--- title: "Gold Crest Hotel vs Gran Melia Aru: which hotel is better?" description: "Gold Crest Hotel or Gran Melia Aru in Arusha? Compare guest ratings, location, amenities, rooms and prices side by side." url: https://stayversus.com/en/compare/gold-crest-hotel-arusha-vs-gran-melia-arusha-arusha/ language: en source: StayVersus (https://stayversus.com) retrieved: 2026-10-31 --- # Gold Crest Hotel vs Gran Melia Aru Both are in Arusha, 790 m apart. Here is where each one is stronger. Hotel · ★★★★ · Sekei ## [Gold Crest Hotel](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/gold-crest-hotel-arusha/) - **Guest rating:** 9.5 · Exceptional - **Location score:** 5.0 - **Score by category:** 5 of 15 [Check rates](https://stayversus.com/go/1449107/agoda/?lang=en) Hotel · ★★★★★ · Sekei ## [Gran Melia Aru](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/gran-melia-arusha-arusha/) - **Guest rating:** 9.3 · Exceptional - **Location score:** 3.8 - **Score by category:** 7 of 15 [Check rates](https://stayversus.com/go/1456802/agoda/?lang=en) The short answer ## Pick Gran Melia Aru It comes out ahead on 7 of 15 compared facts. 790 m apart. ### Choose Gold Crest Hotel if you want - more restaurants on the doorstep (17 / 4) - breakfast included ### Choose Gran Melia Aru if you want - the more consistently praised stay (9.3 / 9.5) ### Why is Gold Crest Hotel better than Gran Melia Aru? 1. Includes free breakfast 2. 13 more restaurants and cafés within 500 m (+13) 3. More walkable surroundings (walk grade 49 vs 28) (+21) 4. Has an on-site restaurant 5. Earlier check-in (13:00 vs 15:00) (−2h) ### Why is Gran Melia Aru better than Gold Crest Hotel? 1. Higher star rating (5★ vs 4★) (+1★) 2. Later check-out (12:00 vs 10:00) (+2h) ## All compared facts Every category is scored from 0 to 10 with the same formula for every hotel. | | Gold Crest Hotel | Gran Melia Aru | | --- | --- | --- | | Score by category | | Guest rating | 9.5 | 9.3 | | Location | 5.0 (+1.2) | 3.8 | | Facilities | – | 7.5 | | Spa & wellness | – | 7.5 | | Ratings & reviews | | StayVersus score | 8.7 | 8.9 (+0.2) | | Guest rating | 9.5 (+0.2) | 9.3 | | Number of reviews | 8 | 32 (+24) | | Rank in Arusha | top 23% | top 9% (+14%) | | Location | | Location score | 5.0 (+1.2) | 3.8 | | Distance to Sekei centre | 970 m | 850 m (−120 m) | | To the airport | 7.5 km | 8.0 km | | Restaurants within 500 m | 17 (+13) | 4 | | To the nearest food shop | 110 m (−240 m) | 350 m | | Shops within 500 m | 1 | 2 | | Sights within 1 km | 2 | 1 | | Rooms & building | | Star rating | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ (+1★) | | Rooms | – | 171 | | Newest building or renovation | – | 2019 | | Listed amenities | 11 | 20 (+9) | | Policies | | Check-in from | 13:00 (−2h) | 15:00 | | Check-out until | 10:00 | 12:00 (+2h) | | Amenities | | Free Wi-Fi | ✓ | ✓ | | Laundry | ✓ | – | | Free breakfast | ✓ | – | | Restaurant | ✓ | – | | Bar | ✓ | ✓ | | Swimming pool | ✓ | ✓ | | Wheelchair accessible | ✓ | – | | Air conditioning | ✓ | ✓ | | Free parking | – | ✓ | | Concierge | – | ✓ | | Room service | – | ✓ | | Spa | – | ✓ | | Sauna | – | ✓ | | Gym | – | ✓ | | Terrace | – | ✓ | | Smoke-free | – | ✓ | | Balcony | – | ✓ | | Minibar | – | ✓ | | In-room safe | – | ✓ | | Coffee or tea maker | – | ✓ | | Blackout curtains | – | ✓ | | Which hotel suits you | | Couples | – | ✓ | | Sightseeing on foot | ✓ | – | | Spa & relaxation | – | ✓ | ## Live prices around both hotels Real nightly rates from booking partners for the dates you picked above. Tap a price for the offer. [Gran Melia Aru prices by month](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/gran-melia-arusha-arusha/prices/) ## Location 790 m apart Gold Crest Hotel: city centre: 520 m, Arusha Airport (ARK): 7.5 km, 17 places to eat within 500 m, 2 sights within 1 km. Gran Melia Aru: city centre: 780 m, Arusha Airport (ARK): 8.0 km, 4 places to eat within 500 m, 1 sights within 1 km. ## Weather in Arusha [Arusha weather: 15-day forecast](https://atlasofseasons.com/en/tanzania/arusha/arusha/weather) ## Gold Crest Hotel or Gran Melia Aru: common questions ### Which is better, Gold Crest Hotel or Gran Melia Aru? Gran Melia Aru leads in 7 of 15 categories, including StayVersus score, number of reviews, rank in Arusha. Gold Crest Hotel is stronger in guest rating, location score, restaurants within 500 m. ### Which is cheaper, Gold Crest Hotel or Gran Melia Aru? Prices change by date. Pick your dates above to see both nightly prices side by side. ### Which hotel is closer to the centre? Gran Melia Aru is closer: 850 m from the centre, against 970 m for Gold Crest Hotel. ### How far apart are Gold Crest Hotel and Gran Melia Aru? The two hotels are 790 m apart in a straight line. ## More match-ups - [Gold Crest Hotel vs The African Tulip Hotel](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/gold-crest-hotel-arusha-vs-the-african-tulip-hotel-arusha/) - [Gold Crest Hotel vs Kibo Palace Hotel Aru](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/gold-crest-hotel-arusha-vs-kibo-palace-hotel-arusha-arusha/) - [Gold Crest Hotel vs Four Points by Sheraton Arusha, The Arusha Hotel](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/four-points-by-sheraton-arusha-the-arusha-hotel-arusha-vs-gold-crest-hotel-arusha/) - [Gran Melia Aru vs Mount Meru Hotel](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/gran-melia-arusha-arusha-vs-mount-meru-hotel-arusha/) - [Gran Melia Aru vs The African Tulip Hotel](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/gran-melia-arusha-arusha-vs-the-african-tulip-hotel-arusha/) - [Gran Melia Aru vs Kibo Palace Hotel Aru](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/gran-melia-arusha-arusha-vs-kibo-palace-hotel-arusha-arusha/) ## Compare now Updated 6 Oct 2026. Data: Agoda, Overture Maps, OpenStreetMap, OurAirports and hotels' own websites. We may earn a commission from partner links; it never changes the comparison. [How we score](https://stayversus.com/en/about/) --- Source: https://stayversus.com/en/compare/gold-crest-hotel-arusha-vs-gran-melia-arusha-arusha/. Facts are compiled by StayVersus from partner data (Agoda), Overture Maps, OpenStreetMap, OurAirports, public Google Maps listings and hotels' own websites. Scores use one formula for every hotel. Methodology: https://stayversus.com/en/about/