Keys Hotel is on Uru Road in the middle of Moshi, connected to a shopping centre and about a minute by car from the Clock Tower. The hotel has an outdoor pool, a garden with a barbecue grill, a restaurant and a bar and lounge, a spa offering massage by reservation, a billiards table and a nightclub. A free English breakfast is served each morning in the early part of the day. Rooms are Premium Rooms and Traditional Cottages that sleep up to three, with air conditioning, a minibar, a safe, satellite television and free toiletries. Free self parking is included, free Wi-Fi is available in some public areas and a round-trip airport shuttle is offered for a fee. There is a concierge desk that can help with tours, along with a 24-hour front desk, laundry and luggage storage. The hotel has no lift, so upper rooms involve stairs. Guests rate it very good, praising the friendly staff, clean rooms and good value.
Location and getting around
The hotel is in the commercial centre of Moshi, a minute from the Clock Tower and a couple of minutes from the railway station and Uhuru Park, so you can walk to restaurants, shops and the market. Kilimanjaro National Park is a drive of around twenty minutes to the nearest gate area, and Kilimanjaro International Airport is roughly an hour away. That position makes it an easy base for the Materuni waterfalls and coffee tour, the Chemka hot springs, the Marangu Gate hike and the Machame Gate hike, all of which start on the Moshi side.
The rooms
Premium Rooms and Traditional Cottages are similar in size, a little under 300 square feet, and both can sleep three, which suits small groups or a parent with a child. The cottages have a garden feel. Reviewers say the rooms are clean, but a few mention broken fixtures, a leaking or damp bathroom, rooms that did not match the photos and occasional power cuts, so ask for a room that has been recently refurbished and keep a torch handy.
Eating and relaxing
The free breakfast runs between seven and ten in the morning, which is flexible enough for most tour start times. The restaurant and bar are convenient after a hike, though some guests report slow service and one reported an issue with undercooked food, so order cooked-through dishes and be patient. Noise from the road, the restaurant and the nightclub can travel, so request a room away from the front if you are a light sleeper. Wi-Fi in the rooms is not guaranteed, so do not rely on it for work.
Good to know
Check-in is from noon until early evening, with a late arrival needing to be arranged in advance, and check-out is in the morning. The minimum check-in age is eighteen. It is the choice in this guide for travellers who want a central, reasonably priced Moshi base with a pool and a good breakfast, and who are flexible about the occasional maintenance issue. It sits between the budget hostel and the mid-range Kilimanjaro Wonders in character and price.
Why stay here
- ✓Outdoor pool
- ✓Free English breakfast
- ✓Restaurant and bar
- ✓Spa (by reservation)
- ✓Free self parking
- ✓Garden with barbecue grill
- ✓Tour desk and concierge
- ✓Airport shuttle (fee)
Good questions
How far is Keys Hotel from the Moshi Clock Tower?+
About a minute by car, so it is easy to reach on foot or by a very short ride.
Is breakfast included?+
Yes, a free English breakfast is served in the morning. The restaurant and bar are open for other meals.
Is it a good base for Kilimanjaro day trips?+
Yes, Materuni, Chemka and the Marangu and Machame day hikes all start on the Moshi side. The tour desk can help with arrangements.
