you’re not used to outages.
Easy access for taxis, Uber or Bolt
A washing machine or laundry service if you're staying longer.
A pool — not essential, but very nice to have!
Good recent reviews
If those of you travelling together, we'd particularly recommend looking at larger apartments.
Prefer a hotel?
Masaki and the surrounding peninsula also have plenty of hotels, from smaller properties to larger international-style hotels. Here are some recommendations nearby:
Current accommodation listings show around 30 hotel and apartment options within Masaki alone, with considerably more when Msasani is included. The level of quality may also vary from European or International counterparts, just be aware of that.
A hotel may make more sense if you prefer having breakfast, reception, housekeeping, luggage storage and airport transfers taken care of for you.
Have a beautiful place to stay further away? Book yourself a good hotel around Masaki/Oyster Bay at least for the wedding day/weekend.
Book earlier rather than later
July is a popular time to travel to Tanzania.
It falls within the dry season and is a popular period for holidays, safaris, beach trips and wider travel around the country. Dar also serves as a gateway for people continuing on to places such as Zanzibar.
Start looking for accommodation in Dar now. So while you don't need to panic-book immediately, don’t wait until the last minute, particularly if you want a larger Airbnb or if several of you would like to stay in the same building or area.
