Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge, Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge is perched high on the jagged rim of the Ngorongoro Crater. Its boulder-built buildings, cloaked in indigenous creepers, hug the crater's edge, linked by timber walkways that skirt the buttressed roots of ancient, liana-hung trees. There are 75 guest rooms all with en suite showers and most have a private terrace. Due to the cool climate in the region, the lounge and dining room are set indoors, with large picture windows providing excellent views of the crater. All the main areas have a log fire, adding greatly to the atmosphere. The hotel's unusual design continues into the restaurant and bar, with prehistoric cave paintings etched into the walls. The full service lounge has an outdoor balcony with a fixed telescope.