Gran Melia Arusha now occupies the ground where the former Hotel 77 was established.
In 1979, Arusha played host to the world when it welcomed the Conference of the Group of 77. Leaders from Africa, Asia and Latin America gathered at the freshly built Hotel 77 to push for fairer trade, debt relief and a stronger voice for developing nations. For a week, the quiet town thrummed with convoys, speeches and South–South solidarity, marking Tanzania’s bold entry into global diplomacy. Though decades have passed and the hotel is now Gran Meliá Arusha, locals still recall the buzz of that summit. The legacy endures: Arusha remains a city of dialogue, diplomacy and international encounters.
If you find yourself cruising the leafy outskirts of Arusha today, you might spot the gleam of glass and steel nestled among perfectly trimmed lawns. It’s the Gran Meliá Arusha – swanky, confident, and dressed to impress, like it’s been expecting safari-goers, diplomats and corporate bigwigs forever.
But rewind a few decades, and this swish spot was something quite different. Back in the late 1970s, Tanzania was feeling pretty pleased with itself on the global stage.
The Group of 77, an alliance of developing nations, had picked Arusha to host a summit in 1979. For a week, the quiet town was transformed into a stage for world affairs, buzzing with motorcades, speeches and strategy sessions. Leaders from across Africa, Asia and Latin America converged to demand a fairer global trade system, debt relief, and stronger South–South cooperation—echoing the ideals of Tanzania’s own Arusha Declaration.
Cue the need for a hotel that screamed, “We’re not just any old town!”
Enter Hotel 77, built to dazzle those visiting presidents and ministers, and named after the very year of the summit. Because why not flaunt it?
Hotel 77 was a beast in its day. Over 300 rooms, 23 presidential suites (just in case 23 presidents showed up unannounced), grand corridors, and lobbies that made even the most jet-lagged diplomat feel like a VIP.
For a while, it was the place to be. The bar hummed with quiet deals sealed over whisky and smokes, as music by the famous Mawingu discotheque lit the dancing floor. Conference rooms buzzed with the big talk of the new international economic order, and the whole city seemed to swell with importance.
But, as with all great parties, the clean-up was brutal.
The 80s and 90s saw Hotel 77’s sparkle fade. Carpets went threadbare, technology looked like it belonged in a museum and newer hotels started stealing the limelight. The glamorous hotel that once hosted presidents now struggled to fill its presidential suites.
Fast forward to the early 2000s, and the government decided to hand over the keys to private owners. A local hotelier won the bid with a tidy offer, promising a homegrown revival.
But politics being politics, that deal was abruptly scrapped and handed to Dubai’s Albwardy Investments instead, sparking a legal saga worthy of a TV drama.
Under Albwardy, Hotel 77 entered a snooze. Then came the 2013 announcement of a rebirth—first as a Hyatt Regency, promising grandeur and 300 rooms.
But things slowed down. The Hyatt badge quietly disappeared, replaced by a vague promise of “international luxury.”
When the doors finally opened in 2020, it was as Gran Meliá Arusha—smaller, sleeker and much more boutique.
Today, Gran Meliá boasts 171 rooms, landscaped gardens sprinkled with coffee plants (because why not?), a sparkling pool, and dining options mixing Swahili spice with Mediterranean flair.
It’s the perfect launchpad for safaris or serious business meetings alike. But locals? They still call it “77”—a nostalgic nod to the hotel’s hey days.
Well, in a nutshell, the grand old lady might have swapped her ballgown for a designer suit, but her heart still beats in sync with Arusha’s ever-changing rhythm.
So, next time you sip a cappuccino on the terrace, glance towards Mount Meru and imagine the motorcades of old.
The name’s changed, the walls are shinier, but the game remains: Hosting the world, one smart shoe at a time.
