Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge, Arusha, Tanzania (Photo: Courtesy of Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge)No. 9 Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge
Arusha, Tanzania
Score: 95.85
Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge's perch on the eastern rim of the crater offers some of the best access to game viewing on the crater floor. They even have their own access road in, a serious perk allowing you to beat the traffic-jam crowds of jeeps heading out on game drives each morning from other lodges. The location makes up for the uninspiring design of the 96 rooms with dated 80s-ish cream and burgundy bedspreads and souvenir-shop tchotchke-style accents. Still they're cozy, and with the big five spread out like a theatre below you, you'll likely spend more of your time on the quaint rocking chairs in your glass-enclosed balcony.
