Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge

Built from local river stone and half-buried into the rim so it barely breaks the skyline, the Serena's rooms and lounges all look down into the Ngorongoro Crater. It's a large lodge with buffet dining and an open fire in the lounge — welcome, as the rim sits at around 2,300 m and gets cold at night.

Like the other Serena lodges, its value is consistency and a location that lets you reach the crater floor early.